Pre-order: Custom 5513 meters first 1967 (limited run of 5 pieces)

[hologramet]

Long story short, I need to occupy my spare time to take my mind off divorce. I will make a limited run of 5 pieces (one is for me).

 

1) DISCLAIMER, read through it... twice.

 

1) Even though everything is brand new (except for hands which are NOS from the 70s), consider these USED. A tiny little scratch on the watch might occur. Remember, these are 53 year old watches.

2) My plan is to start shipping in about 4 months. If you guys PM me repeatedly about if I'm done, it will only delay the end results.

3) Deposit is not refundable. If you don't pay the remaining funds within 2 weeks after completion, I'm sorry but the watch is by default mine. I am however not impossible. I know unforseen stuff happens, and we might be able to solve it anyways.

4) These are completely hand-made, variances will exist within the cohort, and when comparing to genuine. See 5).

5) Since one of them will be mine, who gets each watch will be done via a random number generator. Therefore each watch will be made to the finish/detail level that I want from my own. If  you're not satisfied with a detail, I would honestly say that your level of detail is unrealistically high, and I don't think you can find a genuine one that fulfills your expectations.

6) As always, if you're watch gets stuck in customs, that is not my problem. I will do everything that I can do so that it passes, without any customs/taxes, but I am not God. (I have however sent at least 500 times the last 10 years, both hifi and watch-related and never had any such issues).

7) This is an offer, and should I feel that your expectations are too high either (through other transactions or forum occurances). Thank you, but no thanks. I want this to be a fun project, and such quarrel isn't fun.

8] No extra customization is possible. To keep it fair (see 5) I can not offer inter-variability. Also Domi will be the final assembler, and he has quite a waiting list. See 10).

9) This is not for profit. There is a 10-20% buffer for unforseen costs. When all is said and done, the final calculation will show the surplus which will be donated to the forum. will not go minus in the bank, however I'm a medic, Consider this a RWG-exclusive offer "by RWG" & "for RWG).

10) If you want to change/add something, let's say a genuine "Mk III"-insert. Fine, you will have to do that afterwards, and all watches will be the same, so I  can't give you a discount and "keep the 700 Athaya crown if you want to add a genuine one":

 

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2) What we are going for is this:

 

Additional examples:

 

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3) Build-specs

 

* Custom Vietnam 5513 case with hopefully correct engravings & serials for the watch we are going for. No I can not promise anything, they are not always so easy to deal with, but remember... I'm doing my  best.

* Aged Ruby early-Mark III-insert (slay's fat font is good, but this is better) slightly matted to look like NOS insert. Custom lumed Athaya pearl (polished).

* Custom printed matte HelenaRou 5513-dial with dial feet for ETA, custom lumed in Vietnam.

* Modded Vietnam T19 dome, for a better profile and finish (sanding, polishing etc), 0,5 hs work.

* Genuine vintage white gold 5513-hands (NOS from late60s/early70s) either with original tritium lume or matching relume in Vietnam (some have cracks, minor missing dots).

I haven't decided, but I'm leaning toward reluming them all, even though some are perfect for an even hue and same luminosity. No this will not be optional. I decide what to do with them. Hands will be adapted to fit ETA diameters.

* Athaya 7000 crown tube + 700 crown

* Brand new ( as in still in unopened plastic tear-open mylar bag) Hamilton/Longines/Tissot (Tissot Powermatic 80, lowbeat-2824-2 21600 bph w/ 80 hrs power reserve). It will be modded to remove date complication and single-hack (time setting, date hack removed). Note seconds hand will stop when setting the time a.k.a. hacking.

* Helenarou ETA movement adapter

* Domi (hopefully, as he has family issues currently and is in mourning): Servicing & timing. Redrillng/retapping the crown tube placement. Assembly.

 

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4) What's my role? (aka what is included)

 

* Modded crown guard region by me. Slimming, correct profile, crown seat closer to case. Better transition to lugs. This takes about 4-6 hours a piece.

* Full rebrush/repolish, slimming of bezel etc to my liking.

* Aging the insert to look correct. Polishing the pearl. Yes, I've owned several Tall 5 and regular 5-inserts (Mk1, Mk2, Mk3)  and I know how they feel and look. What most people do to age them, I consider incorrect. My method is much more tedious and involves ultrafine brushing to create a gradient from outer diameters inwards. Light heat-treatment to give it duller more tropical colors, also thinning the insert for a sunken fit. This takes aprox 1h/insert and does not involve bleach or ending up with circular scratches. It has taken me at least 20 inserts before I found "my" method.

