New Franken DJ with an even better Arabic number dial!

[surpur]

Well I finally managed to take my last FrankenDj of my wrist - I made another one that I like even more : This is getting to be fun!

You know I like this so much because owning a real gen Rolex is like owning an expensive car where you really cannot afford the upkeep. On a franken - if the movement goes its $10 - $20 for a new 21J CN.

This time the case is a 1980's 16000 with 14 K bezel from the bay. So it is newer then the last one and not quite as slim, but still - great lines. Somehow the reps are never this sleek...

I put a new gen tube and seal in and used a gen 18K crown. I also put a new acrylic crystal on, the right one for this gen case, but aftermarket crystal.

The case, bezel and crown have cost me quite a bit more then on my last project. Mainly the cost of the case, since it could house a 3035 mvmnt.

So for now I am using a rep jubilee bracelet until a good deal on a 14 or 18K real one comes along.

I got this real great aftermarket dial at the bay, from a guy in Singapore. It is made for a gen, so I had to move the feet. But I always wanted a dial with the concentric circle texture and Arabic Numerals. The iceblue one was my original target, but have not seen one. But I must say the dark blue looks better with gold.

As a mvmnt I used a cheapy, but accurate CN 21J with a great DJ font on the date wheel. Without further adoo...Here it is

[stilty]

Nice job. These are always fun projects!

Did that movement require an overlay, or does it use it's own date disc?

Nice horotec case opener! I've got a bergeon, but I've seen that Horotec and it is tempting. I haven't used one, but it looks like a much better design. I usually tighten and open cases with my palm, so this design seems better.

[freddy333]

Great work, but I wonder if that dial style is correct for a 80s Datejust? It sounds like (outward) authenticity is important to you, so you might want to research dial options for the 160xx series. But, again, nice job.

[surpur]

Nice job. These are always fun projects!

Did that movement require an overlay, or does it use it's own date disc?

Nice horotec case opener! I've got a bergeon, but I've seen that Horotec and it is tempting. I haven't used one, but it looks like a much better design. I usually tighten and open cases with my palm, so this design seems better.

Love that watch, keeps great time and I should be getting an aftermarket 18k bracelet any day now, it won't make much difference in the look, but make me feel better.

Yeah that case opener is nice! On the gen cases it just grips perfectly and never slips - not quite as tight a fit on the rep cases.

The movement I used had just a perfect date disk in it, looks exactly like the one for the 3035 movement. I am thinking of buying cheap reps with good date fonts just to get the movements, unless I find a source that sells Chinese movements with those fonts.

Is it true that they even have some regular CN mvmnts now with the 28,800 bph? I have not seen one yet but I heard they exist. If anybody knows a source...

Thanks much for looking!

[surpur]

Great work, but I wonder if that dial style is correct for a 80s Datejust? It sounds like (outward) authenticity is important to you, so you might want to research dial options for the 160xx series. But, again, nice job.

I like authenticity, but I love that dial

If I ever get a newer case I will probably switch the insides, but for now it has to do.

Thanks for your comment!

[Star69]

very nice im working on a similar project -

but SS -

the dial style is possible -

here an old watch from me:

Frank