Robspring81 Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 @JoeyB I am looking for some help with with a 6542 I inherited from my Grandfather. The original Bakelite broke some time in the 70’s and he replaced it with a Submariner bezel. I would like a bakelite style bezel but can’t and won’t spend the money on an authentic. I saw a post of yours from years back where you were making them. Any advice, insight, or guidance on where to acquire a Bakelite replica would be huge! attached are some pics of the 6542. Thank you! Rob
ceejay Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 You'll find your inbox full of offers from vultures! Nice watch, it will look beautiful with a nicely aged 6542 bezel on. Good luck with your search!
jimcon11 Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 That's not a Submariner bezel either unfortunately, or else it could be worth a good amount. But very cool watch and you should be able to find a good rep bezel and insert from the people here.
Mike on a bike Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 1 hour ago, ceejay said: You'll find your inbox full of offers from vultures! Nice watch, it will look beautiful with a nicely aged 6542 bezel on. Good luck with your search! This is true.......................
HorFan Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 Looks like it might be an old milgauss bezel.There is a full replica bezel set for 6542 here:https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254379478457
oldtools Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 I think JoeyB might be the one to help you with an insert and possibly a bezel
Robspring81 Posted January 3, 2020 Author Report Posted January 3, 2020 3 hours ago, HorFan said: @HorFan Thank you! I just bought this set! I’ve been scouring eBay for days and didn’t see this. Bravo sir!!!! Made my day There is a full replica bezel set for 6542 here: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254379478457 1
JoeyB Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 Click on the links in my signature for the insert alone, or the matched and fitted set. 1
Tribal Posted January 3, 2020 Report Posted January 3, 2020 The bezel looks legit to me for a 6542.I think you only need a Insert and a bracelet.Gesendet von meinem Mi MIX 2S mit Tapatalk
Nanuq Posted January 4, 2020 Report Posted January 4, 2020 A few profile views of your existing bezel would help. I recommend finding the right insert and possibly bezel, then don’t change ANYTHING else until you’ve read everything we’ve ever written here about the 6542. That’s a very very special piece and the closer it is to original the better.
hologramet Posted January 4, 2020 Report Posted January 4, 2020 And you can find really good rivet bracelets at rubyswatch.comAll you need is metal sand sandpaper in 200, 600, 1200. A dremel with coarse + fine jewelers paste. Last but not least masking tape, preferably Kapton, All rough edges need to be made smooth.Then I would refinish the case with laser welding, lapping (case, bezel preferably replated, new chamfers). Also refinish the acrylic crystal. There are different guys but the best results I've seen are some Japanese guys of which their name I've forgotten (but you can find em on Insta). The best part is that you can pay for all of this by selling the Turn-o-graph-insert on Vintage Rolex Market. P.S. Shoot a picture of the crown and caseback..Also that fat font bezel insert seems to be in good condition and it's rarity might fetch you a sweet sum... However I'm not versed in its market value since they've never interested me... You just paid waaaaaaay to much for a crappy insert..Take it easy mate, wait for more input before jumping
hologramet Posted January 4, 2020 Report Posted January 4, 2020 Also.. what are the first 2 numbers in the serial? Also.. that’s 40k USD at least currently with the Rolex bubble... so I would try to sell it ASAP to a Hong Kong-trustfund-kid and buy gold... For comfort... That’s what I did with my 4 pcs of 5517 bezel inserts...
Nanuq Posted January 4, 2020 Report Posted January 4, 2020 Look in this topic: In there we discuss the options for bezels. Tripdog's work is displayed showing his magnificent ageing results where he takes a stock and totally unbelievable "perfect" bakelite insert and adds the back discoloration, and cracks per customer request. Remember this is a watch 60+ years old with a plastic bezel. It's got to look like it's decades old, and that means thrashed. I restored a 6536/1 Submariner and I had more leeway with inserts because mine were available as "service" parts for decades after the watch was born. So an insert in very good condition looks appropriate. In your case, if you're going with the plastic insert it needs to look 60+ years old. Review the photos in that topic to see what I mean. 1
Robspring81 Posted January 7, 2020 Author Report Posted January 7, 2020 Does anyone notice that the current bezel insert has no 30 at the 6 o’clock position. It looks like a Turn o graph insert, but I have not seen one with no 30 on the insert. My grandfather had it installed in the 70’s when the original broke, so I would really be surprised if it was not a genuine Rolex bezel insert
jimcon11 Posted January 12, 2020 Report Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) On 1/7/2020 at 2:54 PM, Robspring81 said: Does anyone notice that the current bezel insert has no 30 at the 6 o’clock position. It looks like a Turn o graph insert, but I have not seen one with no 30 on the insert. My grandfather had it installed in the 70’s when the original broke, so I would really be surprised if it was not a genuine Rolex bezel insert It doesn't look like a Rolex insert to me. The bezel diameter is just a little small for the watch and I think a RSC would have used a 1675 type bezel as a replacement. Better pics of the bezel profile would help us. EDIT: Just noticed Nanuq's ID of the bezel in the other thread. I would follow others advice and get the best reproduction you can find, or maybe a few of them, and try some different aging methods. This is the look you want. If this is indeed an original 6542, it's worth well over 6 figures, even without the bezel. If you were to sell the watch it -could- be worth it to get a real 6542 bezel and insert first to complete it, but most likely not in my opinion as the collectors really want everything all original to the watch. Edited January 12, 2020 by jimcon11
ebzen02 Posted January 20, 2020 Report Posted January 20, 2020 What a special watch. This is a type of watch you hand down from generation to generation.. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nanuq Posted February 4, 2020 Report Posted February 4, 2020 Very very nice! Enjoy it for a week or two, then send it off to the guy I recommended for his ageing techniques. Once that’s done I recommend a service (it probably hasn’t been done in decades) and then just enjoy it the rest of your long blissful life. What a show stopping beauty.
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