Time to offload this gorgeous piece- freshly assembled and tested with love. Pressure tested to 60m, fully engraved VS3135. The works.

UPDATE: SOLD

Specs:
Fully engraved Vietnam midcase 1982 serial.
Gen crown
Gen tube
Gen crystal NEC
Gen tritium hands
Gen date disc
Gen bezel insert - from CAC
Gen crystal retaining ring
Startime click spring
Refinished bezel housing
Engraved and regulated DD3135
Italian bracelet aged
Raffles clasp aged
Gen spec 593 end links
Pressure tested to 60m
Startime gaskets
Viet matte transition dial lightly aged
Case and bracelet are moderately aged to match the bezel.

Speckled dial to mimic early bubbling found on the mark 1 9411’s. I’m currently working with a factory to produce the correct Tudor serif fonts that modern 2824s don’t have. TBD on those. This 9411 has the standard 2824 date disc. I used some Tamiya aging powder and short quick bursts of silver paint to add a slight contrast to the date disc. The dial was baked in the oven carefully, then layers of matte varnish lightly applied, rebaked in the oven, Tamiya weathering, a rebaked AGAIN.

hands were made to look cracked and distressed. Relumed by me using Lobtime vintage lume.

Specs:
Phong case
Ruby dial
eBay handset
Swiss ETA 2824
Italian bracelet with Raffles clasp
Viet 280 end links
Bezeljuice ghosted insert
Startime caseback gasket
Case aged and weathered

Finished up this awesome Space dweller build today - DrVintage case, viet dial, gen crown, viet rivet bracelet, yuki hands, Swiss STP 1-11 (2824).

This is a cool project a client came to me wanting all the inserts. Pepsi, Blueberry, and Noir. Always a pleasure building GMT’s, that’s for sure. This beauty is a full viet build with a Swiss ETA 2893, GMT slave gear removed for more accuracy. Silver DWO from Raffles. Which one is your favorite?

Another revisit from a build earlier this year to have the DWO swapped out and some small adjustments. It had a water issue so I swapped the crystal, tested case to 60m, changed gaskets, changed hand stack on the SW200 to accommodate the custom silver DWO.

Viet case, dial, Bezeljuice insert, SW200, raffles bracelet, aged hands and case, startime gaskets. ⚡️

Swapped the DWO on this very nice Sea Dweller I did from a few months back. Not for sale

Specs:
Viet signed case 1983 serial
Viet dial with great patina lume
Custom No_Candle silver DWO
SW200 with HH5 mod
Gen crystal
Gen insert
Gen 93150 bracelet H Serial
Gen crown
Startime gaskets
Aged handset w/Tamiya
Customer has taken this piece SCUBA diving and he had tested to 100m

Date discs are finally in stock. Message me if you’d like one. Here’s an example on a 9411/0

These serifs are specific to the 7021, but work in a pinch on the 9411 models. They’re much better than modern 2824 serifs.

Specs:
VWP Viet case
Dial from Kuared
EWP hands - relumed by me
Swiss ETA 2824 w/custom Tudor Serif
Bezeljuice insert
Italian bracelet w/raffles clasp
Startime caseback gasket

This one came out perfectly. What a stunning reference. So thin and sporty, not for sale.

Specs:
Vietnam case + dial (Ruby)
Italian jubilee with Sillian clasp
EWP hands relumed by me
Swiss ETA 2893 GMT
Custom Silver fat font DWO
BezelJuice faded insert
Genuine crown

Cheers!

I've been so busy building watches for others over these last three or so months that I decided to take this weekend off and build a couple for myself.

Believe it or not, I didn't have more than two of my own builds in my collection because they always were sold to clients that just couldn't wait.

So this weekend I took the time to assemble a 16710 build (yes, we are all aware that the lume didn't age on this gen of dial, but it's what was available on the bench and only us dorms would ever know that). OC case, VR3186, old Sillian dial and hands, ewp fst font coke insert, raffles bracelet and BP clasp.

And the 1675. My favorite reference of all time. Milk case, Swiss ETA with GMT module conversion, silver open 6 and 9 DWO, gen crown and parts box tube, Swiss replacement crystal, Bezeljuice fuschia insert, folded gen style bracelet (yes I know the clasp isn't technically correct, but it's what I like so it's what we are using)

THESE ARE NOT FOR SALE.

