Lo' Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 Good morning everybody,Back after a long time, I need your kind help with the following:I just got this nice piece dated 1963; it's basically an Explorer with an Air King face. I'd like to find the correct Explorer face but it's almost impossible, as I only bump onto the classic 1016 SCOC dials while the desired one must bear the"Super Precision" label instead; as such the gen way is a no go.Replica-wise I see that NDT offers exactly what I'm looking for but, I wonder whether the product I'd get from them matches the nice pictures on their site. I'm consequently turning to you for advices, criticisms and whatnot: would you recommend NDT? Anyone else you'd care to tell me about from which I can source this dial without getting ripped off?Thanks in advanceLorenzo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 I have two older AK (5501 tutone from 1962 and a 1002 AK from 1964) both with ratty refinished dials over original dial plates so I bought two explorer type dials from Yuki and they both look real good...one black/white and one black/gold. I figure as long as I still have the dials/hands that came on the watches they will still be worth good $$ even with 'fake!' dials. Seeing that all AK 5500/5501/5504/5701/1002 are 34mm, dial choice is greatly limited. I am waiting on parts for the two AK so now I am working on an old (1956) tutone manual wind 6422...cal 1210 with original dial and crown with 'rolex oyster' stamped on it. It was so gummed up that I had to soak it in cleaner before I could get it all the way apart. It supposedly had been in a drawer 25+ years before I got it. After they are done, I have an old 6694 with original folded oyster to fix next...ratty refinished dial and all. edit: Looks like I was wrong on the 5504 case size. According to the seller of an AK 5504 on eBay it has a larger case. item # 321199476978. What is the diameter of your 5504 case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo' Posted September 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 Hi Automatico thanks for replying, The 5504 diameter is 36mm. I'll follow your advice and drop an eye on Yuki's site. Lorenzo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 "I'll follow your advice and drop an eye on Yuki's site."A dial for your watch will probably be a special order seeing that the case is the same size as a 1018 and not a 5500. The 5504 uses the same crown, cb gasket, and crystal as a 36mm 1018. Yuki might be able to get one made on a 1016 plate and leave the scoc stuff off.It's strange the 36mm DJ has a 6.0mm crown and the 5504, 1018, and 1019 Mg have 5.3mm crowns.crystal...25-21case tube...24-5300crown...24-530cb gskt...29-292-76 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo' Posted September 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 Yeah it's a strange beast... an AK but also an Explorer and yet not really any of the two. And most important: It's clean understated looks with no SCOC writings that hide the fact that the 1530 movement under the hood can be tweaked to COSC specs in a breeze. But I digress... are you implying that I'd rather ask Yuki to build a custom dial for me instead of buying NDT's piece which is already available and is exactly the part I'd need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted September 27, 2013 Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 "But I digress... are you implying that I'd rather ask Yuki to build a custom dial for me instead of buying NDT's piece which is already available and is exactly the part I'd need?"I said it because of cost. Phong is famous for high prices and Yuki is not as bad.Looking back, I should have stayed quiet as I was thinking it was 34mm and not 36mm so I got myself in a mess. I am familiar with 34mm 'explorers' and 36mm scoc explorers but know nothing about the 5504. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo' Posted September 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 I said it because of cost. Phong is famous for high prices and Yuki is not as bad. Looking back, I should have stayed quiet as I was thinking it was 34mm and not 36mm so I got myself in a mess. I am familiar with 34mm 'explorers' and 36mm scoc explorers but know nothing about the 5504. I appreciate tour feedback Automatico, thank you for it as you were trying to help. On a side note I am referring to NDT, not Phong. I have been looking at their site too but could not find the dial I am looking for. That said the price is not a very big issue. This dial would have to go on a gen and not common at all piece, therefore I want it to be as close as gen as at all possible; of course I am willing to pay for such high expectation. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedbird100 Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 Wait! I'm a bit of an air king aficionado and I've written an article for Rolex magazine dot com on this subject. The 5504 was an AK reference and quite uncommon. The cases are 35mm and not 36. They are the largest AKs ever made. Please, for the love of god don't butcher it. Sell it to someone who will appreciate a rare reference. The 5504 reference number was shared with the AK and Explorer. Again, don't go putting rep parts into a rare watch!!!!!! Message me if you'd like more details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo' Posted September 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Wait! I'm a bit of an air king aficionado and I've written an article for Rolex magazine dot com on this subject. The 5504 was an AK reference and quite uncommon. The cases are 35mm and not 36. They are the largest AKs ever made. Please, for the love of god don't butcher it. Sell it to someone who will appreciate a rare reference. The 5504 reference number was shared with the AK and Explorer. Again, don't go putting rep parts into a rare watch!!!!!! Message me if you'd like more details Thanks a lot for chiming in and for being so passionate. Please rest assured that I have no intention of "butchering" my watch; I have not been buying it on a whim and more or less know what I have in my hands. I also know what an original " Super Precision Explorer face" dial would cost provided I could source one (and it would not turn out being another fake). For such reason if the pictures on NDT's site can be trusted, and their SP Explorer dial is as good as it looks, swapping my original "Super Precision AK face" for that is no different than swapping it for an original replacement dial from Rolex, with its yellowish luminova markers (the local AD was offering a SCOC 1016 luminova replacement dial at Eur. 600 and called it a bargain...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Agree with speed, save your money and buy a gen dial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo' Posted September 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Agree with speed, save your money and buy a gen dial. Agree with both. Wish such dial could be sourced somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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