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My Fantasy Rolex Semi Bubbleback Project


earloflondon

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The case started its life as an Oris classic automatic with an ETA 2824 inside. It's been working like a charm since I bought it in 2001. Never been serviced, nor the back was opened. It was OK and I have worn it for many years along with my other watches. Whence I have started growing interest into vintage reps and having modded a Silix 6538, which I will talk about in another thread, I thought I could start a fantasy project with this watch whose shape was sort of not as sleek as most Rolexes of early 40s until late 60s.

 

Anyway, what this watch will become is a semi Bubbleback. 1. The dial will be kept, the inscriptions will be removed, a Rolex silver logo will be attached, maybe a ROLEX inscription below it and PRECISION inscription will be transfer printed.

2. A 6 mm crown will be tapped and mounted.

3. A 33.4 mm HW or N plexi will be cemented

4. The see through case back will be replaced with specially manufactured bubble case back

 

Enough said. Now the pics

 

I forgot to take the pics before I started, so there will be photos of the different phases

 

Phase 1b74e5220bf2d319977965e6f2ae4370a.jpgacd6a67868e9e3838953bfa3218fe902.jpg5ea7b7ad59e4e7b0ea11bdd4636cf6fa.jpg579037fc25de2be9059ec69071f6ccfa.jpga88ae2d6c591f30d3d302354ec994f58.jpg

 

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Phase 2e71b8e7553cec696963c98e70871f07b.jpg620f1eb49a7f03a7aa4743440b879461.jpg969ef13186571c3ba0973f4573d20b1a.jpg51f46715ecfe2a5151d908c9f963bac8.jpg5ef148bded831288d1685ba6d5ad01ba.jpg2a4ddc433c66ceff7c8b9e1cbef537ad.jpgf58682e11c995387ab7ace3e739eae82.jpg327d45b493814576689d8ee4a7898ebc.jpgbbacf28124eb89184dfa388c487693a3.jpg827f56b80214d2764ddc0acc7ceb3a1b.jpgf9e87c8f8efe0e994dd01cd9113fd6fa.jpgf087badbd2735f20d989e75a02328a4a.jpg

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Phase 31ec5679901bd43d326a87d3462f528b0.jpg7003e63a35766e6e6909f032a56d2265.jpg1ed8eaaaf403706d51d617ba8ac83be1.jpgd749b4cb2bd1bf66a6efe7364a51cf22.jpgf4b2234a3940880bbdb5ae4a0f095184.jpg9501985345aede162ab8d9504a733f8e.jpg6d0f072a042cb39752e59718fef5fdc3.jpgcdf9458a624e1838c74bb51531b890d4.jpg6e6a71e9decf7c5994792f74eff122fc.jpg2b0db51d4a56a98e8f88fd3efbfe88e4.jpg278f140033712ef07378e1eedb741de2.jpg5a6d945acab4b637fd4d28270b4b0929.jpg2c53c263bf63ca8e66c355a9d65ec276.jpg56bb2953aa76f4c20429c4cc2f90793e.jpge914792bc6b91039527d99f404cd3258.jpg428707f705ecf4951dd5ae2d96a5f38a.jpgc84c6d5c30788f6b6b11ef10d9cf65b0.jpg160160ea6eaa5a0d8bbafafdfc4d3b7f.jpg28444aca545c2d4bc691c77e81dd2787.jpg5e9b0294a3a01240934a8fd08ea34d54.jpg109ae015e4329d71653222234ec3d329.jpg6ad78d7593d0523f2fe3ce79a6ae5bd4.jpg1e12f87ad4fc616d5885fa4a47443ee9.jpg7545bc2cff153a10a7b7aab752a94ab4.jpg46d2ca069a5f9fc7440d272d82e638b8.jpg6cef6db149363e65efdc139c1ced1283.jpgb850d94c509d3578c293feff9a85635d.jpgf62cf100ae1f50e16b21825a40a15ffd.jpg9914ff15333792cdafa8979b35d1e401.jpg185a1d86c4aea939466cd538ac7164ce.jpgdc3cafd8620fe65c30a8e65b3f9642fc.jpg83d3e9be44f03f588eea80d3f23b5bd6.jpg1c63461c580016ac67d1c039a2a7a97a.jpgb28fb0039aa629d5509f4bbb423b20e9.jpg19213391222402220f8d47c9e55e71b2.jpga5e5d39aecd169fcd5f534cd0e45786b.jpg

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Wow... call the hosting company we need more storage for all those pics

But all jokes aside could you post a picture, just one will do ;-] of the style of watch you are referring to. I think that would help me to share your vision for this project.

I’m sure some of the more technically gifted will be able to point you to suppliers that may have a caseback to fit. My lack of knowledge as to weather the threads are industry standard or not means I could lead you down the garden path to disappointment 🤬

In any case good luck with it brother. Keep posting updates as you go.

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Wow... call the hosting company we need more storage for all those pics

But all jokes aside could you post a picture, just one will do ;-] of the style of watch you are referring to. I think that would help me to share your vision for this project.

