panerai153 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Some of my favorite watches are Rolex GMT's I really love the look of the watches, as well as the utility of having a watch that allows a second time zone. i have had a few, but my favorite is my genuine 16750. Great watch, wears almost invisibly. That's what I really like about the older GMT's they seem to just "disappear". You have to look down to make sure your watch is still on your wrist. The one GMT that I have not been able to come up with is the first GMT, the 6542. The legendary PanAM. Freddy has built two magnificent examples, and my favorite of those was the white dial "executive suite". Every early GMT enthusuist knows the stories about the White dial PanAm's, so I'm not going to belabor a point with that story, which in the minds of a lot of the Rolex "experts" is fictious anyway. A few months ago, i decided that I wanted a 6542 as my next project. First off, I bought a puretime White dial 6542, what a disappointment! It's no better in the flesh than the photos. Possibly the case could be used if the rehault could be reshaped, but it's got a lot of other problems as well. During this time, I was PM'ing back and forth with joeyB about what I needed to do. joeyb was a little reluctant at first, as he didn't want to run afoul of the Rolex folks by building watches for others. After a fair number of Pm's and a few phone calls he agreed to build it for me. About the same time i got an email from another old member here who had intentions of building a 6542, but never got around to it. He had a brand new Ming Quy (Vietnam) 6542 case set. I decided that this might be the way to go, as it looked like the puretiime case was not going to be a good candidate as a base for my build. I did toy with The idea of using a Rolex 1030 movement, but after finding out that the 1030 modified to GMT would be really scarce, and it required a special calendar ring to seat the dial on. joeyB and I talked about it, and due to the scarcity and price, I decided to use the 2846 movement out of the puretime. Actually the build went pretty smoothly, the puretime dial wouldn't work as it is the wrong size, so joeyB made one using a decal on a dial blank. He also made a Roulette datewheel overlay, as the puretime datewheel was all black lettering! You never know what you are going to get from China when you open the box. The puretime bracelet wasn't even close, i tried it on one side, and there was about an1/8" gap between the case and the endlink!! I found this old "el cheapo" folded link bracelet to use for now, but I have a 7206 /80 coming from phong. So disregard the bracelet, it's temporary. For all who will ask, here isa build list of what we used Case/bezel - MingQuy (all genuine construction) movement - 2846 Datewheel - 2846 w/ joeyB overlay Dial - joeyB special Hands - joeyb GMT hand - rafflestime modified by joeyB Crystal - Clark 116 (my case set had a genuine 115 crystal, but it was cracked at the base) Insert - joeyB insert Crown - puretime One thing I want to emphasize, joeyB is a great fellow, very, very helpful. he will do what's right and he always tries to do the most with the least! I believe that he outdid himself with this one. my hats off to him for a great build. Yesterday, after a few weeks up at joeyB's (I sent him a box of parts) here's what he sent back to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielv2000 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Wow! I've had this watch on my list for awhile yet keeps getting bumped for others. I think it just moved up to the top! That's a beauty... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justlounging Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 That's very nice, especially the lume shot...thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 WOW!! Amazing work. Amazing 6542. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiman12 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 outstanding p! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Your efforts show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeleni kukuruz Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Does the "G" in Gmt look like a "6"? Im looking with my iphone, maybe its just my crappy shitPhone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Cool watch! Did anyone ever figure out if these watches actually came from the Rolex factory with the white dial? I know there was a HUGE debate on VRF about it, and of course Rolex wouldnt confirm anything. Either way you have recreated an interesting piece of Rolex history! Well done presentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Beautiful watch, A! Hats off to Joey on a great build and I love that lume shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted August 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 thanks a lot guys, It's nicer on the wrist than the photos. To answer a question or two. The G is really a G, but honestly, it's so small, on your wrist, it couldn't be told if it was a G that looks like a 6. Diz, the problem is documentation. thus far although a few have shown up around the Rolex world, there is thus far no comcrete documentation that these ever existed. There was some fellow on the VRF that supposedly had a document signed by an exeecutive at PanAm refering to the white dial 6542, but reading the letter, it's very apparent that whomever wrote it was not someone who spoke English as their native language. It's really not very believable. The watch and this document are in a "PanAm museum" , but not where you would expect a museum with PanAm memorobilia to be displayed. What it really boils down to is there is no documentation. Of course Rolex isn't saying, because that's their policy, and they never do.Another thing that I find a little strange, and I really do want to believe that the watches really existed, is there has never been one sold that has a tracable provenence. Surely, over time, one would surface that is owned by the widow or child of a PanAm exec who either has a letter from PanAm or photos of the watch owner wearing the watch. All it would take would be one watch with real impeccable documentation to put the whole controversy to rest, either way. One simple statement from Rolex would solve the whole thing, either aye or nay.Just posing a watch with a bunch of old PanAm stuff isn't enough to prove the history, case in point this one of mine. It's nice but it's not a real Rolex 6542, even though all the other stuff around it is genuine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeleni kukuruz Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Im a huge fan of the vintage 1675 gmt and the 6542! But i think this white dial was never made by rolex, like the op said it would have poped out by now, for example, someone would have sold one by now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielv2000 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Im a huge fan of the vintage 1675 gmt and the 6542! But i think this white dial was never made by rolex, like the op said it would have poped out by now, for example, someone would have sold one by now! We will never know...until we do. I am a huge fan of the white 6542. