[BUILD] Walkthrough to building a vintage 16233 w/ gold tapestry dial

[Criptix]

In this post, I will endeavor to inspire you to take on the challenge of building your own watch and offer guidance for first-time builders and modders alike.

1. Gathering Information and Parts:​

To begin, I conducted extensive research on RWI, focusing on similar vintage Datejust builds. To save you time, I've found that the most user-friendly and "plug and play" approach is to work with Raffles. Their offerings are budget-friendly, and, from what I've gathered, no modifications are needed for the case, which was a significant advantage for me. However, if you possess the skills and budget, you could opt for a Korean case and begin incorporating genuine parts. Keep in mind that not all movements or parts are compatible with genuine parts, so be sure to conduct thorough research on the subject.




raffles was so nice to me and noted to me that i chose the wrong case for my dial all this from raffles was 118$



Additionally, I began searching for a suitable movement and ultimately chose the Seagull ETA clone. This choice was based on its affordability and compatibility with all the parts from Raffles, making it a practical option in case of any mishaps during assembly. A helpful tip I picked up from Discord is to order extra crown stems, which I'll discuss further later. Interestingly, genuine Tudor hands fit this movement, and they're a bit shorter, closely resembling genuine Rolex hands. Plus, they're relatively inexpensive.




Next, I began my search for a 36mm tapestry gold dial, browsing through platforms like eBay and Chrono24. I shortlisted three appealing dials across different price ranges that caught my eye:




Cheapest 150$




250$




most expencive 300$

Following the advice of a fellow RWI member @aeroxmhr46 , I decided to go for the most expensive option among the shortlisted dials, as it had the most accurate color representation.

2. Assembly​

All of the parts

First, remove the hands and day wheel from the movement.




Next, glue the date wheel overlay onto the movement using a non-instant glue, allowing time for alignment and adjustments. Use a Q-tip to spread a small amount of glue onto the date wheel.




Simultaneously, remove the dial legs by using pliers to pull them out gently, ensuring a clean look. This method also allows you to reattach the legs in the future if necessary.




Removed hands, legs and daywheel

Once that's done, glue the movement spacer onto the dial.




After everything is dry, glue the dial onto the movement.










Now, attach the hands to the movement. Use a ball joint pen to secure the hands in place, starting with the hour hand, followed by the minute hand, and finally the second hand. Make sure the time is set to midnight and that the hands have enough clearance to spin freely. Use brass tweezers to prevent any damage to the hands.




The next step is to remove the crown stem and place the assembled movement into the case. To remove the crown, locate the small hole on the backside near the movement, gently press, and pull the crown out. It is crucial to have the crown in the "wind" position when removing it to avoid damaging the movement.







Afterward, insert the movement spacer, screw down the movement holders to secure the movement, and reattach the crown.

Now comes the more challenging part: cutting the crown stem. Since it's not easy to explain in writing, refer to a tuturial for guidance. Remember, when I suggested purchasing extra stems? This step is why, as there's a chance of making mistakes, especially for first-time builders.

Once you've completed this step, simply screw on the case back and attach the bracelet.

Keep in mind that the quality of the bracelet is essential. Avoid cheap options, as they tend to be rattly, lightweight, and feel low quality.

I hope this helps you understand the process and the costs involved. It took me three days to complete the watch, mostly due to waiting for the glue to harden, with about four hours of hands-on work. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!




done in the case




omw to Dorsia

 

[HulkyGalore]

Thanks so much for posting. It will benefit a lot of people. I learned a lot of it the hard way (for example, messing with 2813's and not having the stem in the right place before removal, leading to messing of the keyless works...). Your advice to get multiple stems is good!

 

[aeroxmhr46]

As I told you in PM, congratulations on the construction it is a great idea to share with all the steps for the realization !! You did a great job!!!