1601 frankenbuild

[glhartigan]

Hi guys 

I’m building a 1601 frankenwatch 

I have all original Rolex parts apart from the movement 

I acquired a clone 3135 movement 

Will this fit into the 1601 case? And what dial would be best to use? Flat or not flat?

1570 is 28.5mm x 5.75mm

3135 is 28.5mm x 6mm

 

looking forward to reading some replies 

thanks 

Glenn 🇮🇪

[glhartigan]

Need some help please guys 

[blackieray]

Good question! I was hoping it would be answered. You might post on reddit as well and see if anyone bites.

[Ronin]

It won't work.  It's not the total thickness, but where the stem to case line up.  Starting with the 3xxx series, the rotor/auto winding module protrudes more out the back.  IIRC the lower profile caseback on the 1601 will hit the rotor keeping the case from closing without crushing the autowinding.

 

You can take the autowinding system OFF converting to manual wind and with the right dial spacer it might fit.

 

The other issue with the 1601/3 is they use pie pan dials.  This won't seat against a 'flat' date retaining ring.  This is even a problem within the 15xx movement line as the 1601's used a different beveled calendar retaining ring.  If you do a 1601 to 1016 conversion with GEN parts you need to swap the calendar ring or use a 15xx movement from a 100x, 15xx, 55xx, 1680, etc...

 

All that said.  Even if you removed the autowinding mechanism, you probably still can't use a genuine 1601 dial. 

 

Your best bet, if your committed is to get a flat dial Explorer 1016, eliminate the calendar all together, get a JMB bezel, get a non-cyclops crystal and see if it comes together without the autowind...

[glhartigan]

What an answer! Thank you very much, as a first timer a lot of that didn’t make sense I’m not gonna lie😂😂

@Ronin what would be the best case to take the 3135 movement?

or what replacement movement will go in the 1601 case? 

@Ronin reading it for the 20th time it makes a lot of sense 😂😂 on other forums this was done exactly as I’m doing it, to allow the case back to close and the movement to work correctly extra case back gaskets were used 

nothing was mentioned about the date wheel or the stem not matching up 

although if I could get a different case to use the parts I already have I’d do that if it would save a lot of hassle 

any recommendations on what 36mm case will take a 3135 movement? 

[Ronin]

If you want to use a 3xxx series movement you need to build in a 5-digit sapphire crystal case. 1601 = 4 digit. 15200 = 5 digit. Poke around eBay to understand the models. I would probably still avoid a 16xxx DateJust. Not sure what became of pie pan dials after the 1601. 

[glhartigan]

@Ronin everything just about fits,

the case back closes, but when closed tight stops the automatic bit spinning 

 

to combat that I recon I can file 1 or 2 mm off the legs on the back of the dial, 

 

the crown pin is at a slight angle but goes in and closes allowing the watch to work but without the caseback on 

a small bit of messing about should see it right 

 

just waiting on the hands to arrive 

will update when all together 

[Ronin]

I could not see the video???  No cutting the dial legs wont help, in fact, that will stop the date wheel from working/flipping over.  (Again Pie Pan dial, who knows though) 

 

Honestly, if all else fits, take the autowinding mechanism off and just make it a manual wind. 😉

[glhartigan]

@RoninHave you got fb or ig I can send it 

 

I was hoping to not take the auto wind off but it’s looking like that’s gonna be the option 

 

the legs on the dial seem to be raising the dial off the movement a bit more than it has to 

 

i wasn’t gonna take them off just shave or file them down ever so slightly to try get that 1 or 2 mm that I need 

@Ronin sorry I forgot to mention it’s not a pie pan dial 

it’s one for the 3135 movement 

Edited May 27, 2022 by glhartigan

[Ronin]

Ha. I can see the video on my phone. That looks dope!  
 

Unless the dial feet are creating a stand-off and are bottoming in the movement I doubt that will help. Again at the expense of calendar interference. 
 

See if you can find a caseback from a 5-digit 16013 or equivalent. I believe when Rolex went to the 3k they gave the caseback some additional clearance.  This was the case with the 16750 GMTs anyways. 

[glhartigan]

So I had a bit of a dopey moment, I never opened the dial screws before fitting the dial to the movement, this it what was holding the dial off the movement

it’s perfect now

I need to order case screws to hold the movement in place

 

I put it together with 2 extra case back gaskets and it fits 

 

I have a 16013, I’ll try the case back on that when I get a chance and see if it fits any better @Ronin thanks for that

[glhartigan]

Complete and running 

1601 case 

3135 movement/dial/hands 

 

extra case back gaskets added to allow for the slightly thicker movement 

[Ronin]

Cool. Was it a Gen 3135 or a Clone 3135?

[glhartigan]

22 hours ago, Ronin said:

Cool. Was it a Gen 3135 or a Clone 3135?

@Ronin it’s a 3135 clone