- 13/4/09
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I have built several snowflakes now and they range from entry level efforts to the very high end gen dialed, Phong cased wonder I wear now.
I have used yuki dials, rafflestine dials, HR dials and gen.
Hands from Yuki, rafflestime and onlinestorehk (ebay)
Cases I have used include Helenaroo, cartel, JKF and Phong
Plexi crystals from Clark, Sternkruz, cartel and gen
Swiss eta movements, eta clones and asian 21j
All that said here is the way I see the choice before you if you are building on a budget.
Obviously for the best most accurate a 9411 would have a gen dial, Phong case and back, a gen plexi, a gen 702 or 703 crown, gen 125 plexi, Clark bezel assembly, gen insert (easy in black almost impossible and expensive in blue), and a gen swiss 2784 movement. This is basically my set up now. Easily $2k.
Two weeks ago I bought another gen Tudor sub dial. This time a triangle no date. I wanted to get it into a case quick and had a JK fact case on hand. I am not sure but think this is the same as the cartel cases now? Someone chime in if you know. Ether way very similar. Long crown guards that give you plenty of material to reshape. I found this case to be good base to start with inexpensively.
I used some expensive parts with the rest of the build so I will stop there since I am discussing a budget build.
Knowing what I have used on these builds this is my opinion of the best budget build. The dial is key to the finished product. Next hands then crown guards followed by crown. I would use these parts and will try to approximate the cost as well.
9411 Dial and hand combo from yuki about $125
New JK fac or Cartel 1680 base watch with the extended crown guards. $218 with asian 2836. We are talking 9411 so the date disc has to be in the eta position. The date disc can be picked up for about $10 on the bay. You do have to have the skill to Change this disc when changing the dial and hands off. This also means you have to put a 125 plexi on there too. The cyclops is further to the right to accommodate the eta date position. Clark watch for $6?
You can stop there and have a decent snowy for $359. OR...
Aythaya crown and tube $35
If you are going blue you will need the dark blue clark 5513 insert $16
A plastic pearl pip from Aythaya $10 (they have to be lumed or colored by you)
At this point you would have a very presentable snowy for $420. The labor is all on you.
You can take all the parts here and with some skill and elbow greese change out parts and reshape the case. You will also want to drill those lug holes to 1.25mm to take gen spec fat spring bars. You should also polish the heck out of the clark 125 with polywatch (makes a new crystal look a lot more believable imo)
This will produce an even better looking finished product. It is all up to how far you want to take your efforts (and pocketbook).
I have used yuki dials, rafflestine dials, HR dials and gen.
Hands from Yuki, rafflestime and onlinestorehk (ebay)
Cases I have used include Helenaroo, cartel, JKF and Phong
Plexi crystals from Clark, Sternkruz, cartel and gen
Swiss eta movements, eta clones and asian 21j
All that said here is the way I see the choice before you if you are building on a budget.
Obviously for the best most accurate a 9411 would have a gen dial, Phong case and back, a gen plexi, a gen 702 or 703 crown, gen 125 plexi, Clark bezel assembly, gen insert (easy in black almost impossible and expensive in blue), and a gen swiss 2784 movement. This is basically my set up now. Easily $2k.
Two weeks ago I bought another gen Tudor sub dial. This time a triangle no date. I wanted to get it into a case quick and had a JK fact case on hand. I am not sure but think this is the same as the cartel cases now? Someone chime in if you know. Ether way very similar. Long crown guards that give you plenty of material to reshape. I found this case to be good base to start with inexpensively.
I used some expensive parts with the rest of the build so I will stop there since I am discussing a budget build.
Knowing what I have used on these builds this is my opinion of the best budget build. The dial is key to the finished product. Next hands then crown guards followed by crown. I would use these parts and will try to approximate the cost as well.
9411 Dial and hand combo from yuki about $125
New JK fac or Cartel 1680 base watch with the extended crown guards. $218 with asian 2836. We are talking 9411 so the date disc has to be in the eta position. The date disc can be picked up for about $10 on the bay. You do have to have the skill to Change this disc when changing the dial and hands off. This also means you have to put a 125 plexi on there too. The cyclops is further to the right to accommodate the eta date position. Clark watch for $6?
You can stop there and have a decent snowy for $359. OR...
Aythaya crown and tube $35
If you are going blue you will need the dark blue clark 5513 insert $16
A plastic pearl pip from Aythaya $10 (they have to be lumed or colored by you)
At this point you would have a very presentable snowy for $420. The labor is all on you.
You can take all the parts here and with some skill and elbow greese change out parts and reshape the case. You will also want to drill those lug holes to 1.25mm to take gen spec fat spring bars. You should also polish the heck out of the clark 125 with polywatch (makes a new crystal look a lot more believable imo)
This will produce an even better looking finished product. It is all up to how far you want to take your efforts (and pocketbook).
