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mid 70's 5514 COMEX with 5513 dial


fitch

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  • 1 month later...

Time for a small update; I changed the insert for a another one; perfectly even faded from matt black on the inside to darkblue~blue on the outside, color of the pearl matching with the dial and hands :)

 

I hope you enjoy the pics :)

 

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5514-17.jpg

 

5514-18.jpg

 

5514-19.jpg

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Very well done. Beautiful job!!

 

It's too bad HH couldn't get the case deal off the ground. I was really looking forward to a 1680 case for my 1680. I believe his cases solved the problems of the Polex Design  MBW cases, using a 5513 case for a 1680. Oh Well, maybe some day!! But yours is a super nice watch, wear it well, and wear the heck out of it. Let it get it's aging from use.

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Gorgeous, I'm drooling all over my keyboard! I have one question; did the first insert you installed have a glossy surface before you mildly bleached it? I installed a new bezel insert on my homage and it is too glossy for my liking. I was hesitant in bleaching because I've never attempted it before and I don't have scrap bezels to test with. I gave it a coat of matte acrylic clear as a temporary fix, but I would love to achieve the effects you have achieved!

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Yes, the insert was a standard (rolex) service replacement insert that was also glossy. It seems all the inserts have a solid glossy finish/ varnish so whenever i customise an insert i start with gently remove the glossy layer; i let is sit in bleach but only for a little while and then i use a mild scrubbing cloth to gently and evenly remove the glossy layer. Use bleach carefully as some sorts are very agressieve. I also put it in a box with screws and stones to give is many small scratches. After that i used cape cod to polish it to a semi-gloss finish. For the black insert this is were i stopped, hope this info helps; whatever you do; take your time because you can't go back and make the insert darker again :) and repeat the bleaching/ scrubbing process if needed :)

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Yes, the insert was a standard (rolex) service replacement insert that was also glossy. It seems all the inserts have a solid glossy finish/ varnish so whenever i customise an insert i start with gently remove the glossy layer; i let is sit in bleach but only for a little while and then i use a mild scrubbing cloth to gently and evenly remove the glossy layer. Use bleach carefully as some sorts are very agressieve. I also put it in a box with screws and stones to give is many small scratches. After that i used cape cod to polish it to a semi-gloss finish. For the black insert this is were i stopped, hope this info helps; whatever you do; take your time because you can't go back and make the insert darker again :) and repeat the bleaching/ scrubbing process if needed :)

 

Thanks, this is exactly the info I need! The bleach I have at the moment is Clorox and is pretty strong.

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Ok, if it's your first try be carefull with it, better to repeat the process then to ruin is in your first try; bleach can work pretty fast and if you don't remove the gloss layer you won't get an evenly faded insert which will result in a less authentic looking aged insert :) good luck!

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