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My summer watch: a vintage rollie on the cheap


dow

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Here is my little vacation watch for 2012. It's my first rollie I've made (but I have built many pam style watches) and I really appreciate any leads on how to upgrade rollies. I also have a Comex Sub and a DSSD in my drawers that I will rework later this year. I was really into vintage Daytonas, but I'm reluctant to go that path as it seems to lack reasonably priced parts.

I have a Athaya brevet crown and tube that I could use, but for now I wanted to see how the stock crown works. I'm very impressed with the Clark xtal, and I strongly advocate others to replace the stock plexi with this one. It really makes a huge difference.

The parts:

Cheap Silix Rollie

I did soften the case a bit - it came with some sharp edges.

Dial aged and relumed (the silix dial has mustard colored indices, which I killed and replaced with off white lume)

Bezel bleached and sanded. Pearl remade.

Hands sanded to brass, aged and relumed

Clark Crystal ref no 25-19. It's a bit too small for this case - needs gasket and some glass glue

Bond Nato (I got the watch a riveted bracelet, but the quality is really bad)

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Awesome leads! Squinky have some very good looking NOS tropic rubber straps. And that modena for 15 usd! I will need to try me a tropic...

Btw today the pearl inlay fell out. LoL, this watch gets vintaged by its self! :)

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Btw today the pearl inlay fell out. LoL, this watch gets vintaged by its self! :)

Your pearl was no big loss- it had the small metal surround which is incorrect for the 6538 sub. I don't know if an Ofrei pearl would fit in there or not.

I bought a wholesaleoutlet990 insert for my 5508 which actually turned out to be good

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEZEL-INSERT-FOR-VINTAGE-ROLEX-SUBMARINER-5508-5510-/310304841369?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483f9c1e99

But since the Silix case isn't gen spec, it might not fit in there.

Is raffles-time selling cheaper acrylic pearls?....

The lume job looks nice as do the hands, a good pearl would be excellent!

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Hi alligoat! I could not find the older style of bezel inlay from WSO. Only contemporary and 5513 style. So I might try to install an ofrei pearl (after the vacation). I will also check with ken if he have something that could fit.

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Remember the old inserts have a tiny hole for a tiny pearl with no metal surround. Newer inserts have a big hole for the big pearl.

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  • 2 weeks later...

With Squinky tropic strap. Very comfy! Thanks japanic. Pearl situation is yet to be addressed, alternatively I will just leave it as it is

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Perfect :good::drinks: Tropic-style straps really are awesome :victory:

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