Project: Carrera Day-Date

[importr]

So, a few weeks into Carrera Day-Date ownership and the terrible urge to modify it has consumed me.

This is my white/silver dial with Asian 7750. We know that the movement screws are blued. We know that the mock-croc strap smells and feels plasticky.

We also know that the date window on the gen appears to be darker than the rep.

These are the things that I will change.

De-case the a7750...etc

Pick out the date window, and dip it in clear smoked acrylic paint. Once or twice dependent on how dark you want it.

Meanwhile, just throw in an ETA 7750

Date window is darker after one coat - hmmmm, I may have to re-do it for one more coat...??

Throw on a genuine TAG Heuer croc strap (pic taken before the movement & dial mods)

Lookin goooood!

[morlock]

Importr, that's sexy !!! Great mods.

You just transform a super rep in SUPER DUPER UBER REP.

AWESOME.

Did you use the same hands on the ETA 7750 ?

[chillininla]

Wow awesome work!!

That's as good as a rep can get.

[ubiquitous]

Looks great! well done...

[ltr]

Looks great.

Where did you get the gen strap from?

[PaulVanDyk]

throw one more coat on that date window FO SHO! Lume those hands and you'll have an UBER REP!

GREAT MODS!

[arminvanbuuren]

did u get the strap from an ad if u did.. did u freakin compare it to the gen?

[importr]

Thanks for the comments guys

Yes I used the same hands for the ETA, just did the usual tweaks to make them fit: the sub-dial hand tubes needed a tiny squeeze with the tweezers, and the large chrono hand was opened up using a tiny sewing needle. The main hands went on without a hitch!

I was lucky to find the strap on eBay...from a seller based in CONUS....the name escapes me right now... but its the same as the black Monaco, slightly shorter than the rep strap. I dont think any ADs near me (in UK) are stocking the white/silver dial yet. I've only seen the black so far....

and yeah it looks like I will have to do another coat! LOL

[AmStaFF]

great work congrats Importr

[morlock]

Importr, thanks for answering our questions, congrats again

[cj85]

Impressive work. Basically it's now a Gen

How much was the ETA 7750???

[koolkul]

Importr - you make it sound all so easy! Impressive - watch.

I have the same one and I love it.

Kul

[importr]

Hey fellas

I've now updated the date window again LOL

My rep:

Pic of the gen:

and the 25j ETA 7750 was

[chillininla]

From the Pics above it looks like the numerals on the GEN are also darker (same darkness as the window)

What do you guys think?? I've notices this on other pics of the GEN too.

[importr]

It could well be. I actually think it looks better with dark numerals...!

I doubt I'll be painting the numbers this time, though!

[nicebloke]

The tachymetre font looks crisper on the gen - but not exactly something that can be modded!

[By-Tor]

I've been thinking about getting something from the Carrera line for a long time. And being sucker for the white dials this has become my favorite.

Very classy.

[luda46]

How hard is it to do the movement swap. I want to do this but I have ZERO hours of watch modding experience. I have seen a few threads on how to do basic swaps but...

What tools are needed for this swap?

Are the hands fragile?

Is it a fairly simple task?

How long did it take?

[importr]

If you've never done a movt swap before, practice with a $10 cheap & nasty watches.

When you get good at switching hands around without damaging anything, then move up to your good watches. Unless you really like the idea of messing about with watches, then you'd have to invest in a lot of time and expense. Even as an amateur, I've spent countless days/weeks messing with watches and wrecking cases and movements over the years.

To install an ETA 7750 into a rep takes me between an hour to 2 hours (if there are unforeseen issues). The Carrera took a while longer due to modding the date window .

This is what you need for removing movt, hands & refitting:

Case openers - Jaxa (3-prong) type, 2-prong type, and the Bergeon short stick (with rubber end). These are needed for all the various case backs you'll encounter while watch collecting.

Jeweller screwdrivers - A&F standard. Try to avoid cheap & nasty 'drivers as all they do is slip and wreck screwheads & movts.

Tweezers - needle nose. Steel and plastic types (for hands)

Movement holder

Hands lifter - the Presto type

Dial protector - for covering the dial prior to lifting hands

Hands broaching set - for enlarging Chrono hand tube on the asian 7750. I bodge it by using a fine sewing needle! This is for the ETA 7750 swap by the way.

Hands setting tool

Rodico (sticky putty for picking up dirt)

Case blower

Silicon grease (for gaskets)

Eye loupe (checking for dirt on dial, movt and crystal etc., also for checking hands clearance esp. on chronographs)

I'm not going into detail about how to do it as there's plenty of tutorials about on how to swap movts etc., so you'll have to do another search. Besides, its too much for me to type while I'm at work! lol

Check out these guides for watch modding:

http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/Watches.htm#WatchSchool

Finally, Yes the rep hands are fragile. Again, I've wrecked a number of hands sets whilst doing mods. Over time and practice you do learn how to treat them with care!

[EuroTimez-Neo]

Nice Mod, gives the watch a different little look.. Looks guuud!

[Toadtorrent]

Very nice!!!

[kebry]

Great!!!

What about date and day wheels?

Should we change them to ETA?

Regards

[ubiquitous]

If you are swapping in a Swiss ETA movement, the Swiss ETA datewheels will likely be fitted as-is; exception being if you need a different color than the ones already installed.

[kebry]

And will they fit in a A7750?

Regards

If you are swapping in a Swiss ETA movement, the Swiss ETA datewheels will likely be fitted as-is; exception being if you need a different color than the ones already installed.