Asp9mmOver the Hills and Far Away.Posts: 7,485MI6 Agent
All the PX mods to the crown guards that I have seen are not at all like the photoshopped picture. The crown protrudes to far on a raise platform and looks odd when looked at directly from the top. Looks OK at an angle, but it's not good at 90 degrees.
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Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,580Chief of Staff
Seems like everybody likes this idea 8-) So to mix it up with a slightly different perspective, here's a honest opinion from a fellow vintage rolex & Bond fan ;-): All you're doing is ruining a nice LV Sub and turning it into a monster frankenwatch. I hope I'm wrong, but I really doubt you will derive any pleasure from owning or wearing this thing once the novelty wears off. If you took all the cash and monetized all the time and energy you're investing into this project, you could easily have a beautiful 5513 or even a 5508. Yes, they might not glow in the dark, tell the date, or be safe for diving. But either of these two vintage pieces would be light years closer to having the heritage, charisma and soul of your dream 6538. On top, you'd be investing your money, rather than spending it.
Sorry.
Seems like everybody likes this idea 8-) So to mix it up with a slightly different perspective, here's a honest opinion from a fellow vintage rolex & Bond fan ;-): All you're doing is ruining a nice LV Sub and turning it into a monster frankenwatch. I hope I'm wrong, but I really doubt you will derive any pleasure from owning or wearing this thing once the novelty wears off. If you took all the cash and monetized all the time and energy you're investing into this project, you could easily have a beautiful 5513 or even a 5508. Yes, they might not glow in the dark, tell the date, or be safe for diving. But either of these two vintage pieces would be light years closer to having the heritage, charisma and soul of your dream 6538. On top, you'd be investing your money, rather than spending it.
Sorry.
Wow! Ya not dell deaton in disguise are ya?
Personally what people do with their coin is up to them, as long as no one is getting hurt or ripped off I don't care what any of you guys do.
I can see where you're coming from UE, but I'm sure Markus has thought long and hard before starting this project of his. He's not the type to blow money on a whim and he's certainly got the drive and passion to see it through.
Besides, it's nice to see something different and unique instead of yet another farmer jacket or TF suit.
thank you for your opinion, UEltd and you are absolutely correct!
I have been playing with that idea for more than a year and the only thing that spoke against it was exactly what you are saying!
I am infact ruining a very nice Submariner LV and turn it into a kind of frankenstein watch - which means that besides the case modification - I am only using genuine Rolex parts.
MG, thanks mate for defending me, but like I have said, he's absolutely correct.
Now there are 3 points which I can put against your argument:
1. I own several vintage GMTs (all in original condition) so I am aware of the feeling of owning one. Never fancied a 5513 and I'll have a 5508 one day for sure.
2. Money: Because I am selling the rare flat4 insert and metal bracelet - this watch will cost around 50% of a reasonable 5513 at the end. But still a lot of money for sure *
3. Resale value: The article is not complete yet. In another chapter, I'll show you a case modification, that has been done the right way (imo). The owner became a friend of mine and after the mod, he put his modified 14060 on sale and it went within hours for a higher price than what he paid. So such a thing has it's market for sure if it's done the right way.
Anyhow your concerns are permanently in my head - I will never 100% get over them - but I will do the project and back up all possible results.
Thanks again! -{
* worst case scenario day would be selling the movement & dial & hands alone if I can't sell the complete watch which would then cost me around US$ 1000,-- for the ruined casemiddle part.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
thank you for your opinion, UEltd and you are absolutely correct!
I have been playing with that idea for more than a year and the only thing that spoke against it was exactly what you are saying!
I am infact ruining a very nice Submariner LV and turn it into a kind of frankenstein watch - which means that besides the case modification - I am only using genuine Rolex parts.
MG, thanks mate for defending me, but like I have said, he's absolutely correct.
Now there are 3 points which I can put against your argument:
1. I own several vintage GMTs (all in original condition) so I am aware of the feeling of owning one. Never fancied a 5513 and I'll have a 5508 one day for sure.
2. Money: Because I am selling the rare flat4 insert and metal bracelet - this watch will cost around 50% of a reasonable 5513 at the end. But still a lot of money for sure *
3. Resale value: The article is not complete yet. In another chapter, I'll show you a case modification, that has been done the right way (imo). The owner became a friend of mine and after the mod, he put his modified 14060 on sale and it went within hours for a higher price than what he paid. So such a thing has it's market for sure if it's done the right way.
