Williamdsl Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Has anyone ever made a replica of the Tudor Mini-Sub? I would love to get one for my 7 year old son. Currently he is wearing a 1969 Timex Skin Diver that I fitted a Myota Quartz movement into. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 A rolex 5512/13 number 19 crystal and a number 127 for a 1680 is a close fit on a rolex 1500/15000 case and this means a genspec bezel set for a 5512/13 and 1680 will be a close fit. A 26.5mm 1680 dial will fit in a 1500/15000 case. A 26mm 5512/5513 dial might be too small, I do not know for sure. You can use a 6.0mm crown for a late sapphire DJ on the 5.3mm standard case tube in a 1500/15000 case for a larger crown. Use a Yuki 1680 dial with an Eta movement and the proper date wheel overlay. So...it would not be too hard to make up a 34mm minimariner. 'Close fit' = may need some modifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Williamdsl Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Damn automatico! That is a detailed reply. That sounds a little over my head in terms of the work involved. Any recommendations on who could pull off such a mod? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 I figured someone needed to answer this question because iirc no one on the forum has tried this before. There are quite a few members who could do this but since it would probably be the first time for anyone on the forum putting one of these together there will no doubt be details that cause trouble. I have way too many projects that need to be finished before I could see how the basics fit together but maybe someone will try it after reading this thread. A watch made up from odds and ends will be a 'fantasy' watch but it would be unique and imho pretty cool. Sort of a shrunken no crown guard submariner. There are three things with any watch project that hold all of us back...time and money plus knowing how to do the work. I have the parts and know how to do projects like this but I always get bogged down on something and it ends up taking 5 times as long as expected. For instance, I have an old gold plated gent's Wittnauer T lug quartz watch with a waffle pattern black dial and a small diamond at 12 from the 1980s that stops running too soon after installing a new battery so I figured it needed cleaning and oiling (2 hand Eta 561.001). Easy fix. Ha! I have been on it part time for two days and still have a little left to do. Part of the problem turned out to be the hour hand hub rubbing the dial because the dial feet were mounted a hair out of spec. When the battery got low the watch would stop, same symptom as a dirty movement but it had two problems, being dirty and the hour hand hub rubbing the dial and these two problems caused the battery to run down much quicker than normal, Because of the friction, I had to file out the center hole in the dial to one side to allow for room for the hour hand hub, touch up the bare metal on the dial hole etc, etc. I should have pitched it in the junk box but I took it apart so I wanted to fix it. This watch finished and with a new strap might bring $25. Multiply this by 30 or 40 and that's how projects usually go. Maybe in the next few days I can try 5513 and 1680 dials in 1500/15000 cases and see how they fit plus try a crystal. One good thing is for anyone wanting a watch like this is there is always a slew of 1500/15000 on eBay and they do not sell too high. A replica 34mm tudor case might also work if a 1500/15000 will. If it was me, I would try to find a case that will accept a 26mm no date dial to avoid date wheel problems. Like I said, I do not know if a 5512/13 dial will work in a 1500/15000 but I know for sure that a genspec 1680 dial will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted December 18, 2014 Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 The rep (and gen) Tudor 34mm cases will directly take a T12 crystal so I don't think any of the available bezels would fit. I toyed with the idea some time back and decided it would be more work than it was worth to just satisfy my curiosity! Gettin' lazy in my old age... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Williamdsl Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 Thanks for the replies guys. Maybe one of the rep makers could get their hands on a gen Tudor mini-sub and rep it. I'm sure their would be a market if it wasn't too expensive. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydenM Posted December 20, 2014 Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 Thanks for the replies guys. Maybe one of the rep makers could get their hands on a gen Tudor mini-sub and rep it. I'm sure their would be a market if it wasn't too expensive. Not to sound like a d!ck but I doubt there is any market for a mini-sub. Sports watches for men are where the money is and they only sell if they're 40mm+ generally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Williamdsl Posted December 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 I think there are many dads here on the forums and I bet more than a few of them would buy their kids a mini-sub if it wasn't too expensive. I'm guessing you don't have kids HaydenM. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVNE Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 For the price and labor that would be put into this project, it isnt worth it for the rep manufacturers. Buy your son a vintage dive watch. I have a couple of gens in the sub $300 range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydenM Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 I think there are many dads here on the forums and I bet more than a few of them would buy their kids a mini-sub if it wasn't too expensive. I'm guessing you don't have kids HaydenM. You're correct in saying that but I just don't think that the few who would want it would make it worth it for the manufacturers. But it would be cool to see no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 Here is the scoop on the rolex cases... The case neck on a genuine rolex 1500/1505/15000 etc is 28.5mm The case neck on a genuine rolex 1002, 5500 etc is 28.15mm. The case neck on a 34mm JMB Eta tudor case aka 'eat a tooter' is same as a rolex 1002, 5500 etc. Fine cases btw. The 'average' #19 aftmkt crystal for 5512/13 will fit on the rolex 1002/5500 case as well as the 34mm JMB toot case. Average = hit or miss, these things are not exactly precise, I used a #19 from ST. An inner bezel from Clark or ST will press down Ok on the #19 on the cases with 28.15 case necks. BUT...the rotating bezel is way too big for the case and sits on top of the crown. It looks awful. Scratch that idea. Bulova made a 34mm (+/-) dive watch in the 1960s with a dressy style case and rotating bezel that is one alternative. There are a couple rough examples on eBay, item numbers 161502223266 and 331419226981. I attempted to restore a mid size quartz TAG Heuer Formula 1 WA1211 with steel case/bracelet and plastic bezel. I did Ok until I got to the bezel. They are way over $100 on eBay and I found a supplier in the UK who has them for around $70US but they will not answer my email. I am almost $200 into the project and stalled out because I refuse to be screwed by an eBay opportunist. My usual rant...parts are always the problem and rapidly getting worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 If you could stand 36mm you might be able to get a cheapo Silix Turn-O-Graph and build something out of it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerdude Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I went down this road building a Tudor Lady-Sub for the lady in my life. I sourced it all in parts from the eBay over the past year and it's under the tree as we speak. With patience, you could find all the gen mini-sub parts all in for under $500. You could find a good used example for $1,200 - $1,500. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormTooper4 Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 The 1500 & 5513 cases are way too big These are 33mm cases I wish the old Watcheden.net site was avaiable as they had loads of intersting stuff and you might have found something there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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