Jump to content
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • Current Donation Goals

Come Fly With Me


freddy333

Recommended Posts

FINAL UPDATE (sort of)

After dicking with 2 legless 6542 dials for nearly 3 weeks & failing to come up with a suitable, stable & permanent process for attaching dial feet, I have reinstalled the previous 1675 dial. I am therefore calling the 1st phase of my backup 6542 project complete, as there will be no reason to post further major updates until the 2nd phase begins sometime in the next 1-2 weeks. At this point, the interim 'slow beat' 2846 movement is non-quick-set, non-hacking with a non-adjustable GMT hand & 2-position stem. In its current incarnation, the movement is functionally analogous to the Rolex 1035 GMT that powers the gen GMT. Similarly, the hands are now correct for the 6542 model.

So, until phase 2 begins (when I swap the 1675 dial & 2846 movement out for the 6542 dial & 1035 GMT movement), I consider this to be my state-of-the-art take on the Rolex GMT 6542

smallgmt0031.jpg

(The discoloration on the index at 6 is due to 1 of my failed dial vintagizing experiments)

p.s. I am aware that the today is the 10th day of the month & the watch reads '23'. Such is life with a non-quick-set watch (& an owner who does not want to spend the next 10 minutes winding a stem).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice one Freddy she's looking good. This looks be toughest project for you so far huh? and you've done some tough ones...

Thanks. So far, the only tough parts have been grinding down that inner ring that happened to reside where the insert wanted to be (this was not really difficult, it just took a bit longer than I expected) & trying to fit feet to these 6542 dials so I could use 1 with the 2846. I figured out the ring/insert problem, but ended up wasting alot of time & effort (not to mention 4 dials, including my runner-up 6542 dial) trying to find a way to 'weld' the feet onto the back of the dial, without coming up with anything workable. Other than those, I am actually surprised how quick & easy it has been, considering that this is truly a Frankenstein with virtually every part meant for use in a different watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, Nanuq. I really appreciate that.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pics of the assembled watch with either of the 6542 dials, but here is 1 I took during a test fitting of the GMT hand & this is the dial that will probably be installed in the final (1035-powered) incarnation (assuming the date window aligns correctly)

datewindow20011.jpg

And here is a new wristie of the completed watch a friend took last night

gmtbelt0171.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW. That gilt dial is over the top gorgeous. You're building, in my opinion, the finest Frankie I've seen. Certainly there are others like the Snowflake and Oli's COMEX. But I'm a sucker for small, thin cases.

I'm preparing a place for a 300T or 600T in my watch shelf and that will be nice. But I can never hope for a 6542.

Spectacular. :notworthy:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW. That gilt dial is over the top gorgeous. You're building, in my opinion, the finest Frankie I've seen. Certainly there are others like the Snowflake and Oli's COMEX. But I'm a sucker for small, thin cases.

You & me, both (& thank you for the compliment, which means alot since I know that you know your stuff). The new issue of Esquire magazine agrees (both GQ & Vogue came to the same conclusion earlier this year). The era of the big watch can now officially be pronounced as dead as a leisure suit.

I'm preparing a place for a 300T or 600T in my watch shelf and that will be nice. But I can never hope for a 6542.

Spectacular. :notworthy:

Well, such a nice compliment merits another pic (or 2)

PanAm2012a1.jpg

PanAm0061.jpg

Anyway, if I can figure out a way to semi-mass produce these, you will be at the top of what I suspect will quickly become a lengthy, gen SS Daytona-like waiting list.

Also, I am still hopeful that my main 6542 project (with DW) will produce multiple 'fruits', if you know what I mean.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy... someone get me a chair before I fall down. Wonderful results.

Some fine day you'll get that gilt dial mounted up and the watch reassembled, and you'll post a picture. All I can ask is, please preface that post with a warning. Make the letters about 3" tall and bright blinking red... so I have a reasonable chance of avoiding a heart attack.

Thin cases rule! :tu:

5.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy... someone get me a chair before I fall down. Wonderful results.

Some fine day you'll get that gilt dial mounted up and the watch reassembled, and you'll post a picture. All I can ask is, please preface that post with a warning. Make the letters about 3" tall and bright blinking red... so I have a reasonable chance of avoiding a heart attack.

Thin cases rule! :tu:

Hopefully, in about 2 weeks, you might have a reason to keep a handful of nitro tabs by your monitor. ;)

Until then, I can only say 2 things - a picture like that is worth a thousand words & 1 good thin case pic deserves a couple more

gmtgrass0021.jpg

gmtgrass20061.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 years later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 6 years later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up