JoeyB Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Most of us have seen freddy333’s stunning Rolex 6542s. And most know the story behind the Rolex GMT as a project with Pan American Airways. Juan Trippe, founder and head of Pan Am wanted a watch that would help the air-crews overcome jet-lag in the new jet-age. The result was the birth of the Rolex 6542. Then the story goes that Trippe noticed a 6542 on an executive's wrist, and demanded the watch go to the crews as he had directed. The executive argued that they made the company more money that the jet-jocks did, and deserved a Rolex too. So Trippe had Rolex make the white dial for the execs. I got to thinking about that, and it didn't make sense. JuanTrippe was a Naval Aviator in his own right, a hands on guy, a mover and shaker that was well educated and a pioneer who helped build the commercial aviation industry. Would he even be in the ‘Executive Suite' much at all? And if he was, would he notice someone's watch? I don't think so. I think someone told the boss. Yep, I thought to myself, there had to be an informer !A snitch, a canary, a deep throat, a fink, an informant, anarc, a rat, a squealer, a stool pigeon, a stoolie, a tattler, tattletale weasel, whistle-blower. So, I thought it through and narrowed, and deduced, and realized it could only be one. The one who received the packages from Rolex, the one who delivered them, the one who was short a few Rolex watches when some went mysteriously missing. The one? Who else? Melivin from the mail room. Via today's advanced technology, using the internet, google and ZabaSearch, I tracked Melvin down living alone in a retirement community on the West coast just down the street from AllergyDoc, and he confirmed my theory. And he told me the rest of the story…When Melvin told Mr. Trippe (he ALWAYS called him Mr.Trippe!), Juan didn't get upset at all. He smiled and said ‘Thanks Melvin’,picked up the phone and called Rolex. They suggested the white dial and he approved it on the spot. Within a few weeks Melvin was delivering white dial Rolex GMT’s to the executives. ‘But what did Trippe do for you, Melvin?’ I asked.“Mr. Trippe gave me a watch too!”I looked at it, but something was fishy. Trippe wasn't known to be extravagant. More research, one web site after another, and I found it. Mr. Juan Trippe was no fool. He wasn't about to give Melvin the Mail room guy the same watch as his execs, and surely not a genuine Rolex. So, Juan had his house-boy, an illegal that had stowed away on the Pan Am Clipper and master watch maker back home in Tai Pei , build a replica of the Rolex 6542 white dial watch. Fuk Yuen built the watch using nothing but household materials, and in a private ceremony in the back of the mail room, Mr. Trippe presented it to Melvin. I talked Melvin into selling me the watch. The economy has been tough on him, he doesn't eat very regularly, usually Nine lives cat food, so I bought him a quarter-pounder and really low-balled the old coot. It's old, but in pretty good shape for it's age. Here's my new Pan-Am mail-room watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 So what is the story behind this creation (especially the source of the insert)? p.s. Even I do not have 'my' money anymore. The Rolex parts sellers have it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 FANTASTIC build!! I see that Fuk Yuen added his own small touch to the dial... at the 6:00 position instead of "SWISS" it reads "FYWIS". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Haha... I love the 'history' of this one! Good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) So what is the story behind this creation (especially the source of the insert)? p.s. Even I do not have 'my' money anymore. The Rolex parts sellers have it all. You want the truth?? Where is Nicholson when I need him?? Trust me, the story I posted is better! My disclaimer: No genuine Rolex parts were harmed in the making of this watch. The watch, therefore, is a genuine replica. I'd guess you recognize the Silix case. 21J GMT movement, crystal and case tube from Clark's. Crown and hands are likely Chinese, they were laying around. The 4th hand is homemade, per your tutelage, and the red/black date wheel overlay is my homemade one. The dial is a white blank from Otto Frei to fit ETA 28XX movements, $4. The graphics come from Stephan's site that you introduced me to. That site is superb for making the water-slide decal. The lettering is sharp and clear. So much so that I am re-doing my black dial 6542 next. When I was building the black you might recall that I really messed up the gen dial I had. I decided then to try the water-slide decals to save that dial, and I thought about doing it in white. I was talked out of doing that. I made the black and about a week later you posted your white dial. Printing the black letter on clear decal and apply to a white painted dial just looks stunning. I knew I had to make it, especially after seeing yours. It looks so good that there will be another white dial, a 'custom' 16710 coming. The insert is homemade. I've seen prices on 6542 plastic inserts range from $200 and up over $500 for about 25¢ worth of material. Now, labor rates are lower in Vietnam than what I get, but we're not counting that. I'm being cheap. it's my watch, and I can do as I like! The insert I bought from you that came from Classic Watch Parts looks to be made differently than those from Yuki or NDT in that, the numbers are not molded in as they are with the rest. So, not having any molding