My project Tudor is together....

[predfan2001]

I found a Tudor Hydronaut dial on eBay awhile back and bought it. I didn't really know what I'd use it for, but it looked pretty cool and the price was right. I ending up moding a 5517 Submariner case, installing a "date" movement and the Tudor dial. A total fantasy watch but it's mostly just spare parts anyway. Here's some pics.

This is the dial

I installed a T39 crystal and made the cgs "pointy"

I bought a movement from a member here and mocked up the case to make sure everything fit

The dial had no feet so I used dial dots (little gummy adhesive dots used for this purpose). I had to stack 4 of them in 4 places but they work great. The red spots show where I used them

(this is not the movement I used-just for reference)

Here's the end result. I ended up using an old insert I had in the parts bin. The sword hands are from the 5517

T19 vs T39

Pointy cgs

 

[lumpyone]

thats sweet. love the dial with the sword hands. fantasy...well they SHOULD have made it.. cause it looks awesome.
great job
l1

 

[jkwhyd]

Looks great!

I admire people like you who can fabricate something nice out of a bunch of parts.

jk

 

[LIBBY]

Nice, I love frankens like this...

 

[predfan2001]

I got brave and pulled the movement out this weekend (again, I was scared something would go wrong) and painted the 12-6-9 markers with a shade to match the hands. I thought about hitting the other hour markers but they are really small and my hand isn't that steady, I'd probably ruin the dial if I tried. The pic doesn't do it justice. The markers really make this dial stand out. I must say this project has been really fun and I love my new watch. I just can't seem to take it off. This has been one of the easiest watches to put together so far. I guess because the gen dial was the same size and the movement that I installed is the same, but with the date. The only thing left to change is the NATO band, I have a black one on the way.

One thing I have thought about during this project is this. If the 5517 rep case accepts a gen size dial and crystal, what if the factories could make us a run of these cases without fixed bars but they must have lugholes. I'd take a few! I'm too poor to part out a MBW. I really like working with this case but I'd rather have one without fixed bars.

I've been asked what I had in this watch. Most of the stuff was extra parts, but if I had to buy them, here's where I'd be:

Silix 5517 Sub rep $150.00 (if you want one they are in the Airking section??)
Gen Tudor dial off of eBay $60.00
A good used 2836-2 date movement $55.00
A quality NATO band $18.00
Replacement T39 crystal $10.00
Junky old faded Sandoz bezel insert...free

Total $293.00

Not bad being any Tudor Sub or Hydro is going to run you at least $1400-$1600!

Remember, nothing says I wanted a Rolex but I couldn't afford it quite like a Tudor. (I guess it's really sad when you build a Tudor rep )

 

[brtelec]

Nothing sad about that at all. Any asshole can go out and buy a watch, i am sure it is much more satisfying wearing something you assembled yourself. I looks great by the way.

 

[predfan2001]

Ok I couldn't stand it anymore. I just had to try to paint all of the markers. I went ahead and put the right minute hand on while I was in there. I've done all I can with this one, time to start on my nodate Sub.

The End (I hope)

 

[yt]

Very nice work, where did you get those dial dots?

 

[predfan2001]

Ebay. I was told these were what I needed and I did a search on eBay and found them there. However now I don't see them list. I think the seller was watchtoolsupply or something like that. I'm sure Ofrei has them.

 

[predfan2001]

Finally got my black strap in. I think it looks much better on this watch. I like the olive on my 5517

 

[brtelec]

With the shade of the bezel, I prefer the olive. That said, it looks great on either.