116500 Daytona ARF/Noob V3 wedding

[Ro13x]

Hallo,

I am pretty new to the Rep scene but I want to get the best 116500 Rep built out of Rep parts, I don't want to go franken.
For this project I bought 4 116500 Daytonas 2x Noob V3 and 2x ARF V2 one pair with white and the other pair with black dial + two CF bezels.

I want to take the Noob V3 with the SA4130 movement as base.

What I know:

1. The ARF dial has to shaved by 1mm to fit the Noob
2. The ARF bracelet feels better so I will move it to the Noob
3. The CF bezel ist state of the art so I will put it on the Noob
4. The SA4130 movement will be serviced and my watch smith changes two parts to original parts (don't know which parts)

Questions:

1. Does it make a big difference to change the crystal from ARF to Noob?
2. Is there an aftermarket crystal on the market that is better than the ARF crystal?
3. If there is a good aftermarket crystal available it would be great if you could tell me the source.
4. Can the Noob dials be used in the ARF without modification or have the feet to be repositioned or the dial glued to the movement?
5. Are there any other suggestions for the Noob/ARF marriage?

I want to keep the cannibalized serviced ARF Daytonas for my wife and don't want them to trash.

I know some of these questions have been asked before but I thought Ii would be god to bring them all together in one post.

Hope you can give some input and perhaps pictures of a Noob/ARF marriage job!

Thank you
Marty

 

[Cheeps]

Hey.

it would be interesting to know which parts of the movement your watchmaker is going to change as I don’t think it’s needed. Additionally, I don’t think an immediate service if needed if the watch is running.

ARF bracelet does not necessarily fit the noob case well. You can however change the ARF endlinks to noob endlinks. So you’d have a bracelet with noob endlinks and Rest is ARF. Tomrep can do that for you. Hit me up if you want his number.

Regarding the crystal: imo ARF is slightly better but the difference is small. I would still change it if I had the ARF at hand.

if you want to put the ARF dial on the noob movement you not only have to shave the dial but also have to glue the dial to the movement. Same with noob dial to arf. Cut the noob feet and glue the dial on.

if you don’t mind me asking, who is your watchmaker? Is he from the forum?

 

[Ro13x]

Hi Cheeps,

thank you for the quick answer!
I hope Dommi will do the job for me at the end of Jan. !
I talked to him a few days ago but don't wanted to torture him with endless questions

That means I could keep all 4 watches after the marriage?
I also found a post where the bracelet was brought to a gen. brush perhaps he could do that too.

Thans
Marty

 

[Cheeps]

Yea you could keep all 4 of them. Sure. Yea Tomrep also does bracelet rework.

what parts did Domi suggest need to be changed? I never heard him say anything regarding that and I’m visiting Domi quite often

 

[Ro13x]

That comes from another watchsmith which does the service from a SA4130 from a friend.
So I thought there is a weak point on the movement.

Thank you for your help!

Are you also a watchsmith?

 

[Cheeps]

I’m not a watch smith but I know a lot about the Daytona.

again the question: what parts is he going to change? I don’t think it needed to drop around 250€ for a service and another 200-400€ in parts.

 

[p0pperini]

I just bought a Franken 116500 Noob that was built and serviced by Domi, and there was no mention in the spec of him having changed any parts in the movement - so maybe this one has already had some issues identified that need attention.

To answer some of your other questions Rol3x, my Franken has a Prof crystal, which before now I would never have bothered with - but looks fantastic. The Noob dial fits the ARF case without issues - although I don't know if it requires the removal of the dial feet. Not that that would really bother me - it's a rep dial.

Edit: I also own two white dial 116500s - Noob/ARF hybrids that have had the same conversion you're getting. The ARF case watch with the Noob dial in it looks completely fine.

 

[Ro13x]

..again the question: what parts is he going to change? I don’t think it needed to drop around 250€ for a service and another 200-400€ in parts.

I don't know if I get the information I will post it!
I think the watch of my friend will return next week.

 

[Cheeps]

I don't know if I get the information I will post it!
I think the watch of my friend will return next week.

