Nanuq Posted May 14, 2008 Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 Who here knows how to work brass and then plate it? I bet this bezel goes for $1,000 before the bidding is over. I'm tempted to buy it, have someone here make me a few *cough* copies and then sell it again. 6536 bezel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo35 Posted May 14, 2008 Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 I bet it fetches an easy $4000 USD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 And so I ask... WHY ISN'T ANYONE MAKING AFTERMARKET PIECES OUT OF PLATED BRASS? Michael Young has lovely steel bezels for a song. Why not "aged" plated brass? C'mon... make a mold with a centrifuge, melt some brass, pour it, pop it out, work it over... presto. Four thooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuusand dollars. You'd think someone would jump at this. Here's what Ziggy can do with a rough/stock MY bezel... very pretty but no "brass" showing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted May 14, 2008 Report Share Posted May 14, 2008 Who here knows how to work brass and then plate it? Not me, but I would bet that just about any machine shop would be able to produce an exact copy (given the original to use as a guide). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 anyone think of lost wax process jewelers use ? seems like brass would be easy to trim and work after the casting.. shoot a rubber mold.. cast it.. any jeweler with casting equipment can do this one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Ma bad.. not lost wax.. that is done from scratch.. been a while.. just casting and molding equipment would suffice for this piece.. it's the trimming and buffing that would take some time.. plating.. are you thinking of chromium ?.. if you are.. it would take a copper base then a nickel coat then the chrome.. very hard to find plating for this nowday's usually Arizona Texas.. it cost thousands of dollars to get rid of the HAZMAT asfter plating.. it will never evaporate.. you usually look in motorcycle mags for chomium plating services.. one place here closed up after they would have to pay 100,000.00 usd for 10- 55 gallon barrels of waste.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 anyone think of lost wax process jewelers use ? seems like brass would be easy to trim and work after the casting.. shoot a rubber mold.. cast it.. any jeweler with casting equipment can do this one.. Using the lost wax process, and an original bezel............ a shrinkage % would have to be factored in. I think usually it `s about 7%- 9% This factor would only have to be applied to the outer dia, as , when the inner dia. shrinks it can be machined out to size. Sorry , that last sentance is wrong, the thing would shrink all over. ( It wouldn`t be cast anyway ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Ma bad.. not lost wax.. that is done from scratch.. been a while.. just casting and molding equipment would suffice for this piece.. it's the trimming and buffing that would take some time.. The surface finish on straight sand casting is fairly course, too much for this application. I think you can forget chrome plating, very hard and cold looking in appearance, Straight nickel plating is much softer, and easier to age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 The surface finish on straight sand casting is fairly course, too much for this application. I think you can forget chrome plating, very hard and cold looking in appearance, Straight nickel plating is much softer, and easier to age. makes sense.. forgot that this is not a jewel like piece in appearance.. so the edge would be the only area that would need to be refined.. ok so nickel.. nickel is darker than polished SS,.. actually can look like "show chrome" ..mmmm ... this would have to be tested i guess by trial and error it's a good idea to mold it then resell it.. worst is.. to find plating that would match genuine.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 makes sense.. forgot that this is not a jewel like piece in appearance.. so the edge would be the only area that would need to be refined.. ok so nickel.. nickel is darker than polished SS,.. actually can look like "show chrome" ..mmmm ... this would have to be tested i guess by trial and error it's a good idea to mold it then resell it.. worst is.. to find plating that would match genuine.. Just re-thought the manufacturing,.........forget casting, lost wax or otherwise. The handling and machining is too much of a hassle and time consuming. This whole bezel could be machined from thick walled brass tubing, turned to the exact dia., milled on the outer edge with the correct no. of spacings, with the inner dia, and recess machined in the lathe then finally parted off. The only other operation would be machining the outer face of the bezel, with a slight curvature. Even that could be adjusted on one side of the parting tool. So the only thing left is the plating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Who here knows how to work brass and then plate it? I bet this bezel goes for $1,000 before the bidding is over. I'm tempted to buy it, have someone here make me a few *cough* copies and then sell it again. 6536 bezel This could be a real goer, but this original or some other would have to be sourced to be able to copy, can`t make this from pics. like the Chinese sometimes manufacture our reps. A straightforward fabrication and machining operation would be the simplest method, ( see my last post further up ) The other question is just how much of a demand is there for these? There are at least 6 other bidders willing to pay $380 so far, with $100 shipping to Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyndonville Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Buy a kit from Caswell and do it yourself. Piece of cake to do. http://www.caswellplating.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 am I the only one here who doesnt know why this is so expensive, and coveted....Why brass, not ss, ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 am I the only one here who doesnt know why this is so expensive, and coveted....Why brass, not ss, ? Original and Rare. This type of bezel was made well before SS, was used. Also if these are to be made, and made in SS, they would stand out like the proverbial dog`s balls, and couldn`t be passed off as "GENUINE". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 These are already being made... but officially. I know a guy here in Canada that is actually authorized by Rolex to make them. I'm not joking. I met him a while back and when I visited his shop, he showed me a couple of his bezels that he made. They are exact copies. When used as replacement, they are registered with Rolex Geneva and recognized as official replacement parts. He said he is the only independent tech that is authorized to do this. He makes a lot of rare parts and has a complete CNC set up in his shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 These are already being made... but officially. I know a guy here in Canada that is actually authorized by Rolex to make them. I'm not joking. I met him a while back and when I visited his shop, he showed me a couple of his bezels that he made. They are exact copies. When used as replacement, they are registered with Rolex Geneva and recognized as official replacement parts. He said he is the only independent tech that is authorized to do this. He makes a lot of rare parts and has a complete CNC set up in his shop. new thread: Guy in CANADA starts Ultimate/perfect Rolex reps...$700 a pop... I'd buy one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Wow, I go for a bike ride in the snow and mud, come home and there's all this interest! Keep up the good ideas! So how much for the Canadian "genuine" bezel, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 Does anyone know for sure, if there are any stampings or markings on these bezels? If there is, this is a whole different ball game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 So how much for the Canadian "genuine" bezel, eh? No idea. But I'm sure it is on exchange basis only upon verification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted May 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I'll be happy to exchange my genuine MY bezel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimster Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I know a guy in Seattle that can do it. He will need one for the casting correctness. I also regularly use a plating shop that does excellent work. $150 minimum to plate but that would include many pieces. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 15, 2008 Report Share Posted May 15, 2008 I know a guy in Seattle that can do it. He will need one for the casting correctness. I also regularly use a plating shop that does excellent work. $150 minimum to plate but that would include many pieces. Jim This bezel will not come out sucessfully if CAST, The internal dia. / recess / and circlip recess would need re-machining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 18, 2008 Report Share Posted May 18, 2008 $2660 plus $100 shipping and still 2 hours to go !!!!! Is the idea of making these things dead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted May 19, 2008 Report Share Posted May 19, 2008 $ 3140. This is madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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