Birth, Death, and Rebirth of a Frankenstein...

[automatico]

Birth of a Frankenstein:

http://www.rwgforum....__gopid__857628

See post number 5.

Death of a Frankenstein:

http://www.rwgforum....an/page__st__20

See post number 25.

Rebirth of a Frankenstein:

Snow for the past two days...White Christmas!

Today was more snow so I stuck an eta 2846 in the 16220 case.

Here is what it took:

1...Cut the dial feet off the dial.

2...Dig out one of Stilty's Super! Spacers.

I call them Super! because they work.

3...Test fit the spacer in the case and to the movement...it needed about 5 minutes of sanding with 1000 sandpaper to make it fit in the case without sticking. If it gets stuck you will have to remove the bezel and crystal and push the dial/mvt out from the front.

4...File a couple shallow grooves in the spacer so the case clamps could pass over the spacer and down into the groove in the case...about 15 minutes of filing and trial fitting.

5...Mount the spacer to the movement with the case clamp screws only (you can not get the mvt in the case with the clamps on it).

6...I stuck 3 dial dots on top of the spacer to hold the dial in place while putting it in the case (the clamps will hold it after it is installed but it might move and the 12 would be off center).

7...Mounted the hands.

8...Put the movement/dial/spacer in the case, centered the stem, removed the case screws one at a time and put the clamps on.

9...Cut the stem to fit.

10...Cleaned the dust off the movement etc and screwed the caseback on.

Notes:

1...Had to use the genuine case because the dial was made to fit a genuine case and I did not have a replica case handy that the dial would fit. Besides, the 16200 case is water tight.

2...I wanted to use the Stilty Super! Spacer.

3...I did not change or cut the set bridge so it would have only one notch from winding position to setting position because I did not want to fool with it. You can probably use an eta 2801 set bridge, I never tried it.

It is less of a Frankenstein now but I do not have to worry about the genuine relax movement going $outh.

Always remember the relax motto: NP-FU!

[slickdick]

The links don't work, other than that, congrats on the revive

[automatico]

"The links don't work, other than that, congrats on the revive"

Rats.

Birth of a Frankenstein:

I made a '1016' out of parts a year and a half ago and here is what it cost (from memory, but close):

Parts:

16220 case...$200 iirc (it shows a lot of small scratches and has a little dent in the back but it's just fine because it makes it look more like a genuine 1016)

lug holes drilled out for 1016 springbars

original case tube and crown that came with case

aft/mkt submariner springbars $10 (they have to be shortened and the ends polished)

gaskets $10+/-

26 jewel hack 1520 rolex movement (cleaned, new stem, and mainspring...$750 for mvt, $15 for ms, $4 for stem)

dial from some forgotten guy in China for about $100 (has SINGER on the back and precise fitting dial feet but it is 100% replica...no lume much at all after 20 minutes in the dark, same as a 30 year old genuine)

aft/mkt hands $15

1016 spec (more or less) bezel $35 iirc from the same guy who supplied the dial (rolex 22 spec crystals have thicker sidewall and top than DJ)

A hogged out DJ bezel will work but iirc they are smaller OD than a 1016 bezel.

GS PA464-64C crystal $10+/- (same as rolex 22 and better than most internet mystery crystals)

Total parts $1100 to $1150

Subtract around $650 for using Eta 2846 etc.

Bracelet of choice...$20 to $400.

Labor more or less:

clean/oil mvt $100

machine bezel to fit the crystal $25

drill lug holes $25

put it all together $25

Prices are a guess as I did it myself.

Death of a Frankenstein:

"Yesterday, I got all revved up and thought I would wear a genuine watch for a few days so I dug out a 14010M Air King to wear (no date to screw with). I looked at it and thought about the rUSA 'NP-FU' policy and put it away. Next, I dug out my Frankenstein 1520 powered '1016'...I looked at it, thought about 'NP-FU' and put it back in the drawer.

So I put on a genuine pawn shop Movado Museum that I paid $40 for and awaaay I went."

A couple days ago I took the 1520 out of the F-stein 1016 and may put an eta 2846 or something in it. I do not want to wear any watch with a genuine 'np-fu' rolex movement in it.

Imho, replicas can be seen as one of three types...

(1) 100% Asian made with '21 jewel' or 'etaclone' movement.

(2) Asian case, dial, bracelet, hands etc and swiss made (usually eta) movement.

(3) Frankensteins...but I will no longer wear one with a genuine rolex movement in it.

[freddy333]

Auto - You can select a specific post by right-clicking its post number in the upper right-hand corner & selecting the Copy Link Location option in the menu (or similar, depending on your browser)

Then paste that link into your new post via the Insert Link icon atop the RWG message editor.

[lhooq]

Great stuff, automatico! Your 1016 Frankenstein posts are required reading for anyone considering a vintage Explorer project. The absence of photos screens out the unserious.

I recently took out the Sea-Gull 2824-alike in my 16234 franken, and swapped in a 2472 plucked from a Rado Horse. Both movements work fine, but the old ETA just has more... character (plus a suitably low beat). I think it's got more heft, too, but I should probably weigh it to be sure.

[Dizzy]

good story!

I dont really see the point of putting a gen movement into a watch either. Unless its all gen except the movement, and you find a motor for a GOOD price. I have a Datejust thats all gen except for the ETA2836 and the hands. Its a nice looking watch, keeps perfect time and from what you can see (except the hands and datewheel) is all 100% Rolex. Good enough for me. If I ever come across a nice 3035cal for a smokin deal, then i might toss it in there and sell it. I never wear any of my genuine watches. They just sit and collect dust while I wear my frankens.

[automatico]

"Auto - You can select a specific post by right-clicking its post number in the upper right-hand corner & selecting the Copy Link Location option in the menu (or similar, depending on your browser)"

Thanks. I had the links on the initial post but they were automatically shortened on the final post and would not work.

"Great stuff, automatico! Your 1016 Frankenstein posts are required reading for anyone considering a vintage Explorer project. The absence of photos screens out the unserious."

Next project will probably be a replica 18k DD case with a Bulova movement and refinished black 'Californication' dial. The dial is a hair too small for the dial seat so I'll have to make a spacer of some sort. I have had it in the project drawer since February 2001 when I cut out a bezel to fit a domed 1016 crystal to it. It will have a date only and no magnifier.

"I recently took out the Sea-Gull 2824-alike in my 16234 franken, and swapped in a 2472 plucked from a Rado Horse. Both movements work fine, but the old ETA just has more... character (plus a suitably low beat). I think it's got more heft, too, but I should probably weigh it to be sure. "

"I dont really see the point of putting a gen movement into a watch either. They just sit and collect dust while I wear my frankens."

That's exactly the way I feel about it.

I doubt I will use a rolex movement in another Frankenstein except maybe the DW 1680 case I have on the way. Then again, since the Stilty spacer makes it so easy, I might not use the rolex movement and put a 2846 in the 1680 project and save the 1570/5.

I'll put the 1520 out of the '1016' in a 5500 AK case if I can find one because I have a pretty good refinished AK dial. May have to go with an OP no date if I can not find an AK case though as I have a good 1007 case and dial.

Too many projects.

[Dizzy]

For the price of JUST the Rolex movement, you could save it to build a complete other franken watch. I know I would rather have 2 super frankens with ETA motors, than one watch with gen motor.