I want to build a 5512 around my G 1560 movement

[BradBMW]

Hello all,

I have a genuine Rolex Cal. 1560 movement, and would like to build an incredible vintage-looking 5512 Submariner. Can you all offer advice as to where to source the best

Case?

Crystal?

Bezel & Insert?

Lume dot marker?

Dial?

Bracelet?

Many thanks,

Brad

[cc33]

Case: phong

Crystal: gen tropic 19 (affordable)

Insert: go gen used fat or mid font

Bezel: comes with phong case set or upgrade to gen

Lume dot comes with insert

Dial: I would go gen but Minh otherwise

Hands: Michael Young

[highoeyazmuhudee]

you would also need a bracelet and nothing rep comes close to a gen 93150 or 9315

 

for the price of that shopping list and the rolex movement you already have you could get a gen 14060 with bracelet, or a glossy WG dial 5513 head with no bracelet.

 

go the gen route unless you really want a $4500 albeit awesome 5512 rep

 

thats where im at these days, im sitting on enough gen parts that if i sold them i could buy a vintage tudor sub 79090 or a black bay sub, or maybe even save up a little bit more and get a gen 14060 (ideally)

[BradBMW]

Wow. I'm stunned. I priced all the parts, and I'm looking at $4300 WITHOUT counting the movement. Unbelievable.

[tomhorn]

I get that people are recommending the Phong setup because you're talking about using a gen movement in a franken, and as such, using the best parts makes a lot of sense sometimes. In this case not so much because by the time you add it all up, as others have said, you are close to buying a gen.

 

If it were me, I would start looking for one of HH's 5514 cases which come up for sale from time to time, and build a Comex 5513.

 

Use Yuki's 5513 dial and hands, and pick up a gen crystal and service insert. With the Yuki parts you'd be under $1000 plus the movement cost and whatever strap/bracelet you want to use. You could also step it up a notch by finding a gen dial.

 

Not as high a quality as the Phong setup, and it's going to take a bit of effort to find the HH case. A lot less expensive though and you'll still have a fine franken that you could actually sell here on the board if you decide to part with it later.

 

Several people have built them, and I'm in the middle of doing one myself with an ETA movement and Whoopy's 5514 dial (which is even less expensive).

Edited May 10, 2014 by tomhorn

[automatico]

From experience I will say this:

Do not blow it all on a case.

Why?

Because when you grow tired of the watch (and you will), a used Phong case is not worth a whole lot except right here. Right here = this forum or others like it.

What is so great about a Phong case?

I do not really know but everyone says they are very good and have super good serial numbers.

You need proof?

Ok, I have a Phong 1655 case and it is very good. The serial numbers are super good...but they do not show.

The Yuki dial recommendation is good.

Why?

Because they are relatively inexpensive and pretty good overall. If you get a dud, sell it or send it back and buy another one.

The 1560 is a good choice.

Why?

Because a Yuki 5512 dial will fit a 1560.

 

Something else...iirc most high $$ aftmkt 5512 cases are made like the later cases...a little bit thicker with an O ring under the crystal retaining bezel etc and the 1560 came in thinner cases without the top O ring etc, etc.

 

What I am trying to say is:

No matter how much $$ you spend, you still have a Frankenstein and a Frankenstein with a $1200 case. $1000 movement, $500 dial, and $500 bracelet looks just like a Frankenstein with a $500 case, $200 movement, $110 dial, and $150 bracelet. The only difference in actual worth is the 1560 and genuine bracelet.

 

Go low to medium $$ the first time around and see how you like it.

Why?

Because a monkey wearing a $4k Tuxedo is still just a monkey...and a $1000 monkey beats a $4000 monkey.

 

I rest my case. 

[highoeyazmuhudee]

sell the movement take the money from the sale and build the watch with a good old reliable swiss ETA 2846 and a nice MBK or yuki case, that will satisfy you. i dont really care for yuki dials, MQ dials or ingod dials are much better, and the dial is what you will look at most, so get a good one.

 

my suggestions:

 

maybe get a yuki case, skip the extra $ for the engraving unless youre wearing it on a nato

also skip the eta adapter ring from yuki, its over priced, there are a lot cheaper ones

ingod or mq 5512 dial

maybe a gen insert if one can be had at a reasonable price (less than $150), if not the mbk one is pretty good, just change out the pearl

TC hands, relume for tritium look, easy DIY with some ivory acrylic paint

gen 703 crown

yuki tube

clarks crystal (service dome look)

21 jewel ETA 2846, there is also a 17 jewel version but i find the rotor on those tends to stick

get the ETA 2 stop setting bridge change it out, easy to do and takes 10 seconds (replaces the 3 stop -date- one that comes with the 2846)

you might have to get a gen bracelet if you want a perfect 93150, the rep ones at best are 75% accurate, no need for gen endlinks, just get the wso 580s

 

TOTAL ~$1100, gen insert, no bracelet

 

25% of the cost you were just considering

[508-Fanatic]

From experience I will say this:

Do not blow it all on a case.

