Corgi Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hi friends! This holiday season I wanted to reward myself with a little something. It's a "franken" Rolex Datejust 16233 made with genuine Rolex bits and pieces including solid 18K bezel ring and crown, dial, crystal, and case. It also has a very accurate datewheel with correct open 6s and 9s, as well as a perfectly-aligned cyclops - something I've never seen done "just right" on out-of-the-box reps. Its hands are actually sourced from a Tudor. The sporty looking oyster bracelet is made with pure 14k gold midlinks, though they are hollow on the inside - which I am told is correct given this particular reference. It is powered by a professionally regulated Swiss ETA movement and keeps great COSC time. I'm enjoying it very much, as the classic DJ design is one of my absolute favorite examples of the brand. Seeing the new '08 and '09 versions compound my belief in the phrase "they just don't make them like they used to"... and this couldn't be more true for Rolex. Note, I didn't put this watch together myself, rather I acquired it from a local member right here on RWG. Some of the photos are dark, but its not my fault because I shoot exclusively with natural light... and the bleak Canadian weather is not giving me much to work with lately. ...and the obligatory wrist-shot of course: I hope you enjoyed this little pictorial! When it gets a little sunnier outside I'll try and take some pictures in the snow, because as if it wasn't fantastic enough already, the watch is also supposed to be waterproof. Happy Holidays Corgi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sql_pl Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Congrats Corgi! Great watch. A Franken is a Franken! I was searching for a nice 16200 case myself but it loks like they are gone from ebay somehow - only a couple of them with no bezels or crystals.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 I sure did wear it well and enjoy it thx for taking the time cheers Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Even though it is gold (tt), it is a stunning piece of work. Any idea of the source for the open 6 datewheel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Very nice watch, Corgi. I like the oyster band, I'm partial to those. I must mention one thing, though. The correct datewheel font for the 16200 series (3135 movt) DJ's is closed 6's and 9's. The open 6's and 9's came with the 3035 movement and the 16013, 16014 and 16030's. But as is the case with Rolex, there are exceptions to the rule. Recently I saw an R serial 16610 with open 6's and 9's (early 3135 movt). And one of my gen 16800's has a later replacement datewheel with the closed 6's and 9's- I think it came from the RSC that way when the dial and hands were replaced in the late 90's. I guess you could call this a very early 16233! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 The correct datewheel font for the 16200 series (3135 movt) DJ's is closed 6's and 9's. The open 6's and 9's came with the 3035 movement and the 16013, 16014 and 16030's. But as is the case with Rolex, there are exceptions to the rule. Recently I saw an R serial 16610 with open 6's and 9's (early 3135 movt). And one of my gen 16800's has a later replacement datewheel with the closed 6's and 9's- I think it came from the RSC that way when the dial and hands were replaced in the late 90's. Good point (which I missed). The 3035-powered 160xx was fitted with either, depending on the year of manufacture. But I am pretty sure that all later 3135-powered DJs have closed datewheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hank7502 Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Nice watch. I really like the fluted bezel instead of the smooth. The watch looks bigger and catches the light much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Great piece Corgi. Congrats. Although I am very happy with my M serialed DJ, I share some of your sentiment in that all the improvement are not necessarily that. I think the new Oyster bracelets are in that the solid mid links and Rolesor clasp make the watches feel better and are of higher quality over all. But I do like the older cases with the narrower lugs. The new square shouldered case design is a bit of a mystery to me. Those who like a beefier watch I'm sure appreciate it, but its shape is not as elegant as the original. For some reason they never changed the DD cases which are just like yours, but the new DJ's all have the bigger lugs which make the watch a bit less sleek and elegant than it was. So if you want that extra sleek look these days on a new watch you have to get a DD unfortunately in a new watch. Personally, I do prefer Roman dials and smooth bezels generally to sticks and fluted bezels, but of course both of those are an easy fix and just an individuals choice as they have been for some time. I will say that in yellow gold I do like the fluted bezel though. When I think of the quintissential Rolex dress watches I always picture yellow gold and fluted bezels. I think the Oyster bracelet is a nice change for your watch. Typically, you see most of the TT iterations of those with Jubilee bracelets which definitely don't do it for me as a rule. All in all, I think you hit a home run with this one on every front and most of all you have a watch that is less than typical which is a breath of fresh air. When it comes to DJ's both vintage and modern there tend to be groups of the same combos we always see and I tend to be drawn to ones that you don't see so much. Some of the combos for DJ's and DD's are so cool. Just endless. And in the future you can always drop a new dial in for fun. I'm going to always keep a DJ, as I always have, regardless of other purchases and have fun in that way to keep it fresh. In the future I'll probably try a salmon and an MOP dial in mine at some point. Now that I have seen yours I wouldn't mind seeing what a silver (not rhodium - silver w/lume sticks), a white, or even a black dial looked like in yours. Cheers Corgi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 She's a beauty Corgi! What part of the Great White North do you hail? Yes, Alligoat is correct, you need a closed font for the sapphire 16233. I really could have used an open font disc in champagne for this 16013 Franken. Instead I just used a genuine 3135 disc. Too late for a disc swap as this baby has already found a home is South FLA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Nice watch, congrats. BTW, are the EL's gen? If yes - which ref. No. they have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted December 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Thanks for the nice comments :-) I have no idea about the ELs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Wow, very nice. Congrats on such a nice piece. I had a nice DJ as well (my GF has taken ownership of it), all stainless but with the fluted bezel, it makes the watch and is much nicer than the smooth bezel. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted December 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Wow, very nice. Congrats on such a nice piece. I had a nice DJ as well (my GF has taken ownership of it), all stainless but with the fluted bezel, it makes the watch and is much nicer than the smooth bezel. RG Hey, thank you so much; that really means a lot coming from you sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Looking great, Corgi!! A beauty of a watch... And well deserved! Happy holidays and all the best... Cheers! R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shundi Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Stunning! Looks great, excellent photos also!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db1 Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 wear it well corgi! what a beautiful piece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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