• Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!

Three uneven brothers (5517/5514/1665)

Jaqueslepro

Active Member
6/3/18
293
147
43
Hey guys,

a project of mine just came to an end, so I would like to share the result with you. Everything started a few months ago, when I was infected by a great cartel modding tutorial that NCRich put up (Special thanks to all your knowlege and help. You are the man!). I read a lot about modding on the old forum and it all seemed so horribly difficult and painful. A few times I read things like "not sure if I ever go down this road again". That sounded just great and so I built some watches myself!


This is what I wanted to achieve:
No.1: COMEX 5514 Submariner in a used but good and slightly repolished condition
No.2: 5517 Milsub that was not issued, hardly worn, serviced, replaced crystal and safe locked for decades
No.3: COMEX 1665 Seadweller that was lost on duty, travelled the depths of the ocean, beachfound and heavily restored


This is what I used and did:
All three watches are based on JFK / Cartel cases. It is mostly entirely the same watch. All cases were strongly reshaped, resized, repolished and aged. The lugholes were all re-/drilled and fitted with 2mm shoulderless springbars and fixed bars on the milsub. The dials were relumed with Bergeon Superluminova, emaille laquer repainted logos and aged according to the desired condition. The crystals are sternkreuz tropical 19 service crystal (5517) and swiss made half domed tropical 39 plexi crystals. Movements refitted, new crown stems, crowns reworked a bit and watches waterproof sealed.

The straps are high quality Zuludiver natos, that were all chemically aged and vintaged by hand in a long and unhealthy process. (I wrote a turtorial about that as jalepro before my account was destroyed and email hijacked by that hacker a****).

There are so many small details and actions I cannot recall. The whole modding process was a mix of joy and pain. It took months and spilled my blood literally (titanium drill accident). Will I go down that road again? NO! Did I enjoy it? Not sure, but I enjoy the results.


This is what I got:

Three totally uneven brothers. (enjoy!)


https://imgur.com/a/KzOQ5Ek


(I havent found out on how to add the pictures to my post. If anyone can assist me its appreciated.)

Regards!
Jalepro
 

NCRich

Raddave's favorite
Supporter
Certified
24/3/11
3,050
8,872
113
Use the image icon, unclick Retrieve remote file and reference locally after pasting the imgur URL.
 

Jaqueslepro

Active Member
6/3/18
293
147
43
Thanks! Here are the pictures:


Uy1jOfe.jpg



RWD6qrf.jpg



b5q2HgS.jpg



8SDdjF7.jpg



j64V4BZ.jpg



a0gBlwz.jpg



EOzQ5Vk.jpg
 

Farsina

You're Saying I Can Sell?
DO NOT TRADE WITH ME
18/3/18
88
6
0
Something attractive about that messed up comex!
 

Jaqueslepro

Active Member
6/3/18
293
147
43
haha yeah my thoughts exactly
what happened to that dial? did you put it in acid? :D
great collection

Thanks!

And .... in fact yes I did. The dial treatment was: clorine, sanding, oven, acid, uv light nail hardener, acetone, baking soda, more acid, one month inside the aquarium and finally applied some chemicals, lime, salt and aquarell colors mixed with acrylic fixator and dried that in the oven. (Don't remember the exact order, but it took a pretty hard ride. You better dont ask the bezel insert for its last 3 weeks, Lol.)

:woo:
 
  • Like
Reactions: lupinpopette