Project 1675 All Red Hand Complete!

[hanski 40]

After several months of obtaining parts, building, rebuilding, learning how to work on watches, and then rebuilding again I've completed (for now) my 1675 All Red Hand GMT Master.  

The specs are as follows: 

- Cartel Case, Crown, Open 6/9 Date Wheel, and Jubilee Bracelet (thank you Mary)

- Vietnam Dial (thank you Ruby) 

- Raffles Time Hand Set (including All Red GMT Hand) 

- Raffles Time Flat Case Back

- Clark's 25-116 Crystal

- Watchman Bezel Assembly and Insert

- DG3804B (from Esslinger)

I relumed both the hand set and dial to match - opting to use a light vintage tone but working lume. It's not "gen vintage" but I want the watch to glow in the dark. Insert has been lightly aged and bleached to a light royal blue and near magenta red. Case has been reshaped to narrow the body as it transitions into the crown guards, crown guards squared off, deep chamfer added to the top edges, tumbled in a bucket of screws, and completely repolished. Bezel has been completely repolished as well. Retaining ring has been machined to allow full function of the friction bezel. Everything is friction/compression fitted together. Gaskets all there and siliconed. Bracelet as been minimally aged and repolished. 

The build was inspired by a 1970 1675 All Red Hand I stumbled upon on Bulang and Sons. I purchased a non-gilted dial which as I understand it precludes the El Cornino CG's as they were paired together in the 60's. Since I was a matte dial I had to look to 70's era 1675's. For fun, I wanted to include the all red GMT hand so this lead to an early 70's inspired build. While I didn't do so far as to add mass/metal to the CG's to get them taller like a gen nor did I change out the crown, I think it's a pretty nice homage to that era of watch. 

Maybe once I've enjoyed it on my wrist for a while I will take a look in to swapping out the crown for something better then a stock Cartel. Until then, enjoy some pictures! 

Thanks for looking! 

[RussP 22,189]

Lovely.

Thanks for sharing.

[marnich1 0]

Your watch look stunning. I would also like to start a project like this. Where do I get a dial like this?

[Logixa 8]

Looks good man! 

[hanski 40]

2 hours ago, marnich1 said:

Your watch look stunning. I would also like to start a project like this. Where do I get a dial like this?

Hey, thanks! I got this dial from Ruby at Ruby’s Watch out of Vietnam. 

http://rubyswatch.com/

Bit more expensive compared with Yuki but Yuki never responded to my attempts to buy a dial. 

[Moondustesp 136]

Great project 

[Suk 0]

A really good project and work! Congrats


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[hanski 40]

I know, I know, I titled this post “project complete”. But a few things were irking me and my OCD. After wearing it around I noticed the CG’s and bezel could be improved. So I disassembled and reworked the case, this time much more aggressively around the CG’s. Now they are more pronounced and slope upwards from the case back. 

I also took the bezel and milled a chamfer at the base where it meets the case. Previously the stock Watchman bezel comes straight down - no shadow line between case and bezel. I could probably go a little more with it but even what I did do helped tremendously. 

Here are some updates pics. 

Edited August 10, 2018 by mzinski

[hanski 40]

So I like to stop in to Rolex stores sporting my reps, just to test the waters. Last week the AD said, “What do you have on there?” I explain it’s a 1675 - he’s impressed. But it isn’t until I take it off and lay it on the counter to try on a Milgauss that he can’t stop glancing/eyeing it. Eventually he says to me, “I wonder if that’s the original bezel.” 

 

So with that, I dug into researching and reworking my bezel. A few things I’ve noticed: 

 

- The insert sits proud of the bezel. You should be able to see some of the side edge 

- There is only a thin edge of grooves that are oriented slightly upwards

- From the grooves to the retaining ring, the bezel sharply cuts back in

- The bezel should appear thin and flat

 

I won’t say this is the rule but simply what I’ve noticed after studying a number of macros on VRF. 

 

So I took to my WSO bezel made three distinct cuts: 

 

- I machined the top down at 10 degrees until enough insert showed to make it obvious it was proud of the bezel

- I machined the outer edge at 10 degrees, sloping upwards so it was not perpendicular to the case

- I machined the bottom pretty aggressively at 45 degrees to give it a strong under cut and thin things out

 

I think the result is rather nice and a vast improvement on the previous iterations of the bezel. 

 

Oh, and this post is a good excuse to point out the gen 6251 folded link jubilee bracelet. Really enjoy this bracelet over the Cartel jubilee I previously had on there. 

 

Thanks for looking! 

https://i.imgur.com/iszIFw0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ncDHquC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/02GhOfC.jpg

[Sigg 106]

That’s brilliant mate, well done, attention to detail is fantastic 

[WarBoom 9]

Looks fantastic! Love the jubilee on it too

[reperoni3221 0]

Love this! I'm about to start a 1675 project as well. The lume color is fantastic. You've really delved into the details on this one!

[hanski 40]

On 30/08/2018 at 14:56, Sigg said:

That’s brilliant mate, well done, attention to detail is fantastic 

 

On 03/09/2018 at 10:32, reperoni3221 said:

Love this! I'm about to start a 1675 project as well. The lume color is fantastic. You've really delved into the details on this one!

 

On 30/08/2018 at 15:12, WarBoom said:

Looks fantastic! Love the jubilee on it too

Thanks! I've just disassembled the build to slim the case on a lathe. I've shaved off .7mm and deepened the case back gasket groove (that was eliminated in slimming the case). The overall thickness is now down to 13.45mm (was previously at 14.2mm). 

On top of that, I just got a sample SW330 movement from Sellita (direct) - I need to resolder the feet on the dial to align to this movement. In the next few days I should have it all back together again - I'll post some pictures once it's back together. 

Now I just need to learn laser micro welding. 

[J!m 289]

This is an example of the “right” way to do a vintage build. 

You did your research, and built accordingly. 

Congrats on a nice looking build!

[hanski 40]

Updates! 

I’ve made a few small tweaks to the watch - slimmed the case, installed a Sellita SW330-1, and a Gen 6251 bracelet. 

 

I used an old, small Baleigh type industrial large to machine .7mm off the back of the case. This then necessitated re-cutting the gasket groove. Overall it was pretty successful. The chuck isn’t great and left some marks on the outside of the rehaute and the bit available bevels the gasket groove. Both aren’t major issues but I know they could be better. Also got a nick in the case when the chuck released the case mid-lathing. It’s under the case back but annoying nonetheless. Overall this brought the overall height down to 13.45mm. Not sure if the pictