3646 guidance: Building a museum-grade piece

[drury]

After years and years of watching and learning I feel it is time for me to build my first watch. Having slowly progressed from contemporary PAMs to PreA/V models to vintage (I recently acquired a fantastic 6152/1 built by irate03), my next project is the PAM of PAMs, the supreme mother of dive watches, the 3646. Parts acquisition is running full-steam and now is the moment for some hands on action. I would like this to be as close to "museum-worthy" as possible, sparing no expenses. 

These parts have arrived to date:

Oyang 3646 case-set: What intrigues me about this case is that it is constructed like the gen. I feel that with a little reshaping of the cushion mid-case and some artificial "weathering" this should make a terrific base for this build. The movement holder is not machined for anything in particular, however, I believe the ideal movement is a 6497. Why shell out for a 616 if you can't see it? Does anyone know the correct dimensions for this and where to get it machined?

Tr0y RP dial: Again, I like the three-piece, gen like construction. I found this image of a 3646 dial that should be period correct for the "fat" case (type B/C/D?) and high bezel. How should I go about ageing this? I feel the key to a genuine appearance is ageing the plexi inlay. Could anybody assist with artificially "yellowing" plexiglass? I though of purchasing a model "weathering" kit from amazon and going to work on the dial, which is made from anodised aluminium if I'm not mistaken. Afterwards a coat of varnish might hold everything together? I really have no clue how to do this.

Reference dial:

These parts are in the mail:

Athaya 7mm Onion crown and tube: This, as I understand, is pretty much the best and only option without going absolutely insane on the money. Soldering the tube will be a challenge, if all fails I will ask Domi to do it for me.

Sternkreuz "M" 40.3mm: This should be about right according to my research, both in terms of diameter and appearance.

Hands: Absolutely no clue ... Tourby's hands seem to be the option most people go for, albeit grudgingly. Is there a source for true, blued-steel hands?

 

I would appreciate any comments / opinions. Specifically I am looking for advice on how to age the dial and get the movement holder machined. I am really quite excited about this project as the 3646 is one of my grails.

 

Thanks and cheers

[ogladio]

For the movement holder I would ask Neckyzips for help, if you're not into trying yourself. If so, measurements should be readily available.

For hands, Neckyzips has also made a batch of great hands that can be thermally blued. Other best option is buying from binbin.

Re the dial, you might either try yellowing the plexi with a tumeric bath - but first maybe settle with really polishing it and applying colored lume under it?

Wish you best of luck! Feel extreme envy of you having that Oyang case - the grail of grails!

[kilowattore]

Oyang case? That's legendary congrats!

If you plan to use a three piece dial you're going to need one of neckyzips tall CP and HW sets or you won't be able to install hands.

You can also use brass hands.with the dial you showed, I saw them in a few gens. In this case you can have tall tube hands from nightwatch, river or athaya. Much cheaper than tall CP+HW set.

Final.advice.is.to have someone finish the dial for.you. I reckon tr0y dials are.not easy to.deal.with due to the very tight plexi fitment needing some modding, and since there are so few around I would not risk damaging it. Contact Bigwaved in conus or mark_midlands in uk, I bet they can help you