Watch dial/watch parts 3D models

[someeone]

Hello everyone,

Recently I've got access to extremely precise resin 3D printer and a lot of various equipment for tooling and machining and it got me into researching possibilities of using that for something related to watches.

I've done some googling around, addmittedly not too much yet, but perhaps some knowledgable people here can help?

So far I was unable to find any accurate 3d models for watch dials and watch parts even for extremely common watches in modding communities. Some dials seemed to have existed, but now are wiped from any platforms that share free 3d models (like dials for SKX007 and NH37 movements, I've found references to them online, but all links are dead and wiped). It is very strange, considering amount of companies making custom dials, bezels etc. It is also not the first time in my life I use google

If anyone has leads to where I can find some STL files to play with, or perhaps has 3D models laying around that can be converted - please let me know, I would be very thankful!

 

[dpd3672]

Hello everyone,

Recently I've got access to extremely precise resin 3D printer and a lot of various equipment for tooling and machining and it got me into researching possibilities of using that for something related to watches.

I've done some googling around, addmittedly not too much yet, but perhaps some knowledgable people here can help?

So far I was unable to find any accurate 3d models for watch dials and watch parts even for extremely common watches in modding communities. Some dials seemed to have existed, but now are wiped from any platforms that share free 3d models (like dials for SKX007 and NH37 movements, I've found references to them online, but all links are dead and wiped). It is very strange, considering amount of companies making custom dials, bezels etc. It is also not the first time in my life I use google

If anyone has leads to where I can find some STL files to play with, or perhaps has 3D models laying around that can be converted - please let me know, I would be very thankful!

It shouldn't be too hard to make one, just do a .5mm disc (or thicker for a Panerai 3 pc dial) that's the right diameter (ie, 29-30mm for a Raffles case, ~27.5mm for a gen Rolex case, ~39mm for a PAM in a 47mm case, etc) and locate the dial feet correctly (there are techinical drawings for pretty much every movement on the internet).

I doubt any 3D printer is capable of enough detail to rep a high end watch, but possibly something like a Panerai 3 piece dial would be possible.
But your post got me curious, so I just had to try...

This is a dial for an Explorer, made from a high definition vector file, with about as much detail as I could get. The dial is 30mm in diameter, .5mm thick, and the etching is .2mm deep. If you decide to try printing it, please share, I'm really curious how it comes out on a resin printer (I have filament printers, no way they're up to something like this).

3D design Watch Dial - Tinkercad

3D design Watch Dial created by David Patterson with Tinkercad

www.tinkercad.com

A Panerai dial is probably a lot more likely to come out usable, since there's a lot less fine detail on a Panerai dial.

 

[dpd3672]

Some more stuff I found, not sure if it's what you're looking for:

Mechanical wrist watch by Alerat

A watch case with dial and back case, along with a casing ring to fit a mechanical movement (Chinese movement SP16). Two dial designs included (Calendar dial and date only dial). Require for assembly standard watch-making parts (1.5mm thick sapphire glass 30.5mm, lug spring bars 20mm, crown and...

www.thingiverse.com

Wrist Watch Casing by Printermagic

What started as an interest to re-purpose an old, unusable wrist watch soon became a pile of broken parts, the insides of many reclaimed time keeping devices, and many hours a-wasted. Eventually, a dial with watch hands was found amok the chaos and things started to look promising. I have worn...

www.thingiverse.com

Omega 30t2 watch case by kosta_art

for SLA printers 29 mm top glass 28,5 mm dial OMEGA watch case for 30T2 movement. the printed part fit, but when I ordered a silver casting according to the model, I had to grind the inner diameter, I need to increase the model by 1%

www.thingiverse.com

Bell and ross style watch case for eta 6497/98 by kosta_art

Bell and ross style watch case for eta 6497/98 For sla print

www.thingiverse.com

Watch Case for 6498 Manual Wind Movement by spadehand

A 44mm diameter watch case, sized for a 6497 or 6498 large caliber manual wind movement, and a large watch crown. Print out case and crown, purchase movement, mounting parts, top/bottom crystal, and then assemble your own horological masterpiece!

www.thingiverse.com

6498 watch dial part by kosta_art

Parts

www.thingiverse.com

Gehäuse für Unitas 6498-2 by SebiDesign

Ein Gehäuse für ein Unitas 6498-2

www.thingiverse.com

 

[dpd3672]

Also, we have this thread. I started it a while back for people to share files for 3D printed objects that have been helpful to them. It's mostly tools and jigs, but anything watch related is helpful.