Anyhow your concerns are permanently in my head - I will never 100% get over them - but I will do the project and back up all possible results.
Thanks again! -{
* worst case scenario day would be selling the movement & dial & hands alone if I can't sell the complete watch which would then cost me around US$ 1000,-- for the ruined casemiddle part.
To throw out another option there are some companies that make aftermarket parts including cases for these watches. I am not talking about fakes but high end replacement parts made to fit genuine parts. I have dealt with one of them and been extremely happy with the results. Yukiwatch.com can provide a case set for about 750 that is indistinguishable from your gen case that will take gen parts. He can even have your correct serial number engraved. Buy that one, shave the crown guards, and put all your parts in it. Plus you can get one with lug holes drilled which is a huge improvement over the later watches. Only rolex can get away with taking away features and charging more money.
While he caters more to the rep market, look up tc sub on google. His cases are spectacular and he shows in his blog how well all the gen pieces fit in his case. I think a mid case runs around $150. Use this and swap over all the gen parts.
I shaved the case down on a cheap gmt rep after seeing that project x watch. It's not really that hard if you are careful but I don't think I would risk on a gen rolex.
I understand what you mean but I don't want to deal with anything aftermarket. It would just destroy the joy to wear a Rolex watch.
Additionally, I doubt that such an copy middlepart will be as well in terms of waterresistance compared to the original one.
A failure in that field would cost me more than the savings when using the aftermarket casemid - damage to the movement/dial/hands
As for the potential financial loss: Like said previously even these modificated watches obviously have a market, so I won't lose much money if the modding is done correctly (no pod, pointy shape etc.)
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I get where you are coming from. I have a Rolex GMT and there is definitely joy in wearing that piece.
Keep in mind though that once you modify a submariner to that extent, Rolex will never touch that watch again. In their mind it is now a Franken watch that needs a new midcase before they will service or provide replacement parts for it. Even many authorized service centers will not touch it for fear it is a fake and they will loose their access to gen parts if caught by Rolex.
As for the water resistance it is not the metal midcase that makes your watch water resistant, it is the gaskets. I 100% agree and would not use aftermarket gaskets and expect it to seal correctly. If the specs on the case are correct (which they are in both the cases I mentioned above, ecpecially the TC) the watch will maintain the same depth rating as the original watch.
At the end of the day the watch is yours to do with as you please, though Rolex will disagree and disown it. Why do an irreversable mod to it that can be done to a identical $150 midcase instead.
Don't want to take sides here, but I have re-read the whole thread from the beginning and I still miss one piece of information: why go for this modification, and what exactly do you want to achieve, Bondtoys?
in the initial post, I have tried to explain that I wanted to create a Rolex, which the modern Bond would choose himself in the tradition of the no-crownguard Sub 6538 (Dr. No - Goldfinger).
We can discuss, if he'd choose a watch from the rack and go so far to do a modification (I doubt that) - or maybe purchasing the ProjectX (remember that his Bentley for example was highly individualized) - just like Craig did.
Regarding Crwilsn's waterresitance remarks:
Unfortunately it's not that easy. The genuine gaskets are only one part of the puzzle.
An Oyster casemid has 3 openings: The bottom, the part where the crystal is mounted and the crown part.
Keeping these areas waterresistant permanently is something, all companies are permanently working on and imo, only Rolex got it right.
So it's not that easy just to copy/paste some dimensions to achieve the qualities of a Rolex watch. If it would be, everyone could do it and would have done it.
The modification of the crown quards will not compromise the waterresistance qualities of the Oyster case - it may affect the protection of the crown in very tough situations a little - but "normal Oysters" can easily maintian their qualities without crownguards.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Comments
Sounds like my 'pleasurecenter'
Sorry...carry on.... ;%
Ross
Sorry.
Wow! Ya not dell deaton in disguise are ya?
Personally what people do with their coin is up to them, as long as no one is getting hurt or ripped off I don't care what any of you guys do.
I can see where you're coming from UE, but I'm sure Markus has thought long and hard before starting this project of his. He's not the type to blow money on a whim and he's certainly got the drive and passion to see it through.
Besides, it's nice to see something different and unique instead of yet another farmer jacket or TF suit.
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
thank you for your opinion, UEltd and you are absolutely correct!
I have been playing with that idea for more than a year and the only thing that spoke against it was exactly what you are saying!
