Removing Rolex 1520 and fitting ETA to an Air-King 5500

[HawkZero]

Hi all,

So I picked this little number up as I need a 1520 movement for a project. Would it have been the standard air king with the silver dial, I would have had no issue moving it on as parts, but this grey dial is really quite gorgeous , appearing to be rare for these. Yes, it's a little rough around the edges, around the lume plots, but still very attractive and reminds me of an old Tudor Monarch I had around the time I first started collecting but sold on. Boring story aside, I'd like to at least put something back inside it and maybe wear it on occasion, though I do like to wear watches with gen movements inside (reason for buying it) so I may end up selling to one of you lovely lot on here in the near future. I would like to put an ETA inside, I have seen in order to have a more accurate low beat movement, I'd be looking at an ETA 245X? Would there be anything else needed to get the movement inside, any specific spacers, does the movement fit the dial, etc?

Thanks

 

[Drummania]

Those hands won't fit ETA. I doubt you can get rep ETA hands that look like those.

 

[alligoat]

I think an eta 2824-2 will fit with a movement spacer. I don't know about an earlier eta movement- you'd have to study ranfft:
http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&2&2uswk
and then find a used movement and probably have it serviced. I'd be inclined to just use the 2824-2.
Hands shouldn't be that hard to find

 

[yodog]

done plenty, you need a movement spacer H4 pinions if you want it to look right

 

[yodog]

done plenty, you need a movement spacer H4 pinions if you want it to look right and eta hands

 

[HawkZero]

done plenty, you need a movement spacer H4 pinions if you want it to look right and eta hands

Sounds good, so a H4 kit like THIS would work? And Raffle's spacer will work as 34mm case?

Does the dial fit the 2824 without modification? And the crown fits as well?

Then just to find a movement and hands

Thanks!

 

[pompompurin]

i built plenty of 1002 and 5500 (both uses the same case in the gen world, except the 1002 uses a cosc-spec movement) without H4 and using startime/ JKhorological long hands, but you have to be very very precise.

If you are going to build a 5500 using that stock gen dial, i recommend not using that stock gen dial because installing a 2824-2 movement would most certainly require you to chop the dial feet off (thus rendering the gen dial worthless).

Instead, i recommend you to use the gen air king case set to build a 5500 explorer (using vietnam 5500 explorer dial + ETA mercedes hands)

For your inspiration -> https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...perpetual-gen-case-set-eta-2824-movement-34mm

 

[Docrolex]

Most straightforward approach in my opinion would be: take the movement out and store the rest safely. Dont mess up the dial and hands with a build you would never wear with joy. When sometimes in the future you will change your mind and start to sell your watches, just take the 1520 out of the replica ( in future maybe become illegal) and put it back and have a classy, easy to sell gen. Rolex which will for sure increase in value. Just my five cents. When you like Submariners, you will never enjoy the too small 34 mm watch.

 

[HawkZero]

Most straightforward approach in my opinion would be: take the movement out and store the rest safely. Dont mess up the dial and hands with a build you would never wear with joy. When sometimes in the future you will change your mind and start to sell your watches, just take the 1520 out of the replica ( in future maybe become illegal) and put it back and have a classy, easy to sell gen. Rolex which will for sure increase in value. Just my five cents. When you like Submariners, you will never enjoy the too small 34 mm watch.

I think this is the route I may be taking, the last thing I ever wanted to do was to chop up gen dials etc.