fidhle007 Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 I've been questing for a decent lughole 16610 for quite some time and built one with a sterile case a little while ago but I was never totally happy with it. The case is just too bulky: the lugs and and CGs are too fat/stubby for what I wanted. The lugholes and endlink fit is freaking awesome though so rather then try to brutalize one of my expensive ETASwiss cases into lughole submission I set to work with a file and sand paper. I roughed out the basic shape with a file and worked up to some fine sand paper and once I was pretty close I hit the critical surfaces with some ScotchBrite. Finally I dug out my unused Dremel Cleaning/Polishing kit and gave the whole thing a once over. I've never polished anything before but I'm pleased with the results! I have an older gen bezel/insert to go on this as well as a gen dial but I still need to source a good crystal. I'll try the clark one I have but I'm not enthralled with the edge bevel so I'll have to take a wait-and-see approach there. This will probably get a 2824 movement for reliability but down the road I'd love to swap that for a high-grade 2892. One thing I'm undecided on: the dial I have is a "SWISS MADE" 16610 dial. Would it look too out of place to sell that off and buy a matte 16800? I know there's a slight difference in rehaut depth between the 16610 and the 16800 but I think it might be close enough for my purposes here... Let me know what you think, I'm still open to ideas! Best, Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Don't know much about the case mods, but a member Gavidoc has a beautiful matte dial 16800 for sale right now: Click Me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 And redwatch wins the award for most expensive post of the day! I'll see if I can swing that whole package, the idea of a gen movement is making me a little damp in the hamper at the moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 You might have a wee bit of a battle for the movement on your hands I'm afraid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Please! Save me from myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 nice, how satisfied are you with the case now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Well, I loved it right up until I figured out that none of the movement rings I have fit... Grrr.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 First of all, kudos on the case mods I may be wrong, and am always happy to be corrected, but I didn't think that the 16610 ever had lug holes Maybe the earliest incarnation of the 16610? If so, I'm not sure what kind of bracelet would go with it, but I'm guessing the dial would be a standard 16610 dial As you've drilled the lugs, you always have the option of going for a 16800, which is certainly my favorite modern vintage For the circa 1981 look I'm going for, I'm going to re-finish the dial for the 'flat marker' look (assuming my plan will work...) but another easy option, would be to remove all the dial markers, matte varnish the dial, then replace the markers, and you'd have a circa 1984 Best of luck with the project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 When the 16610 came out in 1988 it had a tritium dial- 'Swiss- T<25' with the white gold hour marker surrounds, drilled lugholes and a 93150 bracelet with 501B end pieces. First SN was an Rxxx,xxx. Tritium dials went away in 1998-9, replaced by 'Swiss' first and a year later by 'Swiss Made' SEL bracelets came out shortly thereafter Lugholes in the case went away around 2003-4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w.genzo Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I would go for a 16610 with lugholes. This case is copmpletely off for a 16800 and the DW with open 6 and 9 could be hard to find. 3035 case from startime looks good instead, if you want a 16800. With a 16610 with lugholes you have these options: t<25 tritium dial, hands and insert, 93150 bracelet, open or closed dw SWISS dial, luminova hands and insert, 93150 bracelet, closed dw SWISS MADE dial, luminova hands and insert, 93250 bracelet, closed dw The third one is the easilest, just put a modern dial and insert, TC bracelet and TC dwo, and you'll have mine: edited: sorry alligoat you replied while I was writing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 When the 16610 came out in 1988 it had a tritium dial- 'Swiss- T<25' with the white gold hour marker surrounds, drilled lugholes and a 93150 bracelet with 501B end pieces. First SN was an Rxxx,xxx. Tritium dials went away in 1998-9, replaced by 'Swiss' first and a year later by 'Swiss Made' SEL bracelets came out shortly thereafter Lugholes in the case went away around 2003-4. I happily stand corrected Out of curiousity, would there actually be any visual differences between say the circa 1984 16800/0, and the circa 1988 16610, or would it only have been a difference in movement caliber and maybe a different clasp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w.genzo Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 16610 has deeper rehaut, and probably different dw (open 6' and 9' vs closed) even if early 16610 had both version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I already have a gen "SWISS MADE" dial but the gen bezel I have is kind of early. I know that's splitting hairs but I'm like that sometimes! I wanted to power this with a 2824 that I have but my frustration with movement rings is leading me down the SA3135 v2 train of thought at the moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Rolex used the same dial from 1984 till 1998 in the 16800 and 16610- tritium. Same insert, bezel assembly, crown and tube, and hands. Like genzo says, the big difference between the two is the rehaut of the case- the 16610 is deeper- because of the different movements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavidoc Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Also first run 16610's had open 6 and 9 date wheels. There really isn't any significant difference between a post gloss dial 16800 and a 16610. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Thanks for the clarification, amigos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Wooohooo! I just found a chuck for my giant lathe at work that will go small enough for a movement ring! This is coming together... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 You can also order a #2 movement ring from raffles-time over in HK for about $7- I would think it would work. I have some spares and can check tonight after work- most fit an eta 2824/2836 on the inside and then it's just a question of getting the right OD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I have two that fit the 2824 perfectly, I just need to mill them down slightly to fit the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 I have a 2000 "P" serial 16610 and it has lug holes. Luminova dial/hands with the white gold surrounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ylfig Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hmm, i didn't know that the early 16610 had open 6 and 9 DW. Now my 16610/168000 franken looks better Here with it's little brother (excuse the blur) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 That's a great looking pair of subs! Details on both please! Here's a few quick pics of the case with a Clark crystal and gen bezel, insert and crown installed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 That case is looking pretty good, fidhle, now all you need is a 93150 bracelet with 501B ends and you'll be travelling back in time. A tritium dial would also be great- then it would be an early 16610. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ylfig Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 @Fidhle the 14060 is gen so not much to say there. The 16610/168000 has a gen dial, crystal, crown & tube, a gen 3035 movement, open 6 and 9 DW, gen insert and the rest is really up for debate. http://www.rwg.cc/topic/143697-all-16610-casewatch-experts-needed-asap/page__p__1078673#entry1078673 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidhle007 Posted June 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Thanks for that link, that's a crazy watch! If you ever need to sell, let me know... :-) For mine, I'd love to source a 91350 bracelet but my first priority is getting the movement to fit! I'm off to the shop today to play with the lathe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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