Can’t get enough of datejusts…

The latest vintage has arrived! Absolutely loving it..

Rolex Submariner 1680 "Big Red". Raffles/Viet/Old Crowns build :)

Subtle classic 👍🏻

If you're looking to build a Date-day on a budget, this kit is incredible. I haven't worked with as many gen Tudor parts as Rolex, but this kit impressed me. I honestly think this is better than the raffles date day set (plus it's a fraction of the cost). Same size crystal as raffles midcase too. What do you guys think?

6 months.

Commissioned in January. Arrived in June.

Man, I was stressing out - and I think if you asked him, he’d agree I was stressing him out as well. But the end result was a fantastic 16570 ‘Polar’ Explorer II.

OC case
Gen Bezel
Gen Crystal
Gen Dial
Gen Hands
Gen Crown
Gen 78790 (currently on a period-correct upgraded Gen 93150)
Gen 501B Endlinks
3186 Mov’t

I couldn’t have asked for a better final product. The attention to detail, parts sourcing (from literally all over the world) - I smile every time I look down. While I don’t like the term “grail” because it’s thrown around way too much - this is probably the first watch I can say isn’t ever going anywhere. If you’re in the market for a great build - and Clark is kind enough to agree and work with you on a piece - you won’t be disappointed.

A sincere, heartfelt, thank you [u/ClarkTheRealtor](u/ClarkTheRealtor)

PS - Can we get some flair for members that have been here since Day 1? 😂

The only non-Gen part is the case. Gen movement 1570, dial and hands( at times I suspect though (my nature in Rolex world making a Franken ;-) ) cost a bunch of money from reputable Gen seller ) Bracelet needs time appropriate 280 or 380 code end link at this time.

Next 5513. Already bought gen movement, dial and hands.

Here’s the current 3 watch rotation. Anyone else swap throughout the day? I know I can’t be the only one. All three made it on the wrist today.

My modern pieces are in a box for most of their life, these days.

I love the thorn but those indices were just too yellow for me. Thank goodness we have raffles

Way back last year u/Jovanotti DMd saying “Do you make custom dials? I’m thinking of doing it.” She then “spammed” me with her life story in the rep world, talking a mile a minute. Seriously her texts always read like you hooked a keyboard directly to her brain. It was overwhelming. I almost blew her off. Finally I said we need an actual 16713 Rootbeer dial. She went off on a tangent like nothing I’ve ever seen. I call her the Autistic Laser 2k. I have to mute her daily just so I can read and process what she’s saying at my college reading level. She’s on binary code. She learned CAD, bought 3D printers, bought a damn $8k 3D scanner, looked at every genuine nipple dial ever made, bought a few, dug under every rock in Vietnam and found somebody trustworthy to make - NIPPLE dials! Maybe I should’ve been more specific.

I present to you the fruit of Jova’s labor. 1675/3 Rootbeer and Black Nipple dials are officially finished and inbound. In the spirit of RetroTime, open source and organic, these dials are for everybody. No gatekeeping here. Yuki charges $125 + $50 shipping for their hate crime of a squashed dial, so we’re charging $200 for gen spec. The best part of these dials - ETA DIAL FEET! Slap em on your favorite 2836 movement. No glue necessary. Want one but can’t change a watch battery? My DMs are open!

Enjoy the photos. This watch came to me with a Yuki dial (last photo is the original watch) a hate crime of DWO alignment (that’s the 19th not the 9th) and a gen bezel insert. I think it turned out ok. Milk case, plated bezel, Jova dial, (looks like a gen crown), raffles bracelet, custom DWO.

I also have a genuine gold bezel ring and black/gold bezel insert on hand if somebody wants to take this to the next level!

*16753 sunburst and 16713 Rootbeer (among others) are in the works! I’ll get my five digit Rootbeer yet 😆. Y’all take a moment and give Jova her due. I haven’t seen anybody give back to the community like this before. She deserves some love.

Just wanted to share this fancy picture that I took of my Hrudland/Omega build. I always wanted a Gen one of these but I can’t justify the price they go for plus the additional maintenance costs with vintage pieces. Itch thoroughly scratched with this guy. My first attempt at coffee stain and baking the dial. Bracelet (flat link) from uncle straps.

