1665 Great White Sea-Dweller franken

[thorne]

The 1665 has always been a grail watch for me.

Having experimented over the years with MBW 1665s, Cartel 1665s, datewheel overlays not playing nice with ETAs, and etc - I decided it was time to get serious if I wanted the end result to satisfy my OCD.

So I snagged the following parts for a 1665 build:

1. Viet 1665 case from Ruby. This was sent to tripdog for casework and vintagising. Tripdog's casework is stellar and really makes this look like a well-cared for 40-year old watch.
2. Gen 702 crown, installed by Tripdog and chosen to match the level of patina on the case.
2. 1665 GWSD dial from Minh Quy, tritium plots
3. Clarks T-39 superdome
4. Gen 1570 movement
5. Gen brushed silver 'Flat 3' datewheel, period correct
5. Gen luminova 1665 hands
6. MQ faded fat font insert, tritium pearl matching dial plots

Now when I looked at the dials on MQ's website, the photos weren't close to gen at all. They are the same photos from ND Trading's site (the NDT site is still up, but NDT is obviously no longer in the game). When MQ sent me actual QC pics of the dial I was blown away - it is 95% close to gen (and so, not close to the pics on his site at all, which are WAY off). You will need to ask him for HD photos of the dial from different angles before you approve. I had to send one dial back to him for a replacement as it had a scratch on it that wasn't visible in the photos he'd sent. To his credit, he sent QC pics of a new one, no questions asked, and promptly sent it out to me after I'd approved.

Here is a comparison pic of the MQ GWSD dial, that I used on this build. The photo on top is a gen, the photo below is the MQ GW rail dial.

I want to shout out to legend , for the amazing work he did on this build.

Many of you are aware of his superb AP mod work.
This watch is testament to the fact that he is also superb when it comes to Rolex.

He's a pleasure to communicate with, always has time for advice, is incredibly well informed about watches in general (not just AP haha), and somehow finds time to mod watches, in between his work and writing erudite posts on various threads in this forum (and others).

Legend put it all together, and even re-did the gen luminova hands in tritium to match the MQ dial plots. Looks awesome.

Here is the watch, now on gen 585 endlinks, rep bracelet (as I have to cut one permanent link on the 6 o'clock side, so not doing that to a gen 93150), and a gen clasp. It feels really great to see that gen datewheel in there now, perfectly centered, and embossed, not engraved.

Couldn't be happier, tbh.


Thanks for everything, Legend!

 

[p0pperini]

That's a really beautiful piece of work. It must be a thrill owning it!

 

[walkingcloud]

Gorgeous build. You basically have a gen watch. MQ did a great job on that dial.

 

[LuminorReptar]

Wow that is truly an amazing build. Gorgeous piece!

The gen movement and hands must have been difficult to source.. the matching on the hands to dial is really spot on

I find it kind of hilarious that the pics on MQs site are worse than the actual product... that dial is incredible and really completes the build. No idea why they wouldn’t advertise it properly lol..

Enjoy this gorgeous piece man, what a build - and amazing work by trip dog


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[kentfung1210]

Mine 1665 tropical frankne says hi!

 

[Interesting]

wow. lovely build. thanks for sharing

 

[Replica01]

More pics please!

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G960F met Tapatalk

 

[thorne]

It’s been a while since I had any work done to this watch.

But you know how it is with frankens, there’s always ‘something’ you could improve, if you could only find the time.

So I finally made time to do exactly that, and sent it over to the inimitable tripdog .


What’s been changed:
- a Phong engraved Viet case (with kilowattore reworked CGs, thanks A!) vintagised by Tripdog,
- a Ruby GWSD dial (with better lume and fonts than the prior MQ),
- a new CAC blue-grey insert (fantastically vintagised by Tripdog),
- a gen 704,
- and Tripdog also relumed the gen hands to match the Ruby dial - perfectly.

For those of you with 1665 Viet cases, note the notches in a Phong bezel. He slightly machines out the original Viet notches to look softer/curved, per gen. These are clearer in the last 3 photos.
Normal Viet bezel notches are more angular, and look out of place (see pic of this watch in opening post of the thread).

I’d sent my gen 585 endlinks over, so Tripdog could rework the lug shape - a common flaw on Viet cases. The endlinks and lugs match perfectly now.
Tripdog's casework is stellar as always - look at those chamfers along the sides, smooth as it gets.

Looks like a well-used 40year-old watch that’s been carefully worn, and taken good care of.

Pics from Tripdog below - I couldn’t do any half as good as these.

I thought the build looked pretty good to begin with - now it’s absolutely effin’ awesome.


And no, it’s not for sale.

 

[manodeoro]

It’s been a while since I had any work done to this watch.

But you know how it is with frankens, there’s always ‘something’ you could improve, if you could only find the time.

So I finally made time to do exactly that, and sent it over to the inimitable tripdog .


What’s been changed:
- a Phong engraved case (with kilowattore reworked CGs, thanks A!) vintagised by Tripdog,
- a Ruby GWSD dial (with better lume and fonts than the prior MQ),
- a new CAC blue-grey insert (fantastically vintagised by Tripdog),
- a gen 704,
- and Tripdog also relumed the gen hands to match the Ruby dial - perfectly.

For those of you with 1665 Viet cases, note the notches in a Phong bezel. He slightly machines out the original Viet notches to look softer/curved, per gen. These are clearer in the last 3 photos.
Normal Viet bezel notches are more angular, and look out of place (see pic of this watch in opening post of the thread).

I’d sent my gen 585 endlinks over, so Tripdog could rework the lug shape - a common flaw on Viet cases. The endlinks and lugs match perfectly now.
Tripdog's casework is stellar as always - look at those chamfers along the sides, smooth as it gets.

Looks like a well-used 40year-old watch that’s been carefully worn, and taken good care of.

Pics from Tripdog below - I couldn’t do any half as good as these.

I thought the build looked pretty good to begin with - now it’s absolutely effin’ awesome.


And no, it’s not for sale.

Would you mind showing us the engravements on Phong's case and caseback ?

 

[thorne]

This is a Ruby midcase that I got Phong to engrave, and added a Phong bezel. The caseback is regular Ruby.

Phong engraving below:

 

[mech500]

Wow. 1665 is arguably the best Rolex ever made. Lovely build!


Sent from my iPhone using RWI