Jump to content
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • Current Donation Goals

Please Share Your MBW Build Stories


vlydog

Recommended Posts

On the road to a 1665 build. This time around I am not sure I have the budget to spring for a Phong case but I do have an older case from MBW.

How many of you have a watch built with a MBW case that has a 1570 inside?

I have heard that this can be done but have read some conflicting reports.

Please share links or photos too.

I really appreciate your help.

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an old school 1665 MBW case that I know will accept a gen movement. It really depends on what era your MBW case is from. Mine is from the the era of Maria making them, and he's long since passed on. I believe the story goes that one of his family members took over and the cases aren't quite nearly as good and then they shared that design with someone else and that's how you get the MBK, which is basically the modern MBWs mass-replicated... there are other members much better versed in all of this than myself.

For my build, I thought a little about getting a 1570 movement, but my thoughts on that are this: go big, or go home -- meaning -- buy the Phong case set to go with the 1570 movement and all of that, or, do what I did (for your first big and slightly costly project) and drop a 2846 slow-beating movement in your MBW case (so now you can keep your dial and hands) and spend the money you've saved on movement, dial and hands on having it lumed the way you'd like, having the case softened, lugs drilled, bracelet polished out and oiled, etc. If I'm going to spend the money on a 1570 movement, I want a case that doesn't have a well-known fake serial etched in to it. I want it to be genkin. (Genkin = So Frankin that no one will know but me and a few select nerds)

Then, if you do all of that, and you fall madly in love with having that watch on your wrist, consider saving up for the Phong case set and movement like I'm currently doing :whistling:

Just my .02 ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only own two MBW's.

I have the blue snowflake... swiss eta, Yuki dial/hands lumed by pbad, gen T19,gen crown and it's at Jmb's getting it's caseback engraved as we speak.

And I am also having my new MBW 1665 case filled with a swiss 2846, my Ingod white rail dial, gen T39 (flatter service), gen crown..also as we speak at Jmb's :)

I'm really wanting a Phong case set too. I want to build a 5512 or 5513 with one.. and have been shopping dials :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have an old school 1665 MBW case that I know will accept a gen movement. It really depends on what era your MBW case is from. Mine is from the the era of Maria making them, and he's long since passed on. I believe the story goes that one of his family members took over and the cases aren't quite nearly as good and then they shared that design with someone else and that's how you get the MBK, which is basically the modern MBWs mass-replicated... there are other members much better versed in all of this than myself.

For my build, I thought a little about getting a 1570 movement, but my thoughts on that are this: go big, or go home -- meaning -- buy the Phong case set to go with the 1570 movement and all of that, or, do what I did (for your first big and slightly costly project) and drop a 2846 slow-beating movement in your MBW case (so now you can keep your dial and hands) and spend the money you've saved on movement, dial and hands on having it lumed the way you'd like, having the case softened, lugs drilled, bracelet polished out and oiled, etc. If I'm going to spend the money on a 1570 movement, I want a case that doesn't have a well-known fake serial etched in to it. I want it to be genkin. (Genkin = So Frankin that no one will know but me and a few select nerds)

Then, if you do all of that, and you fall madly in love with having that watch on your wrist, consider saving up for the Phong case set and movement like I'm currently doing :whistling:

Just my .02 ;)

"Genkin"...now that's a twist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2385114772_1c6dd13f1e_o.jpg

IMG_8076.jpg

IMG_6435.jpg

IMG_2934.jpg

IMG_8608.jpg

my own build 3-4 years ago. mbw 5513 case, shapped CGs. gen crown and tube, gen crystal, gen 1570 movement, gen pearl, classicwatchparts insert, ndt dial and hands.

IMG_0577.jpg

IMG_4892.jpg

IMG_2242.jpg

aIMG_1017.jpg

another MBW 5513, same as above. gen everything cept for case, dial, hands and insert.

