My Love Letter To The OP39 - Super Franken Build

[Onepickledginger]

Hey All,

Picked up an ARF Oyster Perpetual 39 Rhodium about two years ago and realized I had missed some issues during QC. Decided to fix this with a gen dial and things snowballed from there.

Build details:

​​​​​​-ARF Base
-Gen Dial
-Gen Hands
-Gen Crystal
-Gen Crown

-VS3130 Movement with gen balance, gen keyless, gen winding assembly, and gen 3132 plates.

Album from servicing:
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/uxnxlw

I love how this one flies under the radar. I've worn it many times over the years and not once has anyone noticed it's a Rolex. The blue pops of color on the dial make this dressy gray watch more casual and playful. The ARF bracelet is second to only gen and this one feels solid. Case is nicely finished, though I suppose it could spring for a professional polish at some point. All in all, I feel like I'm getting 99% of the wearing experience for about 25% of the cost.

Was it dumb frankening a NWBIG watch? Perhaps. Do I regret it? Not even a little bit. Feel free to ask any questions or drop a comment.

 

[GGEuroHEADSHOT]

That’s beautiful, you’re right about it flying under the radar at first glance I thought it was a VC!

 

[Rollie_nut]

Beautiful

 

[Kcnminus]

Amazing! I've done the same for an explorer as well. It's gorgeous - I hope it give you many more years of joy.

 

[bigkat725]

This is such a cool dial that I never realized was made. What year(s) and reference was this from? Also, do you mind me asking what a build like this costs? I only ask because you have a fair number of gen parts. In fact it seems like apart from the case and base movement, this is predominantly a real Rolex.

 

[Kcnminus]

This is such a cool dial that I never realized was made. What year(s) and reference was this from? Also, do you mind me asking what a build like this costs? I only ask because you have a fair number of gen parts. In fact it seems like apart from the case and base movement, this is predominantly a real Rolex.

Not the OP, but I'd wager the visible parts are probably around $11-1500 depending on when and where he sourced them, and the movement parts are probably $12-1500. This is pretty heavily dependent on the time the mods took place, as parts have increased greatly in price over the last couple of years. The balance assembly alone is roughly ~$800-1000 nowadays NIB.

 

[5digit4ever]

I’ve always loved the rhodium OP39s. Yours is gorgeous!

 

[Onepickledginger]

Not the OP, but I'd wager the visible parts are probably around $11-1500 depending on when and where he sourced them, and the movement parts are probably $12-1500. This is pretty heavily dependent on the time the mods took place, as parts have increased greatly in price over the last couple of years. The balance assembly alone is roughly ~$800-1000 nowadays NIB.

For reference parts were sourced in 2019-2020
-Dial $320
-Crystal(sealed) $300
-Crown $50
-Hands $0 (gift from watchmaker)
-VS 3130 $500(bought VSF 114060-need to sell parts)
-Balance, Bridge, Keyless, Winding, Plate $1250
-Labor $500

 

[Onepickledginger]

Amazing! I've done the same for an explorer as well. It's gorgeous - I hope it give you many more years of joy.

My only 100% gen Rolex is a 214270 I picked up from an AD pre pandemic abroad (below MSRP with the exchange rate). It's a fantastic watch.

 

[Onepickledginger]

This is such a cool dial that I never realized was made. What year(s) and reference was this from? Also, do you mind me asking what a build like this costs? I only ask because you have a fair number of gen parts. In fact it seems like apart from the case and base movement, this is predominantly a real Rolex.

114300 Rhodium. Reference was discontinued in 2020. Cost breakdown is below, but around $3000.

 

[Touchs]

Amazing build ! is the crystal worth swapping? How does the gen compared to the arf/jf?

 

[r0b9502]

I love how this one flies under the radar. I've worn it many times over the years and not once has anyone noticed it's a Rolex.

You are correct on that. I can wear my JF grape on my forehead, out and about, and nobody notices

All in all, I feel like I'm getting 99% of the wearing experience for about 25% of the cost.

Completely wrong, without any frankening, or even without even wearing the watch, you would get 100% feeling of gen

Was it dumb frankening a NWBIG watch? Perhaps. Do I regret it? Not even a little bit. Feel free to ask any questions or drop a comment.

Here, I will refrain from commenting

 

[Onepickledginger]

Amazing build ! is the crystal worth swapping? How does the gen compared to the arf/jf?

A bit better clarity than the ARF crystal. Was about the only thing left to swap out so I did it.

 

[ciaoman21]

Franken fantastique... Aujourd'hui, il est difficile de trouver un rodhium 114300 d'occasion...
i'm jalous

 

[vicad]

Your build is amazing! I aim doing the same but struggling to find parts, especially the hands are nowhere to be found.

 

[Onepickledginger]

Your build is amazing! I aim doing the same but struggling to find parts, especially the hands are nowhere to be found.

Thanks! It was a painstaking process to find all the parts. I was only able to acquire the crown and hands because my previous watchmaker had Rolex parts access until 2021. I tried for a couple years to find a gen 3132, but gave up and settled for a heavily frankened VS3130 wearing gen 3132 plates.

 

[Onepickledginger]

[FOR SALE] - Superfranken 114300

forum.replica-watch.info

 

[LazardLizard]

Awesome build - think the OP 39mm is hood material for a Franken given the base looks nearly1:1 already.

 

[Nextlevel-1050]

Hey All,

Picked up an ARF Oyster Perpetual 39 Rhodium about two years ago and realized I had missed some issues during QC. Decided to fix this with a gen dial and things snowballed from there.

Build details:

-ARF Base
-Gen Dial
-Gen Hands
-Gen Crystal
-Gen Crown

-VS3130 Movement with gen balance, gen keyless, gen winding assembly, and gen 3132 plates.

Album from servicing:
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/uxnxlw

I love how this one flies under the radar. I've worn it many times over the years and not once has anyone noticed it's a Rolex. The blue pops of color on the dial make this dressy gray watch more casual and playful. The ARF bracelet is second to only gen and this one feels solid. Case is nicely finished, though I suppose it could spring for a professional polish at some point. All in all, I feel like I'm getting 99% of the wearing experience for about 25% of the cost.

Was it dumb frankening a NWBIG watch? Perhaps. Do I regret it? Not even a little bit. Feel free to ask any questions or drop a comment.

It looks amazing! A very good job. Wear in good health!

 

[Onepickledginger]

It looks amazing! A very good job. Wear in good health!

Was sold to @Houstonanonymous8 unfortunately. Needed the cash and cut the collection down a little bit. My hope is that it is getting the wrist time it deserves!