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Rolex Submariner 1680: The MM Couple


Stephane

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Rolex Submariner 1680: The MM Couple.

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_01B.jpg

 

Dear All,

 

Here is the result of a very long and frustrating project. :cry:

When I started to look for members to modify my watches, I sent PMs to Tribal, to MM (see here under) and a third member who I won't name.

 

Please do NOT Pm me for MM, I can't and wouldn't say more anyway.

He doesn't look for more work and surely not for fame. Thanks!

 

This 1680 couple has travelled a lot and ended for a complete restore work at my dear friend MM's place.

I just got them back lately. :doh:

 

So let's go!

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_17B.jpg

 

Preambule

 

I know, I'm proposing another pictorial of Submariners. :blush:

I have only one intention here: share my passion for what is my favourite line of watch :bleh:

I can't help, please forgive me, will you?

 

Of course, some of my comments in this review might sound very negative, but I strongly believe that I am a different collector today than the enthusiast fresh member and total newbie I was when I purchased these two watches.

 

So, in a certain way, I feel responsible for saying things like I experienced them, but, please, without looking for controversy.

I mean it. :nono:

 

Warning

 

All the photos in this thread are from the final watches.

I will not post the initial ones before they arrived in MM's hands.

 

No photos from the 93150 or 580s either, only with the cheap riveted and rep bracelets, sorry.

I was too lazy to fit them. :shocking:

You know how they look isn't it?

 

Original Purchases

 

The Red one was purchased from a member of the forum in may 2007 and the White one came from the group buy with TTK, in February 2007.

I felt like the king of the world owning these watches and posted very enthusiast threads back then. :clap:

 

But, I quickly discovered that my knowledge was poor and that both watches needed serious modifications to look closer to their genuine mothers.

 

The couple

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_20B.jpg

 

I always need some extra complication to make a project worth. :wacko:

Getting one "great" 1680 would have been very cool.

But have a "great" couple is a completely different story.

 

The Red

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_02B.jpg

 

The state of the Red was far from perfect when it landed here!

When I got it, I immediately noticed something was wrong with the watch but as I had no experience at all, I didn't really bother.

But suddenly the crystal became completely foggy after I simply cleaned the watch with some drops of water from the tap. :blink:

 

After careful inspection by a true experienced member, MM, here is a summary of what was not really "great":

 

- Fake crystal instead of genuine (fitting?).

- Crown tube drilled and threaded too fast probably as the case showed denaturated steel on the bottom indicating the metal got too hot.

- Bezel insert glued sloppy, standing up on one side.

- Caseback O-Ring very dirty. Caseback opened very easily.

- Dial scratched heavily - brass was visible - dented in the Rolex writing too (visible in the photos here but I didn't even notice back then).

- Bezel inoperable.

 

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_06B.jpg

 

So, we had to go for some work again.

 

- CGs refinished, case refurbished.

- Dial and hands have been completely redone (remove of the material and new stuff wonderfully applied in my humble opinion)

- Bezel insert aged (completely different from my three 1665 so I end with a "creative collection of vintage Subs")

- Genuine 580 end links fitted to accept my one and only genuine 93150

- The Tropic has been changed for a true genuine AND vintage one (check the difference between Red on left and White)

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_09B.jpg

 

- The watch has become truly waterproof now and is perfectly clean inside and great looking outside.

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_05B.jpg

 

The White

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_33B.jpg

 

It's very frustrating and makes me sad when I think about this one as the state of the White was even worse than the Red. :angry2:

Whatever was done (and this took a year almost) has been Redone completely anyway.

Please note that the unmodded watch arrived in perfect state from TTK. :1:

 

Here is my friend's analyse on how this watch was prior he started to work on it.

 

- Crystal (gen tropic) was scratched, not bad on a vintage anyway, but as MM said "I wouldn’t scratch your crystals when you don’t request it. And I am talking about deep scratches".

- Springbars holes drilled poorly with a lot of burrs.

- Bezel insert almost not glued, fell off almost instantly.

- Hands not aligned properly. The hour hand shows 12 when minute hand is at 15 minutes.