* I'm the master of puppets, i do the contact, quality check, price discussions, group buy-part. It takes time, but we all win on it.

* Tracked shipping is included, insured for 900€. Shipping via Recommended letter by Swedish Post, aka Postnord. No I will not send via DHL/UPS/FedEx etc.

 

The watch head only will cost 2700 USD incl. shipping.

 

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5) Optional:

Fully modded (hopefully matching, 1967 date stamp) Vietnam 7206 riveted bracelet with 80 end links also fat springbars. This includes a lot of grinding, sanding, polishing, bending... oh boy if you only knew. One bracelet takes me about 3-4 hours of work. The end links will be adapted to your case for non-jiggly fit. I will not make any additional to fit your already built sub.

 

It will look like this:

(Ignore the bend in the clasp, that was to accomodate my ex-wifes tiny wrist)

 

A modded bracelet is an additional 400 USD, only with the watch!

 

 

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6) Pre-order/Payment:

 

1) hologramet

2) ______________

3) ______________

4) ______________

5) ______________

 

1) You get your spot by paying half the sum in deposit (either 1350 USD or 1550 USD). That's 11800 SEK or 13560 SEK.

2) I want the funds in (swedish crowns) SEK, otherwise PayPal makes a lot of cash on crappy exchange rates.

3) PayPal family or friends, otherwise bank wire. I don't want any PayPal-disputes if you didn't follow disclaimer rule 3).

 

Take care, and... remember. Canum latrans, ursus vadis.

 

Ciao!

 

 

 

[HawkZero]

*unzips pants slowly*

 

They're going to look mint!

[thom.son]

For the Vintage Watches, no one has build them better than anyone. The charm of vintage watches, each of them aren't the same because it has of its own unique beauty, plus It depends on the budget of the buyer. I wish I'd have a higher budget for this project.

 

Good luck OP.

[Mike on a bike]

OH HOLO for all your expertise and ability to get parts and put them together properly you fail in only one category. Walk/talk softly  like I do, if I had half your ability I'd be so confident I'd let the blows fall off my amour of ability and knowledge like a lite rain. Just a bit of advise from MOAB, relax you know your stuff .

[Legend]

@hologramet will advise you to tone it down a little if you want to get buyers. 

Your knowledge and skills are undisputed but your conditions come across as somewhat harsh (though as a modder I do get what you mean)

Go easy, your filtering will work automatically based on which member you choose to respond to. 

[docdoowop]

As you are a medic in these times of COVID,  i respect what you do so...

Keep up the good work in your profession, you are valuable and much needed.

 

[hologramet]

Just now, docdoowop said:

As you are a medic in these times of COVID,  i respect what you do so...

Keep up the good work in your profession, you are valuable and much needed.

 

That was very kind of you, thank you. We do our best, but a LOT of medics and nurses are getting burned-out.

[hologramet]

After some extra consideration. All proceeds from this project will be donated to the forum OR 1 watch head for something like a raffle for all VIP+ members with 6months+ or something like that. Need to do a final calculation in the end and discuss it with admin/mods.

[Legend]

18 hours ago, hologramet said:

quote removed

Holo

 

That is good spirit from you!

 

Like I said, as a modder, I totally understand your intention of putting up the harsh barrier to filter off the noobs. Sometimes in this hobby its totally necessary!

With the adjustment of your post, there is no reason why anyone should start picking on your attitude again. Let me clean up your thread and lets start afresh.

 

Thank you also for being one of the guys on the frontline helping others. I will make sure that your time here is as pleasant as possible sir. 

Please, allow me to clean up your thread including your own responses to others. 

I hope the 4 watches find their lucky owners soon. If you need any help, I am just a PM away. Remember we are here to help YOU achieve what YOU want, and that was the sole purpose of my posts to you.

[HandsUpDontShoot]

Well said Legend!

[Nanuq]

Well said. We are here to further the enjoyment of watches, and share information, period.

Maybe Holo can make a pictorial essay out of this with step by step as the pieces come together? Lots of folks could use this as a tutorial as they try to achieve the same results. I know I was hesitant to try working on my watches and I made some costly mistakes along the way. This essay would have been a huge help.

[hologramet]

5 minutes ago, Nanuq said:

Well said. We are here to further the enjoyment of watches, and share information, period.

