My 1655

[vlaletom]

I have seen lattly a very interesting thread on assembling a decent 1655 from various part

So i take the occasion to post pics of mine i builded a year ago.

I consider this watch to be only "decent" as it is impossible to build a real good one without having to buy a phong case (or maybe NDT) and a gen 1570 gmt and a gen bracelet.

But that totally an other budget.

the 1655 is one of my favorite vintage and unfortunatly not very well reped.

It started with a MBK/MBW that i picked up myself at the MBK in bankok.

I was happy with the watch as it was fun to get it directly from the source, and at a very good price ...

But after a while comparing to pics of gen i realised that it was TOTALY off.

The MBW case is more or less based on a sub case, with 1655 marking. it is WAY too thick.

I started to try to work the MBW case to make it thinner, but that was too much of a job.

So i whent in my drawer and resurected an old 1655 i got from Trusty a while back when i was getting lower quality reps.

This watch lasted no more then a month (i chosed asian version an that wasn't a good move).

but that watch ha a far better case, without marking between the lugs, but much closer to a 1655.

It olso had a better bezel with a better font.

But a totally shitty gloss dial wth the usual horible yellow paint for the lume.

So i started to mix both, got slowbeat 2846, a gen 116 tropic, 24-6000 tube & 24-600 crown, springbars hole drilled, and a better riveted bracelet...

The braclet is still to thick as there is no rep one with the corect thiness.

Here are a few pics of the process:

the first parts :

the gen parts :

see the MBW wich i had started to rub down compare case compare to a 1665, it is the same base !

wrong MBW bezel, notice the 1 & 4

better trusty's :

transfering the GMT module to the 2846

the MBW dial, while lume is being vintagize with the "nightcolor" technique (borowed from Edge's tutorial)

the MBW dial fitted very well

the tropic 116 can be installed but sit a bit too high, enancing date mag a bit too much.

the gen crown "olmost" fill the gap between the crow gard (wrongly designed for 7mm)

now the finished watch :

It is far from perfect the nightcolor finish is a little to glossy and not as good as profesional refinish, and can't be compared at The Zigmeister's vintage touch, but it has "almost" no glow wich is good.

I really wonder how The Zigmeister does

The bracelet is a joke compare to gen. (well there is nothing better a part from a gen and that's $$$$)

it should have a flat top 3.

and so on...

But overall i find it is a nice watch (for the budget) that i still wear even if my watch collection as now impoved a lot.

I am shure one day i'll do a serious 1655 with repaustria's for model, but since then, that fill the need.....

thanks for looking

[Toadtorrent]

Great write up. I love this watch.

[Stephane]

Thanks for sharing and taking the time.

Lots of photos

I'm with you: a 1655 is great and I will be delighted to wear mine even though I'm pretty sure it is not going to be as perfect as Repaustria's one

But you said it: gen parts are gen parts and pricey. Get a gen bezel would cost a leg almost

Cheers

Stephane

[youpmelone]

very nice,

i could live with the bracelet and the dial, the positioning of the crown and the bezel would be more my problem.

but this remains on my list.

no clue why none of our collectors never started a group buy for this. must be enough members here who would shell out some nice cash to get a very good rep.

[Dizzy]

wow that turned out really nice. The crown guards fit that crown perfectly IMHO. I think you have made a very good example of the 1655. Would be nice to get that flat top 3 datewheel in there but i think it looks ok this way. You've actually inspired me to do my own 1655. The newer explorers do nothing for me but this vintage one is very cool

[vlaletom]

The newer explorers do nothing for me but this vintage one is very cool

yes, same here the old explorer has a dial that is so uncomon looking for a rolex, it's really an exeption too the whole line.

It has some sort of nice 70's look, but yet not too much outdated.

a real piece of interest.

no clue why none of our collectors never started a group buy for this. must be enough members here who would shell out some nice cash to get a very good rep.

i totally second that.

I would jump in a super 1655.

I tried to talk DW into making a case kit that is actually affordable (let's say under 500$ for case & bezel) and trully 1:1, then with a moded 2892 an ndt dial and gen tropic & crown it could be a gorgeous watch for around 1k$ without band (a nato strap could be enough befor investing into a gen band)

i just don't get why nobody use that niche as a 1500$ case kit like jewleryandwatch is an other story and then deserve a genuine 1570 wich bring the whole project into the cost of a gen sub

i vote for the 1655 as the new super rep.

But i can see that the so called "super rep" production only consern modern watch.

I guess this has to do with adressing a larger public than watch conoisseur.

This way they can access people that are more driven by publicity and whant to have the latest stuff ...

I am not refering to rwg public (that olso whant's the super reps but not only for that reason), but too a larger public or the tipical guy that register here to buy a single rolex or HBB and never comes back, thus doesn't get intoo the real watch freakness...

[Slartibartfast]

Hey, vlaletom.... great work! I love this model it is one of my favourite vintage rollies.

Very difficult to get right. I love the look of that tropic.

Good work! Keep at it.