Been Wearing My Latest Project Watch

[svorkoetter]

In addition to repairing a few watches (Sekonda alarm and Poljot chrono), I've taken an interested in modding watches too. So far I've made an Omega X-33 homage (out of a Pulsar), a Tudor Black Bay homage (out of an Invicta), and now my latest, an homage to both the Rolex Milsub and Rolex Explorer built from an Orient Chicane. I call it the Adventurer, and have been wearing it since I completed it on Sunday.

 

I first put it on a brown RIOS alligator pattern strap I had on hand. This looked good on the original Chicane with its burgundy dial, but not so good on the Adventurer. I'm considering sourcing a black strap for it, either alligator patterned or smooth.

 

 

Next I transferred it to the stock folded-link Orient bracelet, which I had brushed to get rid of the shiny narrow parts of the links. Looks okay, but a bit busy, and the bracelet is terrible.

 

 

Here's a close-up of the dial. Unlike my Black Bay homage, which used a pre-made dial, this dial is completely home-made.

 

 

One of my goals with this watch was to make it easily legible both day and night, even to my 50 year old eyes without my reading glasses on. As such, it has very high contrast, and killer lume (on the indices - I wanted to get better hands for it).

 

 

The dial is patterned directly after that of a Rolex Submariner, but because this 39mm Explorer-style watch case has such a thin bezel, the dial is much bigger (and thus easier to see) than the one on a 40mm Sub.

Edited November 26, 2014 by svorkoetter

[Geo]

I do like the clean simplicity of it, everything is so sharp and well executed. Another excellent job well done.

[Blacklab]

Very nice, how did you make the dial?

[clockboy]

Same question how do you make the dials

[noirrac1j]

Hey that looks great. I don't think the folded link bracelet looks busy...no. It looks good because the curved end links give it a clean integrated look--and I am always biased towards leather straps on watches. Have you tried a leather NATO style strap with the stainless steel keepers? I bet a grey one or standard black leather would look very good. Also, I must know how you did that dial--don't keep us in suspense, give up the info bro! I love those sugar-cube style markers. They are made entirely of lume, yes? There is only one thing I don't like and that is the sweep second hand. It would have looked devastating with an arrow tip sweeper with either a red tip (as you have now) or a lumed outline for the center. Gorgeous job!

Edited November 26, 2014 by noirrac1j

[svorkoetter]

I plan to write up an article about the dial making process, probably next week while I'm traveling. In the mean time, here's a quick summary of the process:

 

- remove dial from watch
- remove indices, date frame, and other applied bits
- fill date hole with steel-filled epoxy
- make a block with holes for the dial feet and a tube to fit the centre hole
- sand off the existing lacquer
- design new dial
- write a program to accurately generate the dial artwork at 1200dpi
- print many copies on a 1200dpi inkjet printer on the very best photo paper
- spray with gloss acrylic lacquer
- choose one that turned out okay
- cut it out with a circle cutter (compass with a knife blade)
- laminate it to the now blank dial with a very thin coat of epoxy
- sand and polish out the imperfections
- apply more lacquer to seal the edges
- sand and polish some more
- apply 14 coats of lume paint to a white adhesive backed label
- sand to a uniform height
- punch out round indices and cut out the other indices
- apply to dial
- apply a somewhat wet coat of lacquer to seal the indices to the dial
- apply many mist coats of matte acrylic lacquer to achieve desired finish
- modify movement spacer ring to bring movement closer to back of dial by the same amount that the photo paper increased the thickness
- reassemble watch

 

Here's a test dial where I tried out the matte lacquer finish:

 

 

Close-up of the actual dial, with hour hand installed:

 

[Don]

Looks awesome! And it's functional. I lean towards simpler, legible dials for my (only) 46 year old eyes. I'm looking forward to seeing more designs.

[Mark]

Nice job!

[bobm12]

Very nicely executed! I love the watch and rest awed at the clean execution of the whole process, knowing that lots of your tools are also made by yourself!

Edited November 26, 2014 by bobm12

[svorkoetter]

Still wearing it, ever since the day I completed it:

 

Frankfurt:

 

 

Lyon:

 

 

And back at home and work:

 

 

 

[bobm12]

Careful, trees don't know how to wear watches! :)

[clockboy]

Great job beautiful watch

[walttoya]

Nice! Love the dial and lume!

[autowind]

Very clever and looks brilliant.   :thumbsu:

[clockboy]

That is one brilliant looking watch

[svorkoetter]

I plan to write up an article about the dial making process, probably next week while I'm traveling.

 

Well, it turned into "next year while I'm traveling", but the article is finally done: Making Custom Watch Dials

[cdjswiss]

Stefan, a fine write-up with many tips and cautions. I particularly appreciated the colour printing to achieve better definition than with black alone. I would include in your methods inkjet transfer printing as a simple way of adding sub-dials when needed or fine logos to existing dials.  EPS files in Adobe Illustrator are ideal for this purpose.

 

Colin.

[clockboy]

Well, it turned into "next year while I'm traveling", but the article is finally done: Making Custom Watch Dials

Stefan, That is a brilliant write-up & will try when time. 

On other projects getting a solid black has been difficult but  8% blue I have never tried & I will try. The hole cutting my wife who is a very keen crafter says see has a punch that works with paper.

​I have adobe indesign & photoshop so hopefully using the two I can produce the dial.

 

[Geo]

Stefan, thank you for taking the time to write up a truly excellent article and sharing it with the masses. I now have it saved in my horological favourites, and hope to have a go at it sometime in the future. :)

[svorkoetter]

I would include in your methods inkjet transfer printing as a simple way of adding sub-dials when needed or fine logos to existing dials.

 

Colin, are you referring to water-slide transfers? If so, I'm already working on a separate article about that, because I've done a watch that way too.

[Blacklab]

Thanks for the write up Stefan- excellent. I had a go a few weeks earlier on a couple of scrappers using Adobe InDesign nothing fancy mind.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I was unable to glue the paper on to the watch dial as it hasn't got a spacer. Sorry no before pic on the clock. The main thing I have tried to do is match the original as closely as possible, fonts are the biggest problem. Also the clock dial was originally silvered, still trying to find a suitable paper to match this. I have another scrapper to do & will try something a bit more creative next time.

 

[cdjswiss]

Colin, are you referring to water-slide transfers? If so, I'm already working on a separate article about that, because I've done a watch that way too.

 

I am using dry rub-off decal paper, but maybe the water-slide is better. I await your article!

 

I shall post a dry rub-off example when I have a really good one.

[svorkoetter]

Blacklab, both of your problems might be addressed by the water-slide decal technique. The watch because water-slide decals are much thinner than paper, and the second because you could apply a clear water-slide decal over an appropriate backing (such as the matte side of a piece of aluminum foil).

[Blacklab]

Thanks for the tip Stefan, however I remember from my Airfix kit childhood that air bubbles posed a problem, but certainly worth a try.

[svorkoetter]

I think its comes down to technique. As I child my plastic models always turned out horribly. If water-slide decals are applied carefully, and the bubbles squeegeed out, the results can be good: