Watch collectors / appreciation thread

[PicasoX]

sub dial spacing (or indicie length) are the instant tell on those.

Subs are more difficult because there are so many fakes. Modern (ceramic bezel insert) sub fakes are damn near impossible to tell apart. Even side by side.

I have a replica 116600 seadweller because I couldn’t swing the $11,400.00 when I saw it and tried it on in the store. It is the last SD without a date magnifier and was a short run watch.

But at the end of the day, I tend to wear jangly 60’s and 70’s-era watches much more that the modern ones. The above 1680 does not impress as a “refined” watch at all. My newer Omega Planet Ocean trounces it in every department. But I enjoy the top hat crystal, big magnification of the date window and overall look. It was state of the art in the 60’s and like a classic car, still holds up but does not run in the same races.

Yes true, I heard the speedy dial placement and spacing isa dead giveaway to the experts, that's because they needed to cram two Chinese movements in there and that model didn't include accurate placement. I agree, about the modern Submariner fakes, they are dead on. I have not had one to compare but I'll bet side be side there is a noticeable difference.

 

[Sundowner]

That's nice!

Who did the custom work for you?

I'm about THIS close to ordering a Seiko movement and throwing yet another watch together. But, I owe one to the tool and die maker who taught me all the "tricks" of making parts with extreme precision on manual equipment. I'd like to add my logo to the dial at least, but if I could to the metal parts as well, that'd be killer!

I found a custom dial maker on Etsy I believe. The rest was empty sterile parts. So I bought the case, the omega style bracelet, hands, crystal and NH35 movement. I then assembled all of it.

As for the custom engraving, I did that myself as well. I used vinyl cut from my cricut machine, salt water, a Q-tip and a 9v battery!

 

[ID10T]

Okay.

We have a laser and it can etch as well as cut. I’m planning on a sterile white dial which I will etch off the enamel and fill the voids with a contrasting material. But I’d like to do the crown and back as well.

Customer wants essentially a Datejust so a pretty straightforward build. He did request the oyster rather than the jubilee or president bracelet.

I’ll be ordering parts probably tomorrow. I’m going to throw together a high-legibility tool watch for myself at the same time. Hopefully.

 

[ID10T]

I’m not finding anything on Etsy but I found a maker of 3-d logos that can be applied to a sterile dial. Expensive but whatever.

I’ll try the laser in the meantime as that is free…

 

[Ron]

Do you guys have any watch strap maker recommendations?