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Tudor SnowFlake: a long term project


Stephane

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Dear all,

I am building a SnowFlake for a while now.

I would very much appreciate your advice on what more needs to be done.

Some facts

It all started with a great gesture from Ubi and By-Tor:

UbiDialRecto_800.jpg

UbiCwpHands_800.jpg

Then, after a good member found a source for a mystery case, www.girards.com, it continues like this:

TudorProjectBase_800_03.jpg

TudorProjectBase_800_04.jpg

TudorProjectBase_800_06.jpg

TudorProjectBase_800_07.jpg

TudorProjectBase_800_10.jpg

The watch went to Tribal to change the crown and crystal:

SnowFlakeInProgress_09.jpg

But, neither Tribal nor MM could fix the movement that was truly dead.

So I bought a 2846 from Abakan and sent the watch and spare movement (2846) to Domenico:

DomiMvt_800_01.jpg

DomiMvt_800_03.jpg

The 2846 came back serviced and installed in the watch.

SnowFlakeInProgress_800_17.jpg

Questions

1) The Crystal is cracked so I assume it is too big and I need to find a better one.

As anybody a reference at Clarks for a crystal that would fit this unknown case?

2) The insert and pearl are typical low quality aftermarket.

What would you suggest I buy? ClassicWatchParts?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers

Stephane

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I don't know how to help you on this but I did want to take a moment to say nice job so far on this project. :thumbsupsmileyanim:

Well, a nice hello is as nice as a good advice !

Thanks a lot and have a great ...uh? NYC? it's 3.35AM so I guess have a great night ;)

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Hi Stephane,

nice project looking good so far. For the crystal, if case is gen spec 7016/0 and looks like it is, it will take a Rolex Tropic T19. I have a couple of used ones i'll see how they look and pm you.

As for the insert a watchmaterial one is a good bet with an Ofrei vintage lume dot or bag a gen on the bay.

Cheers

P.

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A fantastic project :good:

My personal suggestion for the insert, would be to get the blue military insert from classicwatchparts. You already have many black on black Submariner-style watches, so the blue and black would be something different. Also, I believe that the blue/black Tudor Submariners were issued to the French navy :)

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Hi Stephane,

nice project looking good so far. For the crystal, if case is gen spec 7016/0 and looks like it is, it will take a Rolex Tropic T19. I have a couple of used ones i'll see how they look and pm you.

As for the insert a watchmaterial one is a good bet with an Ofrei vintage lume dot or bag a gen on the bay.

Cheers

P.

Pete thanks so much for your input.

I wasn't sure about the T19 at all.

Yes, the insert I prefer to get a gen like the one I found for my 16800. It's so much nicer.

Again, thanks a lot.

Another splendid project looks like ure close to the finish line ;) now pm PP and move the things on...

BTW hope u enjoying ure vacation my dear friend.

LAZ

Not yet on vacation Laz, leaving on the 11th! Can't wait :)

A fantastic project :good:

My personal suggestion for the insert, would be to get the blue military insert from classicwatchparts. You already have many black on black Submariner-style watches, so the blue and black would be something different. Also, I believe that the blue/black Tudor Submariners were issued to the French navy :)

You are right about la Marine Nationale TJ.

But you know me, I'm an all black sub guy :)

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Looking good Stephane.

What did you do with the Girards movement? Ziggy did a full service on mine and it works perfectly. I'll take it for parts if you still have it?

Regarding the Insert. I went with the PMWF insert and didn't bother swapping the pearl...

Crystal is indeed a T-19

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Looking good Stephane.

What did you do with the Girards movement? Ziggy did a full service on mine and it works perfectly. I'll take it for parts if you still have it?

Regarding the Insert. I went with the PMWF insert and didn't bother swapping the pearl...

Crystal is indeed a T-19

So far, I have it in my box.

I think I'll keep it D :)

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You are right about la Marine Nationale TJ.

But you know me, I'm an all black sub guy :)

I know what you mean, my friend, we like what we like :) I'm very much a creature of habit when it comes to what I wear, I expect one day, I'll just have a wardrobe full of blue jeans and white shirts :lol: I'd still recommend classicwatchparts as a source, even if you were to go for a black insert. I've not done business with MY yet, but I've always found his communications to be brilliant :) Best of luck with the project :tu:

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Very nice looking watch, Stephane. A beauty.