Why?

Because when you grow tired of the watch (and you will), a used Phong case is not worth a whole lot except right here. Right here = this forum or others like it.

What is so great about a Phong case?

I do not really know but everyone says they are very good and have super good serial numbers.

You need proof?

Ok, I have a Phong 1655 case and it is very good. The serial numbers are super good...but they do not show.

The Yuki dial recommendation is good.

Why?

Because they are relatively inexpensive and pretty good overall. If you get a dud, sell it or send it back and buy another one.

The 1560 is a good choice.

Why?

Because a Yuki 5512 dial will fit a 1560.

 

Something else...iirc most high $$ aftmkt 5512 cases are made like the later cases...a little bit thicker with an O ring under the crystal retaining bezel etc and the 1560 came in thinner cases without the top O ring etc, etc.

 

What I am trying to say is:

No matter how much $$ you spend, you still have a Frankenstein and a Frankenstein with a $1200 case. $1000 movement, $500 dial, and $500 bracelet looks just like a Frankenstein with a $500 case, $200 movement, $110 dial, and $150 bracelet. The only difference in actual worth is the 1560 and genuine bracelet.

 

 

Go low to medium $$ the first time around and see how you like it.

Why?

Because a monkey wearing a $4k Tuxedo is still just a monkey...and a $1000 monkey beats a $4000 monkey.

 

I rest my case. 

 

I think that's a seriously good and valid point.... pretty much exactly what I'm doing on my build with gen movement.

[Bc1221]

i dont think TC hands fit a gen movement..

 

i dont know how much yuki cases are going for these days but last i heard, they were pretty pricey.

 

you have a beautiful gen movement which im sure houses a beautiful gen open 6's,9's flat 3's date wheel.

id go with a 1680 build personally.

 

Yuki dials are pretty good for the money. 

 

Whoopy is also a good option.

 

your biggest hurdle would be the case. most gen spec cases that are worth a damn arnt cheap. 

like someone else mentioned, if you go for choice parts worthy of a gen movement, youre gonna be better off buying a gen no 10406 financially.

 

tough call. i know that movement is beautiful but the damn vintage sub cases are so expensive if you can find a good one. 

[automatico]

In addition to what HH and Bc said (and I agree with), I have something to say about genuine rolex movements...

First off, I have owned a quite a few rolex watches in the past 40 years.

I have owned 1220 base manual winds, 1530 base, 3035 base, and 3135 base automatic movements.

Do not care much at all for BB autos and 1030 base autos, I've had a few...the BB are junque (opinion) and the 1030 are 'in the past' as far as parts are concerned.

I like the 1530 base movements best of all because I have some parts for them and like vintage case styles much better than the modern designs.

 

That being said, would I put a "Frankenstein' watch together today with a 'high grade' replica case/dial and genuine movement if I did not already have a few spare rolex movements?

NO!

Why not?

Because genuine rolex movements are too expensive, parts are waaay too expensive, and they are too fragile compared to a swiss Eta etc. 'Fragile' = broken rotor axles, jewels etc.

Anyone who did not grow up wearing mechanical watches might have trouble with a watch with a genuine rolex movement in it if they expect it to be anywhere close to as rugged as a modern quartz watch...or a mechanical Eta, Miyota, or Seiko powered modern watch. No matter what anyone says, rolex automatic movements are not very rugged imho.

A fresh c/o swiss Eta will give better service at a fraction of the price imho.

 

One main reason for this lunatic hobby is to save $$. Using genuine rolex movements seems to be out of this realm. Same for cases...a $350 MBK or $600 Yuki case I can grudgingly live with but not a $1200 case of some sort that I can not tell from the MBK or Yuki case.

 

I'm just trying to save anyone who has not been down this road some trouble and $$.  

[Bc1221]

ive seen some insane builds with practically all gen parts except the case.

while beautiful, it makes no sense financially. unless youre doing all the work yourself, sourcing all gen parts for a rep and having it put together is gonna probably cost more than the gen.

 

if youre doing the build yourself, i can understand the appeal.

its pretty fun to build/mod and its very cool to be able to say "i made it".

 

add up the numbers. if it costs as much as a gen would run ya, then sell the movement.

doing a rolex build with a ETA or clone is more than enough since they all have closed cases.

 

personally, id go with a TC2824 + whoopy dial and if you can find one, a MBW case.

 

selling your gen movevment will pay for that build.