Advanced Modding Techniques - The finishing touch
This is a guide I've been meaning to put together for a while regarding some of the more advanced techniques and parts that help you take your modding to the next level. In the first tutorial that I did (How to age your Vintage Rolex (Bonesey style)) we looked at modifying a cheaper big crown submariner. In that topic we discussed every step from taking your watch apart and modifying, then re-assembly. Now lets have a look at modifying some of the more advanced vintage Rolex replicas and some of the techniques that are part of the black art of modifying and working on vintage pieces.
For any techniques that I have already explained I will just refer to the original thread to avoid taking up un-needed space in this thread.
I will try to explain all of the processes and parts needed and where available I will link to sites and eBay shops that can help you get what you need. For tools there are a myriad of suppliers. Within the UK you can use;
CousinsUK or RedRooster eBay store
Part 1: Get organised and be tidy.
One of the key parts of working on a watch is tidiness and cleanliness. Not everyone can have a dedicated workspace in the house for working on watches but if you do, keep it clean and tidy. This helps avoid losing parts or just losing your way when working on a few different projects at once. One of the easiest ways of keeping this straight is using compartmentalised storage systems available through almost any DIY / hobby and watch supply store (RedRooster eBay store - Parts Containers). Get a good mat to work on CousinsUK Mats. I use two, I have a heavy duty hobbyist mat for modding and dirty work, and then a Bergeon 6808 (CousinsUK Ref; M0964) anti static clean mat for working on movements. This helps rule out any cross contamination from metal particles etc. I also use a small ridged mat (CousinsUK Ref; M31429) at the side of my bench for my most used tools as well as a screwdriver stand. This means that as you get more used to working at your bench you know where everything is. You can grab things by instinct.
Part 2: Breaking down the watch.
You can refer to the original thread regarding removing the bracelet, I will say however that investing in a good springbar tool is a good move. I am currently using two different tools with both fine and slightly larger forks on them. The finer one is the Bergeon No 6767-F (Bergeon 6767F (Cousins Ref: LO940). But at the end of the day, any fine tool that you can poke down a lug hole will get you the same result as these tools.
The second important thing is being able to open your watch. Depending on how tough the watch is to open I use either a sticky ball (eBay search "sticky ball case opener") or the Bergeon Rolex case back dies (Rolex Oyster Case Opener, Bergeon 5537 - CousinsUK Ref; C0314 ).
You can refer to the original thread as well as multiple others for removing the stem on different movements. My first thread dealt with DG series movements, for this we will focus on ETA based reps. To remove the stem on a clone or ETA fitted watch simply leave the stem in the winding position and use a small screwdriver, 1.2mm is best, and press lightly whilst pulling on the stem. You can see the stem release circled in red in the picture below.
Once that is done continue to remove the movement from the watch and break everything down into parts. Most of the good reps will have a brass movement ring keeping the movement in place. Just place the hands/dial and small parts in a parts holder or tray for working on later.
The next step is to remove the bezel assembly from the case. There is no hard and fast rule as to which assembly is going to be on which watch. You have everything from paperclip style retention to full on gen spec assembly and everything in between. One of the tools that is worth investing in is the bezel remover. You can pick these up on eBay for just over $100 USD (Rolex Bezel Remover). If you are in doubt over what construction your watch has, the best thing is to attempt to remove the bezel insert first. This allows you to see how the watch is put together.
You can see here now that the bezel assembly is off we have the crystal retaining ring.You can remove this by slowly working it off with either a caseback knife or a razor blade (be damn careful not to slip and hurt yourself!) and just slid it off the case. In some cases there will be a gasket underneath this retaining ring, just store that someplace safe and try not to damage it.
Once you have the bezel off it's simply a case of determining the construction of your watch. In most cases simply using a caseback knife or other sharp tool to remove the crystal retaining ring will be the answer. So here's the bezel assembly for an old school MBK 1680 rep. You have the mid case, the crystal retaining ring, the spring washer and the bezel itself.
Here is the assembly for a Cartel 1680 and you can see it is slightly different with a gasket in between the retaining ring and the crystal.
Now we're going to remove the crown tube. You can use several different methods depending on what tools you have available and if you intend on using the tube again. If you're not going to use it again you can just use a pair of pliers to grip it and rotate counter clockwise. If you want to keep it or use it again then you can use a rat tail file or screw extractor. I use a Kobalt #1 Screw Extractor. But any similar tool will do the same job.
You can also read about replacing crown tubes in JMBs thread: Easy Rolex Type Crown and Tube Replacement by JMB
Part 3: Mid-case modifying.
Here I want to talk about the different steps we can take when doing the most commonly accepted tasks for a vintage watch. Crownguards, genuine crown and tube combos and drilled lug holes. First up lets deal with the crown and tube installation. My work process is as follows;
1: Remove old crown tube
2: Re-tap threads in case
3: Test fit gen spec crown tube
4: Modify crownguards
5: Drill Lug holes
6: Machine bevel to accommodate gen tube
7: Re-finish mid-case
When you are dealing with 99% of reps you will find that they won't accept genuine parts without at least a little modification. The biggest difference between the rep and genuine tubes is the profile in transition between the portion that screws into the case and the portion that the crown screws on to. It has an angle where most reps are either a slight countersink or just flat. You can see this on the image below from the MBK 1680.
So this means that we have to add our own countersunk area. I will come to this in a minute when I talk about using the drill press. Below we can see the profile of the gen crown tube as well as the assembly of the gaskets. You can see how the profile of the gen crown tube differs from the rep tubes which tend to have a flat base to the upper portion of the crown tube.
To re-tap the case requires a tapping tool. The correct tool in question is a HSS Ground Tap M3 x 0.35 which can be bought on eBay pretty easily (eBay search: HSS Ground Tap M3 x 0.35). I used the handle from a hobby tool set which will accomodate a square fitting found on the end of the tap to hold it securely. Now in some cases the size of the tube hole in the case is not the correct size. Notice in the above diagram that the total outer diameter of the lower crown tube is 3mm including the threads. If needed you can drill out the case using the drill press with a 2.7mm HSS drill bit (eBay Search: HSS Metal High Speed Steel Drill Bit 2.7mm). You then re-tap the case as per the below picture. It is best to re-cut the threads in stages, work the tapping tool a little into the case, re-tract to allow any metal particles to move clear and then re-work the case until cut all the way through.
In the below picture you can see the tools I use in fitting genuine spec crown tubes. The tap, inserted through the case, and also the crown tube fitting tool. This is a special tool designed for Rolex tubes and in my opinion an essential tool when dealing with them. Any other tool you risk damaging the internal structure of the crown tube. None of the eBay tools that I bought for the same job worked properly so I can recommend spending the few extra bucks and getting a decent one from a reputable supplier.
CousinsUK 3.0mm Internal Spline tool - last pic
Now that we have re-tapped the case we can see how well (or not well) the genuine tube fits the case at this present time. You can see below that the tube sticks up proud of the case and that the crown has a definite gap between it and a the mid-case. So we will need to modify and countersink the case to allow correct fitment.
The next step is the crownguard modifying. One some reps only the inner crownguard area needs modifying but in most cases the exterior does as well. This could be if the crownguards are too tall, or perhaps too fat. The simplest way of modifying the inner crownguard area is to use diamond files. Of course this process must be done without the crown tube in place to allow you easy access to the inner crownguard area. This is the exact tool set that I bought and they are perfect for most case re-shaping jobs (eBay link: 10pc Diamond Needle File Set) but you will find many more similar items in hobby shops as well.
The key to trimming crownguards is patience and accuracy. Your best bet is to Google search for images of the genuine watch and then try to match as much as possible. You will need to keep re-checking with the crown and tube to see how close you are getting to being accurate. You can see the process below, from left to right; right side done, both sides done, detail of inner area after shaving, test fitting crown and tube.
Now that we have the inner crownguard profile finished we need to look at the outer edges. In this example case we have a profile that is far thicker than any of the genuine comparison shots that I have been using for this build, and this will vary from case to case, genuine to rep.
For the major re-shaping work I use a Dremel with a large coarse sanding drum. Don't worry, this is just for the major work but you still have to be very careful in not removing too much material or just messing up the shape. Take your time and constantly check your work.
Below we have the first tentative shaping of the tip of the crownguard. You can see that the diameter of the drum on the Dremel has caused some wear on the lower portion of the mid-case, but that's ok as we will be blending all of the work together. At the moment all you are looking for is the rough shape.
Now you can see the comparison between the unshaped crown guard on the right and the shaped one on the left.
And with both of them done. Again it is critical to compare against genuine pictures as well as continuing to test fit the crown and tube.
The next step is to take the smaller sanding drum and blend the crownguard with the side of the mid-case. If we don't do this it will end up all lumpy and definitely wont look good!
You can see here how the rough finish should look once you have blended the two areas.
So, now we have our crownguards essentially finished with the re-shaping. The next step is to have a look at the lug holes. I did a brief tutorial here; How to drill lug holes in a Rolex so I won't go too in depth with it. For this job I use my drill press (Clarke CDP151B 300W 5 Speed 13mm Professional Drill Press as well as various HSS drill bits. For this job I will be using 1.25mm HSS bits as per that initial lug holes tutorial. The key here is patience and accuracy as well as using the correct tools for the job. The end result will be nice straight lug holes expanded enough for gen spec 2mm bars.
The last major mid-case machine job is to re-work the seating for the gen spec tube. The setup is exactly the same as for the lug holes with the case clamped securely and more importantly perfectly level and vertical. For this job I use a 5.8mm HSS drill bit which I've found works well for creating the right bevel needed. As with the crownguard modifying it will probably take a few tries before you get the right amount of material removed from the case, just remember, you can remove metal but you cannot put it back! So take your time and test fit the crown tube to check how you are doing.
The end result is a nicely fitting crown tube and thus a crown at the correct height for the crownguards.
This last step is the most time consuming and can take up to a few hours per case. Time to get out the files and sandpaper to re-finish the sides of the case and remove all the tooling marks from our re-shaping. Again I will use the diamond files to remove any burrs or re-shape small portions of the case as needed before working with sandpaper. I use the diamond files and go over all the small sharp edges around the lugs to remove what is basically the new-ness of the case. A 40-50 year old case is not likely to have many sharp edges left. This doesn't need a lot, just a tiny amount to give it a bit of softening. The next step is to re-polish the whole case sides and crown guards. The best guide you can have is this one by Alvinado;
Rolex Case Polishing to restore the SHOWROOM LOOK!! by Alvinado
I use exactly the same technique as above and give it a final polish on my machine polisher (eBay Search: Polishing Kit 6" Bench Grinder) along with the green polishing rouge and a cotton polishing wheel. I won't go in to too many pictures of this stage as I said it is very time consuming and boring when re-working heavily tooled surfaces. I usually stick on some movies or TV whilst doing this.
Part 4: Case part wear.
Every modder is going to have a different technique for ageing parts. But you have the four main components to deal with; mid-case (as detailed above), case back, bezel and bracelet. With the mid-case done lets deal with the case back which is probably the easiest and quickest. As per the above tutorial by Alvinado we are looking at inducing some wear and then re-polishing. Again this is not a step that I document often so have little pictures for it. I generally use a diamond file or coarse grit (500) to remove the sharp edges from the edge of the case back, then I work over the entire back using ever finer sandpaper until we take it off to the polisher to shine it up. We don't want it looking perfect, but we want it to match the mid-case as well. If the caseback has engravings with dark paint you can remove the paint with a sharp blade or pointed implement and then continue to age as above.
You basically repeat this process with the bezel to induce some wear to the edges to show that it has been used over the long period that it has been around. We're not looking for massive gashes and thrown in a bucket of stones kind of wear, but just the gradual wear that comes from decades of being used daily.
The bracelet and clasp are slightly different in that we do not polish them at the end. The effect we are looking for is the wear from every day use and the little hairline scratches that appear as they come into contact with the world around us.
So in order to do this you need a few different processes. First of all use the diamond file on all of the sharp or rough edges on the clasp. Secondly take some 500-800 grit sandpaper and spend a lot of time working the clasp. This gives it the look of having been worn, restored and then worn again. Finally use some fine grit sandpaper to induce hairline scratches horizontally. You can repeat this process as many times as you want and even use scotchbrite pads at the end to return a good portion of the brushed finish to the bracelet and clasp.
The bracelet is exactly the same with the edges being softened and the links brushed/polished/given daily wear. It's also bloody difficult to capture this sort of subtle wear in pictures. But what it does is give authenticity to the bracelet. It's at this point that I also leave the bracelet links (not the clasp!) soaking in Teflon lube for a few days before cleaning with cold water and liquid soap using an old toothbrush to remove the excess residue. I just leave it hanging in a sandwich bag in my garage.
So this process could apply to anything you are trying to age subtly. The key points to aim for:
1: Remove all sharp edges - only takes a tiny bit of work with a file
2: Be believable - not likely to have massive dings on case and brand new bracelet
3: Consult genuine photographs
4: If you're not happy, start again or continue the process until you are!
Finally we can look at the bezel insert. If you are just using the bezel that came with the watch then it is an easy process to make it look better! The first step is to bleach until happy with the colour result. We covered the bleaching process in the first tutorial so lets see where we can take it from here. Well first step is making the bleaching look natural. If you look at a lot of genuine bezels you can pick out features that make the wear and ageing look believable, try to aim for that. In the example below I used some 1200 and 2000 grit sandpaper to wear at the edge of the bezel and create lighter areas.
On the left, straight out of the bleach, on the right, after re-working with fine grit paper
The next important step is making sure that the insert is sitting correctly in the bezel itself. It should be slightly recessed, enough that you can run the tip of your fingernail around the inside of the bezel lip. For this I again use the diamond files (see how useful they are!) and gently plane off some of the material on the underside of the insert. Make sure and do this on a flat surface or you risk warping the insert itself. You can also perform this process by running the insert over a flattened sheet of sandpaper but I find it much easier to control the removal of the metal doing this.
Always check the fit in the bezel and remove a little more if needed. As you can see this one just needs a little more taken off before it is perfect.
Again, if you remove a pearl you can re-attach at this point using some hypo cement. I have a tiny 0.5-1.2mm micro file that I use to broach or ream the pearl hole if needed.
Part 5: Dial / Hands/ Movement / Datewheel
For further information on movements assembly / dissembly you can visit: http://www.eta.ch/
Visit the Training Centre and then the SwissL@b for interactive tutorials.
Vintage replicas come with a variety of different movements but generally they are either ETA clones, Swiss movements or in some cases low beat reconditioned movements. We discussed before the removal of the stem and there are lots of tutorials on dealing with the keyless works. If you are unfortunate enough to disturb the keyless works on an ETA movement then you will have to reset them. Thankfully this is a relatively simple job as long as you have a set of fine screwdrivers and some fine tweezers to handle the parts.
The first step will be to remove the datewheel overlay. This should simply be a case of running a very fine scalpel underneath the overlay to unstick it from the ETA datewheel. You can see below the two parts that form the datewheel for Rolex reps.
Once you have removed the overlay you remove the screw holding down the Minute Train Bridge (circled in red) and then the Setting lever jumper to gain access to the keyless works. Be aware, as this was a noob mistake of my own. The small spring lever circled in red at the top of the keyless must be held in tension against the end of the Yoke in order to allow it to hold against the Sliding Pinion and Winding Pinion to allow hand winding. Otherwise it will continue to slip.
You can see the yoke at the top of the keyless works in this picture where it drapes across the Winding and Sliding pinion.
Continue to remove some of the gearing for the hands and you have complete access to the keyless to reset it.
Once re-set you will need to re-attach the datewheel overlay. You might want to do this just to re-align it should be not be correct upon arrival. Should that be the case using a small amount of Hypo-Cement (CousinsUK Hypo Cement) you add 4-5 small dots on the datewheel (once everything is back in place on the movement) and then sit the DWO down on top. You can roughly align everything central without the dial but best bet is to fit the dial and then adjust the DWO as needed. You might have to do this a few times in order to get it perfectly aligned. Unfortunately not every datewheel is perfectly printed so you might have to sacrifice a few dates being slightly mis-aligned.
Sometimes the stock rep dial is not good enough. Your aftermarket options are pretty varied. You can get aftermarket dials and hands from;
www.yukiwatch.com / www.ingod44.com / www.jewelryandwatch.com / www.ndtradingcorp.com
Of course you will sometimes have to change from Rolex feet positions to ETA feet positions. There are a couple of solutions, you can add dial tape or dots to allow you to stick the dial to the movement;
HOW TO: Replace broken dial feet with dial stickers by Co-Axial
Or there is another option to attach new dial feet to your dial;
DIY New dial feet to fit a dial made for other movement
Once you have everything back together and working you can refer back to my other tutorial for fitting hands back on a movement using hand pushers.
Here are a few great tutorials for working with the keyless works on clone movements that I have used in the past:
Release mechanism tutorial and how i fix them by rbj69
ETA 2836-2 Keyless Works by Dustin
ETA/Clone 2836 Keyless and DW with DWO install [Video] by Rick914
Part 6: Re-assembly
Prior to re-assembly I've started cleaning everything in my Ultrasonic cleaner just to make sure I have removed all of the milling, grinding, polishing residue from the parts before assembly. You can do the same just by washing it all with liquid soap and an old toothbrush to get into all the nooks and crannies.
So we've got most of our work done, lets have a look at putting everything back together. In some cases this is easy, in others, not so much. The first job should be to install the crystal on the case. If you are using the old crystal from the rep then there should be no issues, if you are using a new one, Sternkreuz or Clark then there might be issues with fitment. First of all get everything prepped and your workstation clean. It is at this point you want absolutely no oil, dirt, grit or contaminants near your parts. I also use cheap finger cots (CousinsUK Finger Cots) when handing everything from this part onwards to avoid finger prints and oils contamination.
If you're lucky your crystal will fit over the rehaut first time. It should be tight but not over-tight, and of course definitely not loose! You can choose to sand down the outer portion of the rehaut with sandpaper or sand the inner diameter of the crystal in order to get it to fit. Another option is to put the case in the freezer for a period of time where it will contract slightly. Although be aware that when it warms up again and expands it might crack the crystal.
Once the crystal is on, now comes the fun part. The retaining ring in an ideal world should fit over the crystal tightly enough to provide a seal against the case, but not so tight that you cannot fit it at all. As in the case below you can see the different in diameter between the rep and gen spec crystals.
Here we have the retaining ring unable to make contact with the case.
Outer diameter of the new crystal
Inner diameter of the retaining ring
And the outer diameter of the old crystal which was slightly smaller
It's at this point we have to get a bit more creative with our solutions. You can take your time over this step if you wish. Using sandpaper will get you there although it will take time, using a dremel is ok but you need to be very careful over removing too much metal from inside the retaining ring. In an ideal world you would do this on a hobby lathe. I clamp mine lightly into a vice with rubber clamps and slowly work it with a dremel and a sanding drum.
Once you have the correct fit you can press the retaining ring back to the case. Remembering to put on the rubber gasket if it was fitted with one. The retaining ring will be tight to fit, I use a 1" wide pair of flat nose pliers and wrap the case in 2-3 layers of cloth. This allows you to press down on the retaining ring without damaging or scratching the case.
This is another option:
How to install tight bezels. Rolex type. by Ronin
Of course not all of the bezel assemblies deal with just a retaining ring and a crystal. You also have those with the clear gasket. But the system is the same, you just need to be a lot more careful over replacing and fitting the retaining ring.
Now that we have our crystal in place and retaining ring fitted we can fit the crown tube using a little Loctite 222 (or stronger if you wish).
At this point you can also fit the bezel if you desire. It should be a simple case of snapping this down on to the retaining ring along with the tension spring (should it have one). Once that is installed you simple add some small dots of Hypo cement to the top of the bezel and install the insert.
Gather the parts you need for installing the movement, crown, and stem etc.
A good tip is to get some compressed air and use it to blow any particles of dust from the case and movement prior to assembly, you can also use a small amount of CLEAN rodico to remove specs from the crystal and dial. I emphasise clean because the last thing you want to do is induce oil or anything else to the dial or crystal. If this does happen you can clean the inside of the crystal with some alcohol wipes.
Compressed Air canister
Antiseptic wipes
Rodico
Installing the dial and movement into the watch is discussed in the previous tutorial so I won't go further into detail on the subject as it is fairly straightforward.
Part 7: Final touches
The only things left to do is to test the watch. There are DIY options for both timegraphers and waterproof testers. But you can also see Alan (Username: Offshore) who runs our resident watch parts store Watch Bitz Section
[How to] Crystal sealing and waterproofing by Wiz
Waterproof or not?: Guide to helping your reps survive water by gioarmani7428
Not another home made pressure tester.... by frigpig
Pressure testing to 5 atm with home made tester by KBH
HOW TO: Adjust your rep's timing and beat by gioarmani7428
DIY Build Your Own Movement Analyzer (Timing Machine) For Under $30! by 14060 or 16610?
Hopefully by the end of this process you have a lovely watch to wear!
This is a guide I've been meaning to put together for a while regarding some of the more advanced techniques and parts that help you take your modding to the next level. In the first tutorial that I did (How to age your Vintage Rolex (Bonesey style)) we looked at modifying a cheaper big crown submariner. In that topic we discussed every step from taking your watch apart and modifying, then re-assembly. Now lets have a look at modifying some of the more advanced vintage Rolex replicas and some of the techniques that are part of the black art of modifying and working on vintage pieces.
For any techniques that I have already explained I will just refer to the original thread to avoid taking up un-needed space in this thread.
I will try to explain all of the processes and parts needed and where available I will link to sites and eBay shops that can help you get what you need. For tools there are a myriad of suppliers. Within the UK you can use;
CousinsUK or RedRooster eBay store
Part 1: Get organised and be tidy.
One of the key parts of working on a watch is tidiness and cleanliness. Not everyone can have a dedicated workspace in the house for working on watches but if you do, keep it clean and tidy. This helps avoid losing parts or just losing your way when working on a few different projects at once. One of the easiest ways of keeping this straight is using compartmentalised storage systems available through almost any DIY / hobby and watch supply store (RedRooster eBay store - Parts Containers). Get a good mat to work on CousinsUK Mats. I use two, I have a heavy duty hobbyist mat for modding and dirty work, and then a Bergeon 6808 (CousinsUK Ref; M0964) anti static clean mat for working on movements. This helps rule out any cross contamination from metal particles etc. I also use a small ridged mat (CousinsUK Ref; M31429) at the side of my bench for my most used tools as well as a screwdriver stand. This means that as you get more used to working at your bench you know where everything is. You can grab things by instinct.
Part 2: Breaking down the watch.
You can refer to the original thread regarding removing the bracelet, I will say however that investing in a good springbar tool is a good move. I am currently using two different tools with both fine and slightly larger forks on them. The finer one is the Bergeon No 6767-F (Bergeon 6767F (Cousins Ref: LO940). But at the end of the day, any fine tool that you can poke down a lug hole will get you the same result as these tools.
The second important thing is being able to open your watch. Depending on how tough the watch is to open I use either a sticky ball (eBay search "sticky ball case opener") or the Bergeon Rolex case back dies (Rolex Oyster Case Opener, Bergeon 5537 - CousinsUK Ref; C0314 ).
You can refer to the original thread as well as multiple others for removing the stem on different movements. My first thread dealt with DG series movements, for this we will focus on ETA based reps. To remove the stem on a clone or ETA fitted watch simply leave the stem in the winding position and use a small screwdriver, 1.2mm is best, and press lightly whilst pulling on the stem. You can see the stem release circled in red in the picture below.
Once that is done continue to remove the movement from the watch and break everything down into parts. Most of the good reps will have a brass movement ring keeping the movement in place. Just place the hands/dial and small parts in a parts holder or tray for working on later.
The next step is to remove the bezel assembly from the case. There is no hard and fast rule as to which assembly is going to be on which watch. You have everything from paperclip style retention to full on gen spec assembly and everything in between. One of the tools that is worth investing in is the bezel remover. You can pick these up on eBay for just over $100 USD (Rolex Bezel Remover). If you are in doubt over what construction your watch has, the best thing is to attempt to remove the bezel insert first. This allows you to see how the watch is put together.
You can see here now that the bezel assembly is off we have the crystal retaining ring.You can remove this by slowly working it off with either a caseback knife or a razor blade (be damn careful not to slip and hurt yourself!) and just slid it off the case. In some cases there will be a gasket underneath this retaining ring, just store that someplace safe and try not to damage it.
Once you have the bezel off it's simply a case of determining the construction of your watch. In most cases simply using a caseback knife or other sharp tool to remove the crystal retaining ring will be the answer. So here's the bezel assembly for an old school MBK 1680 rep. You have the mid case, the crystal retaining ring, the spring washer and the bezel itself.
Here is the assembly for a Cartel 1680 and you can see it is slightly different with a gasket in between the retaining ring and the crystal.
Now we're going to remove the crown tube. You can use several different methods depending on what tools you have available and if you intend on using the tube again. If you're not going to use it again you can just use a pair of pliers to grip it and rotate counter clockwise. If you want to keep it or use it again then you can use a rat tail file or screw extractor. I use a Kobalt #1 Screw Extractor. But any similar tool will do the same job.
You can also read about replacing crown tubes in JMBs thread: Easy Rolex Type Crown and Tube Replacement by JMB
Part 3: Mid-case modifying.
Here I want to talk about the different steps we can take when doing the most commonly accepted tasks for a vintage watch. Crownguards, genuine crown and tube combos and drilled lug holes. First up lets deal with the crown and tube installation. My work process is as follows;
1: Remove old crown tube
2: Re-tap threads in case
3: Test fit gen spec crown tube
4: Modify crownguards
5: Drill Lug holes
6: Machine bevel to accommodate gen tube
7: Re-finish mid-case
When you are dealing with 99% of reps you will find that they won't accept genuine parts without at least a little modification. The biggest difference between the rep and genuine tubes is the profile in transition between the portion that screws into the case and the portion that the crown screws on to. It has an angle where most reps are either a slight countersink or just flat. You can see this on the image below from the MBK 1680.
