A guide to 16613 builds /FRANKENING

[QueTip]

Thought I'd do this as a LOT of members have PMed me about their Blusey builds so I thought I'd make this thread so y'all have a source to gather info from.




First off-


The 16613 / Bluesey was first introduced in '88/'89 after it's predecessor the 16803 which came with a cal 3035.
The 16613 came with the new cal 3135 off factory!
It's a very special piece out of the SUBMARINER line.
​

To build a good Bluesey you're -

1. looking at quite a high investment
2. into a piece with a lot of history and many things that can go VERY south 3. having to be real lucky to find the exact parts you want / need



​

Basically the only good OTB 16613 is the WM9 version. Forget about all the others.. They ALL suck.
Even the WM9 needs some more modding to be completely correct and bang on.
It would need the following:

- gen insert
- gen crown
- gen crystal
- shave down the CG's a bit as they're a tad bit on the fat side
- some day the bracelet will need to be upgraded same as the bezel as the gold is just plated and it WILL tarnish and chip off

Either way if you are not looking into a WM9 but building a Bluesey for yourself from scratch, there are several things you need to know..

- there's variations of the specs basics (varies from serials)
- $$$$





​

Best parts to use:


Case: TC, WM9, Phong, ST (old 3135 case, hard to find, (lug holes build only))
Bezel: Gen, ST, WSO (all solid 18k)
Insert: Gen
Crystal: Gen (295-2)
Crown: Gen or WM9 (703 / 704)
Dial: Gen or WM9
Movement: cal 3135, Yuki (SH3135), ETA
Hands: Gen, TC
Bracelet: Gen (93153 (TP), 93253 (SEL)), ST, WSO, WM9
*EndLinks*: Gen (401b), ST, WSO
Clasp: Gen (different clasp codes for dating), WM9



​

Serial specials:

Early 16613:

Basically the only thing REAL early 16613's can have in comparison to other, newer ones is that the dial CAN ONLY be blurple in EARLY R/L series ('88, '89). Only a FEW of the blurple dials have made it into 16613's so that's a real rare bird.

Other than that the Bluesey hasn't changed much until A series ('98, '99), from then on the Luminova dials have launched. Meaning that the lume on the dial was no longer applied with Tritium but Luminova.
In A series you can have both Tritium and Swiss Made dials.

Then in P series (2000) some more has changed! The SEL's (SolidEndLinks) have been introduced, taking away the two piece bracelets and an apparently better sit and feel of the bracelet and the gold through clasp was added to the new bracelets.

In 2003 - Y series (sep '02 - jan '04) started having LEC's (LaserEngravedCrown) in the crystal at 6 and no lug holes cases. So Y series can also have both new and old style.

F/D series (~2004) the Rehaut was engraved with the 'famous' ROLEXROLEXROLEX.



It's late and I'm tired as hell. I hope I haven't forgot anything major.
I hope this was helpful to you as it's taken me quite a while writing and formatting all of this.

If I did miss anything, please let me know and I'll update it but I think I got all of the info covered.

 

[Om3ga_guy]

Great post from a very knowledge 16613 member. Your inspiring me to start another franken build with my WM9!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JoeyT]

Excellent post OP, spot on with your info.

 

[mghm3]

Great thread OP!

I think know the 16613 franken drill a little bit too well

 

[malevolent]

Great thread OP!

I think know the 16613 franken drill a little bit too well

If you ever sell the all gold let me know.
I need to find one.

 

[mghm3]

If you ever sell the all gold let me know.
I need to find one.

It's actually gen, but if you want a gen one, I'm thinking of selling it in a couple months.

 

[malevolent]

It's actually gen, but if you want a gen one, I'm thinking of selling it in a couple months.

That would explain why it looked so damn good.

Way out of my price range unless you would accept my entire franken/rep collection XD

 

[mghm3]

That would explain why it looked so damn good.

