Which 1680 case

[1680]

Hello,

I want to build a 1680 white Sub, I have a dial, bracelets, bezel assembly, ETA movement and 2 cases.

About one year ago I got a Redsub, the seller from a german scam site told me it was a noobfactory (?), then two months ago I reveived my Cartel 1680 with the white dial.

I compared both cases, I like the CGs from my first 1680, but it seems that the caseback of the Cartels looks better.

The old case has better lugholes, but I have issues with the crystal. It doesn't fit tightly, but maybe just the crystal is a bit off.

First two pictures and on the right Cartel, the others the noobfactory (or whatever?)

Any advice?

Thanks

[alligoat]

I've never heard of a noob factory 1680. An old MBW 1680 will have an L342,xxx SN and won't take a gen dial w/o trimming it or the inside of the case down. Newer MBW's aren't as good but may have a better SN than an L series which doesn't exist for the true 1680's, but you find on the MBW because they copied a late model 5513.

I'd figure you have two cartel type cases and then it becomes a question if either has gen bezel construction- which would be a crystal fitting on the case, a retaining ring pressing over the crystal and holding it in place and then the bezel snapping/pressing onto the retaining ring and turning either way- bi-directional. The latest PT and Josh subs have this more gen like construction although PT's sticks a nylon gasket in the mix, kinda screwing things up.

There is no perfect 1680 case so if you like the cg's on your one case and you can fit a gen dial in there, I'd go for it. With some light aging and a good bezel insert, I can't imagine you'd ever be called out.

[1680]

I'm not sure but this trusty 1680 could be my old Submariner.

This could be interesting for others because it came with the right flat silver datewheel with open 6, 9, 16, 19 and open 26.

It has the right serial for a red Sub with Mk4 Dial, 2.65mil, but a terrible bezel assembly with a strange retaining ring without washer but a spring holding the bezel. The new one has the gen-like construction and hopefully my Clark 127 arrives asap and will fit even on the old case.

Which caseback looks better? I thought the new Cartel ones are to tall, but the old to low.

Thanks

Edited June 2, 2011 by 1680

[alligoat]

My gut feeling on the casebacks is that the flatter one is more correct. But I really need to check my gen at home. The nice thing about casebacks is no one really sees them unless you take your watch off. The DW you have is correct and pretty nice- if you can fit a white dial on there, you should be in good shape.

The old bezel with the 'bent paper clip' is the old bastard rep style. Ironically, Rolex used it on early subs- 6538, 5508, 6542 (GMT), etc, but changed with the 5513/5512/1680. Don't know how much mixing and matching you can do with the two cases you have, all you can do is try.

[automatico]

"The old bezel with the 'bent paper clip' is the old bastard rep style. Ironically, Rolex used it on early subs- 6538, 5508, 6542 (GMT), etc, but changed with the 5513/5512/1680."

I have seen a few replica vintage subs with spring wires, the first one was from Paul at Abay and it had the crystal just barely pressed/glued down on the case neck and the retaining wire in the rotating bezel held the rotating bezel on by catching in the empty space between the top of the case and the bottom edge of the crystal. If you pulled on the rotating bezel with your fingers or bumped it against a door frame etc...both the crystal and rotating bezel fell off.

Have also seen a few with an inner bezel (crystal retaining bezel) with a lip at the top where the spring wire slipped under the lip to hold the rotating bezel on the case. The spring wire is captured in a channel cut in the rotating bezel. This setup works Ok although it is not original to 5512/1680. On two DW sub cases I had a while back, this was the method of mounting the rotating bezel.

The problems with the spring wire mounting method come about when you pry the bezel off.

You can:

1...Bend the rotating bezel.

2...Chip the spring wire channel in the rotating bezel during removal or chip the inner bezel lip when the spring wire slips past it while removing the rotating bezel.

3...The blade used to pry the rotating bezel off can chip the lip on the inner bezel.

Genuine construction has a crystal retainer bezel with a lip and the rotating bezel snaps over the lip. The catch is that every time you r/r the rotating bezel, you shave a little metal off both bezels making the fit a tiny bit looser. This method is the easy to r/r but it also allows the rotating bezel to be knocked or pulled off when it gets caught or bumps something. On genuine submariners with gold bezels, you can sometimes pop the rotating bezel off with your thumbs from the bottom side or snap it off from the top with your fingers.

"Don't know how much mixing and matching you can do with the two cases you have, all you can do is try."

AG is right, it depends on the case and it's hit or miss...if the case neck is the same as a genuine 1680...you can mount a genuine spec crystal and look for an inner (crystal retaining) bezel and rotating bezel set to fit the crystal.

On the DW 1680 case mentioned above, the crystal and inner bezel were not genuine spec...the case neck was Ok but the crystal wall was too thick and a genuine spec inner bezel will not fit. The DW 1680 cases had rounded outer sides like a DJ so maybe this is the way to spot one.

No reflection on DW, he may not have been aware of this.