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For the Vintage Folks - 3646 Case set In Process


Watchmeister

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The Project

This project comes from a new member who may well offer his services here to others upon full vetting. More on that later. When the member contacted me and showed me some of his work I quickly confirmed his identity through a mutual acquaintance and decided to take the chance and commission a couple of pieces (read as paid for up front) for myself and another member. These pieces are not cheap owing to the fact they are handmade. Further, all materials, machining and assembly methods are the same used at the time the gens were built. The basic case is carved from a block of Stay Brite steel (not 316L). The solder is proper silver solder and appropriately aged. The buckle is actual bronze and the leather on the strap is aged beautifully. The crystal is a hand formed replica of the Bluepoint 40.2 crystal which is appropriate for this particular 3646 and very rare. What drew me in is the fact that these pieces are not CNC

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Kind of makes it look easy there....if you had the right equipment. pretty sweet thread, thanks for sharing.

Actually, watching the process and seeing how many hours and the skills through pictures sent as the cases were built makes me appreciate the piece more. I have many more pics but picked a couple of random ones from along the way. It is amazing to watch a piece start as a block of steel and then to see all the hand machining, lathing and final file work. Even the forming of the plexi is very cool. It is such a diferent world from the current world of CNC where someone draws an accurate CAD and a computer executes it.

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Very very interesting project. But only for people who can also afford genuines, not for the average rep enthusiast. But really really SUPERB find and very nice post, info & pics. Thanks Kruzer!

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Well it will be easy to find the watch smith,

Just look around for some one who is glowing

Is he realy using radium?????

Not doupting you for a second but i dident even know it was alowed never mind available. Hats off to this guy, top top work, propper workman ship

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It's funny you bring up the radium. Yes, he does have radium properly contained in a lead box but the topic was how much I wanted on the dial. Apparently the gen had a fair amount. :)

The type of emissions from Radium are not strong enough to penetrate the case, movement and case back to a degree that's harmful long-term, especially given the amount typically used on a dial. The real danger was the direct exposure to the Radium dust inhaled by the unprotected dial makers back in the day.

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Actually, watching the process and seeing how many hours and the skills through pictures sent as the cases were built makes me appreciate the piece more. I have many more pics but picked a couple of random ones from along the way. It is amazing to watch a piece start as a block of steel and then to see all the hand machining, lathing and final file work. Even the forming of the plexi is very cool. It is such a diferent world from the current world of CNC where someone draws an accurate CAD and a computer executes it.

Let me rephrase my statement. that level of craftmanship makes it look easy. I can certainly respect the time and effort put into a project like this. And I can understand the price as well. I have a mechanical/industrial engineering background so I've spent time on a lathe before. I'd really like to find a friend who has a shop in his back yard and try my hands at something like this myself. Either way, thank you for sharing and I'm anxiously awaiting an update on those dials. Congrats for your patience and drive to take on a project like this.

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The type of emissions from Radium are not strong enough to penetrate the case, movement and case back to a degree that's harmful long-term, especially given the amount typically used on a dial. The real danger was the direct exposure to the Radium dust inhaled by the unprotected dial makers back in the day.

Would not want to be wearing a radium lumed piece day in and day out, but heck that is just my opinion.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_04kZGR_ltmE/SnaCXFBrsqI/AAAAAAAAEdM/IQTDxbdanYo/s1600-h/Giger-Counter-Panerai.jpg

Source: http://rolexblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/part-3-complete-history-of-rolex.html

Giger-Counter-Panerai.jpg

Edited by ravishingrick
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the famous radium girls come in mind =@

i had to remove all my watches with radium dials from the house after i read about them .... but im a pussy :D

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