6177442583_053262aec3_b.jpg

IMG_2445.jpg

dgfhj.jpg

P1010406.jpg

got this at least 5 years ago, was built by someone else 2 years before. MBW case w reshaped cg, back case engravings softened. gen crown and tube, crystal, bezel insert and pearl, gen 1570, gen 93150 bracelet. rep dial and hands. i've since drilled out the fake HEV and installed a working yuki HEV and a display back.

aIMG_4287.jpg

IMG_4121.jpg

P1010597.jpg

stock mbw 1680, i think..

Edited by azgjav
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6177442583_053262aec3_b.jpg

IMG_2445.jpg

dgfhj.jpg

P1010406.jpg

got this at least 5 years ago, was built by someone else 2 years before. MBW case w reshaped cg, back case engravings softened. gen crown and tube, crystal, bezel insert and pearl, gen 1570, gen 93150 bracelet. rep dial and hands. i've since drilled out the fake HEV and installed a working yuki HEV and a display back.

Great photos; thanks!

any HEV shots?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey guys, any advice on next steps with my inbound 1680? Old MBW 5513 case, listed w/spec:

Case has drilled lugholes and adjusted CGs. Dial and hands are relumed (and glows)

All work on the case and dial/hands was made by Ziegmeister.

Gen parts: Tube, crown, crystal and bars.

... and the pics

P1000340-Kopia.jpg

P1000350-Kopia.jpg

Edited by ispytonyv
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey guys, any advice on next steps with my inbound 1680? Old MBW 5513 case, listed w/spec:

Case has drilled lugholes and adjusted CGs. Dial and hands are relumed (and glows)

All work on the case and dial/hands was made by Ziegmeister.

Gen parts: Tube, crown, crystal and bars.

... and the pics

P1000340-Kopia.jpg

P1000350-Kopia.jpg

looks pretty good unless you want to get super picky

clasp coronet is a tad large, the side of the clasp appears to be missing the indent over the micro size adjuster (looks like a PT clasp)

insert appears to be a stock MBK with an ofrei pearl, you could always get a PMWF insert or gen

im sure the bracelet is incorrect, as they all are.

if you have more photos i could recommend more "tweaking", but as is it is pretty nice :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

looks pretty good unless you want to get super picky

clasp coronet is a tad large, the side of the clasp appears to be missing the indent over the micro size adjuster (looks like a PT clasp)

insert appears to be a stock MBK with an ofrei pearl, you could always get a PMWF insert or gen

im sure the bracelet is incorrect, as they all are.

if you have more photos i could recommend more "tweaking", but as is it is pretty nice :good:

Thanks for the reply! I'm still learning about these vintage Subs and don't know the ins & outs yet. About the insert, is this one obviously "off" to you? It was the only thing to me that caught my eye as not looking quite gen. Too domed? Incorrect color? Not sure what it is...

Bracelet has incorrect endlinks but 580s were included. I might swap them, but maybe not. The current pair fit well. Here's one more shot.

P1000353-Kopia.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My gen 1680 with 93150 has 580 endlinks.

One thing you do need to do when modding MBW cases is reduce the space between the crown and the body of the watch. Even with a gen crown and tube, that little 0.5mm step of metal is a big tell. The dials are great though - almost indistinguishable from the early T < 25 replacement dials (without a loupe of course).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My gen 1680 with 93150 has 580 endlinks.

One thing you do need to do when modding MBW cases is reduce the space between the crown and the body of the watch. Even with a gen crown and tube, that little 0.5mm step of metal is a big tell. The dials are great though - almost indistinguishable from the early T < 25 replacement dials (without a loupe of course).

nah, ive seen plenty of 5513s and even tudors with that "step of metal" its really not that bad, some cases are worse than others also.

observe:

GEN

GEN

MBK

103b4caa.jpg

41c8d2db.jpg

5649701962_1119d31621.jpg

not a problem

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nah, ive seen plenty of 5513s and even tudors with that "step of metal" its really not that bad, some cases are worse than others also.

observe:

GEN

GEN

MBK

103b4caa.jpg

41c8d2db.jpg

5649701962_1119d31621.jpg

not a problem

you can just slip that brown one in my package :)

(awesome watches btw)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up