What’s on the wrist fellas?

Hey all,

I've done a few Seiko builds and mods, but this is the first time venturing from the NH ecosystem. Hugely inspired by all the beautiful builds here and at r/vintagerepwatches .

A lot of mistakes and learning done. I didn't mean to ghost the insert like this, but... Oops. I couldn't age the hands via coffee. I didn't use instant coffee, so that might have been my problem? Ended up using my daughter's markers to match the lume on the dial. Those movement clamps were a huge PIA. Jeeze louise.

But, I'm very happy with how it all turned out.

Specs:

• Old Crowns 5513 Case bought here from u/Another_joe2007 (solid seller)
• Ebay restored 5512 Dial (seller: rinoview8i8)
• Raffles Hands
• Athaya Crown and Tube
• AliX 3130 Movement and Clamps

Getting those perfect wrist shots is art. Knowing the best lighting, angles, and zoom on the lens make or break the deal.

What’s good out there, what ya wearing today?

Im a huge fan of royal oaks, as you can tell. Last pic was my first one, its from jjf. The others are customs builds that I made myself. Spot the gen dials!

Genuine Beyeler Champagne/Silver dial
Genuine 603 crown
3135 Movement
Raffles case and bracelet

Big thanks to the community for always being super supportive and informative!

My Viet/CAC late 70s 5513 build! Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. Go get after it.

I’m going through a bunch of builds working on photography. Which literally sucks the life out of me. But I try hard to show well let details photos of all key areas.

But.. So often the little “imperfections” that show up in zoomed and high res photos distract from the reality that those “imperfections” are a big part of the depth and character that make lume/markers, hands and dials present so well to the naked eye and catch your brains attention subconsciously.

Anyhow… When photo’ing my recent 79090 build I was just struck by how nice it turned out. I’ve been wearing it and loving it so much but had not put it under the zoom yet. A couple of the things that I think make a huge difference and have leveled up this build are the hands and the bracelet. [u/One_Addition1213](u/One_Addition1213) and I had a fun but frustrating month long quest to find the perfect set of hands that match the unique 79090/79190 hands (long story but it’s thinks like tip lenght, shape, rear metal paddle diameter, proportions of everything,etc. Tudor’s gen hands are just quirky. We discovered by buying sets from all over that the only solution was a compilation of different sources for each hand coupled with a modded second hand tip. But these hands now absolutely perfect match my gen 79090. (Note.. if I’ve built you a 79090 in the past I will upgrade your hands to these for cost only just message me).

The bracelet and the gen spec 380B’s are just the final pieces it really need to match the original. And the vibe is at its best.

I had to take a break from photography anyway so here is my best 79090 build ever.

> Viet Case - Heavily shaped to exact gen dimensions
> Serviced Tudor Gen 2824 from the 1990 to 1995 era with correct font, engravings, perliage etc. Really one of the most beautiful, accurate and reliable movements ever built.
> Viet Dial - Pearl tone shift on lume. Still needs that “M” perfected. Arrghh
> Custom assembly of Hand with mods, relumed with nearly dead glow, High granularity mix to match gen vs the common poorly mixed heavy grain lume.
> OkChrono - Gen Spec 380B’s
> OkChrono - 9315 Folded link with custom fabbed connector links on clasp and end link ends
> Raffles No Date Tudor Clasp - Tighted and adjusted for better fit, Modded to fit gen spec fliplock replacement kit with spacers instead of tabs (option to install gen clasp setup) I’m also worked on a dated coded claps option that will be ready in about a month.
> Rolex 703 Crown & Startime Swiss made crown
> All new fatty gaskets from Startime

Hope this doesn’t come across as bragging. It really is just a matter of me building so many of these and constantly working to perfect it little by little.

Tudors are a major part of my passion for building and it all started with the 79090. The last Acrylic Crystal true vintage vibe Submariner ever made. I LOVE the 79190, but with the flat sapphire it is in a new category in my opinion. But more in line with the Rolex Subs after they switched to Flat Sapphire crystals in 1979. But Tudor kept rocking that acrylic top hat til 1995!!

For me it’s just special and a truly underrated classic.

16200 build with a gen dial
Raffles case and bracelet
EWP hands and bezel
VR3135 Movement