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16013 datejust franken finally finished!


catboy

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i posted 12 - 18months ago wanting to build a franken for my dad for his 65th birthday and retirement, and asking for advice. i was steered down the datejust route, and this evening, 3 days before my dads 65th birthday party i finished building it!

its been a slow project as i've been hunting for parts, learning as i go, but i've really enjoyed it and love the finished article; i just hope my dad likes it!

thanks to everyone who's ever posted pictures, tutorials or information relating to datejusts, you've all helped (trust me; if you posted about a datejust, i read it over the last 12months! ). particular thanks to taxico and stilty for most of the parts and technical help, i couldnt have done it without you..

pics below, sorry they're not great i only have a crappy point and shoot camera..

ben

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specs for those of you into that sort of thing..

gen 16013 ss case, case back, tube, crown, replacement seal kit

gen white gold fluted bezel, plexi crystal

gen black / gold dial

gen tudor hands

nos 2824-2 movement, serviced and modified with h4 hw/cp/4th-w

stilty movement spacer ring

gen 2836-2 datewheel

stilty champagne "open 6's and 9's" datewheel overlay

yukiwatch solid mid-link oyster bracelet with 455b end links

gen spring bars

ben

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Thanks for the positive comments guys.. The one thing I'm a bit disappointed with is the bracelet but I had so many house bills this last couple months I've had to go with an aftermarket bracelet.. I might try and source him a gen one (or gen clasp and end-links at least) later this year to properly finish the job off.. To be honest they fit much better "on the wrist", lAying it down seems to exaggerate the issue!

Wasn't necessarilly my cup of tea during the build but had toconcentrate on the fact it was for someone else, but now it's done I really like it.. Has a nice aged look to it, and after much deliberation oyster was definitely the right choice! Pres/jubilee would have looked too fussy I think and he doesn't like leather straps!

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You might be able to improve the look of the end links by squeezing them together a little. That way if you have the little bottom tabs, they will rest on the bottom lugs and keep the top part in place better. Or using another set might help- I have rep 455B's on my 16014 franken and they fit nicely. End links are definitely a hit or miss proposition. You just have to keep trying til you get something that fits well.

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I agree, pinch the end links and search for a gen clasp on ebay. That will make a big difference.

Other than that, its looks awesome :thumbsupsmileyanim:

My first gen Rolex was a black dial 1603 with engine turned stainless bezel. I love these old plexy datejusts.

dzz

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side note: date disc is a genuine rolex. icing on the cake!

That's really cool. I have the Datejust that you built for Wheaton26 with a gen rolex date disc. My only question is, I thought the date wheel turned in a different direction than the ETA movement discs - making the numbering order reversed?

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Awesome! I thought the date progression was backwards too but perhaps it's the crown direction to progress the date which is reversed with a cal.3035?

A friend in the know said on Wednesday "the truth will out tomorrow" (ie when there was going to be a 6 on the dial) and then yesterday took one look at the date and said "hmm.." and walked off with a smile on his face! Really does add another correct, visible detail to the job..

I think a gen bracelet is the last missing piece really, other than that the only thing non-gen is the movement..

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the 3135 disc is the same as ETA.

I have a few very rare 3135 discs with open and larger fonts. Same font as a 3035, but advance the same as the ETA! A double bonus.

Do you mean the gen 3135 date disk is a drop-in replacement (same size/diameter/thickness & works with ETA date change components) for the ETA date disk?

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