Finished a 5513

[RickFlorida]

Thank you Automatico, JackFlash, and a lot of other people in addition to the whole forum who helped me over the years I've been learning. This 5513 is by no means perfect but I definitely could not have gotten this far with getting the look I want without this forum.  Thank you!

 

The dial and hands are HR and I used watercolor markers to make the indicators and hands slightly yellowed. The key is to use one that is ochre colored and to also use a clear one so you can blend or erase.

The dial was given a light spray of matte lacquer.  The pictures don't show it but it really gives it a nice matte finish and you have to do this if you use water colors on the indicators or they would change/disappear.

The crystal is a PA 462-67 from Otto Frei.   This was the only Tropic 19 from Otto Frei that seemed to fit. The MQ case definitely uses 28.2mm as the case neck and not the smaller 28.03mm diameter found on early submariners. So the other generic tropic 19's were too small and would crack. It would be interesting to try other tropic 19's though, I wonder if other famous crystals like the german Tropic 19 or genuine Rolex tropic 19's would work? 

The midcase is a 5513 replica from MQ Vietnam.

The caseback is a HR 5513 caseback.  (It not only fits perfectly, but even the genuine spec O-ring gaskets fit perfectly so I think HR really replicated the 5513 caseback.  I wonder why he won't try to make gen. spec 5513 midcases?

The bezel assembly minus the pearl is from Watchman408 on Ebay.  (Great guy, highly recommend, he makes sure the insert fits snugly into the bezel and that the bezel snaps onto the retaining ring if you ask him to check before shipping)   WSO parts from Ebay never fit and are utter crap in my experience. I bleached the insert before attaching the Athaya pearl.

The 702 crown replica and the pearl are from Athaya

The movement (for now) is a SeaGull 2824-2 with datewheel removed and no spacer since that's all that will fit in a gen. spec 5513 case until I buy a 1520, 1530, or 1570 movement in the near future. I used a Yuki ETA adapter movement holding ring which was a little too big in diameter so I had to gently remove material until it fit perfect.  This was fine because it's Okay if it's too big, you can always remove material but not add any.   I don't know if Yuki error's on the side of too big so you can remove or if maybe Seagull 2824-2's are .3 or .5 mm bigger in diameter than Gen. ETA 2824-2?  Either way, not big deal.   I took my time to lock the movement down really snug,  because I wear my watches hard so I didn't want any slop.  Just like you guys taught me, the stem will still not perfectly line up when you put a 2824-2 in a 5513 case.  It will work but I notice the stem has weird problems when you try to install, remove, or set the times every now and then.   I got it working and the watch is watertight to at least over 200 feet so I'll just leave it as it until I buy a rolex movement.

 

I used a DIY waterproof tester and the watch easily passed 200 feet of water resistance.  I think it can go higher but the DIY waterpoof tester might explode if I go beyond 200 feet of water pressure and unlike you lucky bastards across the pond, hospital visits are expensive for me.  I paddleboard in the ocean fishing and lobster diving (only to 35 feet) and surf.  I can't take a phone with me and I lose track of time out on the water so it's good to have a watch back on my wrist.

 

I'm hoping to find a 1520 or 1570 no date movement which if I understand correctly, will drop right in to gen. 5513 spec cases so at that time I will probably just buy a Vietnam dial and hands.

Edited August 21, 2019 by RickFlorida

[automatico]

It has 'The Look'.  Many do not. 

What is 'The Look'?

Hard to describe but it has it. 

 

"The movement (for now) is a SeaGull 2824-2 with datewheel removed and no spacer since that's all that will fit in a gen. spec 5513 case until I buy a 1520, 1530, or 1570 movement in the near future."

 

Buyer Beware. 

Example...here is a 1520 being sold as a 1570 with 4 hours to go:

eBay item number  223623776858

 

If it stays below $1200 it is still not too bad at today's prices.

 

Update...it went for $1430.55 plus $25 shipping. 

Maybe the buyer knows it is a 1520.  Maybe not.

[jackflash]

Congrats buddy! Looks great and best of all it’s fit for purpose! Wear it in good health!

[RickFlorida]

6 hours ago, automatico said:

It has 'The Look'.  Many do not. 

What is 'The Look'?

Hard to describe but it has it. 

 

"The movement (for now) is a SeaGull 2824-2 with datewheel removed and no spacer since that's all that will fit in a gen. spec 5513 case until I buy a 1520, 1530, or 1570 movement in the near future."

 

Buyer Beware. 

Example...here is a 1520 being sold as a 1570 with 4 hours to go:

eBay item number  223623776858

 

If it stays below $1200 it is still not too bad at today's prices.

Thank you for the heads up on that movement.   

6 hours ago, jackflash said:

Congrats buddy! Looks great and best of all it’s fit for purpose! Wear it in good health!

 

Thank you, sir!

[Jackstar]

Mate this just came up in a random feed and caught my attention, great build, very well done, I read about your detailed build with much interest, congrats on taking the time and making the effort to complete this piece, I only wish I had the time and skill to do the same... (I love to read stuff like this so I can learn from others & maybe one day I can build something for myself) enjoy it my friend, it's a beauty!

