Rolex Milgauss 6541 Build Plan

[6541]

As my username suggests, the Milgauss 6541 is my favorite vintage Rolex, and I finally decided that I have to have one. I am going to try to use as many gen parts as I can, so this will be a slow, expensive undertaking. I will update this post as I make progress. Previously I put together a V72-based 6263 so I have some experience with the agony and ecstasy of building a franken.

Here is the build plan I've arrived at after many hours of research. In the archives I found posts by Klingsor, JoJo35 and XRT to be extremely helpful - thank you gentlemen! If anyone has comments, critiques, or available parts (I need everything except a dial) please post!

MOVEMENT

Finding a magnetically shielded 1030M, 1065M, 1066M or 1080 Rolex movement is, if not impossible, incredibly expensive. I looked into modifying a movement into its M equivalent, but the parts simply aren't out there. It's not just a matter of stamping an 'M' onto the bridge, let's put it that way. I will probably use a gen 1065/1066.

DIAL

JoJo was kind enough to sell me a dial which is the best rep I have ever seen. It has custom lume done by The Zigmeister. Thank you, JoJo!

CASE

I feel I have two options: a case from an MBW 6541 rep (with the infamous "Polex" engraving) or a set from Phong. I prefer the latter but it's almost three times as much, probably $1500 although I haven't yet contacted him about it. On the other hand, I don't know if I can even source one of the MBW cases at this point. The Phong case is made from (I think) 316L and has better engraving, also. The PureTime case isn't that great, definitely worse than the MBW.

BEZEL INSERT

The best rep for the insert is said to be from Michael Young. There is another option, however: later versions of the 6541 came with Sub bezel inserts.

Are there any Sub experts who know EXACTLY which two inserts these are? If so, please clue me in.

HANDS

Here's a tricky point. Much attention is paid (rightly so) to the red thunderbolt hand, but less to the minute and hour. The rep handsets I've seen have lume, which is not correct for this model. Rep hands with lume:

Gen hands without lume:

So I'm not sure what to do, here. Although another possibility is a rep thunderbolt second hand and gen Mercedes Sub hour and minute hands that were fitted to later models:

Again, I'm not sure what model # these hands are from, so if a Sub expert could chime in, that would be great.

BRACELET

Gen 7206 with 80 endlinks. A 6636 is also correct for this model, but it's more expensive and takes the hairs off your arm.

CROWN

Gen 600 crown and tube. 602s were fitted during service, but I'd rather find used a used 600.

CRYSTAL

Gen Tropic 20.

ASSEMBLY

Once I have all the parts I will have to think about how best to finish the watch. I would like it to have a worn, vintage appearance, so I'll probably have to send everything out to a modder. I would be no good to have a lovely gen bracelet, for example, and a brand-new looking rep case.

Thanks for reading! Again, if you have any thoughts or suggestions, please post. I still have a ton to learn.

[woof*]

Interesting, and nice to see someone else is a fan of this watch!

Sounds like you have done alot of research on the 6541.

As for the case, phong would be my first choice if I was going to build a super/frankin rep.

You mention MBW, I wasn't aware MBW made this rep? Or are planning on using a noguard MBW case?

I have the rep from Josh, I've added a gen crown and had the lugholes opened, but that's it.

There are two rep versions I know about and mine is the second version with a little more accurate case.

When considering a case for this watch you have to allow for the magnetic cover. My rep is 37mmx17mm thick..Although it has an ETA with the cover as opposed to a gen movement. As for inserts..someone here will come along and identify those. Mine came with an actual Bakelite insert.

It wears really pretty big for such a small watch due to the thickness. My hands also have no lume and might work for you.

When I was researching 6541's awhile back and saw one on the rolex forum with those mecedes hands...the owner was told they didn't come with the watch but were hasty replacements, so I don't know if they would work.

I saw JoJo's dial for sale awhile ago...that's an awesome dial!

Really look forward to watching your progress and wish you luck!

[6541]

Hi Woof,

Thanks for your informative post! I am aware of this new rep - the way the insert is made is great, I just wish the font was a little more accurate. The hands might indeed work if they were aged a little and could fit a 1065/6. I didn't know that about the Sub hands, I thought they were factory fitted that way. I believe the MBW case was also used in no guard subs...there's a little more info on the MBW and pictures in this this old sales thread. Your watch is beautiful by the way!

[woof*]

Thanks for the compliment, but mine will pale to what you are building!

This is the first I've heard of MBW 6541, but I learn things every day. There's a guy on RG that has one he got from Eurotimez, has the pearl too, but it's thinner and doesn't have the sheild. We concluded it was version one.. from the cartel. The one in the sales thread appears similar and no cover?

You can see how deep/thick mine is

What kind of prices have you found for the tropic 20?

The ones I've come across have been crazy high 350-400$!

That's something I'd really like to add to mine

So much to learn with reps and how they evolve and all the varieties.. makes them so interesting

[6541]

Woof - your case is more correct, I don't think the MBW is really usable, the more I think about it. Here's an image of Phong's case:

As you can see, it come with the magnetic case and the back accommodates it. That's the one I'll probably have to buy. Hopefully I can afford all the parts by 2015!

Tropic 20: it seems like the going price for a NOS one is ~$300. The other correct crystal is T16, which costs a fortune!

