Vintage Rolex Dial Interest

[whoopy12]

Hey all,

Thought I'd put some feelers out here to gauge interest on which vintage rollie dials are in demand. I'm a graphic designer by day and am considering trying my hand at replicating (to a high degree) several vintage dials.

 

 

 

What are some dials you guys would like to see/need to improve?

 

 

[sgtguk]

What about some Tudor dials if you can too    

[whoopy12]

I'm open to recreate any vintage dial assuming the demand is high enough

 

My limitations are:

- 2 colors max (discounting the color of dial background)

- no raised indices

[modelizer]

What about some Tudor dials if you can too    

+1 I would love to get my hands on a good but reasonably priced 7928 dial with ETA feet config!

[correctime]

I'd like to see some high quality early 3135 date wheel overlays with the open 6's and 9's produced.

I think there's a high enough demand for them to make it worth the effort.

It seems most of the ones currently available aren't aligned and centered....they tend to be high and left justified. 

Edited January 21, 2013 by correctime

[stevedrk]

Rolex dials: 5512, 5513, 1680 (all varieties), 1665, 1675

Tudor dials: 9401 (black & blue), 9411 (black & blue), 7928

These would all be in demand and sell like hot cakes.

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

Edited January 21, 2013 by stevedrk

[dbane883]

16660 Matte dial Sea Dweller.

[dieselpower]

I second what stevedrk says. You should check out ingod44's stuff and phong, yuki etc. The prices vary alot but overall I think the quality is rather good so pricing is going to be crucial, having said that if you can come up with good quality highly accurate reps of any of the above I think you could sell lorry loads. Good luck and I look forward to how you get on. I for one would like a decent 1665, 5513 and a 1680 - that's just for starters. Date wheels are also a very hot item. I'd buy five (at least) if you produced a flat top 3 open 6 and 9 with good alignment and fitted an eta movement.

[whoopy12]

The biggest hurdle I'm encountering so far is sourcing blank dials with eta feet. I've tried Offrei and various others, but the gen dials seem to be smaller by 2mm (26.5 instead of 28.5). 

 

If anyone has any ideas on where to source gen spec dials (size wise/date wheel window location) with eta feet configuration, then that would bring this project one large step closer to becoming a reality.

[whoopy12]

diesal power,

I already have the vector artwork for a beautiful drsd 1665 ready  Just need the dial blanks figured out.

 

Here's a sneak peek

Edited January 21, 2013 by whoopy12

[dbane883]

diesal power,

I already have the vector artwork for a beautiful drsd 1665 ready Just need the dial blanks figured out.

Here's a sneak peek

That looks great! Key is to get the printing nice and crisp. Coronet a hair fat, but otherwise that's a tremendous start!

[freddy333]

A truly accurate (preferably, non-Oyster) 62xx Daytona dial would be a breakthrough. However, the keys for a proper Daytona dial are -

1. good, thick paint. Ming seems to be heading in the right direction here, but his dials have other issues.

2. properly deep-set subdials (&, as a bonus, the chapter ring area)

3. correct fonts, especially the 3 in the minute totalizer. None of those western (cowboy) style overly serifated fonts, which are a dead give-away

4. correctly shaped coronet

 

As others have suggested, an accurate double red 1665 would also be nice. But the aftermarketeers have been getting very good on just about everything, but the Daytonas. Produce a proper Daytona & you will be legend. Also, I have never seen a nice gold Daytona dial.

[JoeyB]

The biggest hurdle I'm encountering so far is sourcing blank dials with eta feet. I've tried Offrei and various others, but the gen dials seem to be smaller by 2mm (26.5 instead of 28.5). 

 

If anyone has any ideas on where to source gen spec dials (size wise/date wheel window location) with eta feet configuration, then that would bring this project one large step closer to becoming a reality.

 

 

That is the problem. I've acquired a couple of really messed up Sub dials just to make the blanks. I had to solder the marker holes closed, thin it out for clearance of GMT hand, and solder dial feet to a spacer ring, then epoxy that to the back of the dial. It's a pain, but it works. 

I use water slide decals. I'd think your way would be sharper. 

[panerai153]

There are lots and lots of folks who have the old MBW "polex design" 1680 cases that are really a 5513 case. genuine 1680 dials won't work without a lot of either dial shaving or case reaming. And then you still have the problem of the dial feet in the wrong place for an ETA movement. Build a good quality white letter 1680 dial, and a silver or white (Prefer silver) date wheel that fits the ETA and aligns properly, and I bet you could sell all you can produce. This is a build that every vintage Rolex guy wants , but thus far most of us have been stymied by very poor DW alignment.

 

As Freddy said, lots of the aftermarket folks are getting the dials for 1675.1665's 5513's etc. right. I really believe that a lot of these dials are going into genuine Rolex watches, if not why are they producing all of them with dial feet to fit a Rolex movement? There are millions out there, and lots of folks inherit or buy an old Rolex, but cannot afford the price of a NOS genuine Rolex dial. If you don't believe it, go over to the Vintage Rolex market and look at what those guys are asking for old dials. Heck, common ones in average condition are a grand, and if you want something special like a really good 1665 or 1675 dial, 2-3k and that's not for a DRSD or a gilt, chapter ring, underline,etc dial.

[tomhorn]

I would love a 1016 Explorer dial.

[joshthedoc]

1675 and open 6/9's on the date wheel

[ck5533]

Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee

[rower]

I have had a thing for the 5517 for a very long time now. Let me know if you end up getting this off the ground.

[Ephry73]

7922 and 7924 Tudor dials for eta feet will be ideal to get

[whoopy12]

I'm thinking I might try to source base dials from Trevor or Mary. If I can get dials that are identical to the ones that come in the cartel watches (many fit the eta 2836) would that be satisfactory?  

[JoeyB]

I'm thinking I might try to source base dials from Trevor or Mary. If I can get dials that are identical to the ones that come in the cartel watches (many fit the eta 2836) would that be satisfactory?  

That depends on where the date window is, and the diameter of the dial. You can easily reduce the diameter of the dial to size, but the date window is the issue. If someone can show us how to make a beveled date window then the blanks from Otto Frei for ETA would work at a cost of about $4 each. 

[Akira]

1016 dials would kill and sell like hot cupcakes!

Also everything gilt would be a big seller since those aren't as well replicates in my eyes.

[danielv2000]

Why not make dials that fit the gen movement as opposed to ETAs? In any case, best of luck. As others have said, If you can make something worthwhile, you would have lots of buyers for sure! Keep us posted.

[Olivax]

62xx dayto and 5508, 5510, 5512 and 1680 dials :-)

[wiesn089]

Great project, have you tried contacting Phong etc. for blanks, maybe they'd be willing to sell some to you...