ubiquitous

Do yourself a favor and buy a small set of jeweler's screw drivers. A nice range of 1.2mm, 1.6mm, 2.0mm should do well for most small items like link removal; if you ever venture into the land of Panerai, having a 1.5mm/1.6mm screwdriver will be a must for strap changes. Once you have said screw drivers, you can do link removal and adjustment at your convenience, and best of all it will only take a few moments of your time to DIY...

Thanks for the kind words everyone These projects are always a labor of love; lots of time, effort and money spent, but the end result is a watch I take a lot of pride in. I think that's what I enjoy the most with the finished product; looking down at my wrist and knowing what went into the watch that I had a hand in building Of course, it's the road to get there that I truly enjoy... It's one thing to be on the hunt for a complete watch, but another to be on the hunt for individual components and watch it all come together... At any rate... Don't worry... I have plenty of plans ahead of me with regards to projects Thinking of maybe doing a Rose as well; I had built one a few years back, though I have to admit that my standpoint is the opposite to yours; the Rose ranks low on my preference list... As for the case... I'll let you guys guess. What's the consensus? What are your thoughts? All the best... R

nossir. 5513/5514/5517 = 26mm

I don

@lanikai Heh... Yeah, I have some work ahead of me, that's for sure!

Looking good, vly!! This one turned out great! I bet I know which watch will be spending some time on your wrist this Summer!

Heehee... Sometimes a little insanity is a good thing Silvio, Long time since we spoke last. Hope you are doing well, my friend! What's new?

Stress testing on Monday: Tuesday wear: And for Weds:

Great pics! That blue dial's iridescence can be difficult to capture; it's true brilliance is when you see it in person and in the right lighting As for the dotted chapter dials- The MBK without a dot at 3:00 is more accurate, though even more accurate still would be with the :14 and :16 dots removed as well (gen has :11, :12, :13 and :17, :18, 19: dotted only). I also notice that the rep is missing the :59 and :01 dots, which a 3700 or 3711 would have (the 5711, however does not have these dots on the chapter if I recall correct). I do really like that Aquanaut as well... May need to add one to compliment my Nautilus...

The best way to build a watch on a budget is to spread the project out over time. Buying everything up front all at once will make the project a large endeavor with significant cost out of pocket (depending on the scope of your build); buying a part here or there one piece at a time helps spread that cost out and the small hits don't hurt so bad. The key is to be patient, and keep your focus; these things can be discouraging at times. However, taking your time will also allow you to make better educated decisions as you'll have plenty of opportunity to research, which is important with any project. As an example- The watch below is one that took me a little over a year to build; most of that time was waiting for the right parts to come along... Another thing to keep in mind- Sometimes the part you want or need will only turn up when you're not looking for it, or no longer need it... Despite how much cash you have ready...

I suppose it's all in how you look at it. For me, building a watch isn't about the money spent nor saved; rather, I find it much more interesting and fun to build something myself vs. simply buying a gen complete. Sure, it costs a lot to fund a project like this, and the finished result doesn't carry the same provenance as a gen, but I'm not out to sell my finished product either, so I'm not worried or concerned about ROI. These are simply for my own enjoyment, so the dollar factor isn't of importance to me. Yep... All gen dials. Except the 7928, which uses an aftermarket dial (though not NDT)...

An older one I've done...

BTDT, using gen parts... But not the standard ETA 2836...

Currently enjoying...

If the Chopard has had a recent once over by RG, I say go for that one...

Denver weather has been kinda wet and rainy lately... Temps as low as the mid 50's last week. However, the past couple of days have been nice 70 - 80 degree days; I can hardly complain...

I have some stuff to send your way as well... I'll ping you sometime early/midweek...

As usual, you're correct, W. There are in fact a couple different variations of the Nautilus Jumbo rep in existence. One version of this rep has screws holding the bracelet to the case instead of pins (it should be pins), incorrect case details/shapes, bracelet details, etc. The MBK with the slim profile lugs is the one to own (in my opinion). Unfortunately my PP knowledge is limited; I am familiar with the Nautilus, and to some extent the Aquanaut family, and a few others, but don't know squat about the numerous other models they offer (like the Calatrava with numerous variations and models available). I wouldn't mind having one of those nice 18k solid cased Calatrava reps, however...

Great looking projects! As someone who also enjoys building, I have got to say that it's always fun to have a project or 3 in the works at one time. Keeps the mind busy while searching for parts, and more importantly, keeps me occupied while waiting for those parts to be shipped/received (perhaps the most agonizing part of the process). Sadly, my least favorite part of the process is finishing, as the road to completion is really where it's fun for me However, I certainly don't mind being able to wear the fruits of my labor to enjoy... All the best and have fun! R

I'll post details on that one soon, stephane. Technically, it's not finished as of current (but damn close).... However, that is probably the only Sub I'll ever really want from here forward

I love mine... Definitely a conversation starter...

FYI: Keanu Reeves knows kung fu. Whoa.

Been a long time, Kasi. Welcome back...