freddy333 Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 100% Genuine Rolex Stainess Steel Datejust 16014 NOS HandsNOS CrystalSilver Linen DialNOS 600 Twinlock Case TubeNOS 600 6mm Twinlock Crown555 End Links & 20mm Springbars62510H Jubilee Bracelet (dated to 1993)NOS 3035 Movement with NOS Datewheel16014 Datejust Case with WG bezel (dated to 1986)Here are some before & after shots (I did my best to maintain the same perspective in both pictures) And some wallpaper I will need to replace the case tube as I stripped it during the final installation & the crown will not screw down completely (this is one of the early Twinlock tubes that does not have any splines inside the tube that mate with the Rolex case tube wrench). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfreeman420 Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Very nice. How did you restore the bracelet that good? Nice job!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 very nice!! you did a great job on the refinishing! my first rolex ever was an old 1603.. i wish i kept it Lonnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Great work Freddy... Looks fantatsic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Very nice. How did you restore the bracelet that good? Nice job!!! Thanks All. The process is not very complicated, but it took a bit of time & alot of elbow grease. First, I spent a few hours tightening & realigning all of the links with jeweler's pliers (no teeth in the jaws), a rubber-lined hobby vise and a small screwdriver. Then I masked off the polished sections of the bracelet & end links with masking tape and went at the brushed sections with a Bergeon 5444 polishing pad (I also tried steel wool, Scotchbrite & a fine sanding pad, but the Bergeon was the only thing that produced the original brushed appearance) (The Bergeon is available from ofrei.com) Once the brushed sections were done, I removed the tape and masked the newly brushed sections and went at the polished sections, first, with my dremel (lowest speed) and green rouge, and, then, by hand, with Mother's Mag & Aluminum wheel polish (The Mother's is available online or from many auto parts stores) Finally, the bracelet, end links and case were run through 3 long ultrasonic cleanings. This was needed to remove all of the Mothers and rouge. If you look real close, you can see a few tiny scratches because I stupidly wore the watch last night before I snapped the pics today. What you cannot see in the photos is how that WG bezel glistens when light (even low light) hits it. This is one of the things that a rep with a steel or gold plated bezel cannot replicate. Polished steel just does not glow like WG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heywood Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Nice work Freddy! That's a great looking piece. Everybody ought to have a Datejust, they go with everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Thank you and I agree with you about the Datejust. It can be sporty or it can be formal. The perfect everything watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Very nice job, Freddy. And a great little tutorial on how to refinish the jubilee bracelet. Enjoy your DJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Wow, is all I can say. Wonderful job you did, and great follow up on the bracelet refinishing. Great watch, too bad those red reversing wheels have to be hidden behind that caseback. Wear it well. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Thank you, Alligoat. I probably should have taken some photos of the bracelet refinishing process, but I had to do most of it outside due to the mess from the rouge (which is like floating permanent ink when the stuff gets airborne) and it was too much work to set up the camera. But, as anyone who has ever done any trick painting knows, the quality of the final result is in direct proportion to the quality & amount of prep-work you do. As long as you are careful & diligent in placing the masking tape (and re-taping as the tape wears away during the polishing process), you should be able to produce clear, distinct lines of separation between the brushed & polished sections. And I think that is why it turned out so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Wow, is all I can say. Wonderful job you did, and great follow up on the bracelet refinishing. Great watch, too bad those red reversing wheels have to be hidden behind that caseback. Wear it well. RG A 'Wow' from the Master is all I need to hear. I guess I done did it right then.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Work of art ! Congratulation and thx. for sharing. Regards Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Nice piece! Thanks for finally unveiling and sharing with us. Wear it well and in good health! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Laz & Stilty -- Thank you. I appreciate the positive comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manuel Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 Nice and what a job you did my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 Thank you Manuel. It is a very comfortable watch and it has been getting alot of wrist time since I completed it. Surprisingly, for such a simple & classic model, I have gotten more compliments on this watch than any other watch I own (except for the Flytimer). Not sure why, but definitely a keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmena Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 Wow wow wow.... I only need a gen movement to have also a perfect DJ... too bad too expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 If you really like the Datejust, then the movement is not too expensive (if you are patient, you can occasionally pick them up for as little as $900). The first 'Swiss' rep I ever bought (in the early 80's) was a two tone Datejust with a gold linen dial powered by an ETA I always loved the Datejust design (especially the linen dial), but I was never really comfortable wearing yellow gold. And it sure is nice not to have to worry about fitting datewheel overlays or drilling lugs or modifying clickstops or matching crystals, etc. So this one is alot more comfortable (since the only gold on it is the bezel and it is white gold) and it should last for a few years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gioarmani Posted August 16, 2007 Report Share Posted August 16, 2007 Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIBBY! Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Sweet! Love that dial. I must get a 16XXX Franken soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Great work indeed. I can't believe the state of the bracelet "after". I wish I could do that myself ! Cheers Stephane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Thanks. Reshaping a few of the bent parts was a bit difficult (it takes a bit of ingenuity & alot of patience), but most of the work just takes tape & time. Even without tightening the loose parts, you can achieve 90% of the final appearance by polishing the polished parts with green rouge & a dremel and brushing the brushed parts with the Bergeon pad. Those two things produced the most noticeable improvements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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