DOXA diver dials ... is it a virus or just an obsession ?

[Specter1000]

I really wish they would rep a Doxa...those dials of yours look great! I have done countless Doxa homage's on Seiko builds and really love them, they are one of my favorites.

Would love to see your finished work...keep it up!

btw....my Doxa says hi...

 

[schtozo]

This is amazing news and might be what i need to take my soxa to the final next level! Ill pm you... my soxa journey includes a further modified osc bezel, (shaved its lower half), hand made custom endlinks by me, handmade vintage 18mm seiko bor expandro clasp and small springs, i put everything together from 3 bracelets.. i wish for a better dial and look... just found your thread! Check my soxa, honestly the turtle case is nice but think the mini turtle will make more sense and now i saw the maranez you posted which might be a better option but i dont love the bezel outer print!...

 

[manodeoro]

Wow those are really good. Wonderful work.

Thanks Rich happy you like those dials

 

[manodeoro]

This is amazing news and might be what i need to take my soxa to the final next level! Ill pm you... my soxa journey includes a further modified osc bezel, (shaved its lower half), hand made custom endlinks by me, handmade vintage 18mm seiko bor expandro clasp and small springs, i put everything together from 3 bracelets.. i wish for a better dial and look... just found your thread! Check my soxa, honestly the turtle case is nice but think the mini turtle will make more sense and now i saw the maranez you posted which might be a better option but i dont love the bezel outer print!...

That turtle mod is just WOW !!!
I've been thinking about the mini-turtle too for my own use ... but I've tried the turtle and it dosesn't look that big , even on my 16.5cm.
And as I'm hesitating between a Rep or an Hommage that crown at 4:00 doesn't bother me that much.
About the Maranez, even if you look at the "wrong" details (case thickness, drilled lugs, tc ...) the global look is amazing ... I'll definitely get one when they're available again.

 

[schtozo]

That turtle mod is just WOW !!!
I've been thinking about the mini-turtle too for my own use ... but I've tried the turtle and it dosesn't look that big , even on my 16.5cm.
And as I'm hesitating between a Rep or an Hommage that crown at 4:00 doesn't bother me that much.
About the Maranez, even if you look at the "wrong" details (case thickness, drilled lugs, tc ...) the global look is amazing ... I'll definitely get one when they're available again.

Thank you very much... yeah it took a while and some dedication to get it where it is atm, and i think one of your dials will look a lot better in it... you are totally right about the maranez too, i like it but that bezel detail is a turnoff!

 

[manodeoro]

Some days ago a member on another watchboard asked me if I would make a Black Lung for his Seiko prospex 777 ... so I started working on the design as the one I already made was for an ETA dial

While doing that I realized that I had made a BIG mistake while designing the first version of that dial

On almost all the SUB 300 T, including the early Seamasters :
- the 5mn marks "touch" the rehaut
- there are 1 to 3 tiny marks between the lumed 15mn marks and the rehaut
- there are 3 tiny marks between the date window and the rehaut

If you look closer at the SUB 300 Black Lung (no T) dials you can notice that there's a tiny gap between rehaut and the 5mn marks

so I have modified my design to respect that specificity

The second specific point is that on the Gen Black Lung watches (ETA dials) the date window is really close to the rehaut.
Considering the internal diameter of the metal chapter on the Seikos (27.72mm) and the dimensions and position of the date window, it is clearly impossible to keep the same design and the date window will be more distant from the rehaut (metal chapter on Seiko's).

So there are 2 options :
1 - keep the exact "Black Lung" design and accept that there will be a larger blank part between the black rectangle around the date window and the rehaut
2 - modify a little the design and add 3 tiny printed marks between the black rectangle and the rehaut

Below are 2 comparison pics that illustrate those 2 options.
Left is a Gen SUB 300 Black Lung dial and right is the design for a NH35 movement.
On the NH35 design the black exterior circle shows the size of the Seiko dial (28.55mm) and the orange part shows the part of the dial that will be visible through the metal chapter (of course in real all the surface of the blank dial plate will be painted orange).


OPTION 1 - respectful of the original design

OPTION 2 - modified to match Seiko's window date position

My opinion is that the second option, though less respectful of the original design, would be a better choice as the 3 tiny printed indices on the right of the date window will be less noticable than the "gap" between the date window and the rehaut on the first option.

The future owner agrees with me ... plus he thinks the 3 tiny marks on the right of the date window will be a perfect "tell" so people will easily know that the dial is not a genuine one ... so we have decided to go with option 2 which is definitely better balanced.

