Rolex MilSub ref.5517 Project: BUILD

[hologramet]

 
Very nice insert! where is it from?

You really didn’t read like 6 posts up did you?

[teiki75]

On 2/23/2021 at 12:54 AM, hologramet said:

You really didn’t read like 6 posts up did you?

 

ok, Ruby, my mistake. The 0 of 30 looked different from between 2 pics earlier and I thought they were different.

Edited February 25, 2021 by teiki75

[jackflash]

 
ok, Ruby, my mistake. The 0 of 30 looked different from between 2 pics earlier and I thought they were different.

I guess it’s still early

Initially I had a Ruby insert installed:


On a recommendation from [mention=59902]hologramet[/mention] I swapped it out for one from [mention=47967]dlf[/mention]


... et Voilà
Edited February 25, 2021 by jackflash

[rower]

Yours is definitely my favorite 5517 on the boards. Here is mine:

 

It needs so much more work to be acceptable.

[jackflash]

Yours is definitely my favorite 5517 on the boards.

Thank you!

[hologramet]

I have a spare one should anyone wish to buy it..

[jackflash]

Comparison, rep above, gen below.

[ialyo]

Hello guys, I wanted to share my project story and ask you some questions.

 

— I started it from a genuine late 5513 (white gold index) with a poor dial. With a detailed PNG I found on internet I spent a lot of hours drawing a vector picture of the 5517 dial and ordered a negative in Switzerland. Then I have it printed one the dial. That was the most expensive part but the good point is having the negative, I can make dial again.

 

Insert and hands are aftermarket (found on eBay). Pearl is coming from the helenarou insert.

 

I sent everything at another Swiss company to have BGW9 lume painted (blue-ish with a good intensity) and finally, my watchmaker assembled everything, brushed all the shiny part of the case and added fixed lugs.

 

These last days I felt the will to improve it.

 

— @jackflash you said your hands are coming from Yuki but your second hand is closer to the original 5517 second hand with a shorter part after the arrow and a shorter tail than the SM300. Are you sure you got it from Yuki ?

 

Also, you mentioned DLF for your insert ; who/what is it ? Your insert looks great ! I had some will to take one at ruby but found yours (DLF) better !

 

Thank you !

[jackflash]

Congrats nice build!

I reshaped the tip of the second hand on mine. The tail was the right length.
Dlf is aka Crown Art Customs and sells his inserts via ebay or Instagram as well as here.

https://instagram.com/crownartcustoms?utm_medium=copy_link

[ialyo]

Thank you very much for your fast reply @jackflash. Already spoke with Crown Art Custom ; did not realise he was also know as DLF !

 

Nice work on your second hand !

[jackflash]

[GDorantes14]

On 2/25/2021 at 7:54 AM, rower said:

Yours is definitely my favorite 5517 on the boards. Here is mine:

 

It needs so much more work to be acceptable.

Could you please tell us where did you get this beauty and what are the specs? TIA

[obiwan]

Guys,  can you help me with this. I have a full build from HR and I love it. However, the bezel has always been an issue for me, it just seems too think and small. HR also used the plexi super dome which doesn't help (I'm not sure it's even accurate for a 5517). Question is, where can I get a proper bezel and insert from, one that is true to gen? I've heard clarks do a good 5513 bezel but I'm not sure it would fit on the HR case.

 

I've been in touch with Phong who seems very helpful. However, be wants $1650 jjst for the complete case (no dial, hands or movement). It's a little out of my budget 

[jackflash]

Jensen sells complete bezel assemblies on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234632327154?itmmeta=01HV12P6YXA996KEYPV3H2XSYR&hash=item36a12d2ff2:g:dJ0AAOSwprZlAhRK&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4PAcVLlgV5P6vzhJgeK2Trpke7zWoZPlRCpQscyeuOr3axyu%2BL3oCyizI956oBGBCxAaSDIolOX1nP13A69W%2FcXL7viOo2PQcu53jggL7ok34UPQgqg%2FUH2kp4QIoNl6wVnT%2FFqavGJ31Z7hbnR%2Bg4tO1VyKLyojxJnvWaJVarindnt69YMnB87FQ6TdzLdBT%2BM0zuBOo0pS99UllcG80avZm4mpCrwTLH4q4F0Vvs4ufykBuUzydOtkBa%2Fx4maxCJLd7ThSIVHhuc63HiRQHPz%2B%2BMFDoYZAFcJEaSxeTDDT%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8jv2KLYYw

Also the 5517 insert, however as mentioned over on RWI the numerals are too small:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234740639578?itmmeta=01HV12XAXPFEWVQRDWN3GYGFEE&hash=item36a7a1e75a:g:9VIAAOSwuvRjTulF

The closest to gen insert is from crownartcustoms:
https://www.instagram.com/crownartcustoms?igsh=OWhrMGViOHJoOTBm

Jensen insert top, crownartcustoms installed:



As for the crsystal Ofrei has a good selection. You’ll need to buy according to your case dimensions though:

https://www.ofrei.com/page419.html

[obiwan]

Hey, thank you so much for responding and really appreciate your efforts. 

