Where does Crownartcustoms get his inserts from?

[WatchN3RD]

I reached out to him about an insert and he was rude and condescending and then blocked me on IG

He did the same thing to me. There's a reason he's often called Crown C*nt Customs. I had no idea he was often that rude though. Figured I just massaged his cooter the wrong way.

I'm 100% certain I can do a better job, too. I just don't feel like setting up an anodizing station in my work room for a couple bezels of my own, or because he's a prick.

It's not like he even prints his own bezels! He's just re-anodizing and/or fading quality bezels from good suppliers.

 

[est4129]

I read somewhere (not sure if true or speculation) that he doesn’t make his own insert but buys them from Asia and has someone there do the ageing and finishing for him. I suspect it is like rep vintage cases, only a few places make them but then they are finished and sold by different sellers at various price points.

 

[est4129]

Do you have a link for the black inserts? I am looking for a Mk4 insert and thought I might have to go with CAC. After hearing about your's and 369mafia's dealings, I'll pass

PMed

 

[5Digits]

CAC has recently been selling on ebay again, seemed to have some nice inserts available... but now they have all disappeared for me!

Pricing, as ever, was 'strong', appreciating you may be able to get a better deal direct, but it was nice to be able to see 'em online and scroll through.

Is it just me (geo-location restricted?) or has he gone again?

He’s closed for the month or 2. Summer vacation lol

 

[Thrasher]

He was super rude to me as well and extraordinarily condescending and self absorbed, I couldn't get through to him on Instagram and messaged him on eBay, it was a total struggle to get on his Instagram just to be treated like crap so I just went somewhere else and got a genuine service insert. I would avoid this guy at all costs, Hopefully we find his supplier or a way to go around him.

 

[369mafia]

He was super rude to me as well and extraordinarily condescending and self absorbed, I couldn't get through to him on Instagram and messaged him on eBay, it was a total struggle to get on his Instagram just to be treated like crap so I just went somewhere else and got a genuine service insert. I would avoid this guy at all costs, Hopefully we find his supplier or a way to go around him.

Right? Someone who is probably profiting handsomely off each insert (probably costing a few dollars each) would be a happy guy and offer exceptional customer service. I know I sure would be if people were lining up to throw hundreds of dollars at me for a piece of alum. GFY CAC or should I say CACA

 

[369mafia]

He did the same thing to me. There's a reason he's often called Crown C*nt Customs. I had no idea he was often that rude though. Figured I just massaged his cooter the wrong way.

I'm 100% certain I can do a better job, too. I just don't feel like setting up an anodizing station in my work room for a couple bezels of my own, or because he's a prick.

It's not like he even prints his own bezels! He's just re-anodizing and/or fading quality bezels from good suppliers.

well as long as you are not a total prick to people, you would probably have a pretty steady business , especially if you undercut him on price. fuk that guy

 

[chrome72]

again, i dont undertand why no one has just simply anodized a bezel insert, then laser engraved it. a cheap diode laser should be able to do this. its not super small font.

Right? Someone who is probably profiting handsomely off each insert (probably costing a few dollars each) would be a happy guy and offer exceptional customer service. I know I sure would be if people were lining up to throw hundreds of dollars at me for a piece of alum. GFY CAC or should I say CACA

 

[tripdog]

It's not like he even prints his own bezels! He's just re-anodizing and/or fading quality bezels from good suppliers.

He's not purchasing inserts off other suppliers.

 

[Karbon74]

I am waiting for Lobtime delivery
They look good

 

[369mafia]

again, i dont undertand why no one has just simply anodized a bezel insert, then laser engraved it. a cheap diode laser should be able to do this. its not super small font.

This does seem easy enough. if we can tackle gilt gloss dials, then these should be a walk in the park. Maybe @dpd3672 would be up for the challenge as he has a lazer etcher ??

 

[Singapore9]

again, i dont undertand why no one has just simply anodized a bezel insert, then laser engraved it. a cheap diode laser should be able to do this. its not super small font.

That's not how they're made, albeit you could probably get an acceptable insert that way. The two colours (including silver) are dyed and the numbers masked, when the colour (black, blue, etc.) is applied, dyed with the second colour (silver, gold, etc.), with the number/hash mask removed. I suspect it is not cheap/easy to perfect that and CAC does appear to be the best in the business. Probably took a long time to get right.

 

[Singapore9]

I am waiting for Lobtime delivery
They look good

Interesting - some do look good and the prices pretty reasonable as well... except postage! Would be interested in a thread when they arrive! I wish they would do some blue ones.

More specifically, I wish someone would do a 'textured' blue insert for the 70s Tudor 9411s. CAC has the fonts and the colours, but they're all 'smooth', Rolex bezels.

 

[Karbon74]

Interesting - some do look good and the prices pretty reasonable as well... except postage! Would be interested in a thread when they arrive! I wish they would do some blue ones.

More specifically, I wish someone would do a 'textured' blue insert for the 70s Tudor 9411s. CAC has the fonts and the colours, but they're all 'smooth', Rolex bezels.

18€ for shipping to FR.
I can’t complain

 

[chrome72]

That's not how they're made, albeit you could probably get an acceptable insert that way. The two colours (including silver) are dyed and the numbers masked, when the colour (black, blue, etc.) is applied, dyed with the second colour (silver, gold, etc.), with the number/hash mask removed. I suspect it is not cheap/easy to perfect that and CAC does appear to be the best in the business. Probably took a long time to get right.

That makes sense. I remember reading they were originally pad printed so i figured it would be resist mask on the aluminum itself and then anodized. Didn't realize the numbering was silver.

I think you should still be able to do it with a laser if you really wanted to. Would just have to tinker with settings to only ablate the top layer of anodization and not the bottom. In lasering, there are test grids you can create where it is a matrix of speed vs power and the results.
Here is an example of the grid on bare steel, but you can get the idea. Just find the speed/power setting where it removes just the top layer of anodization. Don't even need a fiber laser for this, the diode lasers widely available could do it. Maybe there is a tinkerer out there......

 

[Singapore9]

Yeah, pad print the masked numbers, anodise and die with the colour, e.g. black, wash the mask off, pad print the silver dye on and then seal the whole thing. Need a very accurate pad printing machine to line up the mask and the silver dye I guess... Chinese AliX jobs maybe not up to the task but yes, would be interested in seeing the laser engraver version as you could do some very accurate replicas of all sorts of fonts and fatness!

 

[Karbon74]

Yeah, pad print the masked numbers, anodise and die with the colour, e.g. black, wash the mask off, pad print the silver dye on and then seal the whole thing. Need a very accurate pad printing machine to line up the mask and the silver dye I guess... Chinese AliX jobs maybe not up to the task but yes, would be interested in seeing the laser engraver version as you could do some very accurate replicas of all sorts of fonts and fatness!

Theory crafting :

I would anodise, die a first layer of silver, a second layer of black and then laser the black off for the lettering

 

[Singapore9]

I believe for anodising, you can only effectively dye once, hence the need for masking i.e. you can anodise in silver and then you'd need to paint the black. You open the pores, 'fill' with silver, then the pores are 'full', so adding black dye over the top wouldn't 'stick'... at least that's how I see it in my head!

I would still be interested in seeing a black anodised and then laser engraved insert, perhaps then sealed, so the engraving isn't 'inset' to the black layer.

 

[chrome72]

I believe for anodising, you can only effectively dye once, hence the need for masking i.e. you can anodise in silver and then you'd need to paint the black. You open the pores, 'fill' with silver, then the pores are 'full', so adding black dye over the top wouldn't 'stick'... at least that's how I see it in my head!

I would still be interested in seeing a black anodised and then laser engraved insert, perhaps then sealed, so the engraving isn't 'inset' to the black layer.

if thats the case you could you not anodize black, then laser ablate the numbers, then anodize silver? the silver wouldn't stick to the black.

 

[chrome72]

@Singapore9 you are correct...you cant anodize twice. so you should be able to anodize all black, laser etch the numbers to reveal the aluminum, then anodize silver which would only fill in the numbers.

so who has a diode laser and can anodize and will try this ha