Maybe Holo can make a pictorial essay out of this with step by step as the pieces come together? Lots of folks could use this as a tutorial as they try to achieve the same results. I know I was hesitant to try working on my watches and I made some costly mistakes along the way. This essay would have been a huge help.

Funny you said that, Because I had actually planned to do so people understand the tedious work and the level of detail.

Couldnt care less if someone else does a watch bracelet 1h. I could say I can do one in 10 min. But I need/want 4 hours before it achieves the level of perfection i want.

 

some teasers (not all the hands, remaining are in transit)

 

Can anyone see the anomaly? Which hand doesnt belong?

 

 

 

 

[Nanuq]

Minutes hand 3rd from the top? Is that for a 1016 build, fractionally shorter? I was going to say Sea Dweller hand next to the top because it’s curved but there’s another curved one below.

[hologramet]

Minutes hand 3rd from the top? Is that for a 1016 build, fractionally shorter? I was going to say Sea Dweller hand next to the top because it’s curved but there’s another curved one below.

Well done! Correct, its for 5508/1016!


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[Nanuq]

I cheated, I have one of those so I know it's supposed to look like that.    

[hologramet]

First post is now politically correct. 😇

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@Nanuq I'm pretty sure it's spelled e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e and not cheating.

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Here is a rough go-through of what is done to the bracelet.

FInished result:

Crown relief is deepened so it becomes more clear and "better pressed". This us done with a ultra-pointed diamond file, then polished with different grits of sandpaper using toothpicks. I tried using an engraving on Dremel to do this, but it's hard to control the depth and tooling marks might appear. Also adding lines further back on the crown .

All sides are softened with 3 grits of wet sandpaper, then the rivets are filed down. They are very protruding and an instant-tell on VN-bracelets. Afterwards a whole lot of polishing with white, blue, pink and finally yellow polishing roguw.

Same with all details in the clasp.

End links are adapted to fit the case. The red arrows point at already hammered/adapted (and stock... oh boy) but still protruded links. Green ones are finished.

Afterwards heavy polishing of backside of the links, to soften all corners and "melt/bend" the links even more for a fully flush fit.

Rebrush by hand with 3 grits of abrasive bloc ks, afterwards fine polish of the side-plates for a polished edge.

This one is supposed to show stuff I already wrote above.

[Omega]

Minutes hand 3rd from the top? Is that for a 1016 build, fractionally shorter? I was going to say Sea Dweller hand next to the top because it’s curved but there’s another curved one below.

Correct 1016 and 5508 minute hands are longer, not shorter.


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[Nanuq]

The 1016 reference calls for differing lengths before and after 1963.  It was 13mm prior to 1963, then 12.5mm during 1963 and 12mm after 1963.  It all had to do with phasing out the closed chapter ring and introducing the open minutes track.

 

https://rolexhaven.com/hands.html

 

[Omega]

The 1016 reference calls for differing lengths before and after 1963.  It was 13mm prior to 1963, then 12.5mm during 1963 and 12mm after 1963.  It all had to do with phasing out the closed chapter ring and introducing the open minutes track.
 
https://rolexhaven.com/hands.html
 

I know the site, nicely made, but not everything is accurate.

Sub hands are too short for the 1016 because the dial is bigger, so 12mm after 1963 is incorrect.


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[hologramet]

This is what I can do with a VN case:

[sOLD!] A mint semi-"Super"-Franken 5513 (4000€)
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?share_fid=5666&share_tid=195309&url=https://rwg.cc/index.php?/topic/195309-%5BSOLD%21%5D-A-mint-semi-%22Super%22-Franken-5513-%284000%E2%82%AC%29&share_type=t&link_source=app


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[hologramet]

Some interested parties, but not enough to justify building. I found other projects to work on, so this is on hold...


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[RickFlorida]

I didn't know Helenarou made an Eta adapter to put ETA's in genuine spec Rolex 15xx cases.   I thought only Yuki did?  Is one better than the other for anyone whose tried both?  

[hologramet]

I didn't know Helenarou made an Eta adapter to put ETA's in genuine spec Rolex 15xx cases.   I thought only Yuki did?  Is one better than the other for anyone whose tried both?  

I have a hard time saying one would be better than the other... it’s just a metal ring..

[Maddiecaddy]

Hello- could you build one of the 5513’s with a gen 1530 movement if it was supplied? I’ve been meaning to try this myself but I keep getting distracted.

please lmk.

thank you 

Jim