cc33 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 As some of you know I recently purchased a Franken 6538 from a great long time member earlier this week. I was planning on getting Minh to build me one but after seeing one for sale with his case I just couldn't help myself. I told Minh about my purchase and decided to buy a nice dial from him, I also saw that he had what looked like a gen 6538/5510 bezel and insert and retaining ring. Too good to be true?? You tell me.. He asked for 1200$ for the entire assembly including the spring the insert, retaining ring and of course the bezel itself. I asked if it was gen but couldn't figure out exactly what he was saying.. (Phone conversation) I think I kind of know my stuff by now so I agreed to buy it along with the dial and hands. I would expect to pay 350$ for a great rep phong bezel and insert, making this an 850$ mistake if I'm wrong. But if I'm right it's a good deal. I've seen the inserts sell for 1000$+ bezel alone 1500$+ and the retaining ring who knows. Anyhow, here's a pic of the 6538 in question, the new dial hands and bezel as well. I can't wait until Monday when I can bring it all to my local watchmaker and get it all swapped out. The first pic is the watch I am trying to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Fantastic. Can't wait to see the end result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Thanks! And I figure if I get the bezel and it turns out not to be gen, I can tell him there was a misunderstanding. He's a great guy. I honestly couldn't tell what he was saying on the phone lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 I agree he seems like a nice man. When I met him in January at his shop, he was certainly full of knowledge and had some good parts to show me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 EXTREMELY jealous! I would kill to spend a day in his shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielv2000 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Very nice! His emails are always clear! Must be Google translate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Just got the Minh parts. Here's a teaser. I'm going out of town for a couple of days so ill drop it all off with my watchmaker before I leave and hopefully it will be done and ready for Friday when I get back! I'm not sure if this bezel is gen or not. It might be an extremely well made copy but the insert is gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 The bezel/insert look genuine to me & the dial & hands, while obviously not gen, look good as well. In a case with the appropriate enhanced patination it will be very tasty, indeed. Just be sure to top it off with a gen crystal & bracelet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Thanks Freddy, I agree the bezel must be gen. Therefore amazing deal. I however did just notice that he tried to pull a fast one on me with the dial.. He sent the same type of dial but not the one I ordered and was promised to me. Look at the dif with the lume and the red depth.. Uggg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 The bezel looks gen to me. There are some details that everyone misses and I see them there. Your last hand-held bezel pic is the money shot. Man oh man oh man this will be a nice build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Argh! You gotta get that promised dial. The one he sent is...... not as good. *cough* (my mama is working on me to play nice. so there's my attempt) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 I can't wait to hear what he has to say! He should be ashamed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Old school bs move on his part.. Send an inferior product and if the customer catches you, blame it on your assistant and send the right one. Sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Thanks Freddy, I agree the bezel must be gen. Therefore amazing deal. I however did just notice that he tried to pull a fast one on me with the dial.. He sent the same type of dial but not the one I ordered and was promised to me. Look at the dif with the lume and the red depth.. Uggg Unfortunately, this is an all to common problem. It relates to the fact that a given part may have been made by any number of backstreet 'factories', each lacking QC of any type. Sellers then end up with a mish-mash of quasi-similar parts & then sell what they have in stock. Knowing how the rep/aftermarket biz works, I cannot really blame the seller (at least, not completely) & anyone who has been following my 5514 caseback adventure knows how long I have been waiting to receive the correct caseback (& Tudor Sub dial) from Phong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denimhead Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 congratulations CC, You did well on that bezel mate that looks a Peach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 That's true and I guess in my haste I didn't think of that aspect of things but I still feel like if he is selling me a 1000$ dial that he has personally photographed then that's the dial he should have sent. The bezel I recieved was the same as the pics he sent me why shouldn't the dial.. I know he has the right dial because he took pics of it and sent it to me just like with the bezel. Anyhow I guess I'm just in a bad mood. Ill send him a polite email and tell him of his 'mistake' Thank you Denim, I was pretty sure it was gen and how he doesn't know that a gen assembly with insert and retaining ring is worth 3x the amount he asked for is beyond me. No complaints here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Phew, where were you 6 months ago when I sold my gen 6538 bezel here for just under $600 ?? Now I wish I had it for my spanking new 6538! I'd be polite and firm with Phong. Circle in the photos the EXACT things you are using for verification. Tell him in short simple sentences you want that exact dial, in the circled photos. No wiggle room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denimhead Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Well i didn't want to mention the uncouth subject of money CC, but the bezel as a long term investment will I'm guessing cover most of the cost of the build. The bonus with Mq is that you can actually pick up the phone and have a conversation of sorts so I'm sure you'll get what he's promised you. I shan't make comment on Mr P, but that can be like talking to a brick wall as Freddie's rightly pointed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 600$!? I sold one on vrm (just the bezel) for 1400$ a few months ago. You should have held onto that puppy!! Thanks for the advice. I hope this gets resolved properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ephry73 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Damn that looks good! I would love to get a bezel to finish my project. CC the projects is looking awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Thanks E! I have a few bezels coming with the watch (ndt, cwp, Minh) I will be doing a comparison but happy to sell one of the extra's when I'm done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 I'd be polite and firm with Phong. Circle in the photos the EXACT things you are using for verification. Tell him in short simple sentences you want that exact dial, in the circled photos. No wiggle room. My current Phong ordeal has been going on for more than 1.5 years at this point (& other members are in the same boat as well). Dozens of pics have been sent back & forth, but, as I suggested previously, I think these problems are often due to the seller simply selling what he has in stock, regardless of what may have appeared on his website or in previous descriptions. Certainly, this does not absolve the seller of fault. Especially, when he is specifically asked not to ship an item (based on pre-shipment pics) that does not match the description on his website. But I think it helps to know what the problem is before trying to tackle it. In my case, I have the 4th (or is it now the 5th?.............it has been so long that even I am starting to forget some of the details) replacement caseback en route to me, which will hopefully end part 1 of this lengthy (2-part) saga. Still, at this point, my expectations are 50/50, at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Wow, 4th 5th caseback! I would have gone nuts by now. I really hope this is the one! I really should keep my expectations lower, I get it, it's hit or miss. These two, phong and Minh, do have big reputations to protect and so I guess it's just a matter of being patient and specific and hoping for the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ephry73 Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 It's the Chinese rep curse! Often times we get ( as Freddy already stated) what's available in stock. Sometimes we all get lucky with a fluke great deal of parts, to never see the same ever again. Let me know about the bezel assemblies CC. I'm more than interested. The 7922 is not a grail project, nor really a Franken, but I would like to have something nice in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted February 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Will do E, So I sent a polite email to Minh about his 'mistake' and got this reply when I woke up. We' re very sorry because we have two dials 6538 like it so my staff shipping wrong dial for you, Now we will send another dial 6538 same photos the front side and back side for you immediate by UPS. Sorry again . Thanks & regards Minh Quy I was right! He held the good one back hoping I'd be ok with the lesser version. In any case it's good news and everything is back on track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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