lhooq Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 I suppose this could be an update to my long-running DW 7032: Work-in-progress thread, but brand-new threads seem to get the most response. Prove me right! I should also link to vlydog's thread from the start of the year. This dealt with the same issues as below, but nothing definitive emerged, unfortunately. Since October, I've been living with the rep '358' endlinks that came with my Watch International 7836 bracelet. They're beefier and fill the lugs better than the usual suspects (e.g. '455B' or '280'), but they're not a flush fit. Online sources (i.e. Morgan) indicate that the Homeplates were originally sold with ill-fitting 380s. Introduced many years later alongside Tudor's ETA 7750 chronographs, the 589 endlink was discovered to be a better fit on the earlier bi-compax models. Some more years later, 589 begat the 605, which came with the Pre-Tiger chronograph. Apparently, these are identical to the 589s, but... I'll let our Danish friend explain: The endpieces themselves are identical, but i never thought to measure the springbar holes. 589 - works with 2.0mm springbars (I tested with ref #23-12200 - which is std. 2.0mm used for 71xx and ordinay plexi sports) 605 has the smaller holes. I can't measure it precisely but 1.8mm looks about right. So yes - by the end of the big block, it would be 605 onwards! Our very own marsupilami had great success with 605s, though his 7031 was from Yuki, not DW. Does this make a difference? Maybe. Probably. I really should've sent him a PM... Thing is, the lughole placement on DW's case is not quite the same as on the gen. Here's a profile shot of the real thing: ... and DW's: If you have a Monte Carlo from Yuki, Phong, or NDT, please post similar photos so we can compare. My, that was quite the introduction. Anyway, this morning I took delivery of the single 589 endlink that I was able to snag for pretty cheap a few weeks ago. How did it fit? The curvature is an excellent match with the lugs, but the internal hoops were too far to the outside. The right picture shows the minimal overlap between hoop and lugholes when the endlink is in place. Not even a partial eclipse! Any ideas on how I can get this endlink to work, short of buying a different case? I don't think bent springbars are going to do it, nor can I see how bending the endlink would make things better. Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjjoyce1 Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Wow! This is a complex problem. You are also forgetting the issue you will run into with the bracelet end piece being in a similar position. Although if you are using the bracelet in the above pics with the new end links - nevermind One possible solution would be to use the existing end link hoops as supports for new hoops to be soldered on. This would require con-caving the existing hoops, but using the case holes as your guide, you can see it doesn't necessarily require destroying them in the process. If you later decided to use them on another project or sell them, you could remove the added hoops and re-broach the link hoops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeSentier Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Yukis case, I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted March 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 One possible solution would be to use the existing end link hoops as supports for new hoops to be soldered on. This would require con-caving the existing hoops, but using the case holes as your guide, you can see it doesn't necessarily require destroying them in the process. If you later decided to use them on another project or sell them, you could remove the added hoops and re-broach the link hoops. This is a very interesting idea, though total preservation of the hoops isn't a priority. If I can get it to fit, this endlink would most likely accompany this 7032 for the rest of its days! I have a 605 endlink currently making its way to me. (Talk about a drawn-out, piecemeal, mutt of a build...) I'll take a good look at the 605 and see if it matches up with the expert description in the OP, then proceed from there. Thanks! joerg: As I suspected, Yuki's case (and also Phong's, I think) has similarly inboard lugholes. I REALLY need to hear from marsupilami now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gplracer Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 I wonder if DW would sell a case without the holes drilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justasgood Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Yukis case, I guess here are my two: DW Ubi sourced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted March 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Much appreciated, justasgood. If I remember correctly, Ubi's second 7032 was built from the DW kit. His infamous 7031 was an NDT, I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimme Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 I wonder if DW would sell a case without the holes drilled. He said no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsupilami Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 I have a phong case. the 605 fit perfect. the 589 links fit perfect on my franken tudor chronotime :-) (mystery case) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted April 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 I received my 605 today. Contrary to the information I quoted in the OP, the 605 is very similar -but not identical- to the 589. Unfortunately, it's similar enough that it similarly does not fit on a DW case! I can see more of the 605's hoops through the lugholes than