Rolex crown for 6263

[the collector]

Is there not a risk that the tube comes unscrewed?

[halley]

I really don't think so, It's pretty tough to even remove the tube with the torx so I don't think one can accidentaly unscrew it while unscrewing the crown.

Edited May 8, 2006 by halley

[halley]

In case with the gen 24-703 crown, what stem should be used for the DW vj23 movement since this machine is baiscally a non-standard one on the usual market.

I used the DW stem on the 24-703 crown, the length is perfect so the crown while on winding position is still covering the tube and while in hour setting position, you don't see the stem at all, btw don't forget the inside gaskets, that's the ones that keeps the stem firm on the tube, you and me don't like when you feel that the crown is weak when we unscrew it!!

[the collector]

@avitt, i wen today to the hardware store and purchased a T8. I used it to insert a genuine tube into the 6263 case, worked out really well. Perfect. Just wanted to thank you for the advice.

BTW do you use any glue or silicone for the tube?

[Guest avitt]

Happy to have helped.

I used a little blue loctite on mine...although I don't think it's really necessary.

One thing that I noticed with the cousins tubes: even if you countersink the hole, they seem to stand away from the case a bit too much (which causes a space between the case and the crown). Because of this, I do not use the gasket between the case and the tube. I'm curious if others have found this to be true.

[the collector]

@Avitt, noticed the same thing with the gen tubes. This gap really annoyed me. As i looked closer why this gap occured i noticed that the tube is not threaded all the way to the end. What i did was that i just forced the tube with the help of a pair of pliers. I was worried that this might do some damage to the tube or the case, but it all worked out fine and now the tube sits as it should.

I got some locktite Lock'n seal (thread lock and sealant) at the same time as the T8. Just to be on the safe side i will use a drop of it.

Thanks for the advice

Edited May 9, 2006 by the collector

[Sherrington]

@Avitt, noticed the same thing with the gen tubes. This gap really annoyed me. As i looked closer why this gap occured i noticed that the tube is not threaded all the way to the end. What i did was that i just forced the tube with the help of a pair of pliers. I was worried that this might do some damage to the tube or the case, but it all worked out fine and now the tube sits as it should.

Look at a lot of photos of genuine vintage Rolex's and most of them have a gap where the crown meets the case. If you don't have some gap you have done it wrong.

[Guest avitt]

I won't say you're wrong...but I think that what you're seeing is the inside bevel on the edge of the vintage crowns. I don't think there should be an appreciable gap between the case and the crown.

[halley]

There is indeed in my eyes a tiny small gap on gen, nothing really noticeable but it probably due more to the flute shape of the gen tube than the gasket.

Like you guys said on the rep it can be better to avoid using the gasket, it enlarge that gap but also I find that using a torx doesn't allow to control very well the force you apply when you screw the tube and to feel when the tube is beyond it's physical resistance.

In consequence the gasket can make you screw the tube unstaight or break it, just because you wanted to reduce that gap of a micron!!

I experienced that and broke the tube inside my DW while trying to reduce that f*****g gap! At that time I was made I thought I wouldn't be able to repair my unique 6241 case!

Edited May 10, 2006 by halley

[the collector]

I am not entirely sure if there is supposed to be a gap. Have a look at this pic.

Edited May 11, 2006 by the collector

[Sherrington]

I won't say you're wrong...but I think that what you're seeing is the inside bevel on the edge of the vintage crowns. I don't think there should be an appreciable gap between the case and the crown.

If there isn't a gap and the crown fits right up against the watch case then the seal inside the top of the crown itself (on a triplock) will not be effective. Think about it. Most vintage 1665's and 1680's have them also.

[the collector]

@Sherrington, you are making a valuable point. Do you have any pics of 6263 with a 24-703 tube, that shows the gap? I hva been trying to find one without success.

[the collector]

One more... BTW if anyone has a pic of the back of the watch with the crown unscrewed please post it.

[Guest avitt]

Yeah, Sherrington, you're right. The crown shouldn't butt against the case.

Here's a picture (borrowed from doubleredsweadweller.com) of the DRSD that I emulated when I was building mine:

That's not the type of gap that I was speaking about, when I talked about fitting the Cousins tubes. The gap above looks correct, the gap that I was eliminating did not.

[Sherrington]

@Sherrington, you are making a valuable point. Do you have any pics of 6263 with a 24-703 tube, that shows the gap? I hva been trying to find one without success.

Try these pics. See how the crown doesn't quite reach the watch case?

[the collector]

@Sherrington, you are right the crown does not quite reach the case, there is a tiny gap. The gap that was mentioned earlier is a gap of about 2mm.

[the collector]

Ok guys, i have snapped a few pics of the tubes.

This one is the one which has a tiny gap (almost no gap):

This is the one with the gap that we spoke about earlier:

Edited May 13, 2006 by the collector

[the collector]

Some more pics of both togheter

Edited May 13, 2006 by the collector

[Guest avitt]

Nice work, collector. Did you have to countersink the case. If so, what tool did you use (I've used a grinding stone, with a small, oval tip).

[the collector]

@Avitt, No tools needed, the tube fits nicely into the case. Only prolem is that the tube is not threaded all the way, so when you are screwing it in it will stop at a stage shown by the pictures where the case has no pushers.

I used force to make the tube screw right in. (T8 + Plyers)

Basicly, when the tube runs out of thread i use pliers to force it right in.

I guess you could use a small grinding stone to remove the first 2-3 threads in the case, that would also solve the problem.

Edited May 13, 2006 by the collector

[the collector]

Update the pictures as i screwed the tube in a little further on the one with the bigger gap.

So which one of these two would you say is correct?

Edited May 13, 2006 by the collector

[the collector]

Guys....? any feedback would be appreciated... thanks

Edited May 14, 2006 by the collector

[halley]

When I screwed the tube mine just sits like the left one on your pic (with pushers) but I drilled around the case hole to make a little more room for the tube before screwing it.

[the collector]

What do you think is the one with the pushers correct or is the other one with the gap more correct?

[Guest avitt]

To judge correctly, we'd really need to see both crowns, fully screwed down, with the gaskets installed. It's really the crown to case spacing that is critical.