Opinions sought on custom build...

[TeeJay]

I was hoping to get a little feedback on a piece I put together and refined over the course of the past few days.

A year or so back, I ordered a budget (and probably fantasy) DJ which originally had a rhodium dial with Roman numerals, which for some reason, I modified to have a faux-wood effect dial. Not so long after, I was gifted a couple of 21j movements, and a gold Tudor sunburst dial.

Due to fitment issues with the second hand, I was unable to fit it, and it was simply an hours and minutes job. I did give it to my mother in law, but recently, she said I could have it back as she never wore it (she only wears the FM Crazy Hours I got her a few years back) I tried wearing it, and really liked the fit and feel of the Presidential bracelet, but I've never liked gold, and the dial just didn't quite feel right for me. At this point, I decided to try installing a black Tudor dial I had acquired from JMB, but which had been too small for any of the DJ cases I had, as it always just went through the rehaut But I persevered, and swapped the movement holder for one which was a much more secure fit, and now the assembled dial and movement simply sits in the rehaut, rather than completely falling through to the crystal

In addition to installing the Tudor dial, I have long been inspired by the DayDate built by Ubiquitous, which was given to Rolex-trained watchsmiths, which features a matte black dial, and wanted to create a DJ variant, so I sprayed the dial with varnish, and re-assembled it. A single incident of hand-fouling has been corrected, and now it is running strong

Of course, it still has no second hand, but I actually quite like that, as it lends 'a stillness' to the watch (which I'm sure the Japanese have an expression for) which other 'second hand' watches simply do not possess. It's that 'pause' in a Japanese movie which focusses on an empty hallway or how the light falls on a rock. It is the second of rest after breathing out, before you breathe in again.

The other thing I like about this watch, is way in which the matte finish to the dial works with the brushed finish of the case and bracelet, and creates, in my eyes, a very subtle, very understated watch, suitable for any and all eventualities and wardrobes. It would look casual with jeans and a t-shirt, smart with a suit, maybe even formal with a tux, yet it doesn't scream "I'm a Rolex and cost a load of money!!!" or otherwise call attention to itself in any way, it just flies completely below the radar, somehow making the observer not keep looking at it. I just wondered if others felt the same, and am interested to hear any thoughts or feedback

[TeeJay]

PS If anyone feels it looks like a dog's dinner, feel free to say so