Details of a DW unknown movement VS Valjoux23 chronograph

[halley]

Overall finish is much better on the VJ23 of course, but size, mechanism and functions appears to be the same, thickness is also similar and a VJ23 fit the DW6263 case

[slickdick]

Thanks for posting, thats very usefull info.

[halley]

I have to add that the DW dial DO NOT FIT the valjoux 23 without cutting the feet but that the subdial spacing is EXACTLY the same...A valjoux 72 dial will fit though the valjoux 23 perfectly.

I also believe (can't confirm yet) that hands are different between the DW and Valjoux 72/23...

[EDIT I now can confirm hands are the same - misunderstanding with DW]

Details of DW6263 case and VJ72 case:

Crown position is a bit lower on the VJ72 case due to the overall thickness of the movement (VJ72 6,25mm, VJ23 and DW about 5,85mm)

Rehaut is higher of about 1,5 mm on the DW (EDIT make it 1mm at max)

Lugs are a bit thicker (Valjoux 72 case is the one with the springbars)

Edited April 20, 2006 by halley

[700club]

fantastic info

thanks

[t]

looks great

but how i can find a genuine valjoux 23 or 72???

they are to much expansive

[halley]

Well, this is the problem,I paid around $340 for my VJ23, and probably no VJ72 is less than $600 these days...Seems like everybody has a 6263 project...

[halley]

In the continuation of my projects

I can now confirm almost 90% that the Valjoux 23 will fit a DW Case for unknown movement, in fact better than a VJ72 case

Here you can see the difference between the DW movement and the VJ23, almost identical configuration, except finish, bridge can be different between the DW and marking too, one is marked "ROLEX 17 jewels djusted to 3 positions" the other is not marked on the bridge but is stamped "727" no consistency whatsoever with sometimes Panerai bridges on those

1/ THE VJ23 MOVEMENT FITS THE DW CASE BETTER THAN THE VJ72 CASE

That's a bit strange because the VJ72 and 23 are the same size, I believe the DW case is a Half MM larger.

Inconvenient of the DW case compared to the VJ72 case, the rehaut a bit too high perhaps, and I would say of half a mm!

Now that's a beautiful thing to see, isn't it?

2/THE VJ23 THICKNESS IS NOT A PROBLEM, CAN'T SAY SO OF THE VJ72 in the DW CASE:

The first two pictures shows the VJ23 without dial inside the DW case, the third the copy movement of the DW, notice that the DW movement is of course rising higher outside the case due to the dial fitted on it (no [censored]? :beta: )

Without the dial I wanted to checked the stem height of the VJ23, and it's off, I mean the stem hole of the movement is not centered with the tube hole of the case.

That's VJ23 is 5,85mm thick, VJ72 6,25, that is why the tube hole is placed lower on the VJ72 case, and this is why with a dial you can't fit a VJ72 in a DW case with no mods. In consequence, I also believe that a VJ23 would be missplaced on a VJ72 case.

3/ WITH A DIAL ON, THE STEM HEIGHT APPEARS CORRECT ON THE VJ23 AND DW CASE!

I did my best to show how the alignement was but it's hard to take a straight pic and see something but a black hole, so believe me it is aligned correctly, I haven't placed the tube yet, but I'm sure it's within tolerances.

Notice now how the VJ23 is rising above the case with a dial on, much like the DW movement with a Dial...

Of course I can close it perfectly with a DW caseback for manual movement.

CONCLUSION:

I believe the VJ23 can be fitted on a DW case, with the proper dial of course, I also believe it's harder to fit it on a VJ72 case due to stem height problem as it is harder to fit a vJ72 in the DW case.

Anyway, I believe it's better to fit a VJ72 in a dedicated case, I noticed yesterday that those case used EE caseback for 7750 - a shipment error or the lone solution to accomodate the overall thickness of the Valjoux 72?

If that's the case then the using a VJ23 with a DW caseback is cosmetically more accurate, unless you manage to fit the VJ23 in a VJ72 case, with DW caseback and you have the perfect 6263, flat caseback and small rehaut.

But I'm sure someone already did try to fit a valjoux 72 on the DW?

Edited March 19, 2006 by halley

[eunomians]

Merçi... J'ai voulu savoir cette information!

Ciao

[rek001]

Isn't RBJ working on fitting a V72 into a DW ase?

[halley]

Well I saw that too...

[Guest avitt]

A while back, I traded PM's with a member who fit a VJ72 into the DW case by having the rehaut machined down a bit. So it can be done...it's just too difficult for the average hobbyist.

[eunomians]

Fascinating. This would be great since my DW movement is in a state of garbage right now.

[Ephry73]

Reviving an old topic. Did anyone figure out which combo works best for the val23 movement?