Originally posted April 12, 2015
This is my second and last Pre-V build, at least until I get to finish a couple of other projects.
It's by far the most challenging of the two, and even though the result is not as perfect as I wanted, it is at the same time the most rewarding.
Here's a list of the parts used for this build:
- Complete DSN Pre-V case set (crystal, case, caseback, crown, crownguard)
- a6497 movement
- rolli/FGD dial and hands
- H2 hour wheel and H3 CP
- Orloff Pre-V vacchetta strap in cuoio color
CASE
It took me AGES to work on the case, I mean something around 15 hours of work :shock:
That's obviously because I wronged from the beginning and the most part of the subsequent work has been done in order to fix my mistakes :lol:
Just for the record, the case has been reshaped with a conic stone-like dremel tool, sanded with 3 different grits, buffed with 2 different compounds and polished with 2 different compounds.
Once I finished I wasn't happy with the result so the whole buffing - polishing process has been re-done a second time.
After all the work that has been done on the case I still can't say it's exactly what I wanted to achieve, the softening has gone too far and despite the loads of time I spent buffing and polishing not all dings have been removed.
Nonetheless this should be a 20+ years old watch so it's supposed to show some wear... Let's say I chalk this up to experience and move on
DIAL
Dial texture is a very fine matte charcoal black. just as I noticed on my SD 202a dial, the surface looks much darker when it's inside the case and under the crystal.
Inscriptions and logo have the right font, with correct thickness height and placement.
Numbers and indices shape is great, they are deeply engraved on the dial plate then filled with lume and covered with varnish, yet they remain slightly recessed.
According to rolli the materials and processes used to produce these dials are essentially the same used for the gen Pre-V dials.
Surely its quality is noticeable even by simply holding the dial in your hands. If you want to build a high-end Pre-V watch, this is the dial to choose. Period.
HANDS AND CANNON PINION
I followed Grim's advice here and installed an H2 hour wheel and an H3 cannon pinion in order to obtain a bit more space between the hands. The swiss CP has also been flattened and polished.
Hands are provided together with the dial and are just the same quality. Shape, black coating, lume application are just top notch.
LUME
You don't see so often a lume shot of a Pre-V watch, but the rolli/FGD dial+hands combo glows like a torch with a nice and strong green/aqua color.
CROWNGUARD
Crownguard has been slightly rebrushed, pin has been removed and radial brushed. I installed this pin flush with the CG since it looked best to me.
Crown has been lightly polished.
CASEBACK
Caseback suffered a lot from my reshaping session
I kept it on during the work because I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner and did not want to have dust and debris going inside the case. Now I learned you pay for every shortcut you try to take
In any case, although the engravings look nice I'm not satisfied with its thickness so a Jakob caseback will be ordered later.
WHAT'S LEFT TO BE DONE
A LOT
This build was meant to be a long term project from the very beginning. I'm still looking for a nice swiss 6497, CP must be flattened a little bit more for my taste, I also want to try polishing the rehaut on this case, and of course a Jakob CB.
I'm still undecided about the case. I have not found a nice 111j which should be the right base for reshaping, but I could also decide to keep my own home-made case.
In conclusion, it has been a "rollercoaster" build for me. The moment I thought I would not have been able to restore the case to an acceptable level was scary, while looking at the final result, even with its flaws and mistakes, is making me proud.
Now I know what it means when I see someone stating he reshaped the case and I get how much work and attention is needed to achieve a good looking result.
A few more pics:
Once again I hope you enjoyed the pics and reading, I'd like to hear from you your opinion, especially about the case shape: how do you see it? Am I being too exigent? Too condiscendent? Let me know!
:cheers:
SECOND BUILD: THE ROLLI/FGD 5218-201/A
This is my second and last Pre-V build, at least until I get to finish a couple of other projects.
It's by far the most challenging of the two, and even though the result is not as perfect as I wanted, it is at the same time the most rewarding.
Here's a list of the parts used for this build:
- Complete DSN Pre-V case set (crystal, case, caseback, crown, crownguard)
- a6497 movement
- rolli/FGD dial and hands
- H2 hour wheel and H3 CP
- Orloff Pre-V vacchetta strap in cuoio color
CASE
It took me AGES to work on the case, I mean something around 15 hours of work :shock:
That's obviously because I wronged from the beginning and the most part of the subsequent work has been done in order to fix my mistakes :lol:
Just for the record, the case has been reshaped with a conic stone-like dremel tool, sanded with 3 different grits, buffed with 2 different compounds and polished with 2 different compounds.
Once I finished I wasn't happy with the result so the whole buffing - polishing process has been re-done a second time.
After all the work that has been done on the case I still can't say it's exactly what I wanted to achieve, the softening has gone too far and despite the loads of time I spent buffing and polishing not all dings have been removed.
Nonetheless this should be a 20+ years old watch so it's supposed to show some wear... Let's say I chalk this up to experience and move on
DIAL
Dial texture is a very fine matte charcoal black. just as I noticed on my SD 202a dial, the surface looks much darker when it's inside the case and under the crystal.
Inscriptions and logo have the right font, with correct thickness height and placement.
Numbers and indices shape is great, they are deeply engraved on the dial plate then filled with lume and covered with varnish, yet they remain slightly recessed.
According to rolli the materials and processes used to produce these dials are essentially the same used for the gen Pre-V dials.
Surely its quality is noticeable even by simply holding the dial in your hands. If you want to build a high-end Pre-V watch, this is the dial to choose. Period.
HANDS AND CANNON PINION
I followed Grim's advice here and installed an H2 hour wheel and an H3 cannon pinion in order to obtain a bit more space between the hands. The swiss CP has also been flattened and polished.
Hands are provided together with the dial and are just the same quality. Shape, black coating, lume application are just top notch.
LUME
You don't see so often a lume shot of a Pre-V watch, but the rolli/FGD dial+hands combo glows like a torch with a nice and strong green/aqua color.
CROWNGUARD
Crownguard has been slightly rebrushed, pin has been removed and radial brushed. I installed this pin flush with the CG since it looked best to me.
Crown has been lightly polished.
CASEBACK
Caseback suffered a lot from my reshaping session
I kept it on during the work because I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner and did not want to have dust and debris going inside the case. Now I learned you pay for every shortcut you try to take
In any case, although the engravings look nice I'm not satisfied with its thickness so a Jakob caseback will be ordered later.
WHAT'S LEFT TO BE DONE
A LOT
This build was meant to be a long term project from the very beginning. I'm still looking for a nice swiss 6497, CP must be flattened a little bit more for my taste, I also want to try polishing the rehaut on this case, and of course a Jakob CB.
I'm still undecided about the case. I have not found a nice 111j which should be the right base for reshaping, but I could also decide to keep my own home-made case.
In conclusion, it has been a "rollercoaster" build for me. The moment I thought I would not have been able to restore the case to an acceptable level was scary, while looking at the final result, even with its flaws and mistakes, is making me proud.
Now I know what it means when I see someone stating he reshaped the case and I get how much work and attention is needed to achieve a good looking result.
A few more pics:
Once again I hope you enjoyed the pics and reading, I'd like to hear from you your opinion, especially about the case shape: how do you see it? Am I being too exigent? Too condiscendent? Let me know!
:cheers:
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