In the process of putting this gilt 5512 PCG back to original spec, long five insert, tropic super dome etc. Dial has a little drag damage but still looks brilliant. Hands have been changed during a past service but they are going to stay. The original 7206 /80 bracelet is away with Seth from a refurb. Anyone know a watchmaker with the correct tools and skills to fit the original 700 crown and tube back into the case. image url image sharing[/ur]
I would trust this to STS. Give them a call and talk to someone there about it. I haven't used them since Simon left, so I'm not sure who's best to talk to (no, that's a lie ... I have used them but can't remember the name of the chap). Tony is the owner, but it was someone younger I dealt with before. http://www.swisstimeservices.co.uk/about.html while they emphasise their Omega links, they serviced my 5513 flawlessly.
Nice watch Mic and I'm sure Simon Freese (ex STS workshop manager) could do this for you as he has done similar for me in the past. http://www.simonfreesewatchmakers.com/
Love it! There is something magical about the glossy gilt dials. I miss my 4 liner that’s I sold last summer. Enjoy it!
Although Rolex makes specific tools for case tubes, I'm not sure they will help you much putting an old tube back in. These are really not meant to be used again... First there are (at least) 2 versions of the Rolex tools, one for vintage and one for modern. For vintage there is a tool for removing the tube, and another for installing it, and the same for modern, so I have 4 tools in total. The tools have splines on them that are directional, so one intended to screw the tubes in CW and one for removing the tubes CCW. These rely on the corresponding splined pattern on the inside diameter of the case tube, and that is where the difficulty comes in with some specific case tubes. Note that not all are like this, but the 700 is I believe. This is one I did on a 5513 a few years ago...case tube and crown... As they come, if you try to fit the crown into the case tube, you find that the inside diameter of the case tube is too small - won't fit: So you install the case tube in the case using the proper tool as shown: But in order to allow the crown to fit, you then have to ream out the inside diameter of the case tube, and this removes the internal splines in the tube: Of course none of the O-rings are installed yet to protect them from being damaged - you keep cutting until you get enough clearance: Requires removing a fair bit of material as you can see: So you would have to check the old case tube to see how it was removed, since it can't be removed with the proper Rolex tool as the splines are gone. I use a large cutting broach like the one shown and tap it into the inner diameter to give me enough grip to turn the case tube out without doing a lot of damage, but that one should be checked to see it's still in good enough shape and hasn't been distorted on removal. Then you would have to install it in the same sort of way - using a cutting broach or some other tool that will grip it enough to be properly tightened, but not damage it. Cheers, Al
"Large cutting broach" means something like this to me ... I'm just never going to make it as a watch-bod.
Well that's a magnetic base drill press by the looks of it, so no not a broach at all, regardless of what the brand name on it. A broach is typically the actual cutting tool, rather than a piece of machinery...typically used for keyways, square holes, making internal splines, etc. In this case the large broach I'm referring to is used for clocks mostly, rather than much smaller versions used for watches. I don't know what a "watch-bod" is, but still I tend to agree with you.