So this means that we have to add our own countersunk area. I will come to this in a minute when I talk about using the drill press. Below we can see the profile of the gen crown tube as well as the assembly of the gaskets. You can see how the profile of the gen crown tube differs from the rep tubes which tend to have a flat base to the upper portion of the crown tube.
To re-tap the case requires a tapping tool. The correct tool in question is a HSS Ground Tap M3 x 0.35 which can be bought on eBay pretty easily (eBay search: HSS Ground Tap M3 x 0.35). I used the handle from a hobby tool set which will accomodate a square fitting found on the end of the tap to hold it securely. Now in some cases the size of the tube hole in the case is not the correct size. Notice in the above diagram that the total outer diameter of the lower crown tube is 3mm including the threads. If needed you can drill out the case using the drill press with a 2.7mm HSS drill bit (eBay Search: HSS Metal High Speed Steel Drill Bit 2.7mm). You then re-tap the case as per the below picture. It is best to re-cut the threads in stages, work the tapping tool a little into the case, re-tract to allow any metal particles to move clear and then re-work the case until cut all the way through.
In the below picture you can see the tools I use in fitting genuine spec crown tubes. The tap, inserted through the case, and also the crown tube fitting tool. This is a special tool designed for Rolex tubes and in my opinion an essential tool when dealing with them. Any other tool you risk damaging the internal structure of the crown tube. None of the eBay tools that I bought for the same job worked properly so I can recommend spending the few extra bucks and getting a decent one from a reputable supplier.
CousinsUK 3.0mm Internal Spline tool - last pic
Now that we have re-tapped the case we can see how well (or not well) the genuine tube fits the case at this present time. You can see below that the tube sticks up proud of the case and that the crown has a definite gap between it and a the mid-case. So we will need to modify and countersink the case to allow correct fitment.
The next step is the crownguard modifying. One some reps only the inner crownguard area needs modifying but in most cases the exterior does as well. This could be if the crownguards are too tall, or perhaps too fat. The simplest way of modifying the inner crownguard area is to use diamond files. Of course this process must be done without the crown tube in place to allow you easy access to the inner crownguard area. This is the exact tool set that I bought and they are perfect for most case re-shaping jobs (eBay link: 10pc Diamond Needle File Set) but you will find many more similar items in hobby shops as well.
The key to trimming crownguards is patience and accuracy. Your best bet is to Google search for images of the genuine watch and then try to match as much as possible. You will need to keep re-checking with the crown and tube to see how close you are getting to being accurate. You can see the process below, from left to right; right side done, both sides done, detail of inner area after shaving, test fitting crown and tube.
Now that we have the inner crownguard profile finished we need to look at the outer edges. In this example case we have a profile that is far thicker than any of the genuine comparison shots that I have been using for this build, and this will vary from case to case, genuine to rep.
For the major re-shaping work I use a Dremel with a large coarse sanding drum. Don't worry, this is just for the major work but you still have to be very careful in not removing too much material or just messing up the shape. Take your time and constantly check your work.
Below we have the first tentative shaping of the tip of the crownguard. You can see that the diameter of the drum on the Dremel has caused some wear on the lower portion of the mid-case, but that's ok as we will be blending all of the work together. At the moment all you are looking for is the rough shape.
Now you can see the comparison between the unshaped crown guard on the right and the shaped one on the left.
And with both of them done. Again it is critical to compare against genuine pictures as well as continuing to test fit the crown and tube.
The next step is to take the smaller sanding drum and blend the crownguard with the side of the mid-case. If we don't do this it will end up all lumpy and definitely wont look good!
You can see here how the rough finish should look once you have blended the two areas.
So, now we have our crownguards essentially finished with the re-shaping. The next step is to have a look at the lug holes. I did a brief tutorial here; How to drill lug holes in a Rolex so I won't go too in depth with it. For this job I use my drill press (Clarke CDP151B 300W 5 Speed 13mm Professional Drill Press as well as various HSS drill bits. For this job I will be using 1.25mm HSS bits as per that initial lug holes tutorial. The key here is patience and accuracy as well as using the correct tools for the job. The end result will be nice straight lug holes expanded enough for gen spec 2mm bars.
The last major mid-case machine job is to re-work the seating for the gen spec tube. The setup is exactly the same as for the lug holes with the case clamped securely and more importantly perfectly level and vertical. For this job I use a 5.8mm HSS drill bit which I've found works well for creating the right bevel needed. As with the crownguard modifying it will probably take a few tries before you get the right amount of material removed from the case, just remember, you can remove metal but you cannot put it back! So take your time and test fit the crown tube to check how you are doing.
The end result is a nicely fitting crown tube and thus a crown at the correct height for the crownguards.
This last step is the most time consuming and can take up to a few hours per case. Time to get out the files and sandpaper to re-finish the sides of the case and remove all the tooling marks from our re-shaping. Again I will use the diamond files to remove any burrs or re-shape small portions of the case as needed before working with sandpaper. I use the diamond files and go over all the small sharp edges around the lugs to remove what is basically the new-ness of the case. A 40-50 year old case is not likely to have many sharp edges left. This doesn't need a lot, just a tiny amount to give it a bit of softening. The next step is to re-polish the whole case sides and crown guards. The best guide you can have is this one by Alvinado;
Rolex Case Polishing to restore the SHOWROOM LOOK!! by Alvinado
I use exactly the same technique as above and give it a final polish on my machine polisher (eBay Search: Polishing Kit 6" Bench Grinder) along with the green polishing rouge and a cotton polishing wheel. I won't go in to too many pictures of this stage as I said it is very time consuming and boring when re-working heavily tooled surfaces. I usually stick on some movies or TV whilst doing this.