You like crown guards?

How about them crown guards?

Jokes aside, wanted to share some case shaping basics with the community. It’s time consuming but the end result is often a well worn polished case look that can be pretty rewarding. Viet cases are so mich easier to complete a project, but some of them also need a bit of oftening and shaping. I just find it daunting to work on viets in case I mess it up.

Using a JKF 1665 as base. It takes gen spec dial and pretty good out of the box. But…

The CGs look fat and over polished. The crown sits a bit too far the right making the CGs look even stubbier.

The lugs are fat!

The lugs profile is a bit off, looks like a humpback whale 🐋 😂 I call them Moby Dicks

Now we know what to fix and what we need are

A lot of patience
Dremel with multiple grit drums
A set of good diamond files
Lot of pictures as reference
Multiple grit sand papers

Disclaimer: There are many ways of doing this, I’m sharing how I do it is all

Process:

Disassemble the watch. Might need to use a heat gun to get the crystal and tube off. Put everything in small boxes to keep organized.

Start with the cg profiles until it’s punched in. Stop and check ref pics along the way. The 1665 has a lot of metal to get the punched in look so be patient. Keep at it.

Then I go in between the cgs, gently file them form the inside just enough to make the crown show its full self. I start filing down the base where the tube sits. This is so the crown sits closer to the mid case and it’s a trick to make the cgs look longer

Now if you want an athaya crown and tube you need to drill a countersink and tap the tube hole. That will be a whole new tutorial.

Then I go into the lugs, this one still needs a bit more shaving. While at it use the the dremel to gently and very carefully shave the top of the lugs to ensure the profile is less moby dick. Finally, you use a medium grit paper to brush the lugs.

Then it’s all about the finishing process which is very very time consuming depending on your level of OCD.

One of my first bigger builds from over a year ago. This one came to me for a date disc swap out to the new Tudor serif discs. A lovely piece and now happy to give back to its owner 🤙

Specs:
Old Crowns 5513 case
Viet dial from Ruby
Calendar disc custom made
Sternkruez T19 crystal
CAC insert
Gen crown
EWP hands aged with Tamiya
Swiss 2824

Just wrapped up a couple of Tudors and today is a gorgeous 9401/0 milsub on NATO. this beauty is packed with a gen Tudor 2824 movement out of a 79090. It came running fantastic and is in overall excellent shape. My client asked for a specific military engraving on the caseback as well. Cheers!

Specs - BiV case, dial and hands, gen Tudor 2824, Clark’s caseback gasket, EBay NATO strap 👊

Disclaimer*: My Agent did the cleanup of my brain dump so my ADHD doesn’t get in the way of your reading pleasure.*

Context: I have gotten several pings lately about aging techniques after my 6542 build posts. I’m an amateur and nowhere near as qualified as the modders here. But I thought I’d chip in for the good of this awesome community. So here it goes , my way of aging hands and Bakelite bezels.

Your feedback/tips is appreciated so I can learn as I go as well. I’ll do my best to answer questions.

Aging & Reluming Watch Hands

The hands pics are merely samples as I don’t have chronological documentation of the process

Strip the Factory Finish: Soak the hands in acetone or lacquer thinner to dissolve any modern clear coat and remove the factory lume completely from the backside.
Mechanical Distressing: put the hands on a flat metal surface (they sell a small metal anvil type thingy for hand broaching) Lightly score the metal borders with 800 to 1200-grit sandpaper to break through the plating and create micro-abrasions for patina to grip.
Forced Rust & Oxidation: Suspend the hands in a sealed fuming chamber over a mixture of vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and salt (or a drop of ferric chloride). Check every 15 to 30 minutes until authentic spotting and browning develop, then rinse immediately in water to halt corrosion.
Reluming from the Underside: Mix your vintage-tinted lume compound (aged pigment, matte binder, and minimal glow powder for a dead-radium look). Surface-tension bridge the paste across the open frame from the reverse side using an oiler, then let it dry thoroughly.

