Navi Sunk Date Wheel Fix - Freeze chrono at 3?

[Importr]

Yes, it is possible, but maybe I am referring to the ancient mod you just mentioned! Would you have a link to that old mod?

I have been away from the boards for the past couple of years, but am still an avid replica collector and amateur "modder". I decided to chime in here because I have just received the GF Avocado, I mean, Avenger Night Mission, which sparked again my interest in the forums. Back to the sunken datewheel issue, throughout the years I have applied that old modification to several of my watches with a varying degree of success. I for one could not live with a dead - or killed, for that matter - 30 min chrono counter.

Back in the day, one of the modders (was it Francisco?) fabricated a spacer ring from metal bar on his jewellers lathe. The sizing was miniscule. Like a sleeve to fit onto a standard datewheel and just high enough for another datewheel to sit on top of it, level with the extra jewelled plate (to keep the transfer gears in place).
​​​​​​This sleeve just cleared the 30min chrono gear to enable it to work. He said at the time that it was a massive PITA to make the sleeve and he wouldn't do it again.

I attempted a similar mod using a ring of fishing line glued to the lower datewheel. Very fiddly and I had to scrape any dried excess glue away from the chrono gears path. It worked but was not seamless date change. It looked really good when raised though!

 

[neon_7]

Just to let you guys know, I did this successfully on my premier recently.

Date wheel raised, albeit at the expense of a non-working 30 minutes counter but I don’t care for that.

Certainly not for the faint hearted as it does require extreme accuracy but can be done. Will be doing this to my navitimers soon as well.

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[Importr]

Looks awesome that mate

 

[neon_7]

Looks awesome that mate

Looks awesome that mate

Thanks mate.

Gives the watch a while new feel tbh. Sunken date wheels are my long term nemesis. Each time I looked at my wrist I’d be annoyed by it.

Would love to have a working 30 mins sub-dial too (am working on it), but if it’s one or the other, I’d take the non-sunk date wheel any day as I just don’t use the Chrono (am not a pilot)

Here is an angular shot to show the difference....

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[TBK]

Now that's a flush date wheel!

 

[AstroAvia]

Just to let you guys know, I did this successfully on my premier recently.

Date wheel raised, albeit at the expense of a non-working 30 minutes counter but I don’t care for that.

Certainly not for the faint hearted as it does require extreme accuracy but can be done. Will be doing this to my navitimers soon as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man, what a gorgeous watch! Pandas are always better looking than the other colour options!

Oh, and the datewheel looks sharp. Too bad the chrono had to be sacrificed.

 

[AstroAvia]

Back in the day, one of the modders (was it Francisco?) fabricated a spacer ring from metal bar on his jewellers lathe. The sizing was miniscule. Like a sleeve to fit onto a standard datewheel and just high enough for another datewheel to sit on top of it, level with the extra jewelled plate (to keep the transfer gears in place).
​​​​​​This sleeve just cleared the 30min chrono gear to enable it to work. He said at the time that it was a massive PITA to make the sleeve and he wouldn't do it again.

I attempted a similar mod using a ring of fishing line glued to the lower datewheel. Very fiddly and I had to scrape any dried excess glue away from the chrono gears path. It worked but was not seamless date change. It looked really good when raised though!

Same here, Importr! I tried many different insert materials, but whichever I chose the top datewheel would also require some thinning and removal of its teeth. A PITA indeed, but worth the trouble if the mod is successful.

 

[neon_7]

Same here, Importr! I tried many different insert materials, but whichever I chose the top datewheel would also require some thinning and removal of its teeth. A PITA indeed, but worth the trouble if the mod is successful.

Teeth are easy. Just use nail clippers lol.

How doyou thin the datewheel though? To keep the chrono, all I need to do is figure out how to thin the datewheel from the bottom from 0.5mm to 0.1mm whilst keeping the font on top away from any damage.


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[AstroAvia]

neon_7
I used a combination of rotary tool (Dremel or similar), double-sided adhesive tape, sandpaper, and household alcohol. Using three to five small pieces of adhesive tape, I glued the DW to a Dremel cutting disc; DW printed face facing the adhesive and centered as best as possible. You don't need to glue the entire face of the DW, hence why only 3 to 5 small pieces of adhesive tape. With the DW turning at high speed (slower Dremel velocity is enough) , the sandpaper is lightly pressed against the back side of the DW. Let friction do the job with careful and frequent visual inspections. When thin enough (tricky and subjective), soak the DW in alcohol until it detaches from the cutting disc. Some gentle rubbing may be necessary to remove any remaining adhesive. Household alcohol will not damage the printed face of the datewheel.
Caution: practice with a couple of old datewheels and wear your personal protection equipment.

 

[Slanglican]

I’m freaking loving this conversation!!neon_7 that is really badass dude!!!
id really really love to know how you did that!!!!

 

[Slanglican]

Just to let you guys know, I did this successfully on my premier recently.

Date wheel raised, albeit at the expense of a non-working 30 minutes counter but I don’t care for that.

Certainly not for the faint hearted as it does require extreme accuracy but can be done. Will be doing this to my navitimers soon as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

...duuude, what kind of sorcery is this!!! I must learn the magic!!

 

[Importr]

Teeth are easy. Just use nail clippers lol.

How doyou thin the datewheel though? To keep the chrono, all I need to do is figure out how to thin the datewheel from the bottom from 0.5mm to 0.1mm whilst keeping the font on top away from any damage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The trick here is to thin the lower date wheel (use an old spare) to reduce the thickness on the printed side, but leave the teeth intact.

I also used a combination of dremel and sandpaper : very small operations and keep checking.

Then thin the datewheel with the correct font etc, from its underside whilst removing its teeth.
That way you aren't just left with a disc of paint to work with!