- Caseback so loose it could be removed by hand (again).

- Lume on dial and hands applied very badly.

- Dial scratched with surface swirls.

- Case clamp broken because of inverted installation, broken piece didn't enter the movement though.

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_15B.jpg

 

So, I'm very lucky that it all ends like this for the White one.

Take my word, it looks great in the flesh now. :clap3:

All the above has been fixed and Genuine 580 end links fitted too.

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_22B.jpg

Rolex1680Couple_800_23B.jpg

Rolex1680Couple_800_24B.jpg

 

Conclusion

 

I could have written a huge thread on this experience.

These babies were my first "high end reps ever" and I wasn't lucky at all. :console:

 

Instead of complaining and making it an issue I will simply say that patience is the first virtue of this hobby.

Without such a great community I would never have been able to finish this 1680 Couple project.

I would have been stuck with a bad Red and an unmodded White! :shock:

 

The end

 

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this thread as much as I enjoyed finalise this project.

 

Thanks for looking and reading.

 

:bye1:

 

Cheers

 

Stephane

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_10B.jpg

 

Rolex1680Couple_800_16.jpg

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I don't know how many Subs you have my friend... I've lost count a long time ago. But they always look just as amazing. :wub:

Great pictorial!

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Stephane, sorry to hear about your problem and I'm glad it worked in the end.

That is always the problem when outsourcing works, no drama intended here but I learn from firsthand experience :-(... so I can relate to that.

Those are great looking 1680s anyway.Congrats!

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nice twins congrats !

thanks for sharing. i really hope you start now with the no dates - there so many variations -

will keep you busy for the next years ;)

seeing the pics and reading the description of the problems i know now who the MM is :D

but anyway :

what happened to the white ? i came perfect from TTK - did you sent it to an other modder ?

cheers,

Frank

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I don't know how many Subs you have my friend... I've lost count a long time ago. But they always look just as amazing. :wub:

Great pictorial!

Thanks By-Tor. I don't have that many anymore ;)

I'll take a group shot once my 16600 is back!

Stephane - I am glad everything turned out well in the end.

The Couple look beautiful.

Thank you Freddy. They are nice indeed now.

Wonderful and inspiring stuff

thanks

ST4

Well, thanks ST, why not start the same project :rolleyes:

Stephane, sorry to hear about your problem and I'm glad it worked in the end.

That is always the problem when outsourcing works, no drama intended here but I learn from firsthand experience :-(... so I can relate to that.

Those are great looking 1680s anyway.Congrats!

Yes, we learn a lot in quite a few months. As I often say, this place is not different from the real world: great persons and some black sheeps.

nice twins congrats !

thanks for sharing. i really hope you start now with the no dates - there so many variations -

will keep you busy for the next years ;)

seeing the pics and reading the description of the problems i know now who the MM is :D

but anyway :

what happened to the white ? i came perfect from TTK - did you sent it to an other modder ?

cheers,

Frank

Thanks Frank. But pls, if you know, keep it secret :o

I already have a 5513 and intend to build all the other ones indeed.

But that is going to be a serious hunt.

You're right, it will keep me busy for years :thumbsupsmileyanim:

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Wonderfull Stephane :thumbsupsmileyanim:

As you know, i am a Rolex beginner, just own a SSD (sorry about that my friend ;) ), and my 1680 GW project is aborted (for the moment).

Thanks a lot to share with us those beauties, and to give us the motivation to go again on this kind of project B)

Best Regards

Eric

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@Eric: we all were beginners once, in many various domains :)

I'm sure that if the Sub start to grow on you, you will become a great Sub collector :D

@Ziggy: thanks for the nice words. You sure know what I'm talking about "frustration - patience" ...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Congrats, Stephane!

Fantastic watches. :thumbsupsmileyanim: Glad to see that all worked out well for you in the end.

And you're right. Without this community, it would be impossible to properly build any of these vintage beauties.

I've read that gen T127 and T-19 crystals have shot up in price. Too bad if true as they make a world of difference on these rollies.

So which one will you bring to NYC? :p

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