Revere Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I'd like to build a franken daydate, but as a personal rule I prefer steel watches over gold. Mostly because I don't take my watches off for much, work and manual labor included. Are there any high quality cases out there for, say, an 1803 that were made in steel? Is there anyone out there that might be worth asking for a one-off? Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irolexu Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Try mymanmatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Actually Phong can modify a 16000 DJ case and then you can build a ss DD- with the 1556 movement (or 1555).Trick is finding the dial that goes with it. This is a 1803 type DD that I built 3-4 years ago. White dial w/ silver sticks came from Phong's wife or whoever in the Phoenix area. Phong modded the case and my watchmaker serviced the movement and put it together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Day-Date cases have a different profile where the hoods/end links fit up against the case so you will need a case with the DD profile to start with. There are probably a lot of them around with non running DG, NN etc China movements so a case should not be hard to find but you might need to have a case clamp groove cut inside it. Dials are another matter because the 1803 DD has a 'pie pan' dial and afaik there are not many replica pp dials around and genuine dials are getting very pricey. Aftmkt 'redials' are not too much $$ on eBay though. It might be easier and cheaper to go with a later flat dial, quick set, sapphire model because they are available ready made.I thought about a DD project and have a 1556 DD movement but no proper spec case. Have an 18k out of spec aftmkt DD/DJ case with proper profile that accepts oem crystals but the dial window is too big and no oversize dials are available. Maybe could go with a 30mm DJ II dial and an Eta in the 18k case if I ever decide to finish it. Should have scrapped it when gold prices spiked (29 grams). Oem spec gold cases cost too much so the 1556 is in a parts can. Genuine 1555/6 DD movements are easy to spot because they have DD at the beginning of the serial number.Frankensteiner motto = No project is easy, some are impossible, and most are unaffordable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revere Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Thanks for the three good leads guys! It looks like a flat dial, quickset, and sapphire model may be the way to go.But, are there any steel cases available for those models? I'm wrapping up an exciting 6538 project currently, and all I will need is a better bezel insert for that particular build. After that, it's onto a new project, and I think I'd like to pursue this one a little bit more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhorn Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Ubi built one. There are some case mods that need to be made, but it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymanmatt Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 I have them 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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