Hi there,
Rolex content here, but it might trigger hopefully a wider discussion, as it could happen to quite some other brands as well.
INTRO:
I do like RLX, but I find myself gravitating to their tuned-down kind of offering and also to the smaller examples... I have a 1600 DJ (solid bezel) ... and some months ago I purchased a 36mm 116000 (Oy.Perp).
To be very honest - I got it for a very good price, for a rather obv. reason:
it came with a dial that only a mother would love ...
(generic pic)
I bought the watch with the firm idea and conviction to turn it into something different - mod it to my desire and needs.
I used it for a couple of weeks ... but the dial never "grew" on me
... The size however and everything else about this watch I started to love
dearly ... it is the perfect "no-nonsense-anywhere and anytime" watch
... it is never out of place
So out come the artillery:
THE PLAN:
A (now) friend of mine, worked for a couple of decades as senior watchmaker at the Mutterschiff:
he was kind enough to make some calls, pull some strings and in the same evening I got a mail with "your stuff is on the way" ...
My
stuff was a new dial .... and after some deliberation, 3 hands
.
The shiny "longplay-center" dial (and to a certain extent) most sunburst dials make it tricky to find the 3 hands
at first glance ... finding my hands at first glance is kindalike a pet peeve for me
case in point (slightly different model, but you get the idea that it's not easy telling time at a glance):
So finally I opted for a swap of dial AND hands ... would have hated to go through the trouble of going through a swap of dials and still have to "fish" for the hands. So, the full 9 yrds I went.
That meant: a lovely original blue 3-6-9 dial that was always an option for the 116000 ... and for hands I went for the Submariner hands (the 116000 and the sub share the same movement; the 116000 has a ever-so-slightly bigger dial). I already had the Airking in blue and that dial is mesmerising! ... It's basically the same dial, just 2mm bigger!
Plus, I also have a very soft spot for the 36mm EXPLORER ... but then again, who hasnt
So fast forward: after some time waiting for the postman, I was asked to get my watch in ... and the next day I got a pic back
THE RESULT:
(goose sold separately)
(sorry for the lint
)
and now the best part: unlike the new EX1
, this dial has actually lume on the 3-6-9!!!!
so ... for once:
- I am extremely happy how everything turned out ... (I guess there is always the off-chance that things go pearshaped which is an expensive bummer if a RLX is involved
)
-
I feel I built one of the best RLX's there (n)ever was (a blue Explorer with great movement and better dial/bracelet than the 36mm)
- I of course have the original hands and dial
- but I def. frankenstein'd a nice watch ...
would I do it again? ... HELL YES!!!
Click to expand...