As said by others, I practiced with old movements first before I let rip on the proper one!

 

[neon_7]

I’m freaking loving this conversation!!neon_7 that is really badass dude!!!
id really really love to know how you did that!!!!

Thanks Slanglican


It's a datewheel overlay to raise the sunk dial but sacrifices the 30 mins chrono. If there's enoght demand for it, then I may do a detailed write up on this as a post as I'm going to do this to my other navitimers.

However, it seems people don't care to fix a sunk datewheel if it means sacrificing the 30 mins chrono. That's probably why in all these years no-one has cared to do this.

 

[neon_7]

The trick here is to thin the lower date wheel (use an old spare) to reduce the thickness on the printed side, but leave the teeth intact.

I also used a combination of dremel and sandpaper : very small operations and keep checking.

Then thin the datewheel with the correct font etc, from its underside whilst removing its teeth.
That way you aren't just left with a disc of paint to work with!

As said by others, I practiced with old movements first before I let rip on the proper one!

Cheers Importr

Issue is that I tried with a dremel and the sandpaper attachement but couldn't get the datewheel to get thinner (evenly) from 0.5 down to 0.1 it's a hard ask.

Also, even if I manage to do this, I can't imagine the reliability of this mod being great. Would makes servicing the watch in the future (I assume you'd want to given you like the watch enough to do this) pretty hard

Then I think, all this effort, R&D expense etc just for a working chrono at 3 which I never use?

I almost just want to do this as a one off just to say yep I did it, but aside from that, the effort exceeds the result IMO

 

[neon_7]

neon_7
I used a combination of rotary tool (Dremel or similar), double-sided adhesive tape, sandpaper, and household alcohol. Using three to five small pieces of adhesive tape, I glued the DW to a Dremel cutting disc; DW printed face facing the adhesive and centered as best as possible. You don't need to glue the entire face of the DW, hence why only 3 to 5 small pieces of adhesive tape. With the DW turning at high speed (slower Dremel velocity is enough) , the sandpaper is lightly pressed against the back side of the DW. Let friction do the job with careful and frequent visual inspections. When thin enough (tricky and subjective), soak the DW in alcohol until it detaches from the cutting disc. Some gentle rubbing may be necessary to remove any remaining adhesive. Household alcohol will not damage the printed face of the datewheel.
Caution: practice with a couple of old datewheels and wear your personal protection equipment.

Thanks AstroAvia


Might give this a go to see what happens

 

[neon_7]

AstroAvia Importr

What grit sandpaper would you advise to thin out the wheel?

 

[Slanglican]

Thanks Slanglican


It's a datewheel overlay to raise the sunk dial but sacrifices the 30 mins chrono. If there's enoght demand for it, then I may do a detailed write up on this as a post as I'm going to do this to my other navitimers.

However, it seems people don't care to fix a sunk datewheel if it means sacrificing the 30 mins chrono. That's probably why in all these years no-one has cared to do this.

I have a navitimer that I love, but it won’t wind anymore (rotor works fine). the crown doesn’t turn that gear which turns the little wheel-gear above it that indicates you’re “powering up” the movement..

that is such an awful explanation.,

basically the crown just felt stuck one day in the middle of winding it and I guess I just turned the crown with a bit too much pressure and there was Kinda this pop-like-clicking noise and the crown went limp.., Now, when turned clockwise, crown makes the same clicking sound as when you turn the crown counter clockwise...
If anyone knows what that is, what I did or how to fix it, I’d love some input... you guys sound super knowledgeable...

in any case, since this navitimer has issues already, it would be a good watch to try the above mentioned datewheel fix (freezing minute counter)

 

[Importr]

AstroAvia Importr

What grit sandpaper would you advise to thin out the wheel?

Its been a very long time since I did it, but it was at least 800grit paper.

 

[Ecy]

Man, this is like Rep porn. I have nerve damage in my hands and don't have the stability to try to do any of this.

 

[neon_7]

I have a navitimer that I love, but it won’t wind anymore (rotor works fine). the crown doesn’t turn that gear which turns the little wheel-gear above it that indicates you’re “powering up” the movement..

that is such an awful explanation.,

basically the crown just felt stuck one day in the middle of winding it and I guess I just turned the crown with a bit too much pressure and there was Kinda this pop-like-clicking noise and the crown went limp.., Now, when turned clockwise, crown makes the same clicking sound as when you turn the crown counter clockwise...
If anyone knows what that is, what I did or how to fix it, I’d love some input... you guys sound super knowledgeable...

in any case, since this navitimer has issues already, it would be a good watch to try the above mentioned datewheel fix (freezing minute counter)

Slanglican

Not too sure on your issue with the crown mate, I'm no watchmaker. Just an average consumer who likes a cheeky mod here and there.

To do the mod, it's pretty simple - just remove the the 3 gears that move the 12 chrono to 3 and then build up the datewheel gap byt adding spacers / washers.

It makes sense once you open it. Just takes some accuracy which will come if you just take your time and work slow to get the spacing right

Its been a very long time since I did it, but it was at least 800grit paper.

Thanks Importr

I opened my JF navi couple days back to see if I could do the mod and keep the chrono. No doubt it is possible, but the patience and accuracy required to do it put me off. I have to do this to quite a few of my sunk date navitimers and to do this for each would take too long.

This mod which sacrifices the chrono takes long enough haha so wasn't worth it for me seeing as I just don't use chrono but worth a venture for those that do.

FYI, the gap to fill the datewheel gap for the Premier B01 was 0.5mm and the gap for the JF was 0.65mm.

For everyone's info, here's a pic of my JF navi with the same mod done. The double sided AR on this watch is crazy and with the datewheel fix, it's now going to get a lot more wear!!