Rolex DSSD Repair + MODDING - Intro + STEP 1

[KeNnY 29]

Hello all ,

 

SO firstly, I would like to give some kind and thankful words to member from RWG, RWI and RG, what I have taken inspiration from, and they helped me to do these mods possible.

 

Thank you WIZ, for your relume and crystal water proofing tutorials

http://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthrea...dial-69857.html

http://www.replica-watches-guide.com/forum...?showtopic=5810

Thank you gioarmani7428, for your restoring and DSSD modify tutorials

http://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthrea...hlight=bracelet

http://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthrea...ht=dssd+upgrade

Thank you JustinCase, for your restoring and removing scratches from SS turorials

http://www.replica-watches-guide.com/forum...?showtopic=4734

And thanks to RWG shop for the great items and tools what I have used in my mods!

 

 

Now as for the mods. These mods have been applied on my Rolex DSSD (Lay’s 88USD 21J version), which I have bought from Rolf (mondeov6) for 50USD. The watch had damaged and missing pearl from the ceramic bezel, and had some small minor scratches on polished left side of the watch and bracelet. Most of you would say, “WTF why would you so much pain in the ass mods on that cheap rolex ?! Sell it or throw it into garbage, and buy a ETA clone version!â€. But I say why ? The watch is good, and had only small minor flaw, the missing pearl. And to remove the bezel insert, you MUST remove the crystal first, so I told to me, if I must remove the crystal, I will then also water prof my DSSD (seal crystal and HE escape valve, grease o rings). But then I got also my watch lume material, so why not train on this cheap rolex ? :-) YES, all these mods I have done first time in my life. There are small cons after these updates, things I have messed up, but I learned A LOT from this mods !

 

So this was some small talk, now lets get to mods ! Here is picture of my DSSD with written mods I want to do with my DSSD. I will divine the mods into steps, so you will see, how I progress. :-)

 

 

STEP 1: Disassemble the whole watch, dial from movement, lume markers

 

So as first step, We will be disassembling the watch, so we can progress to next steps of our mods. For these mods would be great to have mostly on my desk.

 

 

And now I will write all necessary tools for the STEP 1:

- Set of screwdrivers for watches

- Sticky ball or DSSD case back opener

- Few finger condoms

- Spring bar tool

- Watch parts holder with cover

- Dust blower

- Good lighting conditions

- Wooden toothpick

- Dial protector

- Watch hand remover

- Sharp needle

- Rodico paste

- Cup with hot water

- Cotton cloths

- Pair of balls to do it

 

SO we arrange all the tools to the desk, so we have everything near, and we are ready to go. I recommend to have big desk and not small one as I have… I am working in military conditions I would also recommend to have right height of chair, so you would be able to rest your shoulders on the desk.

 

 

AS for beginning we will remove the bracelet, so we can work easier with the case it self.

 

 

Now we removed the case back with sticky ball or opener.

 

 

Now we remove the crown with stem from the movement, by pushing the little button and removing the step out of the case.

 

 

Now we remove the rotor by unscrewing the big screw holding rotor and then unscrew the small screws what are holding movement in the case and we will then remove the movement + dial from the case.

 

 

Now we put under the hands an Dial protector and we will remove the hands with hands remover tool.

 

 

Don’t forget to put all parts into the parts holder with cover.

 

 

Now we remove the dial from the Movement, by unscrewing the small screws what are holding the dial on movement .

 

 

Turn the dial upside down to see the pins of the lume hour markers. You will see them glued.

 

 

Now take your sharp needle and push out the pins of the markers. WARNING ! Do not scratch the dial ! You can easily scratch the dial also with the lume marker !

 

 

Now you can clean the dial with some fine cloth (NOT CAPE COD!!) from the remaining’s of the glue. WARNING ! Do not scratch the dial ! You can easily scratch the dial also with some bad cotton cloth! After that store it into the holder with cover.

 

 

The lume markers carefully pick and place them on the rodico, so you will not loose them (I have been looking for one marker, which has jumped out side my table, for around 30 minutes ).

 

 

Now it is time to take the crystal out of the case !

 

 

Take some cup of hot water (around 60°C), and put the case into the cup.

 

 

Then after 1-2 minutes take tooth pick and fish out the case from the hot water. WARNING! The case will be hot so watch out!

