alligoat Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 The 6542 is pretty popular these days. Freddy and JoeyB have put together some nice examples PT is coming out with his rendition at what is a really good starting price, where you go from there is up to you and your wallet. Some of these gens are up there in the stratosphere I'm sure most of us would rather not know what this example is worth- like I say stratosphere- reminds me of Jackie Gleason, "to the moon Alice" So last month I saw a 6542 rendition by Donerix and I figured the poor man's 6542 was for me, at least for a while. So I started with a cheap GMT from Paul which I had bought previously hoping the dial said 'Oyster Perpetual" and not 'Oyster Perpetual Date' like so many of the 1675 dials do. Sure enough when this one arrived, it said 'Oyster Perpetual Date'- just what I didn't want. Another chinese communication breakdown! And the case is a 5517 with the sloped cyclops- scrap the case! I tried like heck to pop the bezel and finally gave up, it wouldn't budge. Luckily I had an old sub case with lugholes from one of my early chinese red 1680 subs. So I headed out to the workshop and went to grinding and filing and polishing and took off the crown guards, it was a 45 minute chore. Then I glued on a spare crystal which happened to fit- no cyclops. Next I tried to fit a 5.3mm tube in the case- quick set epoxy since it was a 6mm hole (actually 3.0mm vs 2.5mm). That worked for 3-4 days. In the meantime I boogered up the keyless works on the CN movt. The watchmaker charged me $30 to fix the 'detent' button. But the next time I went to adjust the time, the epoxy gave out and the tube came out with it. So I had no 6mm crowns and decided that given the low budget parameters of this build, a 7mm crown and tube was in order. Hence, the Big Crown 6542. I realize that there are a few shortcomings, but on a $130 build, you just have to press on. I realize that the black bezel insert didn't come out until the 1675, maybe mid 60's. And the bezel itself is all wrong, but the ROLS176 just isn't to be currently had and I'm not about to start filing the bezel. GMT hand is too big, but enough. It was a fun build and if the CN movement hangs in there it should be a fun watch. Donerix did a better job aging his, but I'm still enjoying the pristine condition of my 6542 'Big Crown'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Here's another pic for you D. Black insert, big GMT hand, who knows if it's real Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 I love perseverance!! My 6204 Sub is similar in that it has the Brevet big crown. I can't find a Rolex+ crown for less money than I have in the whole watch! So, like yours, it's together and running, and when the parts come along at the right deal we will upgrade. After all, the only ones who would know are here on this site, maybe a handful on one or two other forums, and none on the rest. That gen on the leather strap is nice. The least expensive I've seen for a 6542 has been a little over $9,000, and the high I've seen is $45,000. I like genuine Replicas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiman12 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Great creativity M! I particularily like the GMT on the brown strap...good job my friend!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Here's another pic for you D. Black insert, big GMT hand, who knows if it's real I love the white GMT dial with black bezel & always thought Rolex should have made that watch, but they never did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiyal Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Love it! only now i have an Oyster perpetual Date Complex! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Thanks guys for the kind words. It's funny how sometimes the 'off the wall' builds are the most fun. Joey, the gen 6542 came from Watches in Rome- have no idea what it sold for, just loved the pic so I borrowed it. I'd figure a watch like this would run in the $20,000-40,000 range. I'm with you on the genuine replicas! 6-8 months ago I saw a 6542 1035 movt for sale for $1500 on VFR. Sure it would be a $3000+ build by the time all was done, but it sure beats $20,000+. And as someone said, almost all of these 6542's have one or more flaws- can't help it on a 50+ year old watch, especially since Rolex doesn't support their vintage watches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 freddy333 knows far more about 6542s than I do, but I'd bet I haven't yet seen two that are identical. Granted it's all pictures, but 55 years of factory service parts, after-market parts or jeweler fabricated parts certainly confuses things. I saw one very ratty, and not appealing, 6542 on Ebay a month or more ago that bidding started somewhere over $15,000. Money aside, it was the first one I saw that I just didn't like at all. So I decided that for myself, I'd build what I like and if it was not quite perfect to genuine, it would be perfect to me. When I saw freddy's 1st 6542 that's the look I chose, and even bought the insert from freddy when he upgraded. My tastes have changed a bit since. While I still love how mine turned out, I've learned more about making the dial, and saw a watch with the insert I'd prefer. I'm still learning to make the insert, the one in my white dial is very close to what I want. I am in process of re-doing my black dial, and the target is to make mine look like this one: We'll see if I can do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I absolutely love the 6542's. joey, if you can build one that looks like the Robert Maron watch, you will have "hit it out the ballpark" i would love to find a really nice rep of the White dial PanAm 6542. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I absolutely love the 6542's. joey, if you can build one that looks like the Robert Maron watch, you will have "hit it out the ballpark" i would love to find a really nice rep of the White dial PanAm 6542. The white dial I built has the aged look because I haven't yet managed to keep the decal from separating off the insert in spots. The old gens look just the same. I'm trying a different method this week. The dial is holding fine. The sealer gives an aged look to it when looked at from an angle, but very smooth from straight on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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