MBW Submariner or not ?

[alterego]

Hi dear fellow members: I have a doubt. This came as s result of a comment made to me via PM regarding origin of a Sub that I may be selling. I bought the watch as a MBW a few years back from a reputed fellow in the forum. I never asked myself the authenticity (MBW) of the watch until now.

Can someone with experience in this area tell me if the watch is a and MBW version of the classic Rolex Sub. Here are some pics so as to facilitate the identification.

Thank you all for your valuable help.

Alter

[rosnik]

IMO : from MBW ,

Mbw peculiarity is the 'no date' 5512 number in the inner case back engraving,

I correct it with 1680 engraving on mine one.

Helping wil be to have case lugs picture.

[Akira]

L342XXX serial?

[alligoat]

It would be a good idea to check out the SN between the 6 o'clock lugs, although the old MBWs had an L341,xxx SN and the newer ones are more correct- with a 2-3 million # SN. Dial looks MBW like as well as the pearl- the flat white pearl.

Does it take gen parts, like a crystal and a bezel insert?

But bear in mind, the chinese copied the MBW around 4-5 years ago.

MBW red sub (as well as white) dial measures 26.2mm which is smaller than the 26.5mm of a gen 1680 dial.

[freddy333]

Ditto Alligoat & a serial number would help.

[alterego]

Thank yoou all for the imput. This is exciting. The serial number on the 6'clock lug is infact L 341, folowed by three numbers. can you trace the aproximate year of production with that info ?

[superlative]

CGs look a little too stunted.

[highoeyazmuhudee]

looks like an MBW to me

[alterego]

The watch dial looks smaller than the gen, so the dial must be 26.2 mm, instead of 26.6mm, which would lead me to conclude that this is an MBW watch.

How about the "octo" movement ? is this a variant of the ETA or is it a different type ?

Is there a thread in the forum(s) where to read about MBW watches ? Hope you can bear with my curiosity.

Thank you

L342XXX serial?

It would be a good idea to check out the SN between the 6 o'clock lugs, although the old MBWs had an L341,xxx SN and the newer ones are more correct- with a 2-3 million # SN. Dial looks MBW like as well as the pearl- the flat white pearl.

Does it take gen parts, like a crystal and a bezel insert?

But bear in mind, the chinese copied the MBW around 4-5 years ago.

MBW red sub (as well as white) dial measures 26.2mm which is smaller than the 26.5mm of a gen 1680 dial.

[curlflash]

The watch dial looks smaller than the gen, so the dial must be 26.2 mm, instead of 26.6mm, which would lead me to conclude that this is an MBW watch.

How about the "octo" movement ? is this a variant of the ETA or is it a different type ?

"Octo" it's an ETA 2846 mov.

[alligoat]

Looks to me like you're in pretty decent shape. You can't really date the watch by the SN, but it appears to be one of the early ones. Serifs on the date font are another tell, nice bevel on the lugs and the Octo is a Swiss made watch with an eta movement and if it is a 2846-2, all the better- it says 21 jewels on the rotor so it probably is. I think the entire run of 2836s from the beginning were 25 jewels.

Now it's on to trimming the crown guards!

[Star69]

not sure guys - CGs look too short for an MBW

[woof*]

not sure guys - CGs look too short for an MBW

If that's true, could it be one of the cartel MBW copies?

I know the copies have "Polex" but I don't know about serial numbers.

[alligoat]

not sure guys - CGs look too short for an MBW

No, it's that the crown is too big. The first thing RBJ69, Joe Butts, did to my red sub was swap in a smaller 'rep' crown. Of course he also trimmed the CG's and did a decent job of it also, I might add. This ain't much of a pic and the cgs are faded out, but at least I've got the RBJ crown. This crown is even smaller than a gen 703

OK, my SN is L341062, Orig Polex Design, 5513 on the 12 o'clock end and the inside of the case back says 5512. Joe was buying these from Watchmaster, but they're MBW all day long- old school!

Edited May 4, 2012 by alligoat