3D Printed tools, jigs, and helpful accessories

I got myself a 3D printer for Christmas and have been toying around with it. I'm far from an expert in either 3D printing, CAD design, or watchmaking, but I came up with a few things that are working well for me and thought I'd pass them along for anyone to use, improve, or adapt. Some are...

forum.replica-watch.info

 

[dpd3672]

I added some dials to the file, above, so there's now a Submariner, GMT, 5500 and 1016 Explorer, and a Tudor Sub to play with.

 

[someeone]

It shouldn't be too hard to make one, just do a .5mm disc (or thicker for a Panerai 3 pc dial) that's the right diameter (ie, 29-30mm for a Raffles case, ~27.5mm for a gen Rolex case, ~39mm for a PAM in a 47mm case, etc) and locate the dial feet correctly (there are techinical drawings for pretty much every movement on the internet).

I doubt any 3D printer is capable of enough detail to rep a high end watch, but possibly something like a Panerai 3 piece dial would be possible.
But your post got me curious, so I just had to try...

This is a dial for an Explorer, made from a high definition vector file, with about as much detail as I could get. The dial is 30mm in diameter, .5mm thick, and the etching is .2mm deep. If you decide to try printing it, please share, I'm really curious how it comes out on a resin printer (I have filament printers, no way they're up to something like this).

3D design Watch Dial - Tinkercad

3D design Watch Dial created by David Patterson with Tinkercad

www.tinkercad.com

A Panerai dial is probably a lot more likely to come out usable, since there's a lot less fine detail on a Panerai dial.

Thank you so much for this and your input! I wanted to reply earlier, but got busy and distracted.

I have seen some semi-successfull attempts on printing watch dials with resin, some looked quite good, but since most of them are from a couple years ago and made on consumer grade printers of the time - it is nothing spectacular. I have access to quite a big variety of printers from a friend whos job is reviewing them for purposes of making dental implants and other things requiring precision, so there is high-end modern consumer grade stuff and also some that are far beyond that. I've seen what they can do - it is extremely impressive, right now accuracy is not being measured in .1mm, but microns and on the scientific grade printers it's reliably on 0.2 microns scale! One prototype for a part of a smoke particles detector (or something among those lines) made on the most precise printer in the lab has thousands of perfect round holes on a "sponge" that are 5 microns each!

Only problem at the moment is that dials are flat and accuracy of these prints are not great when item you're printing directly adheres to the baseplate since base of the print shrinks and bends when you remove and cure it, so I'll need to figure out how to print them elevated.

Next time I'm playing with them will be in March, I'll make sure to be ready with plenty of various models to try. I really want to try making transparant dials and dials with "cut-outs" that would be very hard or impossible to make with regular brass, got some ideas in my head for some cool semi-skeletonized dials and other stuff that would normally take a lot of effort to make "at home". Only need to quickly learn how to do 3d moddeling

I am not frequenting RWI, but I'll update this thread or make a new one when I will properly start this project.

 

[dpd3672]

Thank you so much for this and your input! I wanted to reply earlier, but got busy and distracted.

I have seen some semi-successfull attempts on printing watch dials with resin, some looked quite good, but since most of them are from a couple years ago and made on consumer grade printers of the time - it is nothing spectacular. I have access to quite a big variety of printers from a friend whos job is reviewing them for purposes of making dental implants and other things requiring precision, so there is high-end modern consumer grade stuff and also some that are far beyond that. I've seen what they can do - it is extremely impressive, right now accuracy is not being measured in .1mm, but microns and on the scientific grade printers it's reliably on 0.2 microns scale! One prototype for a part of a smoke particles detector (or something among those lines) made on the most precise printer in the lab has thousands of perfect round holes on a "sponge" that are 5 microns each!

Only problem at the moment is that dials are flat and accuracy of these prints are not great when item you're printing directly adheres to the baseplate since base of the print shrinks and bends when you remove and cure it, so I'll need to figure out how to print them elevated.

Next time I'm playing with them will be in March, I'll make sure to be ready with plenty of various models to try. I really want to try making transparant dials and dials with "cut-outs" that would be very hard or impossible to make with regular brass, got some ideas in my head for some cool semi-skeletonized dials and other stuff that would normally take a lot of effort to make "at home". Only need to quickly learn how to do 3d moddeling

I am not frequenting RWI, but I'll update this thread or make a new one when I will properly start this project.

Not sure I'm following you on the flat dials adhering to the baseplate, but if I'm understanding you correctly, you need them to print rotated 90 degrees?

I modified the file and added some that are "upright." The only issue would be they'll be unstable while being printed, since they're sitting on a round, .5mm edge...so I added a flat, disposable baseplate to make it more stable during printing. If they print successfully, you'd just need to remove the "baseplate" by cutting or snapping it off (or using a Dremel, there's plenty of ways to do it).

3D design Watch Dial - Tinkercad

3D design Watch Dial created by David Patterson with Tinkercad

www.tinkercad.com