[capice]

looking very nice mate, I would age it a little as the crystal still looks brand new but overall, very nice

[highoeyazmuhudee]

That looks great!

 

how much was the MQ mid case if you don't mind me asking ?

 

Also, would happen to have a pic of the case back side ?

[dieselpower]

Lovely watch. Well done. Enjoy.

[RickFlorida]

On 8/24/2019 at 7:30 AM, highoeyazmuhudee said:

That looks great!

 

how much was the MQ mid case if you don't mind me asking ?

 

Also, would happen to have a pic of the case back side ?

Hello.   I bought the midcase only from MQ Vietnmam and I asked for a sterile case thinking it might be cheaper.  I ended up paying over 500 and you can get the complete set at RubyWatch for 600 so I think I paid more for having it sterile?   MQ is kind of a pain because they only take Wester Union for payment but my midcase was shipped fast.     I don't have a photo of the caseback but it looks just like a genuine to me but without inside engravings.  I'll take a photo tomorrow if I get home in time.

[jhgtr]

I read about your detailed build with much interest, congrats on taking the time and making the effort to complete this piece, I only wish I had the time and skill to do the same... (I love to read stuff like this so I can learn from others & maybe one day I can build something for myself) enjoy it my friend, it's a beauty at https://canoesurfer.net/kayak-life-vest/

Update...it went for $1430.55 plus $25 shipping. 

Maybe the buyer knows it is a 1520.  Maybe not.

Edited September 12, 2020 by jhgtr

[Timelord]

On 8/21/2019 at 11:44 PM, RickFlorida said:

 I definitely could not have gotten this far with getting the look I want without this forum. 

I applaud you!  Congratulations!  
 

as far as the  look goes?  As Automatico said, I say “what is the look?” Splitting flea’s hair and if it is 0.001mm out here and there, who is going to detect this?  Is everyone that will see it, going to pin point this?  Most people have no clue in what to look for!
it is unique and special, so let’s leave it at that!  Better than one that you may have seen at Sotheby’s because yours is hand made!

 

As for the genuine Rolex movement, I would not worry about is as I find the eta more rugged and practical,  I would personally go for a genuine eta and this will most likely eradicate the problem with the stem as all the clones I ever was misfortunate to have all have stem setting issues as they do not mesh and are purely a pain in the backside being out of spec with movement parts

[Nanuq]

On 8/21/2019 at 11:09 AM, automatico said:

It has 'The Look'.  Many do not. 

What is 'The Look'?

Hard to describe but it has it. 

 

What he said.  Our brains are remarkably good at making sense out of coherent information and being happy, and when things don't add up somehow, in the slightest way, they immediately alert us something is wrong.  That mark in the dirt on the trail, there's a bear nearby.  Those slightly turned front wheels of the car in the intersection, he's about to hit you in the crosswalk.  It's the lizard brain and millennia of remembered lessons.

 

So "The Look" is remarkably hard to achieve.  The pieces all "go together" and they all tell the same story.  In my eye it's nearly perfect.  To put it over the top, I'd hollow out the pearl and make it a little less yellow.  Cut off a pushpin and use it like a drill.  Then you need to wear the hell out of it.  Use it for EVERYTHING.  Yard work, gardening, carpentry, surfing, cutting wood, changing the oil.  I had to do that with the Big Gonzo and it made all the parts "tell the same story".  In a year it will look exactly right.  

 

Well done!  That's an accomplishment to be proud of.  Like Timelord said, "Built not bought".    

[automatico]

"It has 'The Look'.  Many do not."

 

The RickFlorida '5513' has The Look.

My MBK '5512' has The Look.

My cartel '5513' does not have The Look. 

But they all look alike to everyone except us.

 

Timelord:

"As for the genuine Rolex movement, I would not worry about is as I find the eta more rugged and practical,  I would personally go for a genuine eta..."

 

Agree 100%. 

The MBK '5512' now has an ETA 2879 replacing the 1570 that was in it.  It went from a $1700+ watch to a $700+/- watch with no downside at all.

(MBK case--nos ETA 2879--ST bezel assembly--'Mary' folded oys with early style '8 holes in a row' cartel FL clasp--GS PA462-66 crystal--used 703 crown--WSO990 580 hoods--MBK dial to replace Yuki on 1570)

 

Otoh the cartel '5513' with ST16 movement looks pretty good except for three and a half things that bother me but may not bother others:

1...After drilling the lug holes out to 1.25/1.3mm the holes appear to be a little bit too high in the lugs.  This is really not much of a distraction and is obvious because of the beveled edges on the lugs.

2...The printing on the dial is a little bit dim...sharply defined and well done, but dim.

3...The case back has the gasket in the case instead of the back and when looking at a side view the back is a little bit thin where is screws down against the case.  This is visible only with the watch off and no one notices except for me.

3.5...The letters/numbers between the lugs are laser etched (not engraved) but the bracelet hoods cover them up.  The MBK is laser etched too and it always has a bracelet. 

The case profile, CG etc are very good and it accepts oem spec crystal/bezel kits.