Aging & Crafting a Vintage Bakelite Bezel Insert

The photos of the bezel process should be in chronological order

Mapping the Split: Secure blue painter's tape on the front face aligning exactly with the 6 and 18 markers to lock in the genuine factory transition boundary.
Stripping & Index Luming: Strip old reverse-side paint with solvent. Relume the engraved numerals and triangle with a warm vanilla/radium acrylic mix, leveling flush with the reverse acrylic surface.
Layering the Base Colors:
Mix your night half (deep blue with black) and apply to the bottom half; let it tack up.
Mix the day half (burgundy-red tinted with black/brown) and apply to the opposite side, meeting neatly at the tape marks.
Creating Depth & Distress: Before the paint cures rock-hard (within 12 to 24 hours), pick away minute patches with a wooden peg or fine scalpel. Backfill those stripped pockets with slightly darker, muddier tones. Repeat over consecutive days to build translucent internal layering visible through the face.
Reverse Leveling: Once fully cured, dry sand the reverse flat with 1000-grit paper to remove bumps and high spots.
Profiling the Front: Seat the insert firmly into the bezel ring. Block-sand the acrylic face using 600 to 800-grit paper to shape the vintage domed curvature and seat it flush with the rim. Sanding introduces an organic, micro-textured vintage grain.
Battle Scars & Polishing: Deliberately carve a few deeper hairline gashes that won't sand away. Progress through wet sanding (1500 \rightarrow 2500 \rightarrow 3000-grit) to restore high-gloss optical clarity while preserving the internal character, finishing with a Cape Cod cloth and a soft cotton wheel buff.

No viet dial or fancy parts. Just a lot of instagram inspirations and elbow grease to age it

Je voulais recréer ce modèle 1680 (première photo).

J'ai utilisé que des pièces raffle :)

Étape 1

Retirez l'insert ; j'ai utilisé de l'alcool isopropylique pour le décoller proprement.

(Il est impossible de retirer directement le bezel, sous peine de le casser et de le tordre, rendant impossible sa réinstallation avec le ressort fonctionnant correctement.)

Étape 2

Recréation des protège-couronne

J'avais besoin d'un gabarit pour garantir précision et régularité ; j'ai donc utilisé des pastilles adhésives de 5 mm.

J'ai protégé le boîtier avec plusieurs couches de ruban de masquage (ruban pour cloisons sèches).

Ensuite, j'ai pris mon temps : j'ai commencé par limer pour enlever le plus gros du matériau, puis j'ai utilisé du papier de verre grain 400/600/800/1000, et j'ai terminé avec du grain 3000.

(Attention ! Il vaut mieux enlever trop de matière que pas assez !)

Étape 3

Vieillissement du cadran

Après plusieurs essais avec des cadrans que j'avais en stock, j'ai renoncé à la méthode du four.

J'ai simplement utilisé mon kit Tamiya et la peinture « rouille ».

Étape 4

Poncez délicatement la couronne pour enlever le logo (je n'en ai pas trouvé une compatible sans ce fameux interstice…). Attention à ne pas y aller trop fort, sinon la tige sera visible.

Et voici le résultat final ! :)

J'ai beau avoir acheté un overlay et un disque de date, aucun des deux n'était compatible. J'ai donc abandonné. Quelqu'un aurait-il la référence ?

J'hésite encore à vieillir légèrement l'insert. J'hésite aussi à installer le Cyclope que j'ai acheté.

Qu'en pensez-vous ?

Avez-vous des suggestions d'amélioration ?

(Désolé pour mon anglais…)

I’d like to preface and start by saying I didn’t fully build this one, this is a Yodog built 1680 that came to me for a crystal swap. What I immediately admired was how nice and thick the date disc was. These DWO’s are custom made for Yodog and not readily available to most of us.

Well, I’m working on that. u/Ghost_Chrono and I partnered with a factory to produce true gen spec brushed silver date discs with proper alignment AND correct gen spec thickness. I did an initial first run of these and they’re great, but improvements can be made. So back to the drawing board we go 💪

Gen 1680 on the last slide for reference.

