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My Franken 1665 DRSD Complete (for now)


tanya

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This watch started out as a legendary tribal Great White MBK build with a few OEM parts built into it. Not quite a Franken but a legendary 1665 non the less built by the best

(the original Tribal modded NDT Great White Dial is up in the parts thread if someone wants it)

I had always wanted a DRSD though as gorgous as tribals Great white dial is

So I decided on the Yuki patina version in a leap of faith and although the NDT's may be the Cadillacs this particular Yuki is stunningly close and the watch perfectly matches a gen for sale on ebay right now

I found a minty 1570 with original (also minty) silver datewheel

a new OEM insert with OEM Lumi Pearl from my buddy Nakor

the build already had OEM crystal, tube, HE valve and crown installed in the case set

I am swapping casebacks with Mapman as he has the correct MBK DR and I have the correct MBK GW.

So what do you think?

I love it. Would love to get an OEM bracelet for it at some point if every OEM 1665 I saw for sale didn't looked stretched out to sh*t.

IMG955001.jpg

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Thanks andy

Saw your insert, if this one wasn't also OEM I would be punching myself for missing out on it

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"Any idea why the date appears a bit high in the window? That is a bit odd for a gen movement/datewheel, but well done."

The end of the 'date jumper' that holds the date wheel in position is mounted eccentrically and has a screwdriver slot that will turn either way to center the date in the window.

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"Any idea why the date appears a bit high in the window? That is a bit odd for a gen movement/datewheel, but well done."

The end of the 'date jumper' that holds the date wheel in position is mounted eccentrically and has a screwdriver slot that will turn either way to center the date in the window.

Thanks For the tip brother I will have my maker tinker with it. He is waiting for a Pair of OEM springbars to come in anyway

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im not really liking that yuki dial or hands...maybe its the yellow markers

Different strokes brother, here's the gen it was patterned after, I think we nailed it spot on/ Interestingly enough the date seems to sit a tad high on this one as well

DRSD.jpg

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Congratulations D - looking great.

On a more general note, the one thing that always leaps at me on vintage builds is the crown and CG relationship. The Gen picture illustrates this so clearly.

This comment is not aimed at yours, as I cannot even see it. There is absolutely no subs[censored]ute for the correct period crown and corresponding CG's.

The modern, OEM 703/704 never seems to do it for me. An earlier vintage 703 with vintage stretched coronet, or a 702 really finishes off the build and adds 'real authenticity'. It is the one feature that can be spotted easily on the wrist - much easier than a font serif, or whatever finer detail on the dial!

Cant wait to see the finished article................. ;)

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WHAT T!?!?!?! It's not a PAM!! Very nice!

I personally would have went with an InGod dial and swap the hands out for gen ones and relume the pearl to match the vintage lume..

Have a set of OEM hands but they are white Superlume. Figure it will give me something to do down the line

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Congratulations D - looking great.

On a more general note, the one thing that always leaps at me on vintage builds is the crown and CG relationship. The Gen picture illustrates this so clearly.

This comment is not aimed at yours, as I cannot even see it. There is absolutely no subs[censored]ute for the correct period crown and corresponding CG's.

The modern, OEM 703/704 never seems to do it for me. An earlier vintage 703 with vintage stretched coronet, or a 702 really finishes off the build and adds 'real authenticity'. It is the one feature that can be spotted easily on the wrist - much easier than a font serif, or whatever finer detail on the dial!

Cant wait to see the finished article................. ;)

So would you be able to call some one out if they had a modern 703 on say a 1680?6d2d0042-d36c-262b.jpg

Or on a 1665

6d2d0042-d392-d0b0.jpg

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Different strokes brother, here's the gen it was patterned after, I think we nailed it spot on/ Interestingly enough the date seems to sit a tad high on this one as well

DRSD.jpg

dont get me wrong its a nice build, and youre most certainly right about personal preference.

i think for me its the puffy markers and the wrong shape and size of the yuki hands. especially the yuki seconds hand is too inaccurate for my preference

yuki on the far right, gen in the middle, clarks to the left

6986769699_e4e76c1aee_z.jpg

but whatever i have OCD problems with these things :D

congrats on a fine watch :good:

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I dipped my insert in bleach for about 4mins and now it looks aged.. maybe you should do it but not as long, I think mine came out a bit too faded. Still, I like the look better than the shiny new insert. I've seen the real ones both ways but some owners gave their watches for service and Rolex swapped their insert for a new one.

post-38788-0-07385600-1340167609_thumb.j

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So would you be able to call some one out if they had a modern 703 on say a 1680?6d2d0042-d36c-262b.jpg

Or on a 1665

6d2d0042-d392-d0b0.jpg

Andy, beautiful pieces ! ;) Seriously, your 1665 pics in the grass motivated me to do my first 1665 DRSD project below LOL

Moving on - No, I was not saying that at all. My point is simply that an authentic, period crown adds a visual authenticity , to what is after all a replica watch, regardless of component build.

This is NOT because a modern 703 on a 70's piece means 'it is a replica' - it simply means it is not 100% original and has maybe had a service crown fitted (assuming you know the subject matter - which the majority of Joe public do not!).

In my opinion, It is just a more visual feature on the wrist, as can be clearly seen in your pictures above, than say the serif on the insert font (that many love to get just right!!!), or minutae detail of the seconds hand (that 'higho' correctly points out - great info , thanks), or the font and red print of the word Submariner on the dial etc. And, or colour matching the pearl lume to the indices? (My 1979 Sub insert has a modern pearl, cos I cant find and wont pay the price for an original T lume pearl - dial is dead and pearl glows like a beacon :fool: )

The Cg's are also in partnership with the crown itself. In that the shape/angles etc with the original 702, or early wrapped triplocks, or more beveled variety (like the OP picture of the Gen above) do look different than when matched with a modern 703, or 704, which is a different shape entirely.

We all replace 'fat Rep' crowns with Gen 703's as a super , low cost upgrade; and I guess we would (?) all replace 703's with the period correct 702's, or others, if we could find them and afford them with their beloved tubes :nono: - because they look better, and are authentic to period.

Of course, if you get the watch off and under the loupe, or before a trained eye - all of the above are equally important. But hopefully, none of us lot are trying to pass anything off as Gen anyhow.

Now I am confused :crazy:.....here's a few of mine anyhow - everyone is different and probably all wrong!.

IMG-20120605-03265.jpg

SDC15955.jpg

SDC12723.jpg

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Thats actualy not my 1665 in the grass, but it is my 1680, all gen, with 703 service crowns fitted

If i could find one at a decent price then a 702 correct to the year for my next build thin i would but i get your point Mapman, fully authentic to the original year is a build direction i would like to take but just cant find those parts so i tend to build serviced version that are correct as if the watch had been serviced recently. (with lume)

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