Cartel DRSD 1665 MKII aged

[ProMariner]

Hi guys,

Yesterday night, I was bored so I decided to take my DRSD and add some aging on the dial and hands so I want to show you the result:

This was when I received the watch from Josh:

So when I received it, I decided to install a tropic 39 service dome instead of the stock tropic 39 super dome and fade slightly the bezel insert with bleach, here was the result:

The dial looked too much new to me so I decided to remove it from the case, and disassemble the dial and hands from the movement, I have heard a lot about the hoven as an aging process for dial and hands but I decided to try something new on my own. So I have applied some fire with a lighter against the dial and hands and here was the result, of course each time I "burnt" the dial I wiped it with a piece of tissue,

I have also done some work on the case and bracelet but didn't finish I wanted to add some old scratches marks and dings, and after that polishing and brushing it again and again but I don't have the materials atm. Unfortunately I have damaged the insert while trying to install it I have bent it so impossible to put it back in the bezel, so while trying to reinstall it, I really damage it and now looks like it has been beaten lol, I will purchase another insert and fade it again with bleach.

I have also smoked the crystal to a brown color:

What I love particularly about the hands is the lume which cracked in the second hand.

Tell me what you think

[blackoyster]

Cool,is it possible to take a Front pic!!!

Send from my Sony Ericsson k750i

[Champagnesky]

Cool! Nice with the fire aging mod

[SuperDanX]

Tbh I think you've gone too far looks it looks trashed.

Edited November 11, 2014 by SuperDanX

[ProMariner]

Tbh I think you've gone too far looks it looks trashed.

The dial and hands ? No the dial and hands mod is good trust me but the insert is in very bad condition I need to order another one and refurbishing the bracelet isn't a big deal, refurbished will make it look old

[508-Fanatic]

I would have to agree, it looks too far-gone now. One of the things I've always thought was cool about Rolex watches was how well they age... I have a 40+ year old Datejust that still looks brand spankin' new. That said, I know the cache of vintage looking watches, but I read a Hodinkee article about a guys pepsi GMT and he'd been all over the world with it, the watch was pushing probably 40-50 years old and it didn't look all that bad, nicely aged, not like it'd been through a fire. No offense.

[Bc1221]

kinda have to agree here.

i think people take the whole aging thing a little too far.

these are waterproof watches. theres no reason why they should look like theyve been sitting at the bottom of the ocean for a decade.

 

personally, i would have just done a relume to make the markers puffy and give it a few coats of matte lacquer.

maybe have it sit in some cigar smoke for a while.

[ProMariner]

Lol I accept critics guys this is a cheap rep that I have purchase to improve my skills and those are my first mods.. Of course I would never do that on a Franken built

(I have a Franken GWSD based on a yuki case on the road)

[508-Fanatic]

http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/117031-mbk-1680-aging/

 

Great post on aging

[DVNE]

I personally think you went to far with the dial and hands. I have yet to see a gen in that condition.

Do you have reference pics of the look you are aiming for?

If you want to revert to the old looks, i have a spare new cartel dial in my drawer that i can sell to you.

[jackflash]

I personally think you went to far with the dial and hands. I have yet to see a gen in that condition.

+ 1, less is more

[Kime]

I think for a first go it is pretty good. Give him a break for trying !   However, what these guys say is probably right, when I did my first ageing project I did exactly what you did, over did it a bit maybe, it is easily done, that doesn't mean that the results are bad but the more you go down the rabbit hole of vintage watches the more you find that the aging process is more often than not very very subtle and rarely to destruction (although it does exist).

 

Mostly these watches were updated to new clean parts as they got old and "tired", patina was very often an unwanted side effect. Those watches that were not used very often and left in drawers and safes in the dark have aged far slower and were probably not updated with service parts, it is these watches that define "vintage" for most of us. But it is a matter of choice. Hours of studying reference pics is the ONLY way forward to get ageing to an "acceptable" medium and it is far far harder to achieve subtle effects than "over done" ones. But I applaud you for giving it a go and I for one look forward to seeing your next efforts ! :clap2:

[ProMariner]

I think for a first go it is pretty good. Give him a break for trying ! However, what these guys say is probably right, when I did my first ageing project I did exactly what you did, over did it a bit maybe, it is easily done, that doesn't mean that the results are bad but the more you go down the rabbit hole of vintage watches the more you find that the aging process is more often than not very very subtle and rarely to destruction (although it does exist).

Mostly these watches were updated to new clean parts as they got old and "tired", patina was very often an unwanted side effect. Those watches that were not used very often and left in drawers and safes in the dark have aged far slower and were probably not updated with service parts, it is these watches that define "vintage" for most of us. But it is a matter of choice. Hours of studying reference pics is the ONLY way forward to get ageing to an "acceptable" medium and it is far far harder to achieve subtle effects than "over done" ones. But I applaud you for giving it a go and I for one look forward to seeing your next efforts ! :clap2:

Thanks mate for your support I have sold the watch and decided to not age anymore lol and I figure out that I prefer well conserved vintage and refurbished better than those aged watches

[Tiyal]

You did great. As with Kime my first real shot at aging was a 1665. Now, I didn't hit it with a lighter but I thoughly trashed it. Its a great way to devlop our special skill set. Sounds like you have a great attitude moving forward. Subtle vintage is sexy!