Part 4: Case part wear.
Every modder is going to have a different technique for ageing parts. But you have the four main components to deal with; mid-case (as detailed above), case back, bezel and bracelet. With the mid-case done lets deal with the case back which is probably the easiest and quickest. As per the above tutorial by Alvinado we are looking at inducing some wear and then re-polishing. Again this is not a step that I document often so have little pictures for it. I generally use a diamond file or coarse grit (500) to remove the sharp edges from the edge of the case back, then I work over the entire back using ever finer sandpaper until we take it off to the polisher to shine it up. We don't want it looking perfect, but we want it to match the mid-case as well. If the caseback has engravings with dark paint you can remove the paint with a sharp blade or pointed implement and then continue to age as above.
You basically repeat this process with the bezel to induce some wear to the edges to show that it has been used over the long period that it has been around. We're not looking for massive gashes and thrown in a bucket of stones kind of wear, but just the gradual wear that comes from decades of being used daily.
The bracelet and clasp are slightly different in that we do not polish them at the end. The effect we are looking for is the wear from every day use and the little hairline scratches that appear as they come into contact with the world around us.
So in order to do this you need a few different processes. First of all use the diamond file on all of the sharp or rough edges on the clasp. Secondly take some 500-800 grit sandpaper and spend a lot of time working the clasp. This gives it the look of having been worn, restored and then worn again. Finally use some fine grit sandpaper to induce hairline scratches horizontally. You can repeat this process as many times as you want and even use scotchbrite pads at the end to return a good portion of the brushed finish to the bracelet and clasp.
The bracelet is exactly the same with the edges being softened and the links brushed/polished/given daily wear. It's also bloody difficult to capture this sort of subtle wear in pictures. But what it does is give authenticity to the bracelet. It's at this point that I also leave the bracelet links (not the clasp!) soaking in Teflon lube for a few days before cleaning with cold water and liquid soap using an old toothbrush to remove the excess residue. I just leave it hanging in a sandwich bag in my garage.
So this process could apply to anything you are trying to age subtly. The key points to aim for:
1: Remove all sharp edges - only takes a tiny bit of work with a file
2: Be believable - not likely to have massive dings on case and brand new bracelet
3: Consult genuine photographs
4: If you're not happy, start again or continue the process until you are!
Finally we can look at the bezel insert. If you are just using the bezel that came with the watch then it is an easy process to make it look better! The first step is to bleach until happy with the colour result. We covered the bleaching process in the first tutorial so lets see where we can take it from here. Well first step is making the bleaching look natural. If you look at a lot of genuine bezels you can pick out features that make the wear and ageing look believable, try to aim for that. In the example below I used some 1200 and 2000 grit sandpaper to wear at the edge of the bezel and create lighter areas.
On the left, straight out of the bleach, on the right, after re-working with fine grit paper
The next important step is making sure that the insert is sitting correctly in the bezel itself. It should be slightly recessed, enough that you can run the tip of your fingernail around the inside of the bezel lip. For this I again use the diamond files (see how useful they are!) and gently plane off some of the material on the underside of the insert. Make sure and do this on a flat surface or you risk warping the insert itself. You can also perform this process by running the insert over a flattened sheet of sandpaper but I find it much easier to control the removal of the metal doing this.
Always check the fit in the bezel and remove a little more if needed. As you can see this one just needs a little more taken off before it is perfect.
Again, if you remove a pearl you can re-attach at this point using some hypo cement. I have a tiny 0.5-1.2mm micro file that I use to broach or ream the pearl hole if needed.
Part 5: Dial / Hands/ Movement / Datewheel
For further information on movements assembly / dissembly you can visit: http://www.eta.ch/
Visit the Training Centre and then the SwissL@b for interactive tutorials.
Vintage replicas come with a variety of different movements but generally they are either ETA clones, Swiss movements or in some cases low beat reconditioned movements. We discussed before the removal of the stem and there are lots of tutorials on dealing with the keyless works. If you are unfortunate enough to disturb the keyless works on an ETA movement then you will have to reset them. Thankfully this is a relatively simple job as long as you have a set of fine screwdrivers and some fine tweezers to handle the parts.
The first step will be to remove the datewheel overlay. This should simply be a case of running a very fine scalpel underneath the overlay to unstick it from the ETA datewheel. You can see below the two parts that form the datewheel for Rolex reps.
Once you have removed the overlay you remove the screw holding down the Minute Train Bridge (circled in red) and then the Setting lever jumper to gain access to the keyless works. Be aware, as this was a noob mistake of my own. The small spring lever circled in red at the top of the keyless must be held in tension against the end of the Yoke in order to allow it to hold against the Sliding Pinion and Winding Pinion to allow hand winding. Otherwise it will continue to slip.
You can see the yoke at the top of the keyless works in this picture where it drapes across the Winding and Sliding pinion.
Continue to remove some of the gearing for the hands and you have complete access to the keyless to reset it.
