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6204 project finally complete


Nanuq

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After about three years' time, I can call this one "done".  The case looks to be hand made, from maybe the 70s, likely from Vietnam.  It's nearly perfect, though a little too rounded on the sides.  Inside the case back is the curly Rolex logo from the era, stamped deeply.  The serial numbers are age appropriate and it has BREVET+ between the  12:00 lugs.  I put a Brevet+ crown on it, and the dial is correctly dished, but chipped around the edges because the case maker didn't provide a good way to anchor the movement inside.  The hands it came with were horrible, made from bits of different hands soldered together.  The hours hand looked like card stock and the seconds was 2mm short.  

 

Over about a year I put together the parts, including a Tonny Watch negative relief gloss gilt dial (magnificent) and a perfect set of hands I found on eBay.  We went back and forth and decided to use the original chipped dial because it has the patina and it's correctly dished.  I went with a low beat ETA because a reliable A260 movement doesn't exist.  And now here it is, and dang it, sitting here on the desk beside me it looks exactly like my 62 year old gen 6536/1.  It looks absolutely genuine.  I wish I could upload high quality photos to do it justice.

 

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22 hours ago, Nanuq said:

You’re right Buddha, it’s much more like a 6202 Turnograph case. Good eye. I thought about grinding it flat and decided to leave it as is.

Bravo ... excellent choice. Another curiosity .... Where does the dial come from? It is very well done.

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I really don’t know. It came with the handmade case and the texture, fonts and plots are perfect. Even the chipped chapter ring looks right. The A in SUBMARINER is ever so slightly too pointy but I can live with that.

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16 minutes ago, Nanuq said:

I really don’t know. It came with the handmade case and the texture, fonts and plots are perfect. Even the chipped chapter ring looks right. The A in SUBMARINER is ever so slightly too pointy but I can live with that.

Perfect ... enjoy it to the fullest.

Cheers.

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Thanks mate. We were talking last week about vintage builds that have that certain intangible “something” that puts them over the top. I think this one is right there. Big props to Neckyzips for his artistic eye.

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13 hours ago, Nanuq said:

Thanks mate. We were talking last week about vintage builds that have that certain intangible “something” that puts them over the top. I think this one is right there. Big props to Neckyzips for his artistic eye.

Hi mate...

I agree with what you say ... and then Neckyzips is really a master on the subject. 😉

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I had to take the back off for a minor adjustment.  Look at that caseback stamping.  Whoever built this case had a serious eye for detail.     :notworthy:

 

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"Look at that caseback stamping.  Whoever built this case had a serious eye for detail."

 

Nuq's 6204 is really, really good. 

I remember way back when I would see a genuine 6204 for $1000 or so and everyone (including me) passed over them because they did not have crown guards.  Live and learn.

 

There are some real good replica cases out there from 20 years ago with case back stamping like the 6204 above and some are now being sold as genuine.  I have a couple replica bubblebacks that I bought on Yahoo auctions 20 years back with the same stamping.  The cases are very good and mine came with ratty ETA 2789 movements.  They have reference number 5015 with serial number 545383 and I have seen them for sale as genuine with BB movements and dials.   Main tells...they have smooth bezels and most of the genuine 5015 have engine turned bezels and the replica dials have SCOC where the genuine has OCC below center.

Here is a replica BB exactly like mine (from gumtree.com)...

Image result for rolex 5015

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
On 9/21/2020 at 3:05 AM, Nanuq said:

vintage builds that have that certain intangible “something” that puts them over the top. I think this one is right there.

 

Yes and I would expect no less from one of the great masters of the art. Sole criticism is that I would put it on a proper bracelet.

Do you still have that Double-Red and Black Lung (Doxa)?

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As I live and breathe, Freddy333 is back!  Boy it's good to see you, old friend.  You betcha, here's a photo of Grampa with his upstart grandson the Double Red.

 

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On 12/25/2020 at 2:33 AM, Nanuq said:

As I live and breathe, Freddy333 is back!  Boy it's good to see you, old friend.  You betcha, here's a photo of Grampa with his upstart grandson the Double Red.

 

Good to see some things DON'T change. But what of the Doxa? Is she still floating around in your collection?

In the meantime, this double-red says hi

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