Mendota Explorer Posted June 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Nanuq, that's a very nice looking build. I'd be very happy with that one. Joey, that's really cool. So do you lume over it then? Is this something you can assist other members with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyB Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Thanks. Yes, you lume over the clear coat. I use an acrylic 'Glow Paint'. I tint it using a water based kid's coloring set. It is the same type that RolexAddict uses. It gives a grainy look when dry, is not a strong glow, nor lasts long, probably much like a 60 year old gen would. The grainy look in my inserts is directly due to that Glow Paint. Me and my old eyes can do an OK job, but younger and steadier can do even better. I must have looked at thousands of pics of gilt dials, but never have seen a gen in person. But from what I've seen, the lume on the gen is not at all perfect, and the brass that shows through the pad paint or decal was bright and 'gilty' when it was new. I believe that the more subdued gilt, and even with some white showing, are all from aging. Here is a lume shot pic from panerai's watch that he took. It gives an idea of the strength of the lume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 So how did Rolex make these? They pad-printed black and everything leaving just the text plain and unpainted? How did they get the silver/white gilt then? (not accusing, just really curious...) For all this time, I assumed the gilt was what was pad-printed onto the already black-lacquered dial. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 The base plate is treated chemically and then enters a galvanizing bath. Once that is done, the only thing you can see is the matt black galvanized parts and the gilt parts which are just the base metal showing through. (No such thing as white or silver gilt) At that point the dial gets lacquered, once dry the depth rating is painted on top of the lacquer. Then a protective white enamel based paint is applied to the lume areas (this was done on the gens to protect the dial from the damaging effects of the lume. All that's left to do is lume it at and voila. Pic 1: after galv Pic 2: has been lacquered and had the depth rating painted on Pic 3: enamel base lume applied Pic 4: completed, lume applied and mounted in watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted June 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Wow! That's amazing. So your dial guy does this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Yup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Oh, so would the "white" or "silver" gilt have just been paint? The thing I'm thinking of is like my gen 5513 dial, which has a silver underline and a silver underneath a white SWISS at the 6 o'clock position.... I have done some chemical etching/galvanizing in my day... I wonder how much work it would be to do one of these dials? Maybe I'll give it a shot... I presume you just pad print the text before putting it in to be galvanized? Sorry for taking us so far off topic, this is just really fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted June 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 How cool would that be if you could do this yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Yeah, I'll look into it. The hard part would be pad printing the text before the galvanization. Once I solve that, the actual galvanizing process is not terribly hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 The text is printed chemically I think, like negative printing. Basically the parts that the galvanic process leaves exposed are the gilt parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 "Oh, so would the "white" or "silver" gilt have just been paint? The thing I'm thinking of is like my gen 5513 dial, which has a silver underline and a silver underneath a white SWISS at the 6 o'clock position...." Yes, white and silver gilt is just white or silver paint it is not true "gilt". The base plate has to be showing through for it to be gilt. Gen 5513 with silver underline (paint) and a silver swiss (paint again) is really cool but the silver and white "gilt" you refer to is just paint It's hard to see but under extreme magnification, the gilt (base plate) is visually below the black galvanized areas (in relief) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quaresma7 Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 (edited) .........and Minh has multiple "levels" from $300 to over $1,000. They get more gilty with price, but still are not made with technique cc33 described. Here is his $300 dial with some Big Dazza ageing texture. It's very good but it's sized for a gen case. This was my starting point for the first version of the Big Gonzo, then it went to The Zigmeister for a relume to the dial and hands for a more "creamy" look. Before ZiggifyingIMG_8262.jpg After ZiggifyingIMG_0431.jpg That minh dial just costs 300$, well i Thanks its a really good option Edited June 29, 2014 by quaresma7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 The first pic is not gen but made the same way, the underline, certified text and swiss is painted on top of the lacquer with paint. The gilt is below the lacquer. Second pic shows a gen dial where the lacquer has been damaged, you can see the diff layers well. Third shows how the gilt sits below the galvanized black layer and how the printed white paint sits on top of the lacquer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Those are amazing photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted June 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Wow. Those photos are amazing! That last one really shows the contrast between the gilt and the black, and then the printed text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yep, that's how the factory did it. There's a similar method for the COMEX logo but with white over black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 That minh dial just costs 300$, well i Thanks its a really good option I have that Minh dial for sale in another thread, now that I've got the final dial installed. It was initially the best dial I could find. I narrowed my search down to the InGod tropical vs the Minh, and ultimately went with the Minh. Compared side by side with a gen, the fonts and lettering are nearly identical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted June 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Ooh. I don't see it but that's OK. It's too soon for me, anyway. If only it were a year from now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yep, that's how the factory did it. There's a similar method for the COMEX logo but with white over black. Are you sure? I thought the Comex text was printed on top of the white printed rectangle. I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Pretty sure the white is printed to let the black show through. But hey.... I'm just a simple lad from Alaska so who knows?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 He's right it's in relief, the black part is the dial showing through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Hmmm... I don't know - I am 90% sure the COMEX is printed on top. (Black on white) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Yep - freddy33: "Good point. If either dial has the Comex lettering painted (black, a la the gen) instead of simply letting the dial color through, I would go with that 1. Otherwise, I would still cast my vote for the white 1." In any case, I did some investigating about the gilt dials and found the silver was a different paint on the dial. Those photos really show it - great references cc33! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 He's right it's in relief, the black part is the dial showing through Looks in that pic that "COMEX" has different texture/colour than the surrounding dial. Anyhow.. Never had the privilege of seeing a gen Comex dial in the flesh. One day i will have the spare $100k to confirm! but I have yet to see non-raised Comex letters on a Rolex dial. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.