UmpaHimself Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 I received my gen 703 crown today from eBay. Unfortunately for @themannier, myself or anyone else with high hopes, the gen 703 crown will not fit on the stock MBW tube, nor on the Athaya tube. The thread is wider then both. Even though the Athaya tube is wider then the MBW, it still isn't quite wide enough. This is all true unless I managed to get an incorrect crown but I don't believe that is the case. Look wise though IMO the Athaya from the outside is very close to the gen crown and I think it is a suitable part to use in place of a gen. I think it's best to save the $100+ to be spent in a better way on your build. Here are some comparison pictures: Athena Tube (left with crown) vs MBW (right no caseback) Athaya Crown MBW Crown Gen 703 MBW with stem vs Gen Athaya with stem vs Gen Athaya (left), Gen, MBW (right) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 Thanks for this great comparison my friend...I have a gen spec tube on the way to install on the MBW case ! Miracles do not exist this time I received also a mint wrapped 703 crown(gen) from a french seller, and i want to share the link. They are for sale for only 42 euros+ shipping http://www.watchesulike.com/fr/rolex/8894-couronne-rolex-submariner-acier.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 2 minutes ago, themannier said: Thanks for this great comparison my friend...I have a gen spec tube on the way to install on the MBW case ! Miracles do not exist this time I received also a mint wrapped 703 crown(gen) from a french seller, and i want to share the link. They are for sale for only 42 euros+ shipping http://www.watchesulike.com/fr/rolex/8894-couronne-rolex-submariner-acier.html Please do a tutorial on installing the tube, I would really appreciate it. If it's easy I would love to do that myself. Although I am 90% sure the case needs to be re-tapped and then countersunk as well for it to sit like gen. If you do that you might as well reshape the crown guards because they will be too long and wide. Then you have to drill the lug holes too and that's bunch of money in parts+work. I may just leave it stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 Yes, i will share some pics when i get all the parts ! I got a good new from automatico today; he told me that most part of MBW cases have the good thread to fit a gen tube... if ever mine is not correct, i will re tap the thread ! I found today the right tap (3.0x0.35) i lost at home to do the job; i did this mod a few years ago on a 5512 cartel case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 "Although I am 90% sure the case needs to be re-tapped and then countersunk as well for it to sit like gen." I posted this information 22 hours ago in 'General Discussion' under "Please MBW 5513 case accept genuine crown?" post number 15: "...I just now tried a genuine 7mm crown on the MBK 5512 I got last week from Reppin and it will not work because the case tube in the MBK case is not oem spec and the post on the genuine crown will not go into the MBK case tube...the hole in the tube is too small. The MBK tube is not made to have an O ring down low outside but the crown does have a skirt machined at the bottom for O ring clearance (??). On my other MBK cases, I removed the case tubes as soon as I worked on them and installed oem spec case tubes (did not try oem crowns on them) and the oem case tubes screwed right in but iirc the relief in the case for the case tube base gasket (where the tube contacts the case) was not oem spec and I had to use an aftmkt gasket of some sort. The MBK crown will not screw down onto an oem spec case tube either because the MBK crown threads are too small. The MBK tube and crown look like the same case tube and crown set that came on some of my DW cases. The MBK case tube is made like an old 8mm tube except for the size." update: Where I said..."The MBK tube is not made to have an O ring down low outside..." I was wrong. The MBK tube has a groove down at the bottom but the O ring on mine was missing. ...and this additional info is from a note I sent to a member about 30 minutes ago: "I removed the case tube on the 5512 I got last week and a genuine rolex case tube screwed right in so any oem spec aftermarket case tube will also fit. Since all four of my MBK cases will accept oem case tubes, maybe they all will. The case is machined for a gasket between the tube and case but I do not know if an oem gasket will work or not. The lug holes are a bit under size and will need to be drilled out for genuine spec spring bars. There is also a gasket groove in the top of the case under the crystal retainer bezel like later model genuine watches but there was no O ring in it. On my MBK 5513, I put a gasket under the crystal retainer ring but I had to go down a size in thickness from what a genuine case uses...from 1.0mm thick to .9mm thick iirc. Could have been .8mm, can not remember. If you have the bezels and crystal retainer off and decide to install this gasket just be sure the crystal retainer bezel will press down all the way to the top of the case. If the gasket is too thick the crystal retainer bezel will not seat against the case and the rotating bezel will not fit properly and be too far from the top of the case. The case tube threads had some type of sealer/cement on them and the tube was harder than usual to remove. I used a six sided broach to remove it then ran a pipe cleaner through the case threads a few times to remove the cement. If you do run a tap through the case threads be very careful as it is easy to cross thread the tap and ruin the case threads." Just now... My advice is: Do not try to re-tap the case tube threads in a modern MBK case. They will accept a genuine case tube or any oem spec aftmkt case tube. If the threads are clean and an oem spec case tube will easily go in a turn or two, run it on in because it is fine. No telling how many cases have been damaged by running a tap into these small threads. It is very hard to start a small cutting tap straight in small threads. If anyone is going to do this type of precision work...start with scrap cases and go very slowly, do not start with a $400 case. I started working on this stuff in 1972 and believe it or not, I know what I am talking about. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 WELL SAID !!! I think exactly the same... to re tap is a real job and if you are unlucky this day, there is 50% of chance to definitely ruin the thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymanmatt Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 That doesn't even close to a gen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 34 minutes ago, mymanmatt said: That doesn't even close to a gen ? 52 minutes ago, automatico said: "Although I am 90% sure the case needs to be re-tapped and then countersunk as well for it to sit like gen." I posted this information 22 hours ago in 'General Discussion' under "Please MBW 5513 case accept genuine crown?" post number 15: Thanks for the great info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marrickvilleboy Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 the athaya crown is for the 702 isn't it? different tube to the 703... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 50 minutes ago, marrickvilleboy said: the athaya crown is for the 702 isn't it? different tube to the 703... Is it? I'm not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymanmatt Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 The 703 gen tube is completely different from the tube in your pic, that's why you crown won't work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 3 hours ago, mymanmatt said: The 703 gen tube is completely different from the tube in your pic, that's why you crown won't work Ah, got it. Yes unfortunately an expensive mistake for me but the seller stated it would come with a tube which it did not so I may be able to return it for a refund. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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