I’m sure some of the more technically gifted will be able to point you to suppliers that may have a caseback to fit. My lack of knowledge as to weather the threads are industry standard or not means I could lead you down the garden path to disappointment

In any case good luck with it brother. Keep posting updates as you go.


Couldn't agree more

You see, this is my first modding off experience out of a completely different base, fantasy rather than a Franken, after case shaping of the two classics. I'm very excited, as I have lots of things to care for and invent to solve. I'm lucky the watch making is one of the best standardised industries so I can find most standard parts easily applicable and compatible.

Thanks mate


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Good progress so far.   What model of bubble back is this project inspired by?  look fwd to seeing more 
 
In fact, no particular model is on my mind. I thought otherwise. When I decided to work on the case, I thought it'd would turn out only in something similar to a bubble back. So I said to myself, I should aim for a shape near to something like this

b45571c2912a4f4dd04912b4183bb7ff.jpg08570a220b993657dd910243dd375b17.jpg6999d54bc5e0221d6263e064a8066580.jpg

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On 9/21/2018 at 1:48 PM, earloflondon said:

Here is the list for the crown, strap, crown logo and parts for my future milgauss project5532f6044d77772f4353097a10c82458.jpg

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Where are you ordering these parts from?>  I didn't know there was another source for a Milgauss dial other than Yuki...

 

 

Great progress on the case so far....look fwd to seeing the dial you choose. 

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22 hours ago, JSebWC said:

Where are you ordering these parts from?>  I didn't know there was another source for a Milgauss dial other than Yuki...

  

 

Great progress on the case so far....look fwd to seeing the dial you choose. 

Looking at the pics I would say rafflesdials/Riyi

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On 9/21/2018 at 5:52 PM, earloflondon said:

In fact, no particular model is on my mind. I thought otherwise. When I decided to work on the case, I thought it'd would turn out only in something similar to a bubble back. So I said to myself, I should aim for a shape near to something like this

b45571c2912a4f4dd04912b4183bb7ff.jpg08570a220b993657dd910243dd375b17.jpg6999d54bc5e0221d6263e064a8066580.jpg

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Really nice project and congrats for all the work you already did.

Looking at those watches, and though your project is a "fantasy watch", I  think you could drill the lugs oppositve to the crown side (and only those) so that your case could be more accurate.

 

Like the one below

 

OPPOSITE_TO_CROWN_SIDE.jpg[/img]

Edited by manodeoro
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Really nice project and congrats for all the work you already did.
Looking at those watches, and though your project is a "fantasy watch", I  think you could drill the lugs oppositve to the crown side (and only those) so that your case could be more accurate.
 
Like the one below
 
imageproxy.php?img=&key=42d035e53dc34051790b21ec79a8325b8d578c3e21cc44ad167c59ff9a37a089OPPOSITE_TO_CROWN_SIDE.jpg&key=227df5140ee4e8f857331032692dd80ed5907be0a086faef3f8826a2327cc7b9[/img]
Thanks mate. I didn't realize they have only one lug drilled on each side

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2 hours ago, earloflondon said:

That's right. Riyi at rafflesdials

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cool thanks  That is the newer white dial milgauss  at first glance from my phone I thought it was a 1019 dial   

 


 

 

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1 hour ago, earloflondon said:

Thanks mate. I didn't realize they have only one lug drilled on each side emoji3.png

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You're welcome :)

It probably depends on the model but I would say that 4499 definitely have plain lugs on the "crown side" and drilled lugs on the  "oppositve to crown" side.

Removing the bars on such a watch could a PITA.

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You're welcome 
It probably depends on the model but I would say that 4499 definitely have plain lugs on the "crown side" and drilled lugs on the  "oppositve to crown" side.
Removing the bars on such a watch could a PITA.
It looks cool but I don't have the machinery for that, nor do I have the guts to take the risk . Still, nice one to consider thanks mate

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44 minutes ago, earloflondon said:

It looks cool but I don't have the machinery for that, nor do I have the guts to take the risk emoji51.png. Still, nice one to consider emoji106.png thanks mate

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All you need to get is a dremel, some good HSS dril bits, a cheap drill stand and a good punch to mark the lugs before drilling.

About the guts ... I don't know where or if you can order those but if you search your trunks you should find some:rofl:

I had posted a tuto on other watch forums but the pics are gone (thanks to hosting pics) so when I'll re-upload the pics I'll post the same tutorial here.

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All you need to get is a dremel, some good HSS dril bits, a cheap drill stand and a good punch to mark the lugs before drilling.
About the guts ... I don't know where or if you can order those but if you search your trunks you should find some:rofl:
I had posted a tuto on other watch forums but the pics are gone (thanks to hosting pics) so when I'll re-upload the pics I'll post the same tutorial here.
Awesome mate. Many thanks.

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Wow! These photos are so inspiring. I hope my 1016 project will turn out as well.
thanks mate

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20 hours ago, earloflondon said:

Awesome mate. Many thanks.emoji3.png

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emoji106.png thanks mate

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I said I would put my tutorial about "how to drill watch lugs with a dremel" on that forum so now it's done

Here 

 

Edited by manodeoro
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