Err...TLC n works on this 5.6mil case series Ref 1680...
a.k.a...the WHITE Submariner...

Orchi waited for the FEDEX parcel as it arrived safely in the afternoon...
yesterday Jan 18...(departed USA on Jan 14).

Lets begin with the negatives...or poor conditions of the watch...

Checking through the watch case lugs...
the 11 o'clock lug position is quite worn off at the lug end...
as shown from these pictures...


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The other lugs ends at 1 o'clock...
5 o'clock n 7 o'clock positions appear to be not as badly worn off as compared with 11 o'clock lug end...which apparently were caused by loose...
n worn out 1st bracelet links+End Links being fitted next to the lugs...
whilst being worn on the wrist...of its previous owner.
(shown from these pictures)...


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The above signs of worn off lugs ends...
are commonly caused by worn out 1st bracelet links+EL next to the lugs...

Fortunately for Orchi...in this case...
as this particular worn out lug end is quite awkward...
n displeasing...
Orchi's old faithful watchmaker was willing to work on...
this here 11 o'clock lug end...with TLC(Tender Loving Care).


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The watchmaker worked on the lug end for about an hour...or more.
Bit by bit...n little by little...

It slowly become clearer to Orchi that the worn out lug end at 11 o'clock...
would not be as bad of the eyesore...as when the watch just arrived...
before the watchmaker started to work on it...
(shown in these pics of different stages)


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Err...a little bit of mention about the "bugger"...
that had caused the case lugs ends...to be worn off...
making the once otherwise great looking case lugs...
but now looking like...eyesores!


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The above pics showing some of the 93150/580 bracelet parts(considerably worn out)...being soaked in WD 40...(a little DIY by Orchi at home).

More pics showing the worn out parts of the bracelet would be shown later on...

Meantime...Orchi hopes to display...
these pics showing the outer edge inside of the backcase cover...
does have signs of very minor corrosion n pitting spots...
As the pitting is confined to the outside of the Gasket seal groove...
this situation should likely NOT cause any compromise to the water-proofing...
property of the Gasket seal...between the backcase cover n case...


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Orchi shall now move on to display...
the other major parts of the watch...
which are more pleasing to Orchi's eyes...instead.


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This pic shows the new Crown n Crown tube replacement...


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Pic showing Lume of Short Mercedes Hand has minute cracks...
n the Second Hand has perhaps been re-lumed...


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The Second Hand is still luminous...briefly.
(UPDATE: The Second Hand is perhaps relumed with Tritium as its luminous fades quickly)

n the Bezel Pearl glows in the dark...as well.
(UPDATE: The Bezel Pearl glows continuously in darkness...likely a Luminova)


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The Cal.1570 movement is Hacking n it's seen to be clean...n tidy.


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Here's again...the all important components of the watch...
but not limited to these only...of course.


Lug at 7 o'clock position...

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Lug at 5 o'clock position...

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Lug at 1 o'clock position...

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Lug at 11 o'clock position...after TLC by faithful watchmaker...

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Some of Orchi's favorite pictures...of this 1680 watch.


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Thanks very much to VRF Buddies for watching...
n PLEASE feel free to offer your comments about this posting...

Sorry again...if it's a long winded one...

Partt 2:...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/207593/thread/1264001194/Pt.+2+Long+Post-+1680+Sub+-+RSC+did+NOT+accept+Orchi%27s+1680..%2B%2B

Best regards
Orchi.

...Now that you have mastered the GMT you are on to Subs.

One question about the lug repair.

Did your watchmaker add metal or just remove metal?

-Rigby

the alternative would be laser welding which when done properly can be amazing. i would have skipped over the lug wear and left the watch case alone but that's my preference, as i like to keep 'em as-found. however, i know buddy orchi is not a great fan of "wabi"
nice watch ya got there orchi!

janice

cebu city

Thanks for the post. I am curious to know, as well, about the repair to the lugs.

Congrats on the 1680! Wear it in good health.

By the way, I would have lived with the lugs too.

As always, there's a lot of deatils in your posts.One question for you, and please correct me if I am wrong.I thought you prefered watches in their original condition worn or otherwise.
Why did you choose to "fix " the lug ?Cheers.

Buddy Orchi that is a great looking Submariner. I look forward to reading how your watchmaker fixed the lugs.
Congrats,
Beaumont

Err...excellent works having to restore the case...
by nicely n skillfully Re-polishing off the superficial imperfection...
on the surfaces of watch case...backcase cover...
n the surface of the case lugs yet retaining its bevels ...
n whilst the case sides remaining as flat...etc.
...n he might also be the master watchmaker...
whom had probably serviced the Cal. 1570 movement...very well.


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So far in the last 12 hours...
having to wear the 1680 White Sub on right wrist...
being timed against an 8.65mil case 16750 GMT Master...
with Cal. 3075...the 1680 Cal. 1570 is able to keep pace with...
the Cal. 3075 movement...with ease.

Here is one of the pictures taken this morning Jan 19...
on the 1680 fitted with leather straps...instead.
(showing the Cal.1570 is keeping pace with Cal.3075 on the 16750 GMT)

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Perhaps for the same reason as highlighted by Buddy Andrew...
the last master watchmaker that worked on the watch previously...
might have opted to leave the worn off spots at the inside of the lugs ends...
as they were...

Nevertheless...Orchi is in opinion that IF the worn off lug ends are left alone...
especially on the 11 o'clock position...it would make it ugly when fitted to a bracelet...
or even IF the 1680 is fitted with leather straps...