I’d request the parts and costs for the parts first if I were you. I don’t think it makes sense to pour 500€ (service and parts) into a working watch that merely costs around 1.000€.

 

[Ro13x]

To answer some of your other questions Rol3x, my Franken has a Prof crystal, which before now I would never have bothered with - but looks fantastic.

Thank you, just sent a PM to Prof crystals! Is there a choice of different crystal qualities?

 

[Ro13x]

I’d request the parts and costs for the parts first if I were you. I don’t think it makes sense to pour 500€ (service and parts) into a working watch that merely costs around 1.000€.

Thank you! I will do that.

 

[p0pperini]

Thank you, just sent a PM to Prof crystals! Is there a choice of different crystal qualities?

I'm afraid I don't know - as I mentioned, before buying this watch that already had one fitted, I wouldn't have considered doing it myself. There will be plenty of more clued up members here who can help you, plus other threads about Prof's crystals. This was the sale thread I bought my Franken from, BTW:

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...-gen-black-dial-cf-bezel-and-prof-2ar-crystal

 

[freediver]

You can always sell the watches that you don't need for a lower price, have seen some ARF's for sale, stripped from bezel/dial/crystal/bracelet and swapped with noobs

 

[Ro13x]

I'm afraid I don't know - as I mentioned, before buying this watch that already had one fitted, I wouldn't have considered doing it myself. There will be plenty of more clued up members here who can help you, plus other threads about Prof's crystals. This was the sale thread I bought my Franken from, BTW:

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...-gen-black-dial-cf-bezel-and-prof-2ar-crystal

Nice watch!

 

[srhoque]

You are already spending a lot to get the best "visually" and "functionally" acceptable Daytona with your budget. Having built 4 Daytona Frankens, here are some additional comments for you to consider:

- Lots of feedback in this forum around ARF vs Noob bracelet. I was lucky enough to get good SELs on the Noobs. So I ended up keeping the Noob bracelet but changed the clasp to ARF. Honestly, having worn the ARF bracelet (albeit on DateJust) and the Noob, I didn't see a world of a difference. Note: Clean your Noob bracelet in WD40 for 2 days and then baby oil for 2 days. And then clean it with kitchen soap
- Gen xtal makes a noticeable difference. The dial looks cleaner, crisper and when you hold it at different angles, the ARF markers shine like Gen. You may also try aftermarket xtals from Prof and/or Clark on ebay
- My watchmaker insisted that I change the hands to gen hands (which I did). Apparently, the hands could be an easy give away and gen hands complimented with ARF dial matches very well in looks and gen-like shine (the white gold color of the gen hands is a better match for the ARF dial)
- If your budget permits, try to change the crown to a gen one
- The Noob 4130 movements come on the dry side from the factory. It is a good idea to service them right away. Makes movement more reliable and also gives the watchmaker to inspect movement for any other potential issues.
- I have many parts within the Noob 4130 changed to gen, but in order to maintain reliability, smooth winding, better power reserve and longer life, at least change the following parts to gen
- Complete autowind module (or at least the Reversing wheels)
- Barrel w/mainspring
- Ratchet wheel

 

[Ro13x]

@sehoque
Thank you for your input I appreciate that!

 

[Princewilliam]

I wouldn’t put a prof crystal on a Daytona, won’t look anything like gen


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[2841]

I did a similar project a couple of weeks back https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/8398279-easy-mods-to-your-noob-daytona

I was lucky with a good fit for the ARF bracelet, and I would definite change the whole thing if it fits. IMO there’s a big difference. Everything about the noob bracelet is wrong. The shape, size of side pieces, the brushing and the end links are not even close to gen. The overall feel is really like a toy.

 

[Ro13x]

I wouldn’t put a prof crystal on a Daytona, won’t look anything like gen

Why that, can you please tell me the reason?

 

[Ro13x]

Is a Prof Xtal realy wasted money on the Daytona?
https://www.reddit.com/r/RepTime/comments/a0dse8/my_rolex_daytona_116500ln_with_profs_2xar_crystal/