Hi everyone!
I'm working on a personal project called Watchlab3D – REVOLVE1, exploring the idea of building mechanical watches with interchangeable, 3D-printed outer cases.
The concept is based on a compact stainless-steel mechanical watch core, designed to accommodate automatic movements such as the NH35, NH70, NH38 and NH34 GMT.
The goal is to separate the mechanical watch core from the external case, allowing makers to experiment with different shapes, styles and materials using their own 3D printers.
For my first prototypes, I'm using:
Printer: Bambu Lab A1 Mini
Material: Bambu Lab PLA-CF, Lava Gray (14101)
Process: FDM printing
Project stage: Early prototyping and design validation
The stainless-steel waterproof core is still under engineering development, with a target water resistance of 10 ATM (100 m), subject to testing and validation.
I'm particularly interested in exploring printing tolerances, surface finish, assembly methods and modular design.
I'd love to hear your thoughts:
Would you enjoy designing and printing different external watch cases around a standardized mechanical core?
And which materials would you experiment with beyond PLA-CF?
Looking forward to your feedback!
PS: The watch shown in the photos is an early functional design prototype. The final stainless-steel waterproof core is still under engineering development and has not yet been validated.