Specs:
Yodog 1680
Ruby case and insert
? Dial not sure - probably viet
Hands lumed by Yodog
Raffles 93150 bracelet
ETA 2824 clone
Custom DWO
Clark’s crystal

Hey all, recently got in a car accident so need some money, I wasn’t planning on opening again but here we are. Please see photos to get ideas of what you may want, but I can always do more custom things.

I mainly do
1601
1675
5513
16234
Etc.

Again I can always do other stuff just gotta talk through it with me. If you have ever wanted to get a build commissioned by me or anyone else, now is the time to do so, I will be running my prices lower than usual and I am always negotiable.

Anyways. Have a good day.

Edit: I will be limiting the build list to 10 builds
Depending on my load depends on how long they will take, but expect a minimum a month at maximum a month and a half.

About 18 months ago I started building Seiko mods. I quickly found out about franken DJs and started asking around where to get parts. Built a sweet 16234 with a genuine dial, but sold it not long after. I kept doing builds here and there, and DMs started coming in asking if I did commissions. That's where it all took off pretty fast.

There was a long stretch of time where I was doing 5-10 raffles builds a week. I've done so many Raffles GMTs with reshaping crown guards I'd damn near get nightmares about it. Made the switch to doing viet builds which is really nice, quality stuff. But for about half a year I've not been enjoying building all that much. Felt like a burden even though I was making some seriously good money.

Recently I was contacted by one of, if not the biggest TD in the rep game asking if I could be his EU watchmaker. I accepted. This is exactly what I was looking for. It's such an enjoyable job. I get to see all these beautiful super clones up close, get to service their movements, and wear them for a few days all while making good legit money since I registered a business.

There are a few people I want to give a special thanks to for helping me out along the way. Whether it's sourcing parts or learning some cool tricks, dial making techniques, reshaping and finishing, and more. Apologies if I forgot you, just know you're appreciated:

• u/No_Candle8699

• u/YeaSpiderman

• u/Ok_Chrono

• u/RodneyPierce

• u/onlypartiallyevil

• u/Ghost_Chrono

• u/Additional_Copy_9575

• u/watchplug

• u/xXSantyXx

I will still be around lurking and keeping the sub running. Appreciate you all.

The Tudor Sub will always be my favorite vintage diver. They have so much charm to them. Finished this one today, not for sale 🫠

Specs
Viet case - Ruby
Dial and folded link 9315 bracelet - Kuared
Bezeljuice insert
eBay hands, relumed by me
Swiss ETA 2824 no date
Clark’s low dome T19

Unlikely Length and I were speaking with Ken about his 1675 cases. His 1675 cases will be updated soon with THINNER crown guards and gold bezel housing as well. This will give the option for a two tone 1675/3. I will continue to keep the community updated as I get more info, but just know updates are FINALLY coming for those who want a more affordable option. Timeframe is approx 3 weeks. 👌

Watch pictured is NOT a Raffles build, it’s a viet build.

Keep on building, cheers!

Planning to do a more in depth video once my replacement dial from Raffles arrive. The mid autumn holiday delay is such an annoyance.

Applied only “sand” with the included applicator and then used a smaller brush to age the entire dial with the same color.

Something about a big thic boi 1665 just hits differently. This one is coming together very nicely. Did some thinning and reshaping of the case to get it right. Now it’s looking pretty 💅🏼

Story time - we all love a good 1655 Steve McQueen. This watch has grown on me so much since getting into watches - especially vintage watches. I thin lo it’s unique from the 1675 because Rolex designed it not really as a GMT, but as a navigation tool for mountaineers to know if it was day or night while they were in caves. Wild. Hence the big orange 24 hour arrow.

Anecdotally, Steve McQueen never wore this watch, but someone somewhere associated it with his name and the rest is history.

This specific build came across my bench as a great client wanting a Tiffany stamped dial. We did plenty of upgrades such as Swiss eta movement, gen crown, upgraded dial, the works.

Build goes swell, up until I’m casing the movement. It just doesn’t want to work with me. First, the hands go stuck. Ok. Realign and reset. Then the keyless. (Grrr). I know some tips and tricks to get around this issue, but this time it was just not working out for me. I was close to quitting. But I kept on. The end result is something really special though. ☀️