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6542 Restoration


Robspring81

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@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

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6D6B8CC8-C1B4-4BFE-92BA-D10D4E40D564.jpeg

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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.

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And you can find really good rivet bracelets at rubyswatch.com

All 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

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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...

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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

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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. 

Screenshot_20200111-022937_Instagram~01.jpg

Edited by jimcon11
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

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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