projectologist

No brushed finish with the original PreV buckles (guessing at some point someone may have brushed theirs to re-finish it). They did not use sand blasting either. The finish commonly used is a tumbling process to deburr the pieces and give the surface a uniform finish. Usually the pieces are tumbled with small steel balls or shot and a lubricant (pic I posted is an example).

For comparison...

My 5th one... HF and Noob combined...

Get the current Noob version and you will be a happy camper

No rep wonkiness to obsess over... just pure franken sex here This came in from a friend for a little spa treatment. Forgot to wipe down the watch and case back xtal, crud is on the outside, not the wheels on the movement. Everything gen except the mid-case and case back. Some quick phone pics for now.

You're new to the scene and this forum. DSN has been a TD at this site for over 7 years. If he was not to be trusted, he would not be allowed to sell via this site. I posted his link here, you're good to go. What you chose to believe regarding DSN is your choice, but we speak from experience, you speak from erroneous assumptions... but we forgive you ... we realize you're a noob

I like it too, strangely attracted to brown dial models. Movement incoming. Deciding whether to mod it or not, even with the closed case back.

DSN (his initials nick) has been a TD here for quite a long time... http://www.rwgforum.net/forum/72-davidsenjpn

Thanks! This 390 is based on the H Factory rep with the cg replaced by the Noob factory cg. I started by removing most of the small nicks and scratches on the mid-case and bezel. Then I flattened and re-polished the ends of the strap screws. Then every part that is polished got a final polish. The Noob cg was cleaned up and re-brushed. Both the lever pin and the roller-ball pin were removed, flattened and polished. Next the outer lever tip was shortened to OEM length, then re-contoured. Next was the CP which was flattened (with a very subtle dome shape) and re-polished. The edges of the hands were cleaned up of some residual lume that was poorly applied. The HF crown was given a new polish, as well as the inside surface that the lever engages. That's pretty much it for now. For me all of those little details add up when I look down at my wrist and see how close to gen a rep can look. The movement still needs work... arrived doa and the best I could do was coax a couple of hours out of it so far. I'll replace it.

I've bought and sold 4 x 390 reps so far, always trying to refine/mod them as I can. After the work is done I typically end up selling them right after (bored with it) and move onto the next project. It's one of those watches I always regret selling, so I started looking for a good deal again... that's how I started this my 5th one. I'm determined to keep this one for awhile.. LOL Some quick phone pics showing how the dial color and subtle warm gold hands change quite a bit under different light, indoors and out. Lots of work refining this one.

He was referring to MD2020's post #2 which is a PAM 089

Thanks! Here's a link to the compounds I use ( thanks to member w0lf for the recommendation! ) This one in UK for you... http://www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/acatalog/Guide_to_Menzerna_Compounds.html I use 8" cotton buffing wheels and a bench buffer.

Not sure what you mean, the ammo strap on the rep is a nice aftermarket ammo strap. You see them on gen PAMs all of the time, so not a tell. The strap on the gen is a gen OEM calf strap.

When the parts from other builds start piling up, I get the urge to see what I can put together. I finally had enough to slam together a decent 111 build combining HF and Noob parts. Most of the time was spent on modding the cg as close to gen as I could get. Still working on the movement, so will post more pics when that's done. Re-polished every part except for the case back and cg. Necessary SOP for most SS PAM reps. A couple of phone pics for now... On top of my favorite PAM coffee cup... Sharpened the engraving and gave the buckle and tang a re-polish...

Looking good, just change the "O" to a Pre-Vendome "O" and you're very close (your "O" matches the Vendome "O" shape in the test dial). Also take the serifs back a wee bit, a hair more subtle. And kerning needs adjustment. Impressive work so far... looks like it could be the dial everyone has been hoping for

Messing around with my iPhone 4 and different lighting. Swiss 6497-1 in the 003...

Thanks!... it started as a Silix case set, then a lot of re-shaping.

Thanks, but as I keep saying, not my watch, not my build... maybe someday

Thanks... I can't take credit for the build. Another iPhone capture... I think I'm coming around to white dials...

Thanks guys! Here's the Dirk strap I have on it. Buckle is showing some nice patina since it's from the same period as the dial and case set.

Got a chance to check this one out for a couple of days. I gave the case set and cg a near complete re-finish (out of respect to the original little dings and scratches, I didn't remove all of them... after all, it's a 15 year-old OEM case set that's earned it's wear). This build qualifies as a definite uber franken... • Early series OEM case set, crown and cg • OEM 03 T-dial, relumed DSN hands to match Tritium lume plots • Jakob Pre-A 03 case back • Decorated Swiss 6497-1 movement • Dirk strap The xtal is showing it's age as well...

I noticed that the crown isn't screwed all of the way down on the 292. Hopefully they just didn't screw it down all of the way, but not being able to screw it down all of the way has been a problem with rep rads in the past and gets worse with use. The 390 dial is fine, just a little distortion from camera lens combining with the xtal's lens effect.

This project has been slow to finish. All that's really left is painting the brass dial, filling in the font and resin-fill the indices/numbers. Also luming the hands. The correct gen crown (both Oyster and onion versions were used with the Radiomirs) is going to fit now that I machined a matching crown tube (still needs to be soldered into place). Hixxy bezel was modded with a new bevel and the NW case back polished. Wire strap lugs were shortened and given a new bend (laser welded, solder fillet still needed). The entire case set was re-shaped then beaten severely. After it recovered it was given a high shine polish with a buffing wheel and Dialux Blue compound (scratches and dings still visible, but with that "softened by time" look). Now it has the feel of the Radiomirs that are well documented in Volker's books. Stand-in paper dial until the brass dial is finished.

Current prices for a 28a are hovering around $15-18k depending on condition. It will sell at paneristi.com in less than 24 hrs. with good pics and references or face to face deal.

Agree on all points, especially the crystal!