Vintage Rolex Explorer Rep 1016 and others

[Tedlar]

So it seems most TDs have a vintage Sub or two and maybe a GMT, but that seems to be all anyone has - or am I just not looking in the right places? I sure wish I could find a vintage Explorer 1 like a 1016 or a few old DJ36s.

Anybody got suggestions on where to find these?

 

[alligoat]

The rep dealers have moved on to modern watches, so vintage Rolexes are hard to find. You can buy parts from rafflesdials.com and put one together yourself or buy the parts and find someone to put it together for you. Trustytime has a vintage 1016 but it isn't very accurate. You can visit the vintage watch section here and read more about vintage watches.

 

[Tedlar]

Thanks for the reply and the lead allgreat, I was beginning to think a good vintage reference might be something I’d basically have to build myself, which you kinda confirmed here - I guess that’s probly a good thing anyway and would make a finished project that much more interesting anyway

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

There are some excellent 1016 and vintage DJ build threads based on Raffles parts on this forum… easy enough that even I could follow along with my first 1016, next project will be a vintage DJ. The good thing about building and aging it yourself is that it becomes very much your own, storied watch.

 

[ToeKnee]

What’s the general consensus on the best rep 1016 dial that’s fits a gen 1570 movement?

 

[alligoat]

I'm not aware of any general consensus.
1. Gen dial- hideously expensive probably and hope you don't get scammed.
2. Vietnamese dial- the usual suspects- if you don't know them, keep reading, you'll figure out who they are eventually
3. Economical dials- may or may not fit a 1570 movement, like raffles dials.com, maybe ebay.
1016_idiot_savant's 1016 looks nice. I think it's an excellent starting point. Compared to the pic of a gen, I notice the lugs are too thick and the crown emblem on the dial is larger than the gen dial crown emblem, but no one's ever going to notice in the real world.
And it's an easily affordable watch.
Putting a gen 1570 in a watch is a big mistake, IMO. You'll end up with a rep watch with a gen movement. I can't see where you'll ever find a gen case and gen dials are also pretty scarce.

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

@alligoat thanks for the mention! Since the above picture, I have replaced the Raffles dial with a Yuki dial:

Next steps on this rep are as you mention: to slim the lugs and to source a more correct, narrow crown. This is the good thing about making your own rep - you can keep it as it is once you are satisfied with what you have, or keep learning and tweaking!

 

[ToeKnee]

I'm not aware of any general consensus.
1. Gen dial- hideously expensive probably and hope you don't get scammed.
2. Vietnamese dial- the usual suspects- if you don't know them, keep reading, you'll figure out who they are eventually
3. Economical dials- may or may not fit a 1570 movement, like raffles dials.com, maybe ebay.
1016_idiot_savant's 1016 looks nice. I think it's an excellent starting point. Compared to the pic of a gen, I notice the lugs are too thick and the crown emblem on the dial is larger than the gen dial crown emblem, but no one's ever going to notice in the real world.
And it's an easily affordable watch.
Putting a gen 1570 in a watch is a big mistake, IMO. You'll end up with a rep watch with a gen movement. I can't see where you'll ever find a gen case and gen dials are also pretty scarce.

I actually own a gen 1016. I bought it about a year ago but the dial is awful. It was a service dial and it's damaged. I wanted to replace it with a gen dial but they are outrageously expensive. I'd be just as happy with a really good rep dial, thus my quest for a great rep that fits 1570 movement.

Thanks!

 

[LesImmortables]

@alligoat thanks for the mention! Since the above picture, I have replaced the Raffles dial with a Yuki dial:

Next steps on this rep are as you mention: to slim the lugs and to source a more correct, narrow crown. This is the good thing about making your own rep - you can keep it as it is once you are satisfied with what you have, or keep learning and tweaking!

Did you pick this up pre-mods from a TD or did you put it together yourself sourcing the parts and movement from different places?

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

Did you pick this up pre-mods from a TD or did you put it together yourself sourcing the parts and movement from different places?

It's an ongoing build I am making with sourced parts, starting here: https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/the-1016-the-under-appreciated-thread.8523377/post-11196532

 

[Pinion Minion]

@alligoat thanks for the mention! Since the above picture, I have replaced the Raffles dial with a Yuki dial:

Next steps on this rep are as you mention: to slim the lugs and to source a more correct, narrow crown. This is the good thing about making your own rep - you can keep it as it is once you are satisfied with what you have, or keep learning and tweaking!

Could you comment on the Yuki dial vs the Raffles dial? Is there a significant difference?

thanks

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

They are both pretty good, the Yuki is a little more correct with regard to the "ROPE" font used. I paid the extra for the Yuki mainly because of the more rounded 6 and 9 which I personally prefer, although the more straight-sided 6 and 9 are correct for some gen dials. In reality, no-one will notice, so it is up to personal preference whether or not to pay the extra for a Yuki dial:

 

[alligoat]

This is a 1016 I built 13-14 years ago.
Rolex 1601 case, LHOOQ dial relumed, 2824-2 Swiss eta, Mary's bracelet- 7836. Oh, JMB did the bezel, but he's retired now. Watch is WR which I really like.

 

[alligoat]

@ToeKnee- if you have a gen 1016, I'd certainly get a quote from Rolex to get a replacement dial. Don't know if they're available, but it would certainly beat putting a rep dial in there. Hope they're not too expensive and Rolex probably would want to service the watch which could easily run $1000, but at least your Rolex would be all 100% Rolex and you'd have the service papers to prove it should you ever decide to sell.

 

[ToeKnee]

@ToeKnee- if you have a gen 1016, I'd certainly get a quote from Rolex to get a replacement dial. Don't know if they're available, but it would certainly beat putting a rep dial in there. Hope they're not too expensive and Rolex probably would want to service the watch which could easily run $1000, but at least your Rolex would be all 100% Rolex and you'd have the service papers to prove it should you ever decide to sell.

I tried. They recently stopped serving the 1016. It's aged out I guess. They will do what they call "Vintage Service" which is much more expensive, but they won't replace the dial.

 

[LesImmortables]

It's an ongoing build I am making with sourced parts, starting here: https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/the-1016-the-under-appreciated-thread.8523377/post-11196532

right on, appreciate the link.

 

[Lego]

I tried. They recently stopped serving the 1016. It's aged out I guess. They will do what they call "Vintage Service" which is much more expensive, but they won't replace the dial.

What is the difference between a classic and a vintage service? Did they give you more details?

 

[ToeKnee]

What is the difference between a classic and a vintage service? Did they give you more details?

They said certain watches “age out” of normal service and have to be sent to Geneva for special vintage service. It costs twice as much and they don’t replace parts. They simply do a basic service and replace components that are readily available like mainspring and movement components.

 

[369mafia]

Raffles case set
jmb bezel
T21 clarks
Clone eta
raffles hands
Ruby Dial
silix bracelet

 

[alligoat]

@ToeKnee, another option is Bob Ridley- maybe he could refinish your gen dial

https://watchmakers.com/restoration-services/

His name gets kicked around on VRF or at least used to. I'm not a purist, so I wouldn't hesitate to get a dial I wasn't keen on redone if I could find a suitable person/firm.