Once re-set you will need to re-attach the datewheel overlay. You might want to do this just to re-align it should be not be correct upon arrival. Should that be the case using a small amount of Hypo-Cement (CousinsUK Hypo Cement) you add 4-5 small dots on the datewheel (once everything is back in place on the movement) and then sit the DWO down on top. You can roughly align everything central without the dial but best bet is to fit the dial and then adjust the DWO as needed. You might have to do this a few times in order to get it perfectly aligned. Unfortunately not every datewheel is perfectly printed so you might have to sacrifice a few dates being slightly mis-aligned.
Sometimes the stock rep dial is not good enough. Your aftermarket options are pretty varied. You can get aftermarket dials and hands from;
www.yukiwatch.com / www.ingod44.com / www.jewelryandwatch.com / www.ndtradingcorp.com
Of course you will sometimes have to change from Rolex feet positions to ETA feet positions. There are a couple of solutions, you can add dial tape or dots to allow you to stick the dial to the movement;
HOW TO: Replace broken dial feet with dial stickers by Co-Axial
Or there is another option to attach new dial feet to your dial;
DIY New dial feet to fit a dial made for other movement
Once you have everything back together and working you can refer back to my other tutorial for fitting hands back on a movement using hand pushers.
Here are a few great tutorials for working with the keyless works on clone movements that I have used in the past:
Release mechanism tutorial and how i fix them by rbj69
ETA 2836-2 Keyless Works by Dustin
ETA/Clone 2836 Keyless and DW with DWO install [Video] by Rick914
Part 6: Re-assembly
Prior to re-assembly I've started cleaning everything in my Ultrasonic cleaner just to make sure I have removed all of the milling, grinding, polishing residue from the parts before assembly. You can do the same just by washing it all with liquid soap and an old toothbrush to get into all the nooks and crannies.
So we've got most of our work done, lets have a look at putting everything back together. In some cases this is easy, in others, not so much. The first job should be to install the crystal on the case. If you are using the old crystal from the rep then there should be no issues, if you are using a new one, Sternkreuz or Clark then there might be issues with fitment. First of all get everything prepped and your workstation clean. It is at this point you want absolutely no oil, dirt, grit or contaminants near your parts. I also use cheap finger cots (CousinsUK Finger Cots) when handing everything from this part onwards to avoid finger prints and oils contamination.
If you're lucky your crystal will fit over the rehaut first time. It should be tight but not over-tight, and of course definitely not loose! You can choose to sand down the outer portion of the rehaut with sandpaper or sand the inner diameter of the crystal in order to get it to fit. Another option is to put the case in the freezer for a period of time where it will contract slightly. Although be aware that when it warms up again and expands it might crack the crystal.
Once the crystal is on, now comes the fun part. The retaining ring in an ideal world should fit over the crystal tightly enough to provide a seal against the case, but not so tight that you cannot fit it at all. As in the case below you can see the different in diameter between the rep and gen spec crystals.
Here we have the retaining ring unable to make contact with the case.
Outer diameter of the new crystal
Inner diameter of the retaining ring
And the outer diameter of the old crystal which was slightly smaller
It's at this point we have to get a bit more creative with our solutions. You can take your time over this step if you wish. Using sandpaper will get you there although it will take time, using a dremel is ok but you need to be very careful over removing too much metal from inside the retaining ring. In an ideal world you would do this on a hobby lathe. I clamp mine lightly into a vice with rubber clamps and slowly work it with a dremel and a sanding drum.
Once you have the correct fit you can press the retaining ring back to the case. Remembering to put on the rubber gasket if it was fitted with one. The retaining ring will be tight to fit, I use a 1" wide pair of flat nose pliers and wrap the case in 2-3 layers of cloth. This allows you to press down on the retaining ring without damaging or scratching the case.
This is another option:
How to install tight bezels. Rolex type. by Ronin
Of course not all of the bezel assemblies deal with just a retaining ring and a crystal. You also have those with the clear gasket. But the system is the same, you just need to be a lot more careful over replacing and fitting the retaining ring.
Now that we have our crystal in place and retaining ring fitted we can fit the crown tube using a little Loctite 222 (or stronger if you wish).
At this point you can also fit the bezel if you desire. It should be a simple case of snapping this down on to the retaining ring along with the tension spring (should it have one). Once that is installed you simple add some small dots of Hypo cement to the top of the bezel and install the insert.
Gather the parts you need for installing the movement, crown, and stem etc.
A good tip is to get some compressed air and use it to blow any particles of dust from the case and movement prior to assembly, you can also use a small amount of CLEAN rodico to remove specs from the crystal and dial. I emphasise clean because the last thing you want to do is induce oil or anything else to the dial or crystal. If this does happen you can clean the inside of the crystal with some alcohol wipes.
Compressed Air canister
Antiseptic wipes
Rodico
Installing the dial and movement into the watch is discussed in the previous tutorial so I won't go further into detail on the subject as it is fairly straightforward.
Part 7: Final touches
The only things left to do is to test the watch. There are DIY options for both timegraphers and waterproof testers. But you can also see Alan (Username: Offshore) who runs our resident watch parts store Watch Bitz Section
[How to] Crystal sealing and waterproofing by Wiz
Waterproof or not?: Guide to helping your reps survive water by gioarmani7428
Not another home made pressure tester.... by frigpig
Pressure testing to 5 atm with home made tester by KBH
HOW TO: Adjust your rep's timing and beat by gioarmani7428
DIY Build Your Own Movement Analyzer (Timing Machine) For Under $30! by 14060 or 16610?
Hopefully by the end of this process you have a lovely watch to wear!
