Transparent caseback - It's Kewl....

1345 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by sheldonsmith, Dec 19, 2007

sheldonsmith

Discussion Starter · Dec 16, 2007

(If for some reason the image does not appear, it is posted at http://members.aol.com/SheldonS4/images/casebackcollage.jpg )

Well, I bit the bullet. I purchased the tools and replaced the caseback to my 16710 with a transparent caseback from Germany. Some say these casebacks turn Rolexes into a frankenwatches; the caseback on my watch is a welcomed addition.

With no Rolex dealers in my county, and the hose-n-close banter I hear at AD's or from watchmakers regarding opening Rolexes (eg. $30 for the cost of a gasket, plus labor), I decided to do it myself. Of course I researched the process and had multiple emails among folks who have done this before and who provided guidance.

I'll have a DIY webpage posted in the next few weeks detailing the experience and the steps. In the meantime, the pict above is a collage of some of the pictures. Going clockwise is a pict of the tools, the LG press, caseback removed, difference in caseback heights, the casevise, and the moving balance taken through a 4x loupe.

For every hour that I wear this watch, I spend an hour looking at it function through the caseback.

It's kewl......

-Sheldon

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JBHII

· #2 · Dec 16, 2007

Very nice Sheldon....I'm strongly considering doing the same thing on a watch like my Yacht-Master or maybe my Daytona. I've been "thinking" about it for a while.

It's not a frankenwatch in my mind, any more than removing the Oyster bracelet and putting on a Nato strap would be.

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timefinder

· #3 · Dec 16, 2007

I could not open the page.

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sheldonsmith

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 16, 2007

I just posted a video

I whipped out a quick video on the project as the webpage will take a while to create.

The video is posted at http://members.aol.com/SheldonS4/images/caseback1mb.wmv

AOL only allows for 1mb filesize so it won't be at the resolution that we all expect. I hope to have a uTube version soon.

Stay tuned for the webpage.

-Sheldon

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LarryD

· #5 · Dec 16, 2007

Looks good..

:thumbup:

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bullandvodka

· #6 · Dec 17, 2007

sheldonsmith,

That clinches it. I'm doing that TZ watch school. You're doing too many fun projects!

Thanks for taking being our forum's guinea pig on that. I'm happy someone around here did it. This mod along with your L1 and L2 project watches clinched it for me.

----B&V

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sheldonsmith

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 18, 2007 (Edited)

The TimeZone watch schools do help

For the caseback replacement, the only tool I had to purchase was the LG caseback remover. I had all the other tools from the watchschool kit, with the exception of the Jax wrench. I won that one... Nonetheless, I used a pretty inexpensive one.

The watchschool did give me the confidence to open a Rolex. The classes are definately worth the effort.

Btw, I updated the video as well as it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/v/7mj2CYnmt5Q or a smaller, downloadable, yet updated version at http://members.aol.com/SheldonS4/images/caseback1mb.wmv

-Sheldon