Velasco

Mine arrives tomorrow and will comment on the watch in the flesh.

Please do! I'm really interested...

Cheers

I've always used lye (caustic soda), either in drain cleaning products or caustic soda pellets.

The best IMO is caustic soda in small pellets or flakes, as you have more control of the process since you can use a small amount and check the results. I've also noticed that the better the quality, the more uniform and slow is the fading process.

Best of luck

Very nice pieces. The work on the 5513 is amazing.

But you're right about the insert on the 1680. Some inserts when bleached are not uniformly faded and show that kind of pattern which looks not "natural".

Thanks guys for your anwers! I was guessing this could be an early version of the 6152 DSN that he built using a Fiddy case, but I'm afraid I'm not trained enough...

More opinions would be highly appreciated.

Cheers,

V.

Guys,

need a little bit of advice from the experts here. I've purchased a 6152 and I'd like to identify the origin of this watch, especially the case.

Does this look like correct or wrong in any way to you? I. e. modern pieces, etc.

Thank you.

V.

Hi Guys,

I had recently a very interesting discussion with another tritium addict about what makes tritium to age so beatifully on our watches.

We didn't reach any conclusions, but at least we managed to get some pictures of good old tritium dials...

Let me introduce:

- a 5513 (5.7 mill)

- a 16800 (6.4 mill)

- a 1675 (1.2 mill)

Hope you've enjoyed the pics...

Cheers

V.

I happen to have one at hand, but I'm not a good photographer and I can't get it out the case...

Anyway, please let me know if I can be of any help.

V.

Thanks very much for the kind words... I have to say I caught the Vintage rollie bug in RWG long time ago... and it's getting worse every day...

The watch came with the Oyster 9315 band... love the idea of having a jubilee on it but the prices are just mad. The "PATETED" extension is one of the few Rolex failures and it's well known amongst collectors.

I'd like to ask the experts: I thought the hands to be luminova but they are completely dead (no glow at all). Although the dial shows some patina, the hands are still pristine. So I guess they're tritium... Am I right?

Thanks

V.

P.S.: "travesty"...

Just wanted to share some pics with you all...

Thanks

V.

If you go to 4 min 26 s., you will see on the bezel the wrong spacing ",10 ,"

A 40-year old watch should look, at least, used. Furthermore, if these beauties were exposed to extreme weather conditions... they should look like Polexpete's 1680. Fantastic work, congratulations Pete.

BTW, the destruction process continues...

Cheers-

V

Phase II: new insert and aged case

cheers

V.

How did you get that 'melted Cadburys' effect for the dial?

It came with the dial...

This effect is achieved by reluming the dial.

Nice job V, I think it looks great. I would leave the insert/pearl (or lack thereof) alone, and concentrate more on the case softening. What crown/tube combo are you using?

JJ

Thanks JJ

Yep you're totally right. After seeing the pics... the case looks too new - and edges too sharp.

I'm using the standard mbw crown/tube.

V.

Hi all,

thanks to a fellow member from RWG I've been able to keep modding my 1680.

It is still a work in progress but the new dial makes a huge difference...

Next steps:

- new insert

- vintage pearl

- some case aging

- vintage overlay...

...any suggestions will be much appreciated!

Thanks for looking.

V.

Geyper is more than a modder, he's a true artist. I've seen some of their jobs and they are fantastic.

V.

Nice!

Is that from the case set you were selling earlier, or is this a whole new project? It looks great!

Yes, the very same case... In fact this is a subliminal sales post!

Could somebody please recommend me where to buy aged-but-cheap aftermarket hands...

thank you...

Destroyed look

I think I need a new set of hands...

Cheers

V.

It's a nice pic... the ceramic bezel and the domed crystal make this watch a mirror, but you got it right.

Rolex&Audi... nice combo!

It's not a V5. By the shape of the case near the CGs, the dial, and the insert font & cloudy pearl, it's a V3 with the V4/V5 crystal.

Thanks Gio. I guess the Eurotimez v5 and the cartel v5 are not the same version. Maybe even the version concept does not apply here.

Hi all,

this is allegedly the "ultimate" version from the cartel. I say allegedly because this is v5. But, correct me if I'm wrong, this v5 is different from Eurotimez v5. Have a look at the (not) beveled window and the pearl.

Some pics...

Any comment from the experts would be greatly appreciated!

V.

Ubi - thanks for the pics! Great choice, this one is also on my wishlist...

Any chance of a pic showing the movement? (you know, some hardcore... )

Thank you again!

V.

Amazing collections... wow.

My Holy Trinity: 1680, 16610, 16800

This is only an opinion... but from my point of view, paying the fine would demonstrate with legal documents that you tried to import counterfeit goods.

And that record will be there for the rest of your life.

Good luck.