-
Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!
"The Official Big Crown Club" - post your pics!
- Thread starter GC
- Start date
lol what? It's pretty easy to tell that that is the regular style of 6538 bezel. The A/6538 bezel would need to be custom made, and only a couple people like manodeoro have been crazy enough to attempt it
I was trying to be polite, and giving him the benefit of the doubt instead of just calling out the wrong bezel! ha ha!
Actually, I saw this watch a few months ago over on Repgeek. Killowatour(sp?) posted it after he built it for the member.
- 7/7/18
- 1,695
- 1,382
- 113
I was trying to be polite, and giving him the benefit of the doubt instead of just calling out the wrong bezel! ha ha!
https://images.app.goo.gl/7ZGd2keBNfXqr2MF9
this was the main inspiration for the build.
I was trying to be polite, and giving him the benefit of the doubt instead of just calling out the wrong bezel! ha ha!
I’m not sure if it’s the wrong bezel though, it’s more about not being a 6538/A milsub but a very rare 4 liner 6538.
But of course I’m might be wrong here.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Speaking of bezels, what is the verdict on WSO no hashmark inserts? They look pretty good to me.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
jimcon11
Known Member
- 25/6/17
- 159
- 97
- 0
jimcon11
Known Member
- 25/6/17
- 159
- 97
- 0
Well, that looks like a computer graphic to me. I certainly wouldn't expect it to be as good as the Phong one, which is at least close to being right.
I think you said you're going to go with a silix or HR build, both of those cases use an oversized bezel and insert so your options may be limited to what comes with the case.
I think you said you're going to go with a silix or HR build, both of those cases use an oversized bezel and insert so your options may be limited to what comes with the case.
Last edited:
I bought one of those wso bezels about a year ago and the diameter was too large for the Vietnam/gen sized bezel so it would fit in a silix bezel, the inner diameter was too small for a silix/cartel crystal tho so that would need enlarging, the wso red triangle insert is the smaller size
For those who aren't familiar, do a quick Google search of British Ministry of Defense (MOD) issued 6538a watches. It is very interesting to read about the modifications they made to the standard 6538 for their service members. These were custom modified watches, only for service members in the British military. One of the many mods they did when they received the stock watch from Rolex is they removed the standard bezel. Those bezels had very fine and flat lines for gripping. They were fine for civilians, but not when actually in use. Rolex made a brand new style of bezel specifically for the MOD so that when their divers were underwater and wearing diving gloves, they could actually turn the bezel. This bezel actually worked underwater as it was supposed to, and when Rolex stopped making the 6538 and started making the 5513, they used that new improved bezel design as standard. So we can thank the MOD for that improvement.
When the British military service members left the military and handed their watch back to the equipment people, the MOD removed that custom bezel and put the original one back onto the watch. So to see a genuine watch out in the wild with a military bezel is quite rare. Most were brought back to original stock.
This particular build would be absolutely correct as a de-commissioned piece. I was just implying that to make it even more spectacular, the military bezel could be used. It would take it from a very rare $100K gen to a who knows how rare and valuable gen! LOL
Thanks for the input on the WSO insert. As things stand now I’m gonna go for a silix build.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
jimcon11
Known Member
- 25/6/17
- 159
- 97
- 0
It's a Raffles 6204 minute hand but reshaped with a #11 blade... shortened, slimmed, lume plot widened.
I am nearing the end of my Silix 6538 build and curious which direction you all think I should go? I think the dial turned out to my liking given I did zero luming to it.
I am getting a new set of the big ball hands from Tiger Concepts but can mimic the corroded look like in the link below.
I have 4 different combinations I could go with:
1) Faded insert, shiny gilt like hands
2) Faded insert, corroded hands
3) New insert, shiny gilt like hands
4) New insert, corroded hands
Thoughts or next steps?
I am getting a new set of the big ball hands from Tiger Concepts but can mimic the corroded look like in the link below.
I have 4 different combinations I could go with:
1) Faded insert, shiny gilt like hands
2) Faded insert, corroded hands
3) New insert, shiny gilt like hands
4) New insert, corroded hands
Thoughts or next steps?
jimcon11
Known Member
- 25/6/17
- 159
- 97
- 0
I would go faded and corroded for that watch. Looks pretty good, next step would be decide if you want to push the limits of the Silix case or spring for a Viet case.
Pushing the limits of the Silix case means cutting chamfers, slimming the case down, installing an Athaya crown and tube (need to redrill the case), making a gilt dial... things like that
Last edited:
