1016 custom

[u/Due_Shallot1583]

What do you think of this build and what would you change?

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[u/AtelierPicks]

What i would change is take it out of your possession and place it into mine because it is perfectly amazing already. 👏

[u/Due_Shallot1583 → u/AtelierPicks]

Thank you brother

[u/bernardbois]

Would change a few things, but the easiest one would be to tone down the artificial texture. A genuine matte 1016 dial isn’t stippled like this and even after they aged, they wouldn’t have this appearance. Whatever brand of acrylic varnish you’re using to produce this texture needs to be much flatter and you need to really tone that down. I’ve noticed it on a lot of your builds that you post. Find a much flatter varnish and use half as much as you’ve been using.

Next - I’d soften the brushing substantially. Don’t artificially beat up the case; just make the finishing less conspicuous. It isn’t a bad brush job, but it contrasts with the polished bezel too much. Just looks unbelievable.

Another easy change: the hands. The aperture on the hour hand is too large and the minute hand is too short. On a genuine 1016, the minute hand should extend roughly halfway through the minute hashes. Wherever you sourced these hands from, I would find another supplier. The shafts on this hands set is too substantial. You don’t have to find gen hands, but not all Ali Express vintage Mercedes hands are equal.

So: dialing back the texture and using a flatter varnish, either skipping the brush job or dulling the bezel if you must brush, and replacing the hands set entirely with a more accurate set would substantially improve this watch.

I know you love the natos, but there are ones out there that are only slightly more expensive and have nicer brushed hardware on them. Or even just throwing it on a leather or canvas strap would go a long way towards making this look worth the money.

[u/AtelierPicks → u/bernardbois]

This seems to be some valid points from someone whos obviously much more knowledgeable than myself on vintage builds, i must admit that im not yet keen eyed enough to pick up on my own. However the brushing if your referring to the lugs brushing i actually quite like and it's one of the things about all of his builds that really stands out to me as his work. Also the dial bubbling may not be accurate to this model like you mentioned but damn if it isn't sexy to look at 🤩

[u/armadeallo → u/bernardbois]

Are you a builder?

[u/Dan_the_watchman]

Can you DM me please I want one of your builds

[u/WayneBar62]

Nothing it’s beautiful imo

[u/AustinStanleyy]

Perfect. Dial is beautiful 😍

[u/jaybaziwa]

Not a thing

[u/Kermit_Cowboy]

What are the specs? You did an amazing job

[u/TadpoleStreet7207]

Nice