[lhooq]

6541: Please see this 2007 thread by klingsor to see the deficiencies of the MBW versus a genuine case. Now, I'm not suggesting you go out and buy a genuine case and 1030 movement (five figures minimum for that build), but it would be good to compare these with the current 6541 cartel rep.

I would hesitate from buying a crystal until I've had a chance to measure the case carefully. MBW is notorious for having the wrong dimensions. Their 1019, for example, will not take a gen-spec crystal, so I'm doubtful their 6541 will.

[6541]

LHOOQ: I have no doubt you are right. I am not going to pursue an MBW case, as it is just all wrong, I don't think there's any way it would take the correct movement, even. I'm pretty sure I'm going with a Phong case, which is supposed to accept all gen parts - he has a complete watch on his site, and I'm pretty sure it has a gen crystal.

Has anyone had any success getting Phong to discount his prices? The prices are very high, but his case appears to be head and shoulders above anything else available.

[woof*]

I had an email exchang with him awhile back.

I was a little interested in his vintage Seamaster 300(before LHOOQ educated me ) and emailed him about it. I asked if the 800$ for his seamaster included shipping to my zip... He replied it was included.

I went back looked at his newsletter and realized it was 900. I didn't mislead him on purpose, but that told me his prices might be flexible.

[6541]

Woof: Good to hear! The idea of paying $1500 for rep parts kind of kills me inside...we'll see what happens.

[woof*]

M,

Awesome thread with pics, info you posted!

Thanks for that!

[lhooq]

Awesome thread with pics, info you posted!

Thanks for that!

Dig deep enough into the archives here, and you'll find that there's nothing new under the sun. As I mentioned in my V72 Daytona thread, I was surprised in 2009 to discover that there was a cheap, accurate 6263 rep available--DW's. I was even more surprised to find out that they'd been around since 2005!

The guy who put together that super-duper-hyper-franken (klingsor) actually posted on RWI last year, after I'd mentioned him in someone's 6541 build thread. So he may still be monitoring his old accounts, in case someone has questions.

As with an accurate 1019, a super-6541 is a very ambitious build. But if that's the watch you want, then go for it! That said, it would be worth looking closely at the 6541 replacement case offered by NDTrading and comparing it (as much as you can using the photos available) with Phong's. Phong's 1019, for example, is a poor replication, and I've no idea how his 6541 compares with the gen.

[woof*]

Yes! It's just amazing the wealth of information here!

Before I started modding my SSD I found threads from 2007 about that watch. There is an amazing review about a diver that takes the SSD diving.. for a month.. with a crew of divers that had taken their gens to compare with the SSD.

It was just an incredible review. They decompressed and everything..

I wish I had done the same search about 6541's before I got into them..this is the best site on the web!

[6541]

LHOOQ: You are completely right. Actually, I hope that if Klingsor sees this he posts - he has the best 6541 franken of all time, and I'm sure he knows a massive amount about the process.

As for rep cases, this is one of my areas of intense concern at the moment. Here is a side view of a gen case:

The top of the midcase gently swoops down on both sides, but the bottom wavers in the middle - something that the rep Woof showed, for example, doesn't have at all. Before I buy a rep case I'm going to try and see if I can't get better photos from Phong and Natalie before I buy.

[woof*]

Would love to see them when you get them

[6541]

Woof - I'll post when I do! I'll probably buy the case last, I prefer to spend money on gen parts first.

[6541]

Update: I got my dial in the mail from JoJo and it's great - my lousy scan does NOT do it justice, the color and texture are great. Here's my rep:

and here's a gen:

Hopefully my next stop is a movement!

[woof*]

That's a very nice dial! I saw in the sales forum and almost bought it awhile back. I ended up buying a dial for a different watch from him.

Glad your making headway, keep us posted!

[6541]

Okay, making progress! I acquired a Zigmeister-serviced cal. 1030 in a 1958 vintage donor watch...

and a (kind of rare) Tropic 16.

Hopefully next up is a gen bracelet!

[woof*]

Great scores! You have a solid new heart for the beast!

Any news on pics, prices, info on Phong or Ndt's cases?

[6541]

Thanks Woof!

I don't have any pictures, but it sure seems like the NDT case is the way to go. It includes a ring for the movement, which Phong's doesn't appear to offer. There are problems with it, but I do think it's the better of the two by a margin. The stated price is $1200, but I wonder if Natalie would be willing to come down from that.

[Edwards01]

Rolex the word is worth to know its dignity. Its movement, dazzling style is so gorgeous. I'm very much close to this watch. Rolex is superb in all. Thanks for sharing this valuable information.

__________

Discount Watch Store

[lhooq]

Shucks... You took the words right out of my mouth!

[woof*]

easy for you to say

[6541]

Special delivery from 1959 (sorry about the iPhone photos):

Closer:

And a special feature of the band:

I'm very pleased with how this all came together. The one niggle is the C+I band - I love the stretch, but the one-size-fits-all endpieces are a bit loose. I may have to find a 7206 with 80 ends. The case and insert (both rep) look a bit new, but I'm thinking I'll just wear it for a while and see how they develop. Many thanks to JoJo and those who participated in 6541 threads on the board!

[Nanuq]

Boy is that nice! I've always loved the 6541 but wound up giving them away, especially my MBW, for the reasons listed here. Looks like you've got it all figured out. Well done!