Way out of my price range unless you would accept my entire franken/rep collection XD

As tempting as that offer is, I'm looking to cash out in the near future.

 

[malevolent]

As tempting as that offer is, I'm looking to cash out in the near future.

Oh trust me, I knew you wouldn't accept the offer haha.

Good luck man, beautiful piece, I would never sell something like that if I owned one.

 

[mghm3]

Oh trust me, I knew you wouldn't accept the offer haha.

Good luck man, beautiful piece, I would never sell something like that if I owned one.

Thank you. I don't really want to sell it but I'm going in to college soon and need to start saving a bit. It's fun to mess around but I need some savings. I look forward to buying another in the future though

 

[ndpm]

If you ever sell the all gold let me know.
I need to find one.

WOW! Incredible, great collection man, bad luck I will never have the cash to afford something like this.

 

[malevolent]

Thank you. I don't really want to sell it but I'm going in to college soon and need to start saving a bit. It's fun to mess around but I need some savings. I look forward to buying another in the future though

Oh gotcha, I just entered college myself.

If you ever change your mind, my collection is:

WM9 BK 16613 with gen crystal + insert
TC 16610 LN - gen crystal, tube+crown, insert
TC 16610 LV - gen crystal, tube+crown, insert
Swiss ETA Tudor BB Red
Omega Aqua Terra Golf
Explorer II with some small mods
Breitling Skyland Avenger with some custom lume

EDIT: Apparently the humor was not found, so I have to explain.
Clearly this is not enough to cover that piece. If I wanted one I would buy it with my cash, not those pieces.

So sorry that some people have their head far up their ass.

 

[QueTip]

Oh gotcha, I just entered college myself.

If you ever change your mind, my collection is:

WM9 BK 16613 with gen crystal + insert
TC 16610 LN - gen crystal, tube+crown, insert
TC 16610 LV - gen crystal, tube+crown, insert
Swiss ETA Tudor BB Red
Omega Aqua Terra Golf
Explorer II with some small mods
Breitling Skyland Avenger with some custom lume

Lmfao, you can't be serious man?!
Do you have any idea what the FG is worth at all? :rofl:

 

[bgreg]

To build a good Bluesey you're -

1. looking at quite a high investment

How much for a good build like this? WM9 parts are not easy to come by.

 

[malevolent]

Lmfao, you can't be serious man?!
Do you have any idea what the FG is worth at all? :rofl:

If you could read instead of being asshat, you would learn that I already said it would never happen.

It's worth much more and that was more of a joke. Sorry that I actually have to point that out.
I'll be sure to edit that post too, to make sure it's 100% clear.

 

[QueTip]

To build a good Bluesey you're -

1. looking at quite a high investment

How much for a good build like this? WM9 parts are not easy to come by.

I've had about >$5000 in my old build and will probs have about that in the one I'm building atm.
WM9 parts are rare as f mate

 

[mghm3]

To build a good Bluesey you're -

1. looking at quite a high investment

Truth. My "cheap" TT build was originally supposed to cost $1500 max. It easily hit 3k when I started realizing id need real gold and a special movement for everything I wanted. Not fun because I'd already bought all the cheap parts.

 

[QueTip]

If you could read instead of being asshat, you would learn that I already said it would never happen.

It's worth much more and that was more of a joke. Sorry that I actually have to point that out.
I'll be sure to edit that post too, to make sure it's 100% clear.

Okay happy bidding, you could drop him a PM with details, specs and pics of your collection to mghm. He told me he'd consider a trade.

 

[malevolent]

Okay happy bidding, you could drop him a PM with details, specs and pics of your collection to mghm. He told me he'd consider a trade.

I really wish a trade like that were possible, but I wouldn't do it even if he wanted my pieces. He would be on the losing end of the deal as he clearly knows.

 

[QueTip]

Enough of the thread derailing, let's get this back to 16613 builds as it was meant to be directed for. :lol: