How I built my Franken Submariner 16610 JF

[manodeoro]

manodeoro, you are right, this is indeed different. But as long as you don’t know this, you won’t notice it

Dino2018, cool. Personally I love ST case, although CGs are bit short. Only ST bezel assembly I would replace. But just my personal opinion.
I might have a 3135-145 autowind module leftover.

You're right too ... one thing I'm certain is that I would not go Gen for the crown unless it is a really cheap one.
The chamfering on the case-side really changes everything and you get a really genlike look if you don't spend too much time looking at the crown.

About ST case the problem is to get one, when you're EU based (Im base in France) and you're not a professional watchmaker ... too bad

 

[TheKnight]

I built seikos and had fun. but never a rep. problem is the parts are hard to find on the reps. And quality is an issue. There are tons of seiko aftermarket parts that many companies make of high quality.

I wanna try this but am scared of the ETA movements and retain clip on the bezel. i dont understand how it works. on the seikos its just pop off and theres a click spring and gasket. so simple.

to be clear my idea was to buy a Sub case only and put a Gen ETA 2836-2 in side with a nice rolex dial and sapphire and be done with it.

 

[Dino2018]

I built seikos and had fun. but never a rep. problem is the parts are hard to find on the reps. And quality is an issue. There are tons of seiko aftermarket parts that many companies make of high quality.

I wanna try this but am scared of the ETA movements and retain clip on the bezel. i dont understand how it works. on the seikos its just pop off and theres a click spring and gasket. so simple.

to be clear my idea was to buy a Sub case only and put a Gen ETA 2836-2 in side with a nice rolex dial and sapphire and be done with it.

Hello! If you surf this fórum for a while, looking for information, you will learn that building a Rolex has not to be more complex than a Seiko, and that there is a lot of good sources of quality parts - at a price!

 

[Jaqueslepro]

Hello! If you surf this fórum for a while, looking for information, you will learn that building a Rolex has not to be more complex than a Seiko, and that there is a lot of good sources of quality parts - at a price!

... if my friend dino says that, it is the damn truth! No bull, you are right bro. Amazing how one can create a great watch. I have had few from the factories and mine were more waterresistant, better aligned and the tolerances were smaller. If you put some effort, you can create miracles!

ps: Viva los Dinos!

:ahw:

 

[Dino2018]

... if my friend dino says that, it is the damn truth! No bull, you are right bro. Amazing how one can create a great watch. I have had few from the factories and mine were more waterresistant, better aligned and the tolerances were smaller. If you put some effort, you can create miracles!

ps: Viva los Dinos!

:ahw:

LOL thank you very much my friend, I tried to learn from you all! Your builds are amazing and inspirational. My 16610 tritium dial build is going slow because of the cost of the parts, but I promise to do my best effort and I will share here the experience of course.

Edit: I forgot to write "Vive le Pro!" :heffalump:

 

[mega12]

LOL thank you very much my friend, I tried to learn from you all! Your builds are amazing and inspirational. My 16610 tritium dial build is going slow because of the cost of the parts, but I promise to do my best effort and I will share here the experience of course.

Edit: I forgot to write "Vive le Pro!" :heffalump:

Have a Tritium 16613 dial leftover

 

[Dino2018]

Have a Tritium 16613 dial leftover

Wow! It would be beautiful but it will involve buying a gold bezel and Crown LOL more expenses!!!!! This hobby is much fun but I fear the day I will pass away and my widow will sell the watches for what I told her they cost me!!!! :woo:

 

[mega12]

Wow! It would be beautiful but it will involve buying a gold bezel and Crown LOL more expenses!!!!! This hobby is much fun but I fear the day I will pass away and my widow will sell the watches for what I told her they cost me!!!! :woo:

Haha - You are right
Crown I can get for reasonable prices.
Bezel you should probably go for a ST then

 

[Dino2018]

Yes the ST gold bezel is 495 USD mega12 that is reasonably priced compared to a gen. The 16613 is definitely in my "next one" list as the blue-purple reflections of that dial is amazing.

 

[andre_hav]

Actually, I wanted to start the same project with RLX 16613, but according to your description I'm not so sure !!

 

[Dino2018]

Actually, I wanted to start the same project with RLX 16613, but according to your description I'm not so sure !!

Hello andre_hav the cost depend how much originality you want on the watch. If you gold plate a SS bezel and a crown, should not be that much expensive, in my case I look for as much as gen as I could afford. I'm sure I will do a gen-ish 16803 or 16613 sooner than later as I'm doing now with the 16610 lug-holes case, but it will take some time to raise the money needed.

 

[Perpetual]

Just changed the insert of my Rolex Black Bay Homage.

JF case, dial hands, clasp
Gen DateDisc
ST bezel assembly
WSO insert
No name rep leather bracelet
Serviced SH3135 movement

Honestly, after trying several gen spec cases, I have to say that JF case and watch is IMHO not the one I would recommend. It‘s not water resistant after my mods (of courses can be made water resistant again, but other cases dont need extra work), bezel construction „click“ sounds very cheap, maxi dial hasn’t the same nice glance like gen or TC and after comparing once I can never get this out of my head and this one looks really not nice compared to those.

Bracelet is ok. But clasp is not good even compared to an old TC V2 while opening and closing feeling.
Insert (LV) is really good IMO (even so good that I have been cheated while buying this „gen“ one but in fact it was a JF). Hands are also nice.

amazing thread and read mate!! You said you don't recommend JF watch or case for franken build,... My question is, which case do you recommend? Is ST better for build then the JF?

THanks!

 

[Perpetual]

manodeoro, you are right, this is indeed different. But as long as you don’t know this, you won’t notice it

Dino2018, cool. Personally I love ST case, although CGs are bit short. Only ST bezel assembly I would replace. But just my personal opinion.
I might have a 3135-145 autowind module leftover.

@mega12

If you would replace the ST bezel assembly which one would you go with besides GEN?

 

[mega12]

@mega12

If you would replace the ST bezel assembly which one would you go with besides GEN?

Hi man, thanks for your feedback.
Yes, I would prefer ST case instead of JF.
Although CGs are little bit shorter, it’s a perfect case IMO and there was many different CG versions of gen 16610 out there, so no one will be able to tell (apart from those freeks, being around in this forum-haha). Of course, if you can get your hands on a TC case, this would be the perfect way. But they are rare.

With regards to Bezel assembly, there is only Gen and TC I can recommend. Apart from that, TW has also done a nice one, but Insert needs a little glue. JF one was ok from look but rotating was not gen like feeling.

 

[mega12]

For those who are following my thread:
I will put up an own created TC build for sale next week. More details will follow.
Currently there is also a gen 16613 Tritium dial from my side for sale.
Who needs some rare TC parts and takes the 16613 gen dial as well will get priority. Combined price will be little negotiable.

 

[Perpetual]

For those who are following my thread:
I will put up an own created TC build for sale next week. More details will follow.
Currently there is also a gen 16613 Tritium dial from my side for sale.
Who needs some rare TC parts and takes the 16613 gen dial as well will get priority. Combined price will be little negotiable.

I'm interested! PM me with details!

 

[Maron]

For those who are following my thread:
I will put up an own created TC build for sale next week. More details will follow.
Currently there is also a gen 16613 Tritium dial from my side for sale.
Who needs some rare TC parts and takes the 16613 gen dial as well will get priority. Combined price will be little negotiable.

I’m joining you with a JF build with rehaut, I’m very excited


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[SouthoftheTower]

This has been a wealth of information. Thank you mega12.

 

[andre_hav]

Hi Dino2018
thank you also for your execution. For me it's not that important that the watch is absolutely authentic, but I put more emphasis on a good technique, so not all parts must be originals. Now I'm definitely looking for a good case, important it must fit the original dial (27.2mm) of a 16613. Are the cases of 16610 and 16613 the same?
If there is someone who has a case or a whole watch to sell, feel free to contact me.

 

[Dino2018]

Hi Dino2018
thank you also for your execution. For me it's not that important that the watch is absolutely authentic, but I put more emphasis on a good technique, so not all parts must be originals. Now I'm definitely looking for a good case, important it must fit the original dial (27.2mm) of a 16613. Are the cases of 16610 and 16613 the same?
If there is someone who has a case or a whole watch to sell, feel free to contact me.

Hello! As far as I know they are the same, you can use several sources as TC, ST or JF. For the TC they are no longer available new so you have to wait for a M2M sale, usually there's one TC for sale a week or so but they run fast and mainly to Patrons or Supporters. ST cases are not sold to the general public only to registered watchmakers, they appear on the M2M parts sales but maybe one per month. JFs are easy to find and you can buy them new at any TD but as mega12 wrote, they are the worst of the three.