Building my father's watch

[Guest Solosailor]

Hi,

a watchmaker I made friends with over the past weeks has offered me a great opportunity: To assemble my own watch with his help and under his supervision in his shop on weekends. I have decided to build a watch for my father who is currently wearing a very "eighties" bicolor Omega Seamaster. I know that he is an admirer of craftsmanship and fine watches (especially Lange watches). I have already had my first "classes" with this watchsmith... and it is a great experience ...

Why am I telling you this ?

I have already chosen a movement for it: An ETA 2892-A2. One of the reasons is that my father would (presumeably) prefer a watch with <10mm thickness. I have had a look around for cases, dials, hands but only had limited luck (at otto frei for example). Would any of the fine members of this forum happen to know if there are any current reps with a classic SS case 39 - 42 mm diam. that take an ETA 2892-A2 ? And futhermore: who can deliver unbranded dials and matching hands ?

Why on RWG ?

For the following reasons:

a ) apart from being rep collectors a lot of people here have a very deep insight into watches and their making. And from what I have experienced on several gen forums, the experts here on RWG have a much more unpartisan (meaning "unbranded") view than a lot of those on genuine brand related sites.

b ) The quality of cases on rep watches is amazing nowadays (well not of all of them ...). So why shouldn't I "gut" a replica for case/sapphire and maybe hands ?

c ) Maybe there is a supplier in CHN that is able to provide unbranded dials (matching case and movement). If so, this place seems to be the right place to ask.

Or do I have my head up in the clouds and should just stick to a movement + case kit from ofrei or let my friend decide it for me ? Although he encouraged me to come up with some ideas.

I would welcome your comments on the subject.

Cheers

Olly

Edited December 11, 2007 by Solosailor

[FxrAndy]

A very honerable project in my view, why not gut a rep for the case and crystal. a dial i think will be the bigest problem, i have a coupe i dials that look like an unbranded 1680 if you want with great lume, they wont fit the movement but with dial dots any thing is possible.

[stilty]

I don't know what style of watch you might be going for, but here is a great source for vintage, sport style dials. These are for ETA and will fit your 2892-2 movement. They are pretty much unbranded.

DIALS

I've ordered the BUND I and can tell you they are good quality, great printing with excellent lume! They also have a selection of hands for ETA.

An option for a case might be to go with a genuine Rolex case. If you want vintage go with a 1601. For more modern, go with a 16200. You may have to go with the ETA 2824-2 movement for ease of stem alignment. No need to worry about date overlays if you use the MKII dials. You will have to go with a tropic crystal with no cyclops on the 1601, and perhaps just remove the cyclops off the sapphire of the 16200. If you are using the 2892-2, you will need a bit of a spacer between the dial and movement to align the stem in a Rolex case. You can find unbranded crowns as well for the case.

[FxrAndy]

Silty thanks for that link, i have been looking for sone thing like that for a while.

[Guest Solosailor]

Thanks for your comments and suggestions so far. Actually I am looking for less sporty dials in serif print, off white and textured ... like on Langes,Brequets and so on ... But the dials I found on the page mentioned may come in handy some day in another project

Cheers

Olly

[FxrAndy]

get in touch with tourby, he has some amazing parts for the sort of watch i think you are thinking of.

[fitmic]

get in touch with tourby, he has some amazing parts for the sort of watch i think you are thinking of.

I second that!

[Guest Solosailor]

I will ... I already admired his ML based skeleton watch ... amazing piece of art. I shall contact him right away.

Cheers

Oliver