Left Handed Tudor

[Rikki]

Has anyone heard of or seen a left handed tudor sub where the crown is on the left side of the case. It's a model 7928 rail dial pointed crown guards 390 calibre movement. Any info would be appreciated. Rikki

[Paul]

The left-handed crown configuration is know as 'destro' - a quick google image search finds a few such Submariners out there.

I don't know if you could ever special-order such a thing from Rolex or Tudor but the conversion is simple enough for a clever fella like you Rikki.

Very straight-forward on any no-date Sub

[linesiders]

The Destro - clip the feet, stick on some dial dots (or accurately reattach feet if you want to do it right) and rotate movement 180 degrees out

But you already know that

[Rikki]

Yes I know these things just wanted to make sure that it wasn't a special order one off kinda thing Thanx for all your help. Rikki

[Jason71]

I nearly bought a destro Rolex sub a couple years back for $2,600. I should have done it.

[MAJSmith]

Why call it "Destro?"

[Paul]

I think in Italian the word 'destro' means right - perhaps even right-handed at a stretch.

One of our Italian-speaking members will surely correct me if I'm wrong

[MAJSmith]

Originally Posted by Paul

I think in Italian the word 'destro' means right - perhaps even right-handed at a stretch.

One of our Italian-speaking members will surely correct me if I'm wrong

Ahhh! Kind of like how Destro was Cobra Commanders right-hand man... Go Joe!!

[marcello pisani]

Originally Posted by Paul

I think in Italian the word 'destro' means right - perhaps even right-handed at a stretch.

One of our Italian-speaking members will surely correct me if I'm wrong

you can well translate " destro " as " right-handed " ( watch on the right wrist ).
these original " destro " watches are one of the rarest thing ever made by Rolex ,
but most you see on the market are fakes.

[scottb2]

Correct. Never seen real one. It's like the lock ness monster IMHO

[John in MA]

For the 7016 (I think) and the 9401 it's just a matter of flipping the dial. No trimming of dial feet needed as they are exactly 180 degrees apart.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by scottb2

Correct. Never seen real one. It's like the lock ness monster IMHO

No just Google . . . I have never seen one either but several out there

http://theswissmonster.blogspot.be/2...estroleft.html

HAGOne

[scottb2]

well I got one word cored :P

[marcello pisani]

don't forget there is also another little problem with a " destro " watch ....
when I check one I expect to have the case number engraved at 6 ( and not at 12 ) and the reference number at 12 ( and not at 6
like in fakes where the dial has been turned of 180 degrees ).
you can well try to erase the engravings on both sides and then :
1) re-engrave the lining on both sides
2) re-engrave case number at 6 and reference numbers at 12 ( and other " words " as well ).
but now you have another problem : usually an expert takes less than a minute to see if the re-engravings and the new linings are correct ..
so if someone proposes you a " destro " and you don't have your own database with hundreds of watches to do the comparison ...
just ask a full set of pictures ( including lugs with the engravings ) and show them on a forum or to someone you fully thrust in ..
this procedure in my opinion is allways the best one also for " sinistro watches " ( = standard ones ) ... LLOOLLL

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

don't forget there is also another little problem with a " destro " watch ....
when I check one I expect to have the case number engraved at 6 ( and not at 12 ) and the reference number at 12 ( and not at 6
like in fakes where the dial has been turned of 180 degrees ).
you can well try to erase the engravings on both sides and then :
1) re-engrave the lining on both sides
2) re-engrave case number at 6 and reference numbers at 12 ( and other " words " as well ).
but now you have another problem : usually an expert takes less than a minute to see if the re-engravings and the new linings are correct ..
so if someone proposes you a " destro " and you don't have your own database with hundreds of watches to do the comparison ...
just ask a full set of pictures ( including lugs with the engravings ) and show them on a forum or to someone you fully thrust in ..
this procedure in my opinion is allways the best one also for " sinistro watches " ( = standard ones ) ... LLOOLLL

Thanks Marcello

Always enjoy reading your posts

HAGOne

[dysondiver]

ok , so just how easy is it to turn a no date sub into a leftie , is it just a dial rotate , or is it the feet chopped of and reattatched ,,, i always liked the look of a left hand drive sub

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by dysondiver

ok , so just how easy is it to turn a no date sub into a leftie , is it just a dial rotate , or is it the feet chopped of and reattatched ,,, i always liked the look of a left hand drive sub

The one that I was referring to in my previous post was a tritium 14060 from the early 1990s. It was clearly stated in the sales advertisement that the modification was completed by Jack at IWW. Dial feet where removed and then soldered back on with the dial rotated 180 degrees. So yes, this is the procedure for a modified destro submariner.

[scottb2]

ayyyyy

[John in MA]

Originally Posted by dysondiver

ok , so just how easy is it to turn a no date sub into a leftie , is it just a dial rotate , or is it the feet chopped of and reattatched ,,, i always liked the look of a left hand drive sub

Depends on if you want a no date Tudor sub or a no date Rolex Sub.

Tudor's are easier as you don't have to clip the dial feet. Just rotate the dial on a 9401 (and I think a 7016) and you're all set. Reinstall and off you go. 7928 and date models are different. You need to either clip the feet or find a date wheel also flipped to work with a Destro configuration.