jmb

I've decided this is a keeper...

Ah yes, I remember the "Midnight Sun Softball League" when I lived in Fairbanks... I'm sticking with this one, now sporting it's new Clarks T12, for the rest of the week at least...

That is definitely a bitchin' lookin' combination. Kinda old-school meets new-wave industrial! Kinda makes me sorry I got rid of mine or I woulda been out there in the shop with a grinder instead of typing this!

That riveted band does the trick! I think I'll try to get a DSSD clasp and make me a band like that!

I wonder if it would be easy to just put the DSSD clasp on a riveted Oyster? I would try that but I don't have a DSSD anymore. All of the hype/anticipation/version-mania sort of took all of the fun out of having one!

JoJo, I don't think I'd heard of a Speedking before, I love that dial! It seems like the older style dials have so much more "soul" then the modern stuff...

2836-2

Looks fantastic! Makes mine look like flea-market material... :-p

I saw this vintage used Tudor dial on e-Bay and really liked the coloring and patina so I hadda have it. Unfortunately I forgot to check the diameter and when I went to put it in a typical Prince Date case it bounced off the crystal - Doh!! So, the search for a case to fit the dial commenced and I came up with a rep Tudor case that measures about 31.5mm and 17mm between the lugs. The dial is actually a hair smaller in diameter than the 2836 movement and fits into the case without a movement ring! I had to "modify" some case clamps but finally got everything to sorta fit. It looks fantastic in the flesh but I have to admit this watch would be for those who are small in the wrist as a 34mm looks huge next to it and it looks kinda out of place on my wrist... I think if my wife sees it she might take a liking to it as it. Here's a few pics...

I tape off the crystal, put on a heavy leather glove, and then mash and scrub it around in a bucket of lathe chips/shavings! Doesn't get real aggressive but generally dulls everything and adds some light scratching. I think it makes it look more "old and taken care of" instead of abused.

Dauphine hands have just been ordered!

Andy, it's a vintage gen dial that justasgood laid on me! And, after receiving a small package today I'll have another 34mm gem in the works once I get another movement...

I was about to get started on a bezel and took one more dig through the parts box and found a T-12, not sure if it's a Clarks or not but it fit in place of the sapphire perfectly - absolutely no modding needed!

K, wouldn't have been possible without ya! Couldn't bring myself to broach the hands so will order some Dauphine style from ofrei.

R, yes they are but I'm out of T-12 crystals and the only thing I need to order from ofrei at the moment are the hands and I got impatient! These two points will be addressed...

Therapy...

I'll probably be wearing this one for a while!

I'm fixin' to have to go even smaller as I have a bunch of 25.5mm dials I need to build up!

Heh, I could think of at least one heretic that might brew up something like that - well, maybe two!

LH - Yeah, I like those dials too. My rep DJ has a silver one... I wonder if there is a way (maybe with UV lamps) to get a rep dial to "age" lie this? goat - Eventually, but I'm out of 'em right now and after a quick look through my "band box" the only 19mm Rolex signed I saw was the Jubilee. I have some Tudor Prince Date bands but I figured that would REALLY look out of place! I was thinking of ordering just a plain Brushed Oyster but maybe the Riveted Oyster would be nice. The only thing I currently have one on is my DRSD.

Kurt graciously provided me with a nicely "aged" Oyster Perpetual dial a while back for which I immediately started scrounging parts. I still don't have the proper Dauphine style hands and I'm out of plexi crystals but I couldn't wait any longer. I mated this fine dial with one of my 34mm plain sapphire cases, a 2836-2 movement, rep gold Datejust hands, and a rep 19mm Jubilee band and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I will install Dauphine hands and a Clark plexi at a later date but for right now I'm just gonna wear it like it is!

A - No, but you are in the queue!

Just got in a new PT1680 watch from a Forum Bro. to do a crystal swap and a couple other things. I knew it was coming so I had made up a retention ring beforehand and boy was I surprised when I popped the bezel off and found the retention ring was totally different than the previous ones! The only thing that is the same is the plastic/nylon spacer between the ring and crystal. The new one will actually be simpler to machine in that there is no vertical "lip" or multiple angles on the upper surface. It seems that without the "lip" to centralize the bezel there is not as precise a feel and there is not as much area contacting the crystal. I guess the only thing about these rep factories is that everything is always in a state of flux!

Keeping with the "small" watches...

No, but I bought a lot of 10 ETA 2671 movements a while back and I'm in the process of making a Ladies DJ with one but having trouble getting the sweep hand to fit.