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16660 build: How hard is it to source the parts?


tienbang

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Hey guys I have a question that has been bugging me all day. I've googled and search this forum and others and still don't have a clear cut answer. My question surrounds building a triple 6.

1. What case could fit a gen glossy dial? If there isn't an off the shelf case that could work well I'm assuming I will need to ship the case off to one of our awesome members for customizing

2. If I was going the ETA route could I conceivably use a 2836 or 2824?

3. Aside from the dial, what other gen parts are obtainable? I'm thinking 16600 parts would work though getting parts to be era-specific with a glossy dial would be harder (?)

Any help is greatly appreciated. I built my datejust recently and caught the bug.

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That will be a great watch.  I don't have the answers for you.  What I can tell you is that if you have a gen 16660 dial, I would not chop it up and put it on a 2824 or 2836.  Have you looked into a yuki 3135?  Are you in the US?  If so, there is a member here Misiekped (mike).  He does wonders with the Yuki movement.  He has built me a 16610 with it and a 116710 where he took the yuki 3135 and built a hybrid Rolex/Yuki 3185 that works just as a GMT should.  The issue will now be getting a case where it will fit a 3135.  I believe Phong has one.  If not reach out to him buy email at his site http://www.jewelryandwatch.com/contents/en-us/d77.html.  That man does wonders with cases.  It will cost a lot but in the long run, you will have a triple six that runs and performs and looks as well as a gen at 1/3 of the cost.  

 

Also if I remember correctly the movement in the triple six was the first one to sport a 3035.  Don't quote me on that but the reason why I say that is because prior models that had the 1560, the hands would adjust like a ETA backwards to the 3035 and the 3135.  Good luck.  Look up Mike here.  He is a wealth of knowledge and will lead you down the right path.

 

Robert

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Thanks Robert for the info and advice! I thought about it again after I posted how "wasteful" it would be to use an ETA movement with a gen dial. I'll look into the yuki 3135.

As for the case if the only viable answer is using phong's case then I guess I'll have to save up for one of his cases too! I read about other cases that were used in the past but I think those were made in a limited run.

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I built a 16660 a few years ago with a SSD V2. I had jmb drill the lugholes and PBdad relumed a matte Yuki dial, hands and the bezel pearl. 

 

photo-1.jpg

 

If I was going to do it these days, I would use the BP Sea Dweller case and have jmb drill the lugholes.

 

If you use a gloss dial with the WG surrounds, bear in minbd that the dial used for the late triple 6s is the same dial used in the 16600. Just like the late 16800 dials were used in the 168000 and the 16610s.

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  • 1 month later...

Well just to update this thread I've acquired all of the parts I wanted for this build without selling a kidney in the process.

BPSD 16600case

Gen 16660 dial

Gen 16600 insert

Gen 704 crown

TC Hands and DWO

And the 2836 is coming in next week

I'll have to get with Justin and have him drill the lug holes and tap a new hole for a tube that'll fit the crown.  

I'm getting pretty excited

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Well just to update this thread I've acquired all of the parts I wanted for this build without selling a kidney in the process.

BPSD 16600case

Gen 16660 dial

Gen 16600 insert

Gen 704 crown

TC Hands and DWO

And the 2836 is coming in next week

I'll have to get with Justin and have him drill the lug holes and tap a new hole for a tube that'll fit the crown.  

I'm getting pretty excited

Thats funny as I thought your profile pic was of a kidney for a second there. TBH I find Phong too expensive and think that BP SD case is good enough with some modification. As occb2 rightly pointed out triple 6's used cal. 3035 so it may be best to go with Yuki 3135 for less trouble or alterntivley correct dial feet to fit the 2836 thats on its way. I look forward to seeing the completed build and if you require any 16660 pics as reference then let me know. Good luck and enjoy.

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f28162e81ba4cadd9f6ce761a3cfa596.jpg

b4af27a5a3e9cd5301a8894005d5105d.jpg

I built a 666 once. I had to sell her though and regret it dearly.

I used all gen parts.

The crystal retaining system of the 16660/16600 is unlike any other Rolex. It's a 3 - part system that has a removable rehaut ring. Extremely difficult to install a crystal without the right tools. Also the gen crystal has different dimensions compared to other sapphire subs.

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f28162e81ba4cadd9f6ce761a3cfa596.jpg

b4af27a5a3e9cd5301a8894005d5105d.jpg

 

I built a 666 once. I had to sell her though and regret it dearly.

 

I used all gen parts.

 

The crystal retaining system of the 16660/16600 is unlike any other Rolex. It's a 3 - part system that has a removable rehaut ring. Extremely difficult to install a crystal without the right tools. Also the gen crystal has different dimensions compared to other sapphire subs.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome build. So entirely Gen? 

Just noticed your rep score is +666 how spooky and ironic!

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hey OP. Any update?

lol sorry for the lack of update and that's by design because, well, it's on hold until probably January.  I actually had the parts for sale as a whole on RWI but will revisit this later on.  In the mean time, I lost the TC seconds hand and need to find another 2836-2 to work with.  

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  • 1 year later...

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