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Finally! After 20 Months, My Super Franken Hulk
- Thread starter sfgerl
- Start date
- 9/12/17
- 1,092
- 389
- 83
jasonbaylee
I'm Pretty Popular
- 3/2/14
- 1,904
- 267
- 83
I assume he’s referring to the CF dial. A rep dial on a “super Franken” does seem a bit of a shame.
Thanks Jason - autocorrect has turned your comment into nonsense and given me my first laugh of the day.
StreetFighter
Insert Coin
- 4/9/20
- 2,880
- 3,430
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Amazing build, i feel bad for not selling you the gen dial now
Sorry for bumping an old post
I’m looking for a genuine dial if you have..
jasonbaylee
I'm Pretty Popular
- 3/2/14
- 1,904
- 267
- 83
Thanks Jason - autocorrect has turned your comment into nonsense and given me my first laugh of the day.
I was pleasantly surprised but I still don’t understand my text ... shall we let it be then ? Hehehehe
Good day to u Sir!
- 3/4/18
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Last one I saw was listed here for something like €3k. lol.
Add €3k to the OP build and you’ll probably be close to gen retail price for a franken with blemishes.
Personally, I’d save for gen if I couldn’t live with stock or lightly modded VSF.
- 3/4/18
- 278
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I remember being offered 1400 euros for my dial 2 years ago. Wishing i held now lol
- 25/10/18
- 510
- 355
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Absolutely true, there is no question the dial is a key feature of the Hulk. The reps just do not capture the true loveliness of the gen dial. If I could have sourced a nice gen dial I would have bought it (I passed on one for 2K because it had damage!) But at some point in the franking/super-franking process, if a finding a key component is tantamount to finding a unicorn, one has to decide if it's worth waiting another 2 years to "find" one, or to just proceed without it and enjoy the close-but-not-quite alternative. Or, as has been pointed out, save the money and buy gen. That is always an option, albeit a far more expensive option. And in my case, I simply wanted to have a build as close to gen I could muster, without buying gen - that was the game I played. I don't plan on reselling this, this build is for me alone.
Why would I have even considered buying a gen dial? See below:
This took me two years, and I stumbled upon a great price for some of the key gen parts I needed, particularly the bezel and insert (this was way before the Hulk prices went up).
As a result, this build - including the gen movement - was just over 5.5K to do.
So - even if I added in a price of 3E for a gen dial, I would say if you can find a Hulk - even with blemishes - for about 9K..... :cheese:
But the last time I looked, that was impossible.
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StreetFighter
Insert Coin
- 4/9/20
- 2,880
- 3,430
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sfgerl my point was that gen movement is not necessary after VS3135 and you should swap it for the gen dial. The truth is that 99% of even Rolex lovers wont spot the difference but they wouldnt spot even stock VSF Hulk. Now theres a question why you spent 6k for.
“The things we do for love...”
“The things we do for love...”
- 25/10/18
- 510
- 355
- 63
sfgerl my point was that gen movement is not necessary after VS3135 and you should swap it for the gen dial. The truth is that 99% of even Rolex lovers wont spot the difference but they wouldnt spot even stock VSF Hulk. Now theres a question why you spent 6k for.
“The things we do for love...”
Well, when I sourced the parts for this Hulk, the VSF was not available... and who knew that it was coming. It is always easier in retrospect, after things change, to go back and comment. I did what I did at the time, and still happen to like the fact that it has many gen parts, especially the bezel assembly. But each to their own, that's what the rep game is all about!
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Hazing
And So It Begins... Again
- 9/5/19
- 5,185
- 4,430
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This was a good decision many of us I know from personal experience. Especially because there's always something better (especially now) coming out and you can go on and on and on and on waiting for the next best development. Good choice and it looks great.
I just saw this thread so its 100% new to me. I can't believe I haven't seen it at all. I am only reacting to the OP and it's still great to see this finally put together. I have to read through the thread now. I remember talking to you like a year after you started and wondering why you hadn't built it so its nice to see it apart .
Oh, and food for thought: KJ and duc both told me one time "after the build - sell all your parts and put it out of your mind. Stop looking back". It was the best advice I ever got and actually listened to. Save yourself the sanity. (for all I know this couldvr already been mentioned).
Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
- 25/10/18
- 510
- 355
- 63
Thanks for all the comments, both pro and con.... To those who wonder why I got the Rolex movement (and not the dial), the answer is that I got the watch about 2 years ago on M2M already with the Rolex movement for a good price. Unfortunately the movement, supposedly serviced by another well-known modder, had some rusted pieces, and one part broke.
Yes, the Rolex pearl is broken, which happens with Rolex watches that get banged around as well, so no biggie.
The really nice thing is that because mine has a Rolex movement, an ex-RSC independent watchmaker had no problem in servicing the movement. He is one of the VERY few independents who still has access to Rolex factory parts. He also serviced my highly-frankened 5513 with e Rolex 1520 movement, which required some delicate work to remove a frozen screw (which even Tripdog did not want to chance). I know that he would not have touched the watches otherwise. Granted, the VR movements are very good, and Mike does fantastic work, but it was nice to have a Rolex-trained indie work on my watches!
I love my watch. No, it doesn't have a gen dial, but 99+% of people who see it on my wrist do not notice that. If they held it in their hand, then yes, a Rolex aficionado would spot it. But no one has asked to see it up close, and my theory about that is, that the Rolex insert is so obvious compared to a rep insert - the color of the insert, as it changes in the lighting, is as-yet unmatched by a rep (the same holds true for the dial, but at first glance from afar, I think the insert color is more obvious) . Seeing that, my guess it that they assume the watch is the real thing. After all, the price of a gen insert is so high now, that any watch with it is either to be a high-end franken, or a gen Rolex.
True - if I ever get tired of it (which I won't!) I can always part it out and probably get every penny back - so what it cost me to have it built is not an issue.
I wear it proudly, just as if it were all Rolex, and never get tired of seeing it on my wrist!
Yes, the Rolex pearl is broken, which happens with Rolex watches that get banged around as well, so no biggie.
The really nice thing is that because mine has a Rolex movement, an ex-RSC independent watchmaker had no problem in servicing the movement. He is one of the VERY few independents who still has access to Rolex factory parts. He also serviced my highly-frankened 5513 with e Rolex 1520 movement, which required some delicate work to remove a frozen screw (which even Tripdog did not want to chance). I know that he would not have touched the watches otherwise. Granted, the VR movements are very good, and Mike does fantastic work, but it was nice to have a Rolex-trained indie work on my watches!
I love my watch. No, it doesn't have a gen dial, but 99+% of people who see it on my wrist do not notice that. If they held it in their hand, then yes, a Rolex aficionado would spot it. But no one has asked to see it up close, and my theory about that is, that the Rolex insert is so obvious compared to a rep insert - the color of the insert, as it changes in the lighting, is as-yet unmatched by a rep (the same holds true for the dial, but at first glance from afar, I think the insert color is more obvious) . Seeing that, my guess it that they assume the watch is the real thing. After all, the price of a gen insert is so high now, that any watch with it is either to be a high-end franken, or a gen Rolex.
True - if I ever get tired of it (which I won't!) I can always part it out and probably get every penny back - so what it cost me to have it built is not an issue.
I wear it proudly, just as if it were all Rolex, and never get tired of seeing it on my wrist!
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