JoeyB Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 After quite a few disappointments in replacement inserts for the Perspex/bakelite 6542 insert, I decided to make my own. In doing so I've decided that I will market them. They are made using acrylic, engraved, lumed and polished. Individually made, hand finished by me! Made in the U.S.A. Outside diameter is approximately 37.5mm, inside diameter approximately 30mm, and approximately 1.3mm thick. I will be listing them on Ebay in the next few days or so at $200 usd buy it now. For members of this site, RWG.cc only I will discount to $175.00 usd. For paying VIP and Platinum members here (not reciprocating to admin or mods from other sites) the price will be $150.00 usd. So, if you're not a VIP here, become one and get a discount that saves you money on both! All plus shipping, please PM me if interested. Please bear with me and my miserable picture taking skills. I promise, I'm working on it. The first pic is far too yellow, and I used a light tent and daylight bulb. The others are more color accurate. Please note the correct font, and the 'grainy' look to the numbers. They are lumed and do glow for a bit (not super lumed) but I can't get that pic to save my life. Being translucent, the red and blue do get lighter and darker depending on the light you are in. I found that fascinating, as the blue will range from Navy to almost a Royal, and the Red from blood red to a hint of orange in varying light. And we have package sales. For the discerning RWG Member The A8 Option And the Commemorative London 2012 Collection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donerix 2.0 Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 Great work. Do you know if they fit the PT 6542 bezel ring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 No, I don't know. I believe they will be within 1mm on most bezels, depending on age and wear. That seems to be where the variances come from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donerix 2.0 Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 I will measure the bezel rings of my NDT and PT bezels tomorrow. Again great effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ephry73 Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 That's [censored] awesome! I should have kept a 6542 case to build one. E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 These inserts will fit a gen bezel without modifications to either the insert or the bezel. So it should also fit any aftermarket bezel made to gen specs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Absolutely bitchin' lookin' insert! I don't think folks realize how much work goes into one of these and you are doing a great service for the vintage community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiman12 Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Stellar work Joey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Thanks guys, it is appreciated. I tried a better front shot. At least I got rid of the yellow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Absolutely fantastic work Out of curiosity, did the originals have lumed numbers, or is that your own innovation for improved night function?Kudos again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Thanks. The original genuine inserts were lumed, but as freddy333 rightly points out, after some 55 years the lume would be minimal if at all. However, the lume is what gives the 'grainy' appearance in the numbers, so I use it. I give it a tint to emulate tritium. It's a light glow that doesn't last very long. And it does look really neat with the hands, dial and insert all lit up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 That's interesting to know, I didn't realize that the original inserts were lumed, but when JMB displayed his insert the other day, I was thinking that lume would be a neat addition in terms of function, but also that using the color of the lume would be an easy cheat to create that nice vintage off-white color of the numerals, so that's neat to find out that they originally were lumed Best of luck with the sales, when I can spare the cash, I'm going to have to put in order with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolfire Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 I may have to build a 6542 eventually. Awesome work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Thanks. Winter is coming. Time for those projects! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 TeeJay, Rather than further hijack the other thread I put this here. I wasn't planning on doing a 6542, but had a vague project idea for a customized version of 'something similar', which might look like a 50's Original of the GMTIIC. If I recall you asked freddy if the perspex/bakelite insert came in all black. Guess what! This one is not finished yet, needs shaping and finish polish. I was planning a 16710 with a ceramic insert that I have as a spare, and custom white dial, an 'Oreo'! I decided to try the acrylic first. Hey, it's the Christmas season, I could do a red/green one, or even a plaid for Scotland! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 You should do a brown lucite for goldie '42s. Not that there are sufficient numbers of them to make it worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 TeeJay, Rather than further hijack the other thread I put this here. If I recall you asked freddy if the perspex/bakelite insert came in all black. Guess what! This one is not finished yet, needs shaping and finish polish. I was planning a 16710 with a ceramic insert that I have as a spare, and custom white dial, an 'Oreo'! I decided to try the acrylic first. Hey, it's the Christmas season, I could do a red/green one, or even a plaid for Scotland! That's looking fantastic Seeing how that looks, I'm wondering if a charcoal grey might give a color not only more in keeping with the modern cerachrome insert, but also capable of 'color shifting' further through the black spectrum depending on the ambient lighting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 To be honest, and I probably should have said this earlier, I can custom make most any color scheme anyone would like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 To be honest, and I probably should have said this earlier, I can custom make most any color scheme anyone would like. I think another single color which would look good, would be the all blue scheme used for some Air Force models As mentioned, my concept for my project is: Rather than simply being a 50th Anniversary edition, if the GMTIIC had been a 50th Anniversary re-issue, what might the Original have looked like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltatahoe Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Thanks. The original genuine inserts were lumed, but as freddy333 rightly points out, after some 55 years the lume would be minimal if at all. However, the lume is what gives the 'grainy' appearance in the numbers, so I use it. I give it a tint to emulate tritium. It's a light glow that doesn't last very long. And it does look really neat with the hands, dial and insert all lit up! fwiw, the original bakelite inserts actually used radium as the luminous material; they most definitely still glow after being charged deltatahoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbaddds Posted January 3, 2012 Report Share Posted January 3, 2012 Looks awesome, just wondering if this will fit PT's 6542 without modification? I only ask because the NDT that's recommended by donerix comes with the bezel also hence the price tag I assume? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2012 All GMT inserts through 16710 have the same outside diameter. The inside diameter is the same for all GMTs with acrylic crystals. So, it will fit without modification, but I like to 'blend' it in to the bezel. NDT has it as a set with the bezel at $380, or the insert alone at $280. My pics aren't as good, but note the font particularly on the '2', '4' and '8', and the 'grainy' look similar to tritium. I believe the colors to be more accurate as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Photos courtesy of freddy333: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sishac Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Wow!! This is amazing and so in the true spirit of this forum. I am constantly amazed at the innovation and skills of forum members here. Congratulations on a wonderful piece!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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