That was the main reason why Orchi's faithful watchmaker suggested that he gave it a try...
to gently polish off by hand...the sharp edges of the abrasion spots nearest to the lug holes...with alternate sizes of FINE Sand paper strips...
until eventually finishing up with FINEST 5/0 sized...Sand paper.

Although Orchi should be contented with the repair attempt until its present touched up result by the...
the faithful watchmaker...Orchi still thinks there should be some room left for improvement...
which Orchi should be able to do on DIY basis...until hopefully Orchi would be satisfied with the...
touched up works on those worn off lugs ends...

When the 1680 Sub watch is fitted with a pair of leather straps...
or maybe with a pair of Nato Straps...also...
one would see that the gaps between the lugs ends n the straps might not be so...
obviously seen...as opposed to if the 1680 watch case is fitted with a bracelet...


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The same worn off lug end at 11 o'clock position

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Pictures showing slightly worn off lug ends...after brief touch up works with...
FINEST Sand paper...


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Many thanks for your questions n further comments on Orchi's 1680 White Sub...

Best regards
Orchi.

Cheers from Brazil

Douglas Gravina

to be able to undertake such a project and live with the results.

Me, well I never buy a watch unless I can live with the imperfections.

The lesson came after a project, where afterwards I developed a type of compulsive obsessive disorder by constantly looking at it, trying to justify what I had done to it's original lifes wear and trying to convince myself it looked better and what I had done was right.

I had to sell it as quickly as possible after that and from then, I only buy what I can live with and will never try restoration again.

Great post though and enjoy watch.

Sparky

Err...or Perhaps...there may be another root cause to the problem...
which Orchi could try to elaborate later on as Orchi goes along...in here...

But anyway...here's the 93150/580 EL Oyster bracelet assembly that...
came with the 1680 watch package...

Orchi hopes these pictures would illustrate...
that almost every parts of the once Heavy Oyster bracelet assembly...
would not be suitable for further use with Orchi's 1680 watch...
NOT unless...
Orchi deliberately allows the worn out bracelet assembly...
to be re-used knowing full well that it would wear out...
the case lugs MORE...with the intended frequent wear of the watch in mind.


Here are the irreplaceable oyster links...having worn off links n what not...
(the links have been polished out to rid of superficial scratches n dings...)


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Here are the replaceable but worn out End Links...
obviously neglected over long period of time...


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Here are the replaceable oyster links...having been worn out from continuous...neglects too.


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There here are the 1st links that would cause abrasion thus worn off lugs ends...of watch cases.
(re-polished to rid off imperfection...)


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So Buddies...normally would you leave worn out wheels or tires on your vehicles...n continue to drive it to work or places...
or would you have the worn out wheels or tires replaced...when needed?


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How come Rolex watch wearers in particular would allow their valuable watch...
(well the Rolex aint cheap right?)...to be worn on wrist frequently...
with worn out bracelet...?

How come if one considers the Rolex replacement to be costly...
why have they NOT consider to wear the Rolex with Straps...
instead of having to wear the watch with worn out bracelet...
that would surely wear off the lug ends of their Rolex watch case lugs...?

Many Rolex wearers even had to pay more eventually to have RSC replace...
NOT only the costly bracelets...
but the costly watch cases too perhaps due to corrosion or worn out lugs...
in cases worst than this...


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So buddies...please remember...
that most of these vital parts on your Rolex bracelets n watches...
are replaceable...

They should be replaced as n when required...
like the worn out wheels or tires of your cars n bikes...

IF you so happen been offered a watch with worn out bracelet...
just refuse it...n ask the Seller politely...
for a new replacement to lump it in the watch...deal.

Or use the straps...instead...
as they are much much cheaper to replace...eventually...
n you can explorer the fun of having different colours or types of straps...
being fitted n worn on the same watch...Super Cool thing to do!! Yes?

By accepting the worn out bracelet...
you might be condoning to the Seller's
bad habit of pushing...swapping...
n passing on...USELESS parts...around.

After all...IF you can't afford to have the worn out wheels n tires...changed...
Use the cheaper alternative of public transport...
Don't own a car...or err...alas...the Rolex watch...


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Worn out Spring Bars...End Links n Screws...
would cause the rest of the Oyster links to wear off...
more quicker than they should.

Preserve your bracelet...n it would save your Rolex watch...

Look...would you wear your precious Vintage Rolex watches...
or put on the DRSD...or Daytona...with a worn out Rolex bracelet...
yet call it as...cool?

Don't end up losing your watch...

Thanks for listening to Orchi's rants again...
Oh btw...yesterday Orchi had the notion of planning to sell
the worn out 93150/580 bracelet for whatever amount of money...
that Orchi could get from the VRM...
err...to possibly fund for a replacement of new bracelet...
or suitable one...

After this...Orchi regrets having that thought...
SHAME on Orchi...

Now Orchi knows exactly what to do with the USELESS worn out bracelet...
that had probably caused the lugs ends of Orchi's 1680 to wear out...

File it under...G...!!!

Best regards
Orchi.

Doomsday bracelet, a tale of untold horror and destruction, a synopsis of unbearabe illustrated pain that makes the blood run cold and the hairs stand on the back of your neck.

Rgds Sparky

especially when you're french and speak english as you can, but, it's a challenge for me because I know I will enjoy the inside !
Thanks for these and this long and very interresting post !
I think I see which 1680 is concerned and I have to congrats you for cathing (you weren't alone, lol), and after for service it all..

Obviously congrats to your watchmaker which played very good for this lugs

Fantastic post