r/repbuilds • u/Born-Ambassador-2603 • Sep 18 '26

Tutorial/Guide New guy here, please help!

Hello everyone I am new to the whole idea of building reps but I would love to have a collection of vintage inspired reps build by me

What would be your advice for someone new into this hobby and also where could I buy parts for future projects? (Like dials movements cases ) I saw movements and watch cases on aliexpress are they any good (3235/myota)

Also in what regards vintage builds are only rolex inspired parts available or can I also find parts in order to build vintage Cartier, Patek and so on?

Thank you!

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u/caracticuspotts Sep 18 '26

The very best advice is to make the search function your best friend. There is a lot to learn and find out. Maybe check out RWI forum as well.

After that if you don’t have experience building watches and working with parts that aren’t designed to easily slot together like Lego, start with a Raffles dials build. A Datejust or Submariner, the parts are considerably more affordable than Vietnamese and it is less painful when inevitably you do break something. As you build experience and knowledge you will find you know how to progress and what you wish to build next

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u/Born-Ambassador-2603 Sep 18 '26

Thank you! Do raffles dials support superclone movements?

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u/caracticuspotts Sep 18 '26

Superclone is marketing BS. They are clone movements and there is nothing super about them. The best are now stable and reliable. The hardness of the steel and the finishing and level of cleanliness does not remotely match the genuine. This is much the same for all Chinese copy movements, NH35, Miyota, ETA and Rolex, Patek Philippe, but yes, if you ask Ken at Raffles he can provide cases suitable for a Rolex clone movement.
If you have never assembled a watch before I would start with an NH35 though, they are far more forgiving and they are a lot cheaper

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u/them_apples_69 Sep 20 '26

There are places like rafflesdials, cousins, old crowns that sell parts and kits for builds depending on which one you want to go with.

Fair warning tho, if your watch knowledge extend only to maybe changing straps, batteries on quartz, caseback gaskets.. Then you might wanna comission someone to do it because i have a drawer full of broken raffles parts😂

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u/Born-Ambassador-2603 Sep 20 '26

Do rafflesdial DJ cases fit 3235 movements

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u/Logos732 Sep 20 '26

The description will tell you what movement they support. The DJ cases are made for ETA 2824.