BK Noob Explorer II Project - Is the black bezel inlaid paint gloss or satin or what? And how do you repaint / refill it?

[Mapman57]

Can anyone please point me at a link for a tutorial on repainting the inlaid numbers on the bezel? Many thanks I tried the search function, but you guessed it......

I have a beautiful modded BK modded Noob Explorer II that needs some TLC to the the Bezel ring - some of the black inlay paint has worked off! :mad:

So does anyone know if it should be gloss? Satin? or matt finish paint?

The 14 and 24 are paticularly bad - but quite a few numbers are effected

Here are a couple of crappy pics...

So I started to look more closely with a standard wooden toothpick and found that all of the numbers were loose and flakey? This is what she looks like now. The macro shots under harsh desklights make the watch condition look poor - but it isn't in the flesh.

The bezel will be overhauled and then the case, lugs and bracelet cleaned and refinished also - back to its very best

The watch has a BK DWO (and his other tweaks), Gen correct crown and aftermarket crystal.

I just need some advice on the best paint and best technique to do the inlay work???? PLEASE!

All answers on a postcard please.....

[sneed12]

Since you're going to rebrush it anyway--I'd remove the bezel and spray the whole thing with matte black spray paint, then remove the excess. But that's just me.

[Ronin]

You can try the "Doxa" method.

It is very common on Doxa watches for the inlaid paint on the bezel to wear off. What some clever folks have figured out is:

You can use a Crayola Crayon to fill in the recess, rub it in, wipe off excess, apply a little heat very carefully (hairdrier or match) and hey presto.

http://forums.watchu...ion-497682.html

Finally, if you really want to 'paint' here is a good tutorial.

http://www.doxa300t....ezelrepaint.htm

[irolexu]

+1 for what sneed said

[Mapman57]

Since you're going to rebrush it anyway--I'd remove the bezel and spray the whole thing with matte black spray paint, then remove the excess. But that's just me.

Sneed - many thanks for the input - been enjoying your Franken Exp II threads recently - great stuff!

You can try the "Doxa" method.

It is very common on Doxa watches for the inlaid paint on the bezel to wear off. What some clever folks have figured out is:

You can use a Crayola Crayon to fill in the recess, rub it in, wipe off excess, apply a little heat very carefully (hairdrier or match) and hey presto.

http://forums.watchu...ion-497682.html

Finally, if you really want to 'paint' here is a good tutorial.

http://www.doxa300t....ezelrepaint.htm

@Ronin - wonderful stuff - I will study these links for sure

+1 for what sneed said

Thanks for your support on this!

I now have enough to move forwards, thanks again to all.

[sneed12]

You can use a Crayola Crayon to fill in the recess, rub it in, wipe off excess, apply a little heat very carefully (hairdrier or match) and hey presto.

That's a pretty cool idea, I might try that sometime.

[Mapman57]

Since you're going to rebrush it anyway--I'd remove the bezel and spray the whole thing with matte black spray paint, then remove the excess. But that's just me.

I was looking (and wearing) the gen version of this just recently and was amazed how bright the bezel is and how the steel is brushed in radial lines from the hand stack/dial centre to the outer edge? It is like a true sunburst pattern - a detail that is not fully visible on the rep - well not on my battered bezel.

The other detail I noted is that the CG's as they enter under the perimeter of the bezel are also brushed - in line with the bezel perimeter edge. It is a straight line finish and only the curved upper surface of the CG's are highly polished. Not always seen in Gen pictures but very obvious in the hand or on the wrist. The CG's on the rep are polished right under the bezel circumference.

Just a couple of additional details that can be modded in - if one is so inclined ?

Oh, and the infill in the bezel numbers is almost to the top of the bezel surface - it is not a thin coat of paint in the base of the recess! So the crayon method might be a way to achieve this 'fill'?

Edited December 14, 2011 by Mapman57

[sneed12]

I was looking (and wearing) the gen version of this just recently and was amazed how bright the bezel is and how the steel is brushed in radial lines from the hand stack/dial centre to the outer edge? It is like a true sunburst pattern - a detail that is not fully visible on the rep - well not on my battered bezel.

Yeah, the way I try to duplicate this when I refinish a rep bezel is to spin the bezel slowly while brushing it. I use a brushing pad in a Dremel to do the brushing and I spin it on a turntable.