The 1016: The Under Appreciated Thread

[1016_idiot_savant]

Completed case work on the 6610 and did a temporary dial-ageing mock up while I wait for the TC hands… I expect I will be able to strip and redo the dial and fit the hands next week.



I’ll probably spend the spring deciding which one sings to my heart, and move the other two to help fund a 1675 build

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

Regarding the 1016 above (Helenarou hands, IIRC) - I received the Raffles 13mm hands hands and will fit them later today. What is the consensus among the pundits - are they reasonably accurate and true to the gen dimensions provided?

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

Some weekend Explorer viewing:

 

[316lad]

Yet more Lug Work.

Karbon was right - I'd overdone the flank-swell . . .

Used the Scotchbrite-Rotary method to get the machining on the top.

 

[316lad]

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

Dialed back the cosmetics on the 6610, much more subtle ageing now, as I wait for the hands to arrive

 

[Karbon74]

I might regret it but on my next 1016 I will try to replicate what matzmedia did with thinning the lugs and case.

I don't have a lathe, that's going to be dixey with a hand file around the rehaut

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

Glossy gilt from Raffles

 

[316lad]

I might regret it but on my next 1016 I will try to replicate what matzmedia did with thinning the lugs and case.

I don't have a lathe, that's going to be dixey with a hand file around the rehaut

That is basically what I have done here with those lugs. I too haven’t got a lathe at the moment, so I used 240 paper and spun the case on its own centre axis in order to take material off and then finished with higher grades and finally, the Scotch-Brite.
I kept a soft subsurface so that the Sandpiper wouldn’t bite too hard at the angle. It was a devil of a job and would’ve been so much easier with the lathe. But I wanted to try it.

 

[316lad]

And to protect your reuse, an old acrylic crystal that you are willing to sacrifice, and tape it in place

 

[369mafia]

 

[dpd3672]

Glossy gilt from Raffles

Is that true gilt or gold paint? It looks amazing, but the raised gold on some of them is very obvious in hand.

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

Is that true gilt or gold paint? It looks amazing, but the raised gold on some of them is very obvious in hand.

Gold paint - no “raised” letters, even under the loupe. It’s actually very good (to my eye, at least). It will do very nicely until I find a true gilt dial - just waiting for the gilt dial “DIY” threads to begin offering some of their excess dials

 

[dpd3672]

Gold paint - no “raised” letters, even under the loupe. It’s actually very good (to my eye, at least). It will do very nicely until I find a true gilt dial - just waiting for the gilt dial “DIY” threads to begin offering some of their excess dials

I'll probably eventually put up some "leftovers," but the failure rate for DIY dials is super high...like 1 out of 10 actually passes my (admittedly high) threshold for rejection.

And once they pass the first step (successful transfer to blank dial, with no warping, voids, or irregular surface), many of them don't make it to the second step, which is a clearcoat.

Then weathering, luming, etc...no exaggeration, maybe 1 out of 20 or 30 is good enough for a watch. 1 out of 50 or 100 would pass a close look with a loupe.

Which is why I generally do 10 or 20 at a time, most batches are 100% rejected, and I just use them for practing luming and patina techniques.

 

[Karbon74]

Gold paint - no “raised” letters, even under the loupe. It’s actually very good (to my eye, at least). It will do very nicely until I find a true gilt dial - just waiting for the gilt dial “DIY” threads to begin offering some of their excess dials

Manodoero does the best gilt dials on the planet

 

[1016_idiot_savant]

I'll probably eventually put up some "leftovers," but the failure rate for DIY dials is super high...like 1 out of 10 actually passes my (admittedly high) threshold for rejection.

And once they pass the first step (successful transfer to blank dial, with no warping, voids, or irregular surface), many of them don't make it to the second step, which is a clearcoat.

Then weathering, luming, etc...no exaggeration, maybe 1 out of 20 or 30 is good enough for a watch. 1 out of 50 or 100 would pass a close look with a loupe.

Which is why I generally do 10 or 20 at a time, most batches are 100% rejected, and I just use them for practing luming and patina techniques.

Oooh - please add my name to your “leftovers” list…

 

[Karbon74]

me three !

 

[dpd3672]

For sure, it shouldn't be long. Got the first batch of "finished" 5500 dials ready for lume and dial feet. The Everest is next, then the Swolex and a 5513. Then I'm back to 36mm Explorers for a bit. Everything is up and running, even played a bit with the new pad printer today (no cliches made, so mostly just for fun).

 

[dpd3672]

Today’s progress:

34mm gloss gilt dials, still need finish work and lume, with a 5513 smuggler:



Bases for Everest dial:



White bases for Swolex and maybe a Sub or GMT:



And some practice with the engraver, think I’m ready to do some cases:

 

[automatico]

"And will a 1601 bezel or a 1016 bezel fit the 16000 case?"

All 16xx. 160xx, and 162xx cases have the same crystal neck OD and you can use a crystal made for a no date 36mm OPD, ref 1018 etc with a standard bezel.

What makes a difference is if you are using a 25-22/1016 spec crystal with a thicker sidewall (and top). If so, a regular 16xx/160xx/162xx/1018 bezel will not work. The OD of the 1016 spec crystal is larger and a standard size 16xx/160xx/162xx/1018 bezel will not fit without enlarging the bezel ID. You will need a bezel with the 1016 spec ID.

Something else is smooth bezels for 16xx and 1018 type watches are a little bit lower in profile than many 160xx and all 162xx bezels, with 162xx bezels having the tallest profile to cover the sapphire crystal gasket.

You can slightly lower the bezel profile by sanding the bottom of the bezel on a small sheet of flat glass etc. with 'wet or dry' sandpaper under dripping water (to keep the sandpaper from clogging up). The catch is this will cut into the slight bevel at the bottom of many bezels.
You can also sand the top side, but this will make a flat area on the top.

If you go with a 25-22 spec crystal and a standard bezel...mount the crystal on the case neck and measure the OD of the crystal with a quality digital caliper in two or three different spots and write it down.
The bezel ID needs to be about .1mm smaller than the OD of the mounted crystal for a starting point. This part is hit or miss and if the bezel seems to be hanging up when pressing it down, make sure the press cup is pushing the bezel down level. I hate to say it, but this is where .005mm or .008mm can make the difference between a smooth fit or a cracking sound. After the bezel is mounted, look down between the bezel ID and case neck OD under 10X magnification and bright light and see if the crystal is cracked or crazed.
Cracked or crazed = a landlubber watch.

I will admit to having a lathe to cut the bezel ID...I have heard the dreaded Crack! way too many times.

Example of a BB crystal press:
eBay item number 315107531902

Typos are free.