redwatch Posted June 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Ahhhhhh. You're right, the case differences will mess with your crystal options. Do you have calipers to measure the one you've got there? Who knows, maybe a gen will fit? How is the crystal affixed to the case? You might read up on the discussion we had as Freddy333 was building his 6542 GMT. He had a heck of a time getting the right attachment for crystal and bezel. If your crystal is held on like the gen, you can almost remove it with a pocketknife. Ubi did a great writeup about R&R for tropic crystals. I'll bring in my calipers to work tomorrow and check out the diam of the crystal. I hope it is something that I can find a replacement for. Can anyone tell me what the dimensions of a gen tropic 127 are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 29.5mm ID maybe, 30.3mm OD From the Sternkruz catalog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 A genuine 127 is 30.45 outside, approximately 28.1 inside and 5.7mm high. A Sternkreuz 127 is 30.35 outside, approximately 28.2 inside and 6.5mm high. An unbranded 127 is 30.3 outside, approximately 28.2 inside and 6.45mm high. All crystals are unused and have been stored away from excess heat. None have been fitted and removed. The OD figures are very close but the ID figures are not exact because the caliper jaws are squared off. A Mitutoyo caliper was used so the measurements will show the differences as accurately as possible taking care not to squeeze the OD or expand the ID of the crystals when measuring them. Both aft/mkt crystal inside diameter measurements are close enough to work on a genuine case but the outside diameters might cause a genuine spec bezel to be a little bit loose. The crystals will expand a little when pressed over the case neck but probably not enough to make up for the smaller OD on both aft/mkt crystals. Always measure the OD of the crystal after it has been pressed on the case neck and compare it with the ID of the bezel to make sure the bezel will not be too loose or too tight. Example (Bestfit generic 135 acrylic for 16000 DJ): crystal OD is 30.5mm unmounted crystal OD is 30.65 mounted on the case the steel bezel ID is 30.5 = .15mm difference .1 may not be enough .2 to .25 may be too much It depends on bezel material and crystal hardness. Pressing a bezel on with it not level aka 'out of flat' can also break a crystal. If the crystal OD is too big it can crack the crystal and in some instances stretch a gold bezel (DJ etc). If it is too loose it may leak or the crystal and bezel can get knocked off the watch. Too loose = you can press the bezel on by hand. Too tight = harder than usual to press the bezel on using a crystal press. Use a loupe to look for cracks in the crystal between the case and bezel after pressing the bezel on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Vintage RED now on a Maratac Bond Nato strap! Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg1459 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 sickk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Automatico, thanks for the nicely written reply. That is a wealth of valuable information, doubtless learned the hard way. I can hear Ubi scribbling it down as I type this.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Some of you may remember this post from last summer. Stay tuned for some new developments on my 1680. I've been working on some upgrades for sometime now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 what you done then red????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted August 2, 2010 Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Judging from the pictures, this is a fine specimen. I cant wait to see what else you have done with your red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2010 Pics will come along in the next few weeks, but basically I have hopefully figured out a way to fit a gen Tropic 127 top hat to this asian case. Basically, the case has a little ridge between the rehaut and the bezel mount which held the original acrylic crystal (which I unfortunately broke when I was removing it). Anyways, the gen crystal is about twice as thick (0.5mm) as the generic one that it is replacing and the opening is only about 0.25mm. I have taken a few crystals to my machinist and we have devised a way to turn down the thickness of the little ring that sets into the watch case. Basically I need to increase the inner diameter of the watch by 0.25mm. My machinist has made a groovy little crystal holder to mount into his lathe so he can remove just a little bit of acrylic off of the inside of the crystal. I should be getting it back later this week or early next week. In addition I managed to find a really nice date wheel overlay (which I hope will fit) so I will have a nice and proper open 6's and 9's (except 26) DW peeking through a proper tropic 127 cyclops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flex Posted August 3, 2010 Report Share Posted August 3, 2010 Red, do you think the problem might be because of the date window being too small? Looking at the date cyclops, the maginifcion looks about right from the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2010 Hey Flex - with the crystal removed the dial and date window don't look that different from other dials I have worked with. I tried holding the 127 crystal over top of the dial when it was un-cased and it looks much better IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flex Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Great. Can't wait to see the final results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 As promised, here are some pics of the Gen Tropic 127 modification to fit my Asian case. Custom Made Aluminum lathe attachement to hold the crystal true and in place while the inner diameter is increased: Milling the Crystal: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 GENIUS! love your red, is that a gen dial? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Hey thanks! Nope - furthest from a gen you can get. This started life as a very, very cheap rep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By-Tor Posted August 7, 2010 Report Share Posted August 7, 2010 Nice work with this 1680 Red... About the magnification still... very few people know that 16710 (GMT II) and 16570 (Explorer II) have smaller magnification than Submariner, probably due to a bit shallower rehaut. Maybe the cyclops used is different too. Not very important but this doesn't get mentioned often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2010 Thanks BT. Did a test with the new crystal today and the mag is excellent now! Date fills the cyclops quite nicely. Now I need to figure out how to install the DW overlay. I have a feeling that will NOT be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbutlerman Posted August 9, 2010 Report Share Posted August 9, 2010 Hey Redwatch - If it's just a disc, like what I have on my 1665, I just glued the overlay to my existing Date Wheel using a slow-drying epoxy. I glued the overlay with the date-wheel installed, lined everything up centering the Date with the Stem on the Movement, set the dial in place, and ran through all the dates, removed the dial slightly adjusted the wheel for centering, reinstalled the dial, ran through the dates, again and again, making very minor adjustments in centering the dates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted August 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2010 That's what it is. How much time did you have before the glue started to dry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbutlerman Posted August 9, 2010 Report Share Posted August 9, 2010 I used a 10 minute epoxy - it took me about 5 minutes to get everything lined up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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