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The Curious Case Of "Benjamin" Franken

SHB

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31/10/18
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How the thread start is pure gold just like this project!

Shout out to Benjamin Franken :hehehe:
 
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legend

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Where I need to be.
It is impossible for me to find bracelet that is a resemblence of the first 1000 piece of the D series 25721, which my dial, tachy and hands happens to match this period and it is the build I am going to try and replicate.
So I can either go for the JF panda bracelet, which can be commonly found as replaced on the 25721 listed on chrono24 right now (the gen bracelet is very sough after and people oftem taking them off and replaced them with newer ones for more bucks).

So for now that will be the case, but I also have gen xs navy rubber strap that I could use. Might be better this way.

It is not uncommon for gen 25721 owners to replace the bracelet with the newer and more sturdy ones. So bracelet choice won’t be a tell.


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AlphaProt

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So the hands relume job is done.

i decided to go dead lume. So no glow there.

what do you guys think? This is the best I can do! But welcome all opinions.
ZDAXo8.jpg
 
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legend

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Where I need to be.
So the hands relume job is done.

i decided to go dead lume. So no glow there.

what do you guys think? This is the best I can do! But welcome all opinions.

Just curious why you decided to go dead lume there bro. It’s gen hands afterall, won’t you want to go the full length of mods? Just my opinion.


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AlphaProt

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Just curious why you decided to go dead lume there bro. It’s gen hands afterall, won’t you want to go the full length of mods? Just my opinion.


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Because my dial has very little to no lume left and I dont want to mess with the dial.

What do you think bro?


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legend

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Where I need to be.
Because my dial has very little to no lume left and I dont want to mess with the dial.

What do you think bro?


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You won’t be “messing with the dial” or hands by reluming it. I’ve done a lot of gen dial relume for AP, Panerai, Rolex and even a few Pateks.

Getting lume out of your AP is important for me, not because you need it, but because wearing a $20k+ watch with no lume where there’s supposed to be, will bother me personally.


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AlphaProt

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You won’t be “messing with the dial” or hands by reluming it. I’ve done a lot of gen dial relume for AP, Panerai, Rolex and even a few Pateks.

Getting lume out of your AP is important for me, not because you need it, but because wearing a $20k+ watch with no lume where there’s supposed to be, will bother me personally.


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Well I am trying to replicate the original from the first batch of AP. So thought it might be appropriate since the lume would be all dead.

But I do agree that having no lumes would be a real PITA.

Hmmmmmmmm


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legend

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Well I am trying to replicate the original from the first batch of AP. So thought it might be appropriate since the lume would be all dead.

But I do agree that having no lumes would be a real PITA.

Hmmmmmmmm


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Visual consistency is important bro. The case, dial and hands look new and no lume will look funny.

I’ll advise you to go for the “recently serviced” look where AP will literally clean up the watch and sometimes replace the dial/hands at times with new ones. Your watch will definitely not look like an E series unserviced beast anyway even if there is no lume on the dial/hands.
But for the hands and dial to look new and not have lume will be inconsistent IMHO.


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Swiss_goupil

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Beautiful project, one of my fav ROO! Can’t wait to see this taking shape. Good luck with the build


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Luvwatch

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What a great project mate!! Congrats for a well done work and the effort you have put into it.

You have made me want to mod my watch. Please let me know if I could send you a message asking for a little advise.

Cheers!


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AlphaProt

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What a great project mate!! Congrats for a well done work and the effort you have put into it.

You have made me want to mod my watch. Please let me know if I could send you a message asking for a little advise.

Cheers!


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a message from you or anyone to discuss and have a yarn over this watch is more than welcome. But I don't know if i'll be of much help to be honest. There are many members here who's expertise and knowledge that far exceed my own. But I will be happy to share what I know from asking members like legend and Jurgenk and QueTip. Just make sure you verify it again before believing me lol.
 

AlphaProt

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Send these bad boy to have the crown hole filled for re-drilling later.

because of these cases are expensive and pretty hard to source (well at least to me), I don't want to ruin anything. I went ahead and drawn up AutoCAD version of what the case is supposed to look like in order to fit the LWO283 movement. With this I can plan and ask Zeula to perform the work as accurate to this as possible.

Here are the 3d drawn up of the case and the movement holder.
 

AlphaProt

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Got the mid cases back from the welder. He did a good job I think.

Just need to redrill the new crown position and clean up the mess and we have it!

Next up. Lathe work!

What do you guys think of the job??
ZKKKo3.jpg
ZKKL5D.jpg
ZKK20Y.jpg
ZKKhPs.jpg

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legend

The RWI Dragon
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Where I need to be.
Got the mid cases back from the wielder. He did a good job I think.

Just need to redrill the new crown position and clean up the mess and we have it!

Next up. Lathe work!

What do you guys think of the job??

​​​

Congrats bro. Welding the old crown opening shut is the easy third. Drilling the new crown opening partly through the welded metal and refinishing the re-worked area are also crucial for presentation and aesthetics. You’ll get there soon enough bro. All the very best!


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AlphaProt

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Congrats bro. Welding the old crown opening shut is the easy third. Drilling the new crown opening partly through the welded metal and refinishing the re-worked area are also crucial for presentation and aesthetics. You’ll get there soon enough bro. All the very best!


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Thanks legend yeah im glad it came out okay and looking forward to the hard bit now!