My 6152/1

[rolli]

If you are going to vintageize your 6152 - like mine - here goes some tips:

1. Dial numerals:

You can either do the patina on the numerals with watercolor (Winsor & Newton's Raw Sienna) or a coffee wash.

Watercolor technique is quite simple as you apply the diluted color into the numeral slits (not on the surface of the dial or you will have to wash it later!) and let it dry and repeat the process until you get the tone you desire.

Wait overnight and then with a wet soft brush (water only) you drybrush the numerals so the patina will be more discreet and subtle as it concentrates on the recessed parts of the numerals.

The coffee technique is quite an experiment and had proved some major results (problem is I did it on a Davidsen engraved dial whose numerals are too fat and I like the results but not the dial!).

First you do a strong black coffee (concentrated) and then you add 1 tea spoon of brown sugar to a soup spoon of coffee.

Be sure to use the mixture when cold or you may damage the dial.

The rest of the process is quite similar as with watercolor the difference will be in the results.

Sugared coffee gives a ambar / satined finish patina when dry, looking like the real mccoys.

Just do not forget to let every coat to dry before applying the next one and I am pretty convinced you will like the results.

2. Hands:

You can age the luminous hand material with either of the techniques just do not forget to age the metal first.

You can achieve an old look by submerging the hands on heavily concentrated salt water for a week, let them dry for a couple of days and then repeat the process but instead of water use vinegar (white and not red wine vinegar).

3. Crystal:

The crystal that comes with the 6152/1 (Trusty/Andrew) is very reasonable but I insisted on having a taller and ordered one from Davidsen.

Davidsen's Crystal is quite good but needs a gasket since its diameter is slightly shorter than the bezel.

Ageing can be done from the inside - yellow tinted applied with an acetate marker around the inner edge of the crystal and then whashed with alcohol wet cotton. This has to be done with care just to prevent the paint to clot (you will want subtle reflexes and not yellow camouflage). Just do this around the edges and not near the inner face of the crystal.

On the outside use scotchbrite to scratch the plexi (I advise you to get a test dummy crystal first so you do not blast the correct one!) and then use toothpaste (highly fluored is the best) to buff it.

Finally get some Duraglit Metal Polish Wadding to a final buff.

This stuff works wonderfully on metals and... yes... on plexi also!

4. Case:

Some xtra-fine sandpaper, a scratch or two and Duraglit. Ditto!

Cheers,

Marco

hi marco,

your report is very informative.

i will get my marina militare with rolex crown from andrew in the next days.

so, your report will help me to do the right things.

my question, you say the davidsen crystal needs a new gasket.

can i also order a new gasket for this crystal from davidsen ???

and is that a crystal or a plexy glass ???

thanks for your reply

rolli

[madasboot]

hi marco,

you say the davidsen crystal needs a new gasket.

can i also order a new gasket for this crystal from davidsen ???

and is that a crystal or a plexy glass ???

thanks for your reply

rolli

[kye_lin]

hi marco,

you say the davidsen crystal needs a new gasket.

can i also order a new gasket for this crystal from davidsen ???

and is that a crystal or a plexy glass ???

thanks for your reply

rolli

Hi Rolli,

David provides the gasket (nylon ring) with his crystals.

This one is Plexiglass.

If you can wait a bit I will have some pics of my Plexiglass prototypes done by the end of the week.

If you are interested on a pair (front and "bubble" back plexi) please shoot me a PM.

If they will be correctly produced I wont mind asking for a few more done.

I hope the plexis will look like this (real mccoy) and not cracked!

Cheers,

Marco

Hi Marco..

I will take a pair of your plexiglass crystals....front and back.... Do they need special bezel/gaskets??? Thanks.

Kai