alligoat Posted September 29, 2016 Report Share Posted September 29, 2016 Here's a 1680 for sale by Kirill on VRM- he also refers to it as a MK4- $13K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 Update! bought a gen 1680 and I'm going to be installing MQ mk v red dial and matching hands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sogeha Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 It's got to make sense, a franken is going to eat 5000 gen white dial is about 6500. Just keep the original dial with the watch and you are golden. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueTip Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 On 9/29/2016 at 4:19 PM, alligoat said: Here's a 1680 for sale by Kirill on VRM- he also refers to it as a MK4- $13K. Yeah, that is a Mk4 just as the one you posted before. I meant OPs dial from eBay wasn't a Mk4 but Mk5. 6 hours ago, irolexu said: bought a gen 1680 and I'm going to be installing MQ mk v red dial and matching hands Great! Congrats mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 Nanuq has claimed the dial as I'm not gonna use it. I'm using a MQ red dial and hands. The watch just needs a few things.. if anyone can help out with such said things listed please chime in!! -Needs new tube -Needs correct bezel insert -Needs a 93150 or 9315 -Original white dial has no luminous material left. Seller suggests removing the rest as there's barely any. Maybe have it relumed along with the hands? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 New tube just depends on which crown you have. 702 and 703 crown tubes are different and incompatible. WSO makes a good if 703 tube if you're not too picky, otherwise you'll have to try to pick something up on VRM, or ebay. Same with the other parts, inserts might run $150, bracelets have gotten expensive- $750-1000! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 So here's the gen 1680 I picked up from VRF from a reputable supplier.. she is super healthy as far as case and movement are concerned. I've contacted Minh Quy for the dial and hands! Hopefully there isn't a terrible turn around time for the dial and hands.. also got a new bezel insert which is a faded fat font insert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 1 hour ago, irolexu said: So here's the gen 1680 I picked up from VRF from a reputable supplier.. she is super healthy as far as case and movement are concerned. I've contacted Minh Quy for the dial and hands! Hopefully there isn't a terrible turn around time for the dial and hands.. also got a new bezel insert which is a faded fat font insert. that bezel looks odd to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 The bezel insert is from a 16610.. other than that the bezel itself is a little worn Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Big update so.. my build plans went from a phong build to then just buying a gen 1680 from the late 70s to finding a gen 1969 2.2 million serial number with a 1969 case back but full of service parts replacing most of the hard to find components.. so my journey for a red sub ended up with a gen red sub with a MQ dial and hands. I am searching high and low for a genuine METERS first dial and hands but for the time I'm happy with the set up I have being my watch is 100% true to what the MQ dial is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Now that's a handsome piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sogeha Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 All came good in the end. I thought a full on franken 1680 would be close to gen money. Nice project, but... I am strong believer in the idea that if you buy a watch, it is yours to do whatever you want with, but I was kind of hoping you wouldn't sell the white dial, so the piece would remain together. Silly really. But now a genuine watch that needs help and love. If you turn up a genuine dial, you will have done no more than many "reputable" dealers would do on the sly. It is going to eat cash but the end result will always be a genuine and desirable watch, a pleasure on the wrist and better than money in the bank. well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Looks like it turned out real good! I agree with everything Sogeha said in post 39 and always felt a genuine vintage rolex watch should be kept as close to genuine as possible so I would keep the dial/hands to go with the watch...maybe not on the watch but with the watch. But that's just me. Replica bracelets are Ok imho as they save a genuine bracelet from wear. As for Frankensteins...I go the lower buck route with MBK or Yuki cases, Yuki\IG 44 dials etc to save $$ but go with a genuine movement so the aftmkt dials, hands etc will fit. All my Frankensteins have come in at $2000 or less except for a Phong case/dial 1655 that is not finished yet...GMT parts will bust the budget. As for modern genuine rolex watches...I feel the same about modern rolex (most sapphire models) as I do about run of the mill low grade quartz watches...there is no such thing as botching one up. I see most of them as crappics, not classics. Not anything to do with this thread and I may be stepping on toes but I always leave higher grade replica cases basically as is and do not try to artificially 'age' them because they age quick enough if you wear them. I have seen some fine cases ruined because of efforts to age them...also seen a lot of oversize and/or beveled spring bar holes and ruined CG. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 All came good in the end. I thought a full on franken 1680 would be close to gen money. Nice project, but... I am strong believer in the idea that if you buy a watch, it is yours to do whatever you want with, but I was kind of hoping you wouldn't sell the white dial, so the piece would remain together. Silly really.I still have the white dial and hands but I don't feel they have any sort of real attachment to my watch as they are service dial and hands and are not actually vintage but a remake of a vintage dial. I bought the watch hoping to find a genuine dial and hands with meters first. I'm sure I will and I'm sure it'll cost me some real coin but for now I'm totally content how the dial and hands came out on the watch. The date window isn't the best as the date was centered perfect on the white dial but I can live with it. Only other thing I'm keeping an eye out for is a gen 9315 braceletSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueTip Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Now look at that man! Looks amazing @irolexu! Glad it came to this and also I am glad I was able to help you on the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Now look at that man! Looks amazing @irolexu! Glad it came to this and also I am glad I was able to help you on the way! I would have never found MQ with out you my brother! Thanks man! It was a bit of a head ache as this took me 2 rejections to get him to make me what I was looking for!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueTip Posted October 23, 2016 Report Share Posted October 23, 2016 Just now, irolexu said: I would have never found MQ with out you my brother! Thanks man! It was a bit of a head ache as this took me 2 rejections to get him to make me what I was looking for! Thanks for the kind words! I'm happy it worked out in the end! I'm loving the outcome, really! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted October 24, 2016 Report Share Posted October 24, 2016 "I still have the white dial and hands but I don't feel they have any sort of real attachment to my watch as they are service dial and hands and are not actually vintage but a remake of a vintage dial." I did not know this so the dial/hands may not be keepers. I like the red dial a lot better anyway. "The date window isn't the best as the date was centered perfect on the white dial but I can live with it." The date is adjustable up or down in the window on 15xx movements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sogeha Posted October 24, 2016 Report Share Posted October 24, 2016 Totally agree that a much later service dial is not an intrinsic part of the watch. For me that is a totally different story to the genuine 70s watch with a white dial. At the moment the watch for me is still essentially the same as before, a genuine watch without its original dial. Only thing is that the MQ dial obviously looks nicer and more in line with what should be there. Knowing your ability to find parts, I think you will turn up a genuine dial. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted October 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 What do you guys think of this insert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueTip Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 I'm really liking the faded style, that's personal preference though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinpusher Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 I love the insert. Did you do that yourself? If so, how? I picked up a 1680 last week and it has a brownish tropical insert. I'd love to see if I could make it look more like this faded one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted November 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 7 minutes ago, tinpusher said: I love the insert. Did you do that yourself? If so, how? I picked up a 1680 last week and it has a brownish tropical insert. I'd love to see if I could make it look more like this faded one. Pm me some pics of your insert! Maybe we can do some trading ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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