My personal 8 rules to build a Rolex Franken
Maybe this might help some of you being in the decision to build a Franken.
- 1. Never expect perfection
- 2. Consider availability of gen parts
- 3. Take most gen-like rep construction
- 4. Purchase your base watch at a TD
- 5. Stay smart and keep calm
- 6. Rep and gen parts doesn’t match
- 7. Do not invest more than 2.000€
- 8. Talk openly about frankening with your friends
1. Never expect perfection
Before you start, be aware of one thing: You are in rep business. Never expect perfection!!! No matter how much time and money you will invest, rep stays rep and reps are not perfect. Watches are tiny craftsman’s art. Even gens have little imperfections and as a matter of fact, reps will always have more variances than gens. If you are a perfectionist, you should stop reading and leave this forum.
2. Consider availability of gen parts
Chose a model where you can find more than one gen parts. A quick overview gives a short search on eBay and Chrono24. Maybe there is not directly a certain part which you require but if there is a variety of dials, hands, crystals and whatever online, this is a good indicator to find also your desired parts some day in future. Otherwise, if you go for a model where no parts are online, it might take you ages and costs a hell of money to finalize a project. Some good watches to go with: old Datejust models, some 5 and 6 digit GMTs, 5 digit Subs, some Daytona models... Overall, availability of movement parts for 3135 is quiet good. Typical crowns and tubes can be sourced easily.
3. Take most gen-like rep construction
Take a model which has lots of different rep variants, versions and rep manufacturers. Why? Because if you take a rather rare model, where you can find only one rep company / version of it, chances are rather low that construction is gen like, parts will fit and sizes will match, nor others might be able to support you or find lots of reviews online before a purchase.
For instance, an old Explorer II 16570 is basically impossible to find as a good rep. Or an old Turn O Graph... So these models wouldn’t be a good base for a franken, although there is some gen parts available for 16570...
4. Purchase your base watch at a TD
Before waiting an missing 10 sales on M2M and spending 4 months searching 24/7 online, just directly order your favorite watch at a TD. It works easier than you would expect and usually the watch is with you within 2-3 weeks. High requested models fly within 30 minutes on RWI. Don’t try to get them and waste your time. Find your favorite TD and order your stuff there. Trust me - It’s ridiculous how fast “regular” but high requested watches fly on M2M. Noob Daytona, VRF Hulk, ARF SeaDweller... all of them can be easily sourced from TDs, but some people prefer searching on M2M for ages and then miss the only sale within two or three weeks which is sold in 30 minutes.
5. Stay smart and keep calm
Be patient. Sourcing parts takes time. But never forget your original plan and invest in something just because you can get a certain rare part which has nothing to do with your project. I started some Franken just because I sourced a rare crystal or bracelet or whatever. And instead of finishing my original project, I Drifted away to lots of new projects... Sometimes, it’s also good to think smart from beginning. For instance, because of a lack of good and reliable GMT movements with correct hand stack, it might be an option to purchase a gen Explorer 16750, which uses same construction as a GMT 16710 and then change some parts only. At the end, you can have a gen watch for 50% of the regular market price.
6. Rep and gen parts doesn’t match
Whatever model you go for, never expect that rep parts can be easily replaced by gen parts. Apart from dials and hands on certain movements, it’s a gamble. Usually SH, VR, Yuki and SA will accept gen dial and hands. All other things are part of a game. Date discs, crystal, bezels, retaining rings, inserts, bracelets, crowns, tubes, basically everything else. Rep doesn’t like gen. And even if it looks like both constructions are similar, in 90% they are not. Of course, you might be able to replace a rep insert by a gen one but maybe it needs to be sanded first to fit or glued in. You might be able to change a crystal, but maybe you need a different gasket to make the retaining ring stay strong in place. You might be able to change bracelets, but maybe there remains a little gap between the lugs or SELs can be lifted up and down. You might be able to change a bezel, but maybe it won’t align with the case w/o cutting retaining ring down. So yes, lots of things can happen but for lots of things also some solutions exist.