 

Do you know if the bezel assembly will fit the HR case? 

[jackflash]

Do you know if the bezel assembly will fit the HR case? 

I don’t know offhand. You’ll need to check the outer dimensions of the crystal on the HR case to make sure the retaining ring of the bezel assembly will fit.

[obiwan]

On 4/9/2024 at 12:12 PM, jackflash said:

I don’t know offhand. You’ll need to check the outer dimensions of the crystal on the HR case to make sure the retaining ring of the bezel assembly will fit.

Thank you again. It may just be easier to go for the Phong complete case set up. It's bloody expensive but looks spot on. From all the cases, it looks the most accurate 

[mir36]

Just to add my two cents… for case sets check out seller Kuaredwatches on instagram, based out of VN. He offers full case sets for less than $1k.  He was on eBay until a couple of months ago. I’ve ordered dials from him. 
 

On the 5517 insert, Jensen’s (the bay) are decent. I’ve ordered many other parts from him except the 5517 insert. The shape of the ‘2’ in ‘20’ is incorrect. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. I’m referring to the bottom left curve which leads to the flat line. Even from CAC, you need to watch the shape of the ‘2’. Some are good. Some are not. I use S Mazzariol’s 5517 photos for reference. 

[obiwan]

 

10 minutes ago, mir36 said:

Just to add my two cents… for case sets check out seller Kuaredwatches on instagram, based out of VN. He offers full case sets for less than $1k.  He was on eBay until a couple of months ago. I’ve ordered dials from him. 
 

On the 5517 insert, Jensen’s (the bay) are decent. I’ve ordered many other parts from him except the 5517 insert. The shape of the ‘2’ in ‘20’ is incorrect. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. I’m referring to the bottom left curve which leads to the flat line. Even from CAC, you need to watch the shape of the ‘2’. Some are good. Some are not. I use S Mazzariol’s 5517 photos for reference. 

Appreciate your feedback. What do you think of the phong cases (images above)?

[mir36]

Case looks good. Although the ‘20’ in the insert is also incorrect. Just decide whether you want a:

5513 circa 1972 onwards

5513 with 5517 engraving on the lug aka double reference - 1975 onwards? 

5517 - 1977 onwards?

 

and match the serial you want accordingly. 
you also want to consider whether you want W10 (army/SAS) or 0552 (navy/SBS) engravings. 
 

For my project I’m using VN dial and 5517 case, Jensen hands, and a CAC insert w/ correct ‘20.’ I’m just waiting to source a correct hacking 1570 from the same period. 

Edited April 11, 2024 by mir36

[automatico]

This is not about the milsub, but a '5513' type case can also be used to put a 'pre COMEX 5514' submariner together if anyone does not want to hunt down the $$ milsub case, dial/hands and bez insert.

The fixed spring bars can be made using stainless steel rod stock similar to eBay item   284520669214   or a bracelet can be used.

A short piece of SS rod can be polished on one end and pressed into a hole drilled in the case for the He valve.

 

[freddy333]

For reference - 5513 Comex with gen dial

[automatico]

"5513 Comex with gen dial"

 

[obiwan]

My apologies for troubling you all again but just wanted to give you an update. I purchased the case and bezel set from Kuared watches in Vietnam. Happy with those. However, I had to purchase a hand and dial set afterwards as the helenrou hands wouldn't fit the 1520 rolex movement. Kuared sent them and they arrived today. I'm not sure about  the caking on the dial plots and wanted your views. Is this acceptable as aged looking plots or do I take him to task? I'm wondering whether my watchmaker can tidy it up

[freddy333]

Overall, I think it looks reasonable, but the yellow 'patina' is an obvious tell. 

It is very difficult for a factory to produce a realistic patina. If the dial is offered with whiter lume, I would opt for that. While rare, I still occasionally see gen Subs of the period with whitish lume. So you could pull that off if the rest of the dial, watch & you look the part.

Faking patina is definitely more ART than science. It requires ALOT of knowledge, experience, testingtestingtesting & hand-work to produce a 'natural' looking result. For a factory produced dial, I think it looks good. But I doubt it will fool a serious collector. Here is a macro shot of the lume on 1 of my gen Sub dials for comparison --