I need a case to fit a Rolex 1556 movembnt.

[Isochronous]

I have a Rolex caliber 1556 complete. I can't find an 1803 case. I'm looking for a case I won't have to use much duct tape to get my movement to fit. I can get an 18038 case for a caliber 3055. The 3055 is .08 mm thicker than the 1556. Will the 1556 fit in the 18038 case? The case is big bucks so I want to be sure it will work before I take the plunge.

 

Thank you for any and all help.

[Timelord]

9 hours ago, Isochronous said:

I have a Rolex caliber 1556 complete. I can't find an 1803 case. I'm looking for a case I won't have to use much duct tape to get my movement to fit. I can get an 18038 case for a caliber 3055. The 3055 is .08 mm thicker than the 1556. Will the 1556 fit in the 18038 case? The case is big bucks so I want to be sure it will work before I take the plunge.

 

Thank you for any and all help.

if you are looking for a genuine 1803 solid gold  case, you have a better chance of winning the lottery twice !! They are scarcer than unicorns!   If you rely  that Rolex will sell you one, then you can also hope that Easter comes on Saturday!  

Your next best bet is to get an aftermarket gold one which are often seen on eBay by this guy who is selling a custom made 16018 for as 3035 movement!  
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154860794068?hash=item240e6c30d4:g:RHEAAOSweoVh729l

 

You may wish to shoot him an email and see what he has as a I have seen them for time to time!  But they are not cheap especially at today’s gold prices

 

another guy that also sells them  on ebay, goes  by the name friendlyperson but I cannot seem to find his contact!  Again he is not cheap either!  
 

if you are not fussed and would prefer a stainless feel case, to Mimic the white gold effect, then it would be wise to buy a generic stainless steel one and have one of our modders to modify it to fit  your movement!  This would be the cheapest option until you do come across to one! 

 

I myself have been on the lookout for a genuine 1803 case since1985 when spare parts were more available from.

watch supply houses!    Rolex cases are the most difficult cases to buy whether gold or stainless! 
 

good luck!

 

 

[automatico]

Note...

Timelord beat me to the punch while I was slowly 'typing' my response and I agree with him 100%. 

I do not have much to add but here it is:

 

Sad to say there is not much good news...

Back before gold prices went crazy, there were high quality 14K and 18K aftermarket Prez cases with proper partially hooded lugs available with ETA 2834-2 movements for around $1200/$1500.  Not now.  Now they are $4K or more if you can find one.  Besides all that...some of the current offerings are stamped 18K but are really 14K, 12K, 10K, or less.  Mostly internet stuff.

Genuine cases will be as much or more than most aftmkt cases today and are often polished to the point where they are getting pretty thin by now.

 

Q...How do I know this?

A...I have owned a few of these cases in the past and still have one high quality Italy made 18K example...also have a rlx cal 1556 hack movement waiting for a case (for years).

Q...Why has a watch not been put together using the aftmkt 18K case and 1556 movement?

A...Because the aftmkt case has a dial opening that is too large for an oem rolex D-D dial.  Many of the aftmkt cases were made this way because they came with an ETA 2834-2 day/date movement to start with and the 2834-2 with the day at 12 and date at 3 is slightly larger in OD than an ETA 2836-2 or rolex 1556, so the dial is about 1mm or more larger in OD and an oem spec rlx D-D dial falls through the dial opening. 

eBay item number 133504620076 shows one of these movements and you can see the spacer mounted on the outer diameter that makes it bigger so the D-D dial ends up being too big along with the dial opening in the case.  An inconvenient fact of (replica) life.

 

Bonus tutone info:

Some of the tutone bracelets being offered today (and in years past) advertised as having 18K or 14K 'solid gold' center links really have center links that are only 12K, 10K, or 8K 'solid gold' and by law 8K is considered to be 'scrap gold metal', not 'solid gold' in many countries.  I still have a few 20mm tutone DJ type stainless steel bracelet hoods from years past with '8K gold' strips soldered on them like on tutone 'jubilee' bracelets.  I never tested the strips but the hoods do have solid 'goldtone' strips soldered on them with oem type spring bar tubes soldered inside the fold and I paid for '8K gold' when I bought them.  Many cheapo aftmkt tutone hoods will have the 'strips' pressed into the hoods from the back side and goldtone plated.  Mine have not tarnished in 10 or 15 years out in the garage so the strips may be 'solid gold' after all.  Also have bracelets to go with them with supposed 'solid 8K gold' center links...they have not tarnished either and I never had one where any sort of plating on the center links wore through and some have lived a hard life.

So...who knows?

 

All the above is just to clue you in on what to look for if you find an aftmkt solid gold case.

Typos are free.

Good luck!

 

4-14-22

Btw...I might have a steel DJ/Prez type case with partially hooded lugs if you decide to go with a steel case, 'might' being the key word here.

[Isochronous]

Thank you for the replies. I know what you mean about gold prices. I got this 1803 about 14 years ago from an eBay seller; total delivered to the shoulder of the New Jersey Turnpike was $4,000, no tax back then. It came with an 18k original President bracelet; I still have the bracelet but don't wear it. I don't want anyone cutting off my hand to get my watch.

I may go the steel Date Just case route. I'm building the watch for my son and he doesn't want his hand cut off ether.

I'm emailing the sellers mentioned and vintage watchmakers asking about 1803 cases. I'm afraid of what they will ask for one.