7. Do not invest more than 2.000€
Most people tend to buy reps because of a limited budget and of course as a hobby. If everyone of us would have enough money, most would probably go gen. Of course, there is some Individuals doing it just for fun and for knowledge. But I would say, 90% doing franken because of their passion to watches and a limited budget. Therefore, never invest more than 2.000€ into a Franken. I think, it’s a kind of psychological border once you like to resell your watch again. Most people, investing more than 2.000€ and even more than 3.000€ into a rep will always consider a gen as a price competitor. So remember, if you sell a modded franken that has gen crystal, DateDisc, dial, hands and whatever but not a gen movement and/or bracelet, then you might lose the competition to a gen easily. Newer 6 digit gen bracelets are sold for around 1.500€ - 2.000€. Adding a gen movement, which is around 2.000€ - 2.500€ you will have probably 3.500€ to 4.000€ for two parts only. Means, if your rep costs 3.000€ and you add 4.000€ for those missing parts, you can mostly buy a gen at an AD, which has a gen case and warranty that is priceless. Of course, this is just theoretically but from my experience, this is what is happening inside your brain. I would rather save little bit more money and go with gen or search for another Franken which is cheaper instead of having such a low difference. For instance, there is some Bluesy frankens (16613) which are sold for 3.000€ - 3.500€ because gen gold bezel etc. is quiet expensive. However, if you are lucky, you can get a total gen for approx. 5.500€. So why spending 3.500€ if I can have a gen for little bit more. Most times the owner of such Frankens just build them because of their total passion, which is great, but selling them as a complete watch might be more difficult than splitting parts up again.
8. Talk openly about frankening with your friends
Explain people around, that you build watches. Thus, if you have little imperfections in your builds, everyone knows that it has been built by yourself and they would never doubt it’s genuinely. You can always use excuses like it’s used, or just not period correct and so on.
If you stick to that guidelines, I’m pretty sure you will love this hobby
And remember, time doesn’t exist, clocks exist. Thanks for reading.
Maybe this might help some of you being in the decision to build a Franken.
- 1. Never expect perfection
- 2. Consider availability of gen parts
- 3. Take most gen-like rep construction
- 4. Purchase your base watch at a TD
- 5. Stay smart and keep calm
- 6. Rep and gen parts doesn’t match
- 7. Do not invest more than 2.000€
- 8. Talk openly about frankening with your friends
1. Never expect perfection
Before you start, be aware of one thing: You are in rep business. Never expect perfection!!! No matter how much time and money you will invest, rep stays rep and reps are not perfect. Watches are tiny craftsman’s art. Even gens have little imperfections and as a matter of fact, reps will always have more variances than gens. If you are a perfectionist, you should stop reading and leave this forum.
2. Consider availability of gen parts
Chose a model where you can find more than one gen parts. A quick overview gives a short search on eBay and Chrono24. Maybe there is not directly a certain part which you require but if there is a variety of dials, hands, crystals and whatever online, this is a good indicator to find also your desired parts some day in future. Otherwise, if you go for a model where no parts are online, it might take you ages and costs a hell of money to finalize a project. Some good watches to go with: old Datejust models, some 5 and 6 digit GMTs, 5 digit Subs, some Daytona models... Overall, availability of movement parts for 3135 is quiet good. Typical crowns and tubes can be sourced easily.
3. Take most gen-like rep construction
Take a model which has lots of different rep variants, versions and rep manufacturers. Why? Because if you take a rather rare model, where you can find only one rep company / version of it, chances are rather low that construction is gen like, parts will fit and sizes will match, nor others might be able to support you or find lots of reviews online before a purchase.
For instance, an old Explorer II 16570 is basically impossible to find as a good rep. Or an old Turn O Graph... So these models wouldn’t be a good base for a franken, although there is some gen parts available for 16570...
