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5513 MKII insert project - opinions welcomed

manodeoro

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After building my custom A/6538 I'm trying to build a better one ... V2 :p

For that build I've been searching for a good Rep of an MKII 5513 insert, the version with flat 4 and serifs like the one on that Gen



Unfortunately it seems that no Rep is available, and the Gen I've seen on sale are pretty beaten or overpriced.

So I'm really thinking about removing all the paint on a 5513 Rep insert and reprint it to my liking.

I have already worked on the design so I post the result here and I'd like to get opinions from member here.

If you think it's just crappy just say it .. no problem ;)
If you think that I could improve something here and there (shape, thickness, serifs, etc ...) please focus on what I should rework.
And of course if you know where I could buy a Rep insert with the same look please post a link :cool:

Thanks in advance.

 

kilowattore

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Maybe the 5 minute marks are a hair too thin then I'd check the inner part of 4 and the bottom part of 2.

2019-07-04-18-20-23b86a4242be95b8a7.jpg
 
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manodeoro

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Maybe the 5 minute marks are a hair too thin then I'd check the inner part of 4 and the bottom part of 2.

2019-07-04-18-20-23b86a4242be95b8a7.jpg
Thanks kilo ;)

You're 100% true about the 5 minute markers ... I'll feed them some more so that the get thicker.
The inner part of 4 could be a little bit curved ... is that what you mean ?
About the bottom part of 2 ... BV what would you do to it ?

There are so many versions and iterations of those inserts, some 1000% Gen and some possibly reprinted, that it's difficult to make the right choice ... each time I redo something I bump on a pic of a Gen showing what I've just erased.
It'll probably be a long journey to get a "perfect" design ... possibly an everlasting one.
Nevertheless ... I still have to find the right method to print something with enough resistance (I have some ideas I still have to test) so I'm not ina hurry.

Envoyé de mon moto g(7) power en utilisant Tapatalk
 

kilowattore

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Hard to explain I words....
I think the flat top part of 4 should be a little narrower, diagonal part of 2 should be more straight towards the horizontal bottom
 

Hor-Fan

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Yes, the 2 on the gen has a sharper “knee”. Also, to my eye, the inside of 0’s should have sharper corners.
 

cheld

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The gen looks more like a MK3. The MK2 is the "Long 5".

And the 4 on either the MK2 or the MK3 has a left edge that takes a "turn"; your mockup has a totally straight left edge.
 

Kolohekeki

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I think slightly thicker all around, and as cheld mentioned, the 4 needs some additional curvature. Especially check the bottom of the "post" and the bottom serif of the "L" corner on the left.
 

manodeoro

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Thanks to you all for your advices :)
I'll slowly work on that project on August (2 weeks vacation starting next week).
If you have any good close-up of MKII bezels fell free to post there or by PM.
I'll try to do the first test prints end of August.
 

manodeoro

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kilowattore Hor-Fan cheld Kolohekeki

After reading all opinions and advices I've searched on the web for A/6538 with "period correct" bezels ... "..." because being really period correct about the Burford ones seems to be not that easy.

Nevertheless ... after comparing different pics and reading I think I have found 2 credible pics I could start with.

So please have a look and tell me what you think about that

Ref-6538-Poole-951x1024.jpg


Ref-A6538-Mo-D-Refurbished.jpg
 

kilowattore

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You should be lecturing us about the A/6538 imho, not the other way around :)

Anyway I like the second one the most, overall it looks more credible and with better fonts, besides it has the correct bezel shape. I always wondered how can the inner part of the insert get scratched though.
 

manodeoro

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You should be lecturing us about the A/6538 imho, not the other way around :)

Anyway I like the second one the most, overall it looks more credible and with better fonts, besides it has the correct bezel shape. I always wondered how can the inner part of the insert get scratched though.

Lecturing about the A/6538 ? :p quite difficult IMHO ... plus the one I'm working on is a "Burford dial" one from the early Sixties.
To sum up :
- around 1955 the first 6538s were issued to the divers of the Royal Marine's Special boat Squadron
- around 1957 the A/6538s were issud to the divers, with solid fixed bars and the custon german steel bezel, wider and taller than the standard 6538 bezel
- in 1960 the Mod ;) (Ministry of Defence) decided to withdraw the radium dials that were in those watches
Then the A/6538 watches were sent to the "Watch Dials Ltd" facility in Burford to have the radium removed.
They've been in fact completely polished and reprinted and are now known as "Burford dials".

So the watch I'm building is circa 1957/58 then issued before the 5513 model BUT with a bezel insert really close to the 5513s.
That is why it sounds really difficult to say which bezel is or is not period correct.

So perhaps I should forget about MKI, II or III, forget about flat or pointed 4 and just focus on the pics I can get showing A/6538s from the 1957/1959 period.

The one below is supposed to be all original, according to the owner.
And the design looks really close to the one on the watch you consider being the most credible.

1957-A6538.jpg
 
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