If the T-19 will fit, I would think the correct bezel insert would be the 315-5513. As dluddy says, the PMWF 5513 insert is one option and then the $20 pearl from Ofrei. But you guys always seem to be able to snag gen parts so easily on your side of the pond and that's always the best way to go if you can.

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Very nice looking watch, Stephane. A beauty.

If the T-19 will fit, I would think the correct bezel insert would be the 315-5513. As dluddy says, the PMWF 5513 insert is one option and then the $20 pearl from Ofrei. But you guys always seem to be able to snag gen parts so easily on your side of the pond and that's always the best way to go if you can.

Thanks Alligoat :)

The gen insert is going easy to find ...but a vintage one is very difficult :(

I think there was a gen Pearl on it?!? :g:

Nice that it get a new Movement,bad that the old one was impossible to service :wounded1:

In the end, I'm sure the mvt could be repaired ...I simply asked to swap it for the moment.

Hey Tribal, be pepared ;)

This baby is going to go back to you, well if you agree.

I'll eMail you :)

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Ditto Alligoat's recommendations & what was the problem with the original movement that could not be fixed?

Thanks Freddy.

Well I didn't submit the movement to a watchmaker in the strict sense of the term.

Tribal and MM are great modders but not watchmakers.

So far, I have no idea what the problem is but I'll send it to Domenico again.

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AAh, my friend... you've put together my favourite diver ever...

I got my 7016/0 from Kelster and bought a gen T-19 for it... it's been sitting in the parts box as I'm still fighting with the idea of the transformation...

As I think I'll never have the guts to change its looks (as I like having a tudor instead of a 100% rollie piece)... I'll pray for you to get bored of your snowflake soon and have it sold to your Southamerican, teeth-pulling moderator friend... :rolleyes:

...I'll wait for that... :D

basically this post is to say: Big congrats on a 100% keeper piece (or sell-able to only mod friends) :)

I know you're already enjoying.

cheers!

Chino.

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Thanks Freddy.

Well I didn't submit the movement to a watchmaker in the strict sense of the term.

Tribal and MM are great modders but not watchmakers.

So far, I have no idea what the problem is but I'll send it to Domenico again.

I suspect, like mine, it just needed to be cleaned and serviced Hold on to it because these 2451's are hard to come by these days. I needed a part to replace one that broke on mine in disassembly and got lucky on fleabay in finding a whole movement to use for parts...

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AAh, my friend... you've put together my favourite diver ever...

I got my 7016/0 from Kelster and bought a gen T-19 for it... it's been sitting in the parts box as I'm still fighting with the idea of the transformation...

As I think I'll never have the guts to change its looks (as I like having a tudor instead of a 100% rollie piece)... I'll pray for you to get bored of your snowflake soon and have it sold to your Southamerican, teeth-pulling moderator friend... :rolleyes:

...I'll wait for that... :D

basically this post is to say: Big congrats on a 100% keeper piece (or sell-able to only mod friends) :)

I know you're already enjoying.

cheers!

Chino.

Thanks for the kind words Chino, and as we say in french: on peut toujours r

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After Tribal's comment about it being a gen pearl, and I do think it looks pretty good, the next step might be to vintagize the pearl. Bruce 79 used some amber shellac to color the pearl on his 16800 franken and it worked pretty well as I recall.

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After Tribal's comment about it being a gen pearl, and I do think it looks pretty good, the next step might be to vintagize the pearl. Bruce 79 used some amber shellac to color the pearl on his 16800 franken and it worked pretty well as I recall.

I'm definitely believing Trib' but again, even if genuine, the combo pearl + insert doesn't look like the original Tudors I've seen on the web.

So, we'll need to find a way to vintage it indeed and incorporate it in an insert which is closer to the gen :(

SnowFlakeGen_05.jpg

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I rather successfully (albeit entirely accidentally) vintaged a dial once, by leaving the watch under a desk lamp with a 'daylight bulb' for an hour. The lume turned a really dark orangey yellow color, although the hands were unaffected. For the cost of a bulb, it could be a very easy way to vintage a dial :)

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