equipment, I made it like the Classic is made. I took a piece of .060 Plexiglas and cut out the insert, and shaped it to the bezel. Then I printed a well edited picture of an insert in reverse on clear decal paper, but the blue and red only. I left the numbers clear. Then I applied it to the bottom of the Plexiglas/insert. It took maybe 30, possibly more, before I got this close to being right. Trying to apply a circle decal on the circle of Plexiglas is like trying to flatten out a wet noodle. It has a life of it's own. You move one little bit to adjust, and 3 other things move, and it's all drying while trying to position it. I walked away several times, but I hate being beat so I kept trying. You might notice up on the edge in the blue some white peeking through. This is where the decal has separated a bit from the Plexiglas. But it is very consistent with the pics I've seen of genuine inserts, and the aged look fit this watch. The decals on the dial and the insert are, of course, 'water-slide'. So using a lume with a petrol-chemical base is probably not a good idea. I found some 'Glow-Paint' at an art store for about $5. It is whitish with a bit of green glow to it, and water-based acrylic. I bought a 99¢ kid's water color tin thing at the local dollar store. A touch of brown to the Glow-Paint got the color I wanted, and I relumed the hands, and lumed the dial markers, and used it for the background of the insert, on the decal itself. The white shows through, and the whole damn thing lumes up! Now, it lumes about like the Chinese lume, glows for a bit and dies out in a few minutes, but as you said, a watch this age shouldn't glow much at all. So I'll run with that! I tried to get a pic of the watch lumed up, but it didn't work. If someone has a way to do lume shots I'll try it again. I'm guesstimating I have less than $100 into the watch, considering that I used a number of parts that I had laying around. The decal paper and sealer was under $6, and I don't even know where I got the movement. As I said, I am re-doing the dial and the insert on my black 6542. The insert will need to be perfect on that one. You posted a pic of a gen 6542 that I just have to try to emulate. I believe I am very close to getting that insert spot on. I have the 'blend-in' method, now to get the decal to sit right. I'll post that when it's done. Thank you freddy. I would have never been able to do any of it without your work and your help. Edited January 20, 2011 by JoeyB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 FANTASTIC build!! I see that Fuk Yuen added his own small touch to the dial... at the 6:00 position instead of "SWISS" it reads "FYWIS". Lol! You made me look!!! Lanikai should recognize that name. It's the name of a restaurant in Honolulu. Obviously everyone loves the name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 The insert I bought from you that came from Classic Watch Parts looks to be made differently than those from Yuki or NDT in that, the numbers are not molded in as they are with the rest. So, not having any molding equipment, I made it like the Classic is made. I took a piece of .060 Plexiglas and cut out the insert, and shaped it to the bezel. Then I printed a well edited picture of an insert in reverse on clear decal paper, but the blue and red only. I left the numbers clear. Then I applied it to the bottom of the Plexiglas/insert. It took maybe 30, possibly more, before I got this close to being right. Trying to apply a circle decal on the circle of Plexiglas is like trying to flatten out a wet noodle. It has a life of it's own. You move one little bit to adjust, and 3 other things move, and it's all drying while trying to position it. I walked away several times, but I hate being beat so I kept trying. You might notice up on the edge in the blue some white peeking through. This is where the decal has separated a bit from the Plexiglas. But it is very consistent with the pics I've seen of genuine inserts, and the aged look fit this watch. The insert does not have the 3D appearance of gens, but you got the fonts alot closer to the gens than ANY aftermarket insert I have yet come across. Now if you can figure out how to make them 3D & grainy like tritium Overall, super super job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 That's just an amazing build story. Fantastic perseverance, and killer results! Let me know when you toss a $100 black dialed 6542 together, I'll give you several times that amount in exchange! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grifter Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 WOW awesome build!! and for under $100 bucks?!?!! inspiring! and the story had me rolling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiman12 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Love the story...expecially superimposing the 6542 on Melvin's wrist! Awesome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donerix Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Very creative and clever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Brilliant and very, very well done! One of my all time favorites there! Congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiyal Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Instant classic! Melvin would be proud of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcoast68 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 I think we should pin this thread to the top!! Its probably the most entertaining read I have seen in a while and the build itself shows great ingenuity . It proves that a great project can be made on a shoestring budget, and that is part of what this hobby is about. Great read and an even greater project result, thanks for sharing!!! Wear it well!!! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andei3000 Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 That's a good story to read and a stunning watch to see :thumbsup: Thanks Joey for this post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Cool post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Incredible McGuyver project - Well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Thank you one and all for the kind words. I am rather conceited, so it feeds my ego quite nicely! Something I neglected to post yesterday, and wanted to point out in regards to using a water-slide decal for the dial. From Stephano 's blogspot: Stephano Mazzariol Briefly, the dial plate was immersed in a golden galvanic solution, in the next step with the help of a tampon pad was positioned a “DECAL” or “TRANSFER” for graphics and everything which had to remain in gold. After that, the dial was again immersed in a black galvanic solution, which covers everything except on the Decal. At the end, to obtain a mirror glossy finishing, a very thin transparent paint, called ZAPON, was applied and, as last step, the luminous material was positioned. This method used by Rolex 55 years ago is very similar to using the water slide decal. Though I decided against using the tampon... At the local hobby shop I bought the EXPERTS-CHOICE™ Decal Number 121 Clear for Inkjet, from BARE-METAL FOIL Company (248) 477-0813 in Michigan. And I bought Testor's decal sealer spray, 3oz for $5. After several failed attempts to get it right, I called Bare-metal direct and asked their advice. One of the issues I had was the inkjet color bleeding when I sprayed on the sealer. On the white dial the black would bleed a bit purple, and on the insert the blue and red were all over. I am printing at my equipment's highest resolution, 2400dpi, and it is heavy ink. I found that if I let it dry for 3 weeks the bleeding ceased. Well, I could mess up decals much faster than to wait 3 weeks to do it. Bare-Metal suggested using Krylon Acrylic Crystal-Clear spray, 11 oz. $3.97 at Wal-Mart. Solved, no bleeding after an hour drying. Light coats are smooth, heavy coats will give a cracked-aged look once applied. The next issue was the bond. Bare-Metal suggested their 'Micro Set' to make a better bond, and their 'Micro Sol' to set the decal and the claim that it makes the decal look painted on. The Micro Set solution applied to the dial does make the bond better. (So far not as good on the insert, but I'm still experimenting) Initially it looks as though it killed the decal, but it dries nicely. The Micro Sol is a problem. I can't get that stuff to work. It wrinkles the decal too much, and gives a very aged look at best. Using the clear decal paper worked best for me, but they have white paper as well. Inkjet printers do not print white. The blank, white painted dial for ETA from Otto Frei was perfect for the white 6542. On the black dial the gilt does not show up as well on white background, so I painted the dial with an almond color that brought out the gold. To give an idea of all involved so far, I've gone through 6 sheets of 8½ x 11 decal paper. Figure the size of the dials and the size of the inserts, that's a lot of trial and error. But it kept me off the streets! I do love the challenge, and really enjoy playing with my computer to make the dial and insert. I guess most have Photo-Shop, I use ULead only because it came free with some other thing I bought years ago and know how to make it work, and I haven't bothered to learn Photo-Shop. The part I like most is that for under $25 I can make a near perfect looking dial, and in the case of the 6542 and 1675, a dial that is only available in a genuine, and at genuine prices. Please pardon my picture taking skills. Actually, I have none. I've tried for years to take a decent shot with my Brownie, and no joy. All my pics do not do justice to the pieces posted. They really look much better in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Wow that's really a cool story and great build for shure. Fantastic job really creative and great result for not much money. I like it a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Wow that's really a cool story and great build for shure. Fantastic job really creative and great result for not much money. I like it a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllergyDoc Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Melvin has regretted moving to the not-so-Golden State: his taxes have skyrocketed, the government is broke as are the roads, and he has developed allergies. As he is on a limited budget, I have offered to trade services for watches. Nice old watch, Joey. Can you make one that looks new? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Melvin has regretted moving to the not-so-Golden State: his taxes have skyrocketed, the government is broke as are the roads, and he has developed allergies. As he is on a limited budget, I have offered to trade services for watches. Nice old watch, Joey. Can you make one that looks new? What's new? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllergyDoc Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 You know. Not old. New. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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