 

[manodeoro]

BTW ... I'm a honest guy and I always stand by my work ...
So the guy for whom I made the first ETA Black Lung will get a new dial with the new better design ...
I have already prepared a blank ETA dial plate and I'll modify the ETA design and print it within a few days ...

 

[schtozo]

This looks awesome brother! Id deffinitely go with option 2 as well.. dont sweat it! Afterall its a homage and not the real deal... imma pm you now..

 

[manodeoro]

Somebody on the other board asked me if I would lume those dials ...
So here are some pics of the lumed dials and handsets ...


"Sub 300 T Aqualung"
day light pic and lume shot

"Sub 300 Blacklung"
day light pic and lume shot
I even achieved to make the 1/3mm lume dot to the left of the date window ...

 

[schtozo]

That looks absolutely gorgeous!

 

[Toofsy]

Really nice job with the lume... félicitations l'ami

 

[manodeoro]

That looks absolutely gorgeous!

Really nice job with the lume... félicitations l'ami

Thanks buddies ... I'm not 100% satisfied with that lume so I'm trying to improve it ... then I'll age everything according to the instructions the future owner has sent to me (those 2 are for the same owner) ...

 

[manodeoro]

This evening I've made a print-test of the Blacklung I have re-designed for NH35 a few days ago

Here's a pic showing how it will look through a Seiko rehaut
As there's no paint on the dial plate, the thin black circle around the Blacklung logo simulate where the yellow paint will go ...
May I say that I'm pretty happy with the result ?

 

[MJH89]

The ability and creativity of the members of this forum never ceases to amaze me. These dials are incredible.
Great work!

 

[schtozo]

This evening I've made a print-test of the Blacklung I have re-designed for NH35 a few days ago

Here's a pic showing how it will look through a Seiko rehaut
As there's no paint on the dial plate, the thin black circle around the Blacklung logo simulate where the yellow paint will go ...
May I say that I'm pretty happy with the result ?

While this look great and different in some ways of the eta version, my preference would have been to keep the shorter/smaller cubes at 5/10/20/25 etc, with the small stick at center and out towards the outer edge of the dial.

 

[manodeoro]

While this look great and different in some ways of the eta version, my preference would have been to keep the shorter/smaller cubes at 5/10/20/25 etc, with the small stick at center and out towards the outer edge of the dial.

I will definitely do this for a SUB 300 T model (professional, sharkhunter, divingstar or searambler) ...
But that Blacklung dial is a NO T model, which has NO small mark lines beside the lumed indices ...
So I have respected as perfectly as possible apart from the size and position of the date window, which are different for an NH35 or an ETA ... that's why I have added the 3 tiny mark lines beside the date window which is too far from the rehaut on a Seiko ...

Within a few days I'll post a print-test of a an oulitned "US DIVERS" dial, a 300 T, and you'll see that the mark lines at 5/10/20/25 will be there ...

Of course if somebody would like a SUB 300 T design with a NO T Backlung logo I can to make it ...

 

[schtozo]

I will definitely do this for a SUB 300 T model (professional, sharkhunter, divingstar or searambler) ...
But that Blacklung dial is a NO T model, which has NO small mark lines beside the lumed indices ...
So I have respected as perfectly as possible apart from the size and position of the date window, which are different for an NH35 or an ETA ... that's why I have added the 3 tiny mark lines beside the date window which is too far from the rehaut on a Seiko ...

Within a few days I'll post a print-test of a an oulitned "US DIVERS" dial, a 300 T, and you'll see that the mark lines at 5/10/20/25 will be there ...

Of course if somebody would like a SUB 300 T design with a NO T Backlung logo I can to make it ...

Ohhh, didnt pay attention to that part, infact i wasnt aware at all of it, my bad... sounds great, you have put many study hours on ese im sure, you have perfected it pretty good. I applaud that. Cant wait to see the pics you just mentioned..

 

[manodeoro]

Ohhh, didnt pay attention to that part, infact i wasnt aware at all of it, my bad... sounds great, you have put many study hours on ese im sure, you have perfected it pretty good. I applaud that. Cant wait to see the pics you just mentioned..

No problem buddy ... I have an outlined "US Divers" and a classic no-logo SUB 300 T on the way but first I'll finish that one ...

 

[GabiZ]

Nice Job!
What font faces did you use ?
I was searching for similar font faces for a long time and couldn't find any .
Thanx!

 

[manodeoro]

Nice Job!
What font faces did you use ?
I was searching for similar font faces for a long time and couldn't find any .
Thanx!

If only there was some genlike fonts avalaible life would be much easier
But NO font buddy :nono: nono ...
Everything is vector drawn ... same way for every dial I've ever made