Reply With QuoteNow that's something lovely! Might have to get the brushing done to mine a few years down the line, it's my everyday wear and it really shows.
Last edited by JMH; 1st July 2014 at 17:08.
Now that's something lovely! Might have to get the brushing done to mine a few years down the line, it's my everyday wear and it really shows.
Very nice! Did you do the work yourself?
Thanks for your positive feedback. Yes, I did the mod, which is a follow-up to this old thread:
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-a-mod-attempt
The first 3 mods I did back then...
But I think that I did change the watch too far, the new mod is more subtle, and I like that the
watch keeps its DNA, so to speak:
Reminds me a little bit of the PRS-82, with the case finish and the second hand. Here the PRS-18
next to a CWC RN auto diver...
Polished/brushed finish makes it easier to put on mesh:
And finally a lume shot:
Last edited by JMH; 1st July 2014 at 16:59.
Very niceI also like the one with the sword hands...
You should mod an 18q with sword hands and date. I'd be very interested in seeing it.
Thanks mariod!
@ bonzo: Sword hands worked well on the watch (tried white sword hands too,
but didnt like it too much; chrome suits it better):
As to a date: I do only own two automatics, so I'd have to go from there.
Cutting a date window out off the dial is a very difficult operation. Sourcing a
replacement dial with date window is not easy either; the miyota 9015
does have a different dial feet location than the miyota 8015 and DG 2813
movements, and I am not a friend of attaching dials with adhesive dial dots (and
do not own a dial feet soldering machine). If there were dials more readily
available for the 9015 I would have tried some, but in the end I think I would
always stick with the beautiful original dial (love these big triangle mil dials!).
What also worked very well: Polished case with black/stealth bezel (sorry for
crappy pic quality):
Last edited by JMH; 29th June 2014 at 12:38.
With domed acrylic crystal:
What do you think, guys?
Last edited by JMH; 1st July 2014 at 17:25.
I like it: I've always liked domed acrylic but from a commercial point of view, sapphire sells better.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
I think it looks really good, lovely job, particularly the case re-finish.Originally Posted by JMH
What do you think, guys?
That is lovely! Does the watch still keep its 300m rating?
It's nice. I'd be interested to know if the rating was kept as well.
That looks fantastic !!
I think it look better with brush finish (sorry eddie, please don't ban me ;) ). Acrylic crystal is allways a nice thing. Overall a great mod on a great watch :)
can you do a dome acrylic for the cwc rn ? If yes , please get in touch with me
First of all, thank you for your kind responses.
The watch is waterproof, but most likely not as much as it would be with the stock crystal. I had
conversations with several experienced watchmakers which mentioned how troublesome acrylic crystals are
in that regard and I can only second that. If waterproofness is a main goal, sapphire/mineral is the way
better route to go. I think this is even more true if the acrylic crystal is pressed in, instead of glued with
UV-curable glue.
Also, I equipped the watch in question with a very thick, yet non-armoured acrylic crystal. As acrylic
crystals can easily deform under pressure, thouse for dive watches usually have an inner metal ring,
preventing the crystal from these deformations. The reason why the installed crystal is non-armoured
is just, I had none at hand (with the right diameter). :)
In all shortness: Yes, this can be done. But first of all, please let me tell you that I understand which
route you come from, as I am a big acrylic crystal fan myself. Nevertheless, out of my experience, I
think that a flat (mineral) crystal fits the look etc of the CWC better.
Actually, I installed an acrylic crystal on a quite similar watch, Ollech Wajs K-2 diver... Looked cool,
but it looks great with mineral too! Furthermore Neither my master watchmaker who repaied watches
other watchmakers couldnt (so I found him) nor I could get it really watertight, real hassle...
(I modded the hands too, and the cheap looking plastic bezel insert)
Now, its back on mineral:
I dont know, the CWC would look something like this with acrylic...
Meh... if you still want to go that route, I am happy to help; while I perform actual
work only on my own watches, I can offer you my advice. I am no watchmaker or
expert though, so please take everything with a grain of salt:
The crystal diameter of the CWC RN diver should be 310. With this knowledge you
should go to your watchmaker of trust, and tell him about your plans. You should
tell him that you source the crystal (chances are, he wont have / use an acrylic
crystal specifically made for dive watches). He will tell you what size he will need.
If your watchmaker wants to keep the seals and just press it in, you may need size
306 or 307. Otherwise he may need 310 or 311. Now you should buy the crystal(s)
at cousinsuk.com. Your watchmaker may have told you already, that pressing in these
crystals can be a delicate procedure, so it may be better to purchase more than one.
I recommend you buy Sternkreuz ATCT. Sternkreuz is a quality supplier for acrylic
crystals, the CT in ATCT means the crystal is armoured (chromed ring), and specifically
for dive watches (extra thick), exactly what you need.
Best
Last edited by JMH; 9th July 2014 at 16:24.
Great pictures and write up!
Great bit of info, i just love acrylic the warmth the way it causes distortion, just lovely.
Give me acrylic any day :-)
my pressure test equipment can test up to 20 BAR.
Do you think the cwc will fail ? If yes i will not bother :P
That is a handsome timepiece right there. Thank you for sharing, sir.
Very tastefully done - still has that recognizable DNA and a very good looking variant.
Thank you for your kind comments, glad you like the watch!
You have some great ideas,it certainly makes it a different watch.
Holy Resurrection!
But worth it,I was looking for ideas for mine
Wow that is fantastic!!!Thanks mariod!
@ bonzo: Sword hands worked well on the watch (tried white sword hands too,
but didnt like it too much; chrome suits it better):
Nicely done. Like the sword hands & domed acrylic. Maybe you and Eddie could put out a PRS-18 "LE" as was done with the PRS-3.
Lovely but I could not live with acrylic.
It's why I got the 83 with the domed sapphire.
And brush finish.
...
BUBI 0_0
Those hands look great - agree a domed sapphire would be more practical imho although the warmth of acrylic can’t be beat
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