4. Purchase your base watch at a TD
Before waiting an missing 10 sales on M2M and spending 4 months searching 24/7 online, just directly order your favorite watch at a TD. It works easier than you would expect and usually the watch is with you within 2-3 weeks. High requested models fly within 30 minutes on RWI. Don’t try to get them and waste your time. Find your favorite TD and order your stuff there. Trust me - It’s ridiculous how fast “regular” but high requested watches fly on M2M. Noob Daytona, VRF Hulk, ARF SeaDweller... all of them can be easily sourced from TDs, but some people prefer searching on M2M for ages and then miss the only sale within two or three weeks which is sold in 30 minutes.
5. Stay smart and keep calm
Be patient. Sourcing parts takes time. But never forget your original plan and invest in something just because you can get a certain rare part which has nothing to do with your project. I started some Franken just because I sourced a rare crystal or bracelet or whatever. And instead of finishing my original project, I Drifted away to lots of new projects... Sometimes, it’s also good to think smart from beginning. For instance, because of a lack of good and reliable GMT movements with correct hand stack, it might be an option to purchase a gen Explorer 16750, which uses same construction as a GMT 16710 and then change some parts only. At the end, you can have a gen watch for 50% of the regular market price.
6. Rep and gen parts doesn’t match
Whatever model you go for, never expect that rep parts can be easily replaced by gen parts. Apart from dials and hands on certain movements, it’s a gamble. Usually SH, VR, Yuki and SA will accept gen dial and hands. All other things are part of a game. Date discs, crystal, bezels, retaining rings, inserts, bracelets, crowns, tubes, basically everything else. Rep doesn’t like gen. And even if it looks like both constructions are similar, in 90% they are not. Of course, you might be able to replace a rep insert by a gen one but maybe it needs to be sanded first to fit or glued in. You might be able to change a crystal, but maybe you need a different gasket to make the retaining ring stay strong in place. You might be able to change bracelets, but maybe there remains a little gap between the lugs or SELs can be lifted up and down. You might be able to change a bezel, but maybe it won’t align with the case w/o cutting retaining ring down. So yes, lots of things can happen but for lots of things also some solutions exist.
7. Do not invest more than 2.000€
Most people tend to buy reps because of a limited budget and of course as a hobby. If everyone of us would have enough money, most would probably go gen. Of course, there is some Individuals doing it just for fun and for knowledge. But I would say, 90% doing franken because of their passion to watches and a limited budget. Therefore, never invest more than 2.000€ into a Franken. I think, it’s a kind of psychological border once you like to resell your watch again. Most people, investing more than 2.000€ and even more than 3.000€ into a rep will always consider a gen as a price competitor. So remember, if you sell a modded franken that has gen crystal, DateDisc, dial, hands and whatever but not a gen movement and/or bracelet, then you might lose the competition to a gen easily. Newer 6 digit gen bracelets are sold for around 1.500€ - 2.000€. Adding a gen movement, which is around 2.000€ - 2.500€ you will have probably 3.500€ to 4.000€ for two parts only. Means, if your rep costs 3.000€ and you add 4.000€ for those missing parts, you can mostly buy a gen at an AD, which has a gen case and warranty that is priceless. Of course, this is just theoretically but from my experience, this is what is happening inside your brain. I would rather save little bit more money and go with gen or search for another Franken which is cheaper instead of having such a low difference. For instance, there is some Bluesy frankens (16613) which are sold for 3.000€ - 3.500€ because gen gold bezel etc. is quiet expensive. However, if you are lucky, you can get a total gen for approx. 5.500€. So why spending 3.500€ if I can have a gen for little bit more. Most times the owner of such Frankens just build them because of their total passion, which is great, but selling them as a complete watch might be more difficult than splitting parts up again.
8. Talk openly about frankening with your friends
Explain people around, that you build watches. Thus, if you have little imperfections in your builds, everyone knows that it has been built by yourself and they would never doubt it’s genuinely. You can always use excuses like it’s used, or just not period correct and so on.
If you stick to that guidelines, I’m pretty sure you will love this hobby
And remember, time doesn’t exist, clocks exist. Thanks for reading.