Rep vintage inserts..... again.

[dieselpower]

It was generally accepted that the PMWF insert was the best bang for buck vintage 5513/1680/1665 insert, especially when coupled with an Ofrei illumines dot. Now that the PMWF inserts seem to be a thing of the past I am trying to source a decent insert for my vintage 5513 project. I have a 'blank' yuki pearl waiting to be painted and fitted to whichever insert I find and I reckon its between these two:

 

First up is the Clarks at a cost of USD 22.80 incl shipping to UK

 

Second is jandkwatches, which costs USD 31.50 incl shipping

 

So, chaps - what do you think?

 

[alligoat]

Keep looking! When you remove those pearls, I'm betting the hole is too big for the Yuki pearl.

[denimhead]

Have a look here www.classicwatchparts.com 

His insert comes with a nice looking Pearl.

DH

[denimhead]

Michael will sell you the inserts seperately if you ask him

DH

[dieselpower]

Cheers for the heads up alligoat, I was worried about that myself. And denimhead, thankyou for the advice. So here is the latest contender USD 50 plus p&p though.

 

 

Any advance on this?

 

 

[Nanuq]

Ding ding ding ding!  There's your insert. 

 

Lose the pearl, fill the Yuki shell with an appropriately tinted antique lacquer ("bone" appliance paint is a good starting point) and Robert's yer uncle.

[dieselpower]

Cheers for advice Nook! Went to the site, registered as customer, ordered insert and guess what? Well, to be honest I'm not quite sure but it says low stock and my order is 'pending' don't quite know what's happening. It seems everything I want to order is out of stock or maybe the rep world just doesn't like me. OK so I swear a bit, drink more than is good for me and occasionally upset people with my outspokenness but is that really justification for thwarting my attempts at building a decent 5513?!?

[Nanuq]

OK so I swear a bit, drink more than is good for me and occasionally upset people with my outspokenness but is that really justification for thwarting my attempts at building a decent 5513?!?

 

Not at all.  But it does qualify you to be a lifetime member Alaskan! 

[highoeyazmuhudee]

i like the J and K, pity bout the large pearl

[dieselpower]

@ Nook I have, on occasion, received a few praising words in my short time on this planet. But your last post (no pun intended) is a true honour. I shall continue with my lifestyle choices - damn the consequences and hopefully do justice to your generous words.......... Now find me a fuc***g insert!!!!!!!!!

[dieselpower]

I forgot that I had already ordered a clark's insert and it duly arrived in the post this morning. Oops. So, I decided to do a little surgery as I am also going to get a classicwatchparts insert. So I took the pearl from a WSO insert (this pearl is I think the same diameter as a Yuki pearl), I popped out the metal rimmed pearl from the clarks 5513 and replaced it with the WSO pearl just to see how it sits in the hole. Sorry I didn't take a photo of the hole before I glued the WSO pearl in but here's the result:

 

 

[panerai153]

The problem I see with the WSO pearl, is it lacks the flange around the pearl, like the geniuine. The old Tritium pearls had a clear outer rim, which tends to discolor with age, dirt, etc. just as the pearls discolor. Here is my 1665 with a genuine insert and genuine tritium pearl (got both off the Vintage Rolex Forum Market) .Ofrei has pearls that are said to be the exact same as the old Rolex tritiums.

 

 

[dieselpower]

Cheers panerai153, I have in the past used ofrei pearls but they work out mucho expensive for me in the uk ($65 a pop) so I am trying to work out a more reasonable alternative. I've now ordered a CWP insert which I am told come with decent pearls fitted - lets see. Of course the moral of the whole story is I should have bought a gen insert with nice faded pearl in the first place - it would have probably worked out cheaper, a lot less fun though!