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Fantastic work and presentation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Real nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 What it really boils down to is there is no documentation. Of course Rolex isn't saying, because that's their policy, and they never do.Another thing that I find a little strange, and I really do want to believe that the watches really existed, is there has never been one sold that has a tracable provenence. True, but remember that until Eric Clapton sold-off the bulk of his Rolex collection, models such as the Yacht-Master Daytona, like the albino '42, previously thought to be nothing more than legends, were proven authentic. Additionally & more importantly, if Stefano Mazzariol is convinced Rolex made an albino 6542, then so am I. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielv2000 Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 I'm with Freddy and Stefano! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmg Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted August 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 Freddy, I agree with you. I have read Stefano's website article on the white 6542 several times, and I believe that he would not put something on his website that he wasn't 100% sure was authentic. Of course that hasn't quietened the few over on the VRF that are so adamant that his white dial is a redial, or a made up 6542 from parts. Of course they react to just about every rare vintage watch in the same way. And not to say that a little skepticism isn't healthy, especially if you are paying a ton of money for a watch. If you all remember the 6538 that was on Ebay a year or so back owned by the retired Military physician. Even though he had owned the watch for it's entire life and knew every detail about it, along with photos of him wearing the watch, etc. there were still those who said all sorts of derogatory remarks about the seller and his watch. Funny though when the seller and buyer showed up at Bob Ridley's place, and saw the photos of Bob examining the watch and subsequently pronouncing it completely genuine, the silence was deafening!! Rolex of the 1950's, 60's and 70's was not the Rolex of today. They did lots of limited run watches, company logo dials, etc. I believe that it's entirely plausible that they would build 100 White dial 6542's for PanAm. After all PanAm was buying a boatload of black dial 6542's for their cabin crews. Would have been hard to turn down Juan Trippe on a special order of 100 when he just placed and order for several hundred Black dial 6542's. And if anyone with a real interest in sorting out fact or fiction, and had a year or two of spare time, all the records and paperwork of PanAm are stored at the University of Florida library in Gainsville. So if you're really curious and are retired or independently wealthy, you could go to Gainsville, and spend the next couple of years sifting through tons of records and MAYBE, you could claim to be the person who finally solved the mystery of the White Dial 6542. Bet the scenery around the Library ain't too bad on the eyes either!! To be honest with everyone, I like mine, just as Freddy likes his and joeyB likes his. If Rolex came out tomorrow and announced that after looking back through the old records, they could find no evidence that a White dial version of the 6542 was ever produced, I would still wear mine!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 I'm with you on this A! I love these white dialed 6542s Here's one I ran across- maybe it's a 1675- some of the early ones in gold didn't have cg's, dauphine hands are early, black bezel insert is maybe later, but the white nipple dial looks cool! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 I concur. I looked into Marvin's eyes and I believe him. And I believe Marvin's white dial 6542 was the very first rep ever, and made by Fuk Yuen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mir36 Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 I believe! Sweet photoshoot. Awesome build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeleni kukuruz Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 Kind a hard to belive for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted August 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 I recieved a 7206 expansion from phong yesterday. didn't have time to take photos, but by and large it's pretty nice. The only real disappointment is the endlinks. Instead of 80 endlinks, they are 382. They do fit my cas pretty well, although i did have to close them just a little. the positive is they are big enough to accomodate genuine springbars, which yuki's 7206 will not. another thing that Freddy addressed in an old 7206 thread is the loop at the end of the bracelet for the bracelet adjustment spring bar inside the clasp. The loop is small, and the springbar is tiny. i was able to open it up enough to get a better heftier springbar through it, which makes me feel better, as failure of this springbar would allow the bracelet to seperate, with potential bad results!! Imagine watch falling on concrete, face down, watch falling in water. Interesting that we all seem to concentrate on getting big 2mm springbars on our Rolex reps, drilling out lug holes, opening up endlink loops, etc.,but you never hear about anyone having any concern for the springbar that's half the size of the one' at the end of the bracelet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eVojlib Posted August 25, 2012 Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 Great build, I plan to build a nice 6542 one day and have started to collect the parts needed to make that happen. I bet the new bracelet looks great, please post up some nice pics once you have time as im looking to into aftermarket options unless a nice gen comes along for the right price. Enjoy it, thats one heck of a GMT.. And on the back story, unless Rolex comes out and says this is a hoax I will hold out faith that these are real. Besides, im sure the execs were guilty of partying with strippers/hookers and such who in turn stole all of the watches and handed them out to the bums somewhere near sunset strip or what ever the drive was hear PA headquarters Im sure there are a pile of these Albino GMT's washing around on the ocean floor just waiting to be discovered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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