 

Even going the steel case rout I"m probably looking at a couple of grand after getting it modded.

 

Edit: will this case work?

 

https://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=f7572705b28bf64d63ab7207acfd924e&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=RMC18K-3035&Category_Code=1_07_1D_Rolex_Case

 

$3,450.00. Web Price. One sold on an eBay auction for abut that price. I was told it would need some modding if used with a pie pan dial. The 1803 I wear daily has a flat dial and sapphire crystal. It is a genuine Rolex dial and crystal according to Rolex USA. If it wasn't BIG bucks for this stuff I would just give it a hacking try.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Isochronous
Add link for aftermarket case.

[Timelord]

16 hours ago, Isochronous said:

Edit: will this case work?

 

https://www.startimesupply.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=f7572705b28bf64d63ab7207acfd924e&Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=RMC18K-3035&Category_Code=1_07_1D_Rolex_Case

 

$3,450.00. Web Price. One sold on an eBay auction for abut that price. I was told it would need some modding if used with a pie pan dial. 

As Automatico has eloquently mentioned, these cases are mainly made for eta movements which have a larger dial seat diameter and it would be quite a risk to buy it and not use it!

 

You must also remember that even if you have resolved the dial seat issue, this case is for the 3035 and you must also factor stem alignment height to get a successful result!  So you have two hurdles to overcome at risking a $3450 case where most of the cost of this case is not just in the gold value but also the work to make it and the vulcher mark ups!  So even in scrap gold you may have another issue as the value of gold wold be far less Han the price of the case as scrap gold

 

I have lived this riddle since 1985 and as yet am in line with many other waiting for a donor genuine  case!  Don’t wish it on anyone but even organ transplant recipient have better chances!  I bought a 1803 case in very bad shape for $600 some 14 years ago but the lugs are almost about to foil through the hollow cavity and the mid case has damaged threads as the case back will not tighten!  It goes on for a couple of turns but then goes to the starting point without tightening!  There is just a very thin band of gold on the interior of the mid case where you cannot even use a thread chaser!  It needs a new gold ring soldered inside and new threads made!  Big job!  Not sure if it pays off to buy a whole complete watch instead as you really need to be a highly skilled goldsmith watchmaker!  I kept it for the gold value as I finally got the gold value worth compared to what I paid

 

17 hours ago, Isochronous said:

Even going the steel case rout I"m probably looking at a couple of grand after getting it modded.

 

I don’t think it would be this much!   There are great modders here that charge very modestly!  I have read great feedback on our fellow member Adrian (username Ado ) I have communicated with him on some occasions and he is a great gentleman who is also very cluey.  You may wish to send him a pm as there is no harm in asking!  There are also others which may do this!  Just check the modification posts!  Hope all goes well for you and good luck!👍

[Isochronous]

On 4/13/2022 at 6:55 AM, Timelord said:

 Hope all goes well for you and good luck!👍

Thank you for the reply. I'm looking at $1,500+ for a decent complete 16000 case. Then I have to have it modified to fit the 1556 movement. This is getting very expensive.

[alligoat]

you might try ebay- Rolex 16000 Datejust case

[Isochronous]

21 hours ago, alligoat said:

you might try ebay- Rolex 16000 Datejust case

I have been following eBay and other sites. I have been emailing sellers and watchmakers hoping to get a gen 1803 case. Most don’t bother answering. Buy-it-now prices are $1,700+ for a complete 16000 in fair to good condition. One just sold at auction for $600, complete in fair condition. I’m going to have to stalk auctions and hope I can snipe a good price.

 I have to curb my enthusiasm and not overpay for parts. I was surprised at the cost to mod the 16000 to fit my 1556. I’m very close to paying as much for this Frank’n Day-Date, case and movement only, as I paid for a complete all gen Day-Date 12 years ago. That watch is worth more today, even if run over by a truck, than what I paid for it in 2010. Gold spot price is $65 a gram.

I’m building this for my son and he has an itch on his wrist now that he knows I’m working on it.  I had no idea how difficult it would be to put this together; if I did I would have kept it quiet.

At least I know it can be done thanks to you. Long may your bespoke Swiss chronometer run.

[Timelord]

On 4/25/2022 at 5:06 AM, Isochronous said:

I’m very close to paying as much for this Frank’n Day-Date, case and movement only, as I paid for a complete all gen Day-Date 12 years ago.

 

 

very close?  No, not by any stretch of the imagination!   A house next door to me sold after 8 years of sale by more than two thirds of what the buyers paid then!  That is over £1.7 million in profit!  Back then   I was contemplating on getting a £ 300000 loan to buy it myself  and I took a deep breath and said to myself better  to see a psychologist than a lending institution!  Am I thinking the same?   No, I now know looking back that I am dumbest person  in the world!

 

In 2014 I also saw a fully snickered NOS 118238 presidential on eBay with the whole 9 yards of packaging being sold for USD10,000 as unwanted gift or near offer!  I was thinking of flying to Los Angelos just to buy it as seller did not want offer-overseas shipping!  To get it at that price, I would  have given up drinking gin for life which I later had to anyway because of ailing health!  
 

should you feel bad? Cheer up, you are still ahead of me and good luck with  your build!  I am sure you will forget the chase once your son says to you with the best smileys could   imagine “Thank you dad”!!