 

 

Now we will use some brute force ! Use your thumb and push the crystal out of the case. Use some cloth to catch the crystal, because it can flew out ! My was stuck there pretty well ! It was also glued, so I had to use much force

 

 

Once out, clean the watch and crystal with cloth from remaining water.

 

 

After that take your tooth pick and insert it under the ceramic bezel insert and dive it around to damage the glue holding it on bezel.

 

 

When you will damage the glue, you will be able to remove the ceramic bezel insert easily .

 

 

Now clean the remaing glue with toothpich and cloth, and store the parts.

 

 

Now we are ready for STEP 2 of my mods I will post it shortly as an new topic, and after that I will add a link in this first post. Hope you will like it and thanks for watching

 

LINK: STEP 2: Removing scratches from polished and brushed sides, sealing HE escape valve

[nunu78 1,743]

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Cant wait to see the rest of it

[KeNnY 29]

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Cant wait to see the rest of it

 

thank you will try to write it all today

[Ska 11]

 

Brilliant so far mate!! I applaud your bravery and obvious skill. Truly great work!!! I can't wait to see more!

[KeNnY 29]

 

Brilliant so far mate!! I applaud your bravery and obvious skill. Truly great work!!! I can't wait to see more!

 

thank you Ska

[d1isthe1 0]

why is it that i'm not able to see the picts ?

[KeNnY 29]

why is it that i'm not able to see the picts ?

 

d1isthe1 I have uploaded them onto the Imageshack.us, check if you don't have it blocked... For me I can't see pictures from photobucked

[sconehead 5]

Go Kenny , go!!!

 

 

Great stuff mate...

[MikeMcNair 0]

absolutely fantastic!!! and well written! super easy to understand and just plain well done!!!

 

i will refer MANY people to this post!

[Deyd 0]

Hello,

Very nice. Plenty of very helpful tips. Waiting for the rest.

[KeNnY 29]

Thanks Scone !

 

And thanks Mike ! I hope that my tutorials will be good guide for the benefit of all of us !

 

UPDATE: STEP 2 ADDED LINK !

[d1isthe1 0]

where r the pics .... I am not able to see... Aaahhhh :8

[KeNnY 29]

where r the pics .... I am not able to see... Aaahhhh :8

 

like I said, maybe you have blocked Imageshack, or try different browser, or clean up space in your Hard Drive

[Balad1 0]

Thanks Kenny for a job well done.

[Del 4,463]

Honestly Kenny, this is first class . It actually makes me want to take my DSSD apart

[KeNnY 29]

Balad thank you

 

Thanks DEL ! But why would you ? I had to because of replacing the ceramic bezel, but if you want to waterproof your DSSD this would be good guide

[tissotman 0]

very very interesting work.

[LaraA 5]

Very very nice guide, thanks alot

 

// André

[KeNnY 29]

Thank you tissotman and LaraA !

[GC 4,507]

Kenny... you sir are a true credit to this hobby! BRAVO

 

hell, i crap in my pants just to open up the caseback and grease the seals on my watches.

[KeNnY 29]

Kenny... you sir are a true credit to this hobby! BRAVO

 

hell, i crap in my pants just to open up the caseback and grease the seals on my watches.

 

GC ! Thank you you don't need to worry ! Just watch out not to put anything into the movement or not to try to touch the spring and you will be fine It is just very very very small mechanics. If you have the right tools, you will not break anything

[pollux1 3]

Excellent work Kenny, fantastic write up!

[KeNnY 29]

Excellent work Kenny, fantastic write up!

 

Thank you pollux :kenny: If I had an good video camera, I would make video of it, and it would save me a lot of work taking photos of every step in total 177 photos were taken Somewhere are lack of photos, but I hope, that people will understand from the sentence what have I done

[turnipz 0]

When you pull the stem out of the movement doesnt it have to be in a certain position? I read somewhere that a guy pulled the stem out without initially pulling it to a certain point and the date gear got stuck. I'm worried of something like that happening to me.

[KeNnY 29]

When you pull the stem out of the movement doesnt it have to be in a certain position? I read somewhere that a guy pulled the stem out without initially pulling it to a certain point and the date gear got stuck. I'm worried of something like that happening to me. :P

 

uf of, I hope I have written there, that you must set stem / crown to the setting time position !!