I am infact ruining a very nice Submariner LV and turn it into a kind of frankenstein watch - which means that besides the case modification - I am only using genuine Rolex parts.
MG, thanks mate for defending me, but like I have said, he's absolutely correct.
Now there are 3 points which I can put against your argument:
1. I own several vintage GMTs (all in original condition) so I am aware of the feeling of owning one. Never fancied a 5513 and I'll have a 5508 one day for sure.
2. Money: Because I am selling the rare flat4 insert and metal bracelet - this watch will cost around 50% of a reasonable 5513 at the end. But still a lot of money for sure *
3. Resale value: The article is not complete yet. In another chapter, I'll show you a case modification, that has been done the right way (imo). The owner became a friend of mine and after the mod, he put his modified 14060 on sale and it went within hours for a higher price than what he paid. So such a thing has it's market for sure if it's done the right way.
Anyhow your concerns are permanently in my head - I will never 100% get over them - but I will do the project and back up all possible results.
Thanks again! -{
* worst case scenario day would be selling the movement & dial & hands alone if I can't sell the complete watch which would then cost me around US$ 1000,-- for the ruined casemiddle part.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
bezel insert has been done in the correct configuration - case is ready to be modded!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
{[]
While he caters more to the rep market, look up tc sub on google. His cases are spectacular and he shows in his blog how well all the gen pieces fit in his case. I think a mid case runs around $150. Use this and swap over all the gen parts.
I shaved the case down on a cheap gmt rep after seeing that project x watch. It's not really that hard if you are careful but I don't think I would risk on a gen rolex.
I understand what you mean but I don't want to deal with anything aftermarket. It would just destroy the joy to wear a Rolex watch.
Additionally, I doubt that such an copy middlepart will be as well in terms of waterresistance compared to the original one.
A failure in that field would cost me more than the savings when using the aftermarket casemid - damage to the movement/dial/hands
As for the potential financial loss: Like said previously even these modificated watches obviously have a market, so I won't lose much money if the modding is done correctly (no pod, pointy shape etc.)
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Keep in mind though that once you modify a submariner to that extent, Rolex will never touch that watch again. In their mind it is now a Franken watch that needs a new midcase before they will service or provide replacement parts for it. Even many authorized service centers will not touch it for fear it is a fake and they will loose their access to gen parts if caught by Rolex.
As for the water resistance it is not the metal midcase that makes your watch water resistant, it is the gaskets. I 100% agree and would not use aftermarket gaskets and expect it to seal correctly. If the specs on the case are correct (which they are in both the cases I mentioned above, ecpecially the TC) the watch will maintain the same depth rating as the original watch.
At the end of the day the watch is yours to do with as you please, though Rolex will disagree and disown it. Why do an irreversable mod to it that can be done to a identical $150 midcase instead.
in the initial post, I have tried to explain that I wanted to create a Rolex, which the modern Bond would choose himself in the tradition of the no-crownguard Sub 6538 (Dr. No - Goldfinger).
We can discuss, if he'd choose a watch from the rack and go so far to do a modification (I doubt that) - or maybe purchasing the ProjectX (remember that his Bentley for example was highly individualized) - just like Craig did.
Regarding Crwilsn's waterresitance remarks:
Unfortunately it's not that easy. The genuine gaskets are only one part of the puzzle.
An Oyster casemid has 3 openings: The bottom, the part where the crystal is mounted and the crown part.
Keeping these areas waterresistant permanently is something, all companies are permanently working on and imo, only Rolex got it right.
So it's not that easy just to copy/paste some dimensions to achieve the qualities of a Rolex watch. If it would be, everyone could do it and would have done it.
The modification of the crown quards will not compromise the waterresistance qualities of the Oyster case - it may affect the protection of the crown in very tough situations a little - but "normal Oysters" can easily maintian their qualities without crownguards.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Well he has over 50% of the LV production in his hands so he can afford to ruin one
More like 65%.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
If you look carefully through all the hair it's actually 75%.
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
I've always wondered why he hasn't grafted some of that on to his noggin'. Maybe because he would look less like his favourite Faberge prop if he did.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Watch this place!
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Will post pics soon! -{
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
Quality beats speed - we don't want to see another nightmare in green here
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
https://www.instagram.com/wearitlikebond/
http://www.firebox.com/product/5855/Jesus-Watch
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!