I do of the 589's, but not enough for the springbar pivots to extend. I hate curving springbars, but I think there's a slight chance they could work here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrboombasteke Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 LHOOQ--any update here? What's the best fitting EL for the DW case? 580s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 It's still rep 380s for me, I'm afraid. I wussed out on executing ccjoyce1's idea, and left my 605 and 589 untouched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrboombasteke Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Smart. I meant 380s instead of 580s. Where did you source the 380s? Mary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Smart. I meant 380s instead of 580s. Where did you source the 380s? Mary? Oh, crap. And I meant 358s (which came with the 7836 from Mary) instead of 380s. Looks like we've got another outbreak of Rolex dyslexia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted July 10, 2011 Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Does the 7836 usually come with 358 endlinks, or did you have to order them separately? I bought one recently and was surprised the bracelet didn't come with endlinks or spring bars. Is that normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted July 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2011 Does the 7836 usually come with 358 endlinks, or did you have to order them separately? I bought one recently and was surprised the bracelet didn't come with endlinks or spring bars. Is that normal? Endlinks, yes. Spring bars, no. Every rep bracelet I've ordered has always come with endlinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Just a little thread bump here. I wanted to install gen spring bars on my 7032. Of course they don't even come close to fitting with the stock 358 end links from Mary. I happened to have a mis-mash of end links in my stash and tried a few of them out. Oddly enough, both the 258 and the 558 fit just fine on my DW case (although they look just as wrong as the 358's). I also tried out my gen 380b end links from my 9411. They also fit, but still look a little odd. There is a Tudor 7032 for sale on eBay right now and it has Tudor 382 end links on it that look superb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I recently paid a pretty penny for a 7836 bracelet with 282 endlinks. These are correct for the 7032, but I can now report that they fit terribly on a DW 7032. The lugholes on the DW case are too low, and the endlinks are too narrow, so much of the engraved area and inner lugs are left exposed. Right now, the rep 358s still seem to be the best choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polexpete Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Right now, the rep 358s still seem to be the best choice. Yes i agree with LHOOQ. t tried many versions on my Phong case but 358's fit the best ... These on a Mary bracelet with gen clasp. Cheers P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Yes i agree with LHOOQ. t tried many versions on my Phong case but 358's fit the best ... These on a Mary bracelet with gen clasp. Cheers P. Those 358 end links look really good Pete! Did you modify them in some way? Mine look squished on my DW case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archierocks Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 interesting reading this has stopped me ordering a dw case is the phong case the best around il need to put it on hold if so as other builds drain my cash stash lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Phongs cases are often the best, but for this model I don't know anyone that has one. Have you contacted him for a price? It's going to be somewhere between 1100-1500$ That's why the DW is such a deal....even if there are issues. Maybe someone that had a phong or Ndt case can comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archierocks Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Phongs cases are often the best, but for this model I don't know anyone that has one. Have you contacted him for a price? It's going to be somewhere between 1100-1500$ That's why the DW is such a deal....even if there are issues. Maybe someone that had a phong or Ndt case can comment. yea he said about $1400 so the issues with the dw could be sorted with a bit of reserve for the bracelet does a 7750 fit it ok do you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Phongs cases are often the best, but for this model I don't know anyone that has one. Have you contacted him for a price? It's going to be somewhere between 1100-1500$ That's why the DW is such a deal....even if there are issues. Maybe someone that had a phong or Ndt case can comment. In addition to polexpete, I think vlydog and marsupilami used Phong cases on their builds--maybe ubiquitous, too. But only DW has anything at this price point. So it's a shame he's become such an unreliable seller (to put it mildly). archie: Movement-wise, it's 7734 or nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denimhead Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I was lucky enough to bag Hikes Phong 7032 last year for a very reasonable price, Phong has made a couple of Monte(Chrono) cases over the years, both differ slightly which means that you do need to gentley re-shape the 589 endlinks to fit the earlier one. Tried a Gen 589 on the DW and no suprises it wasn't anywhere to close. I'm with LHOOQ on either Josh's 7836 bracelet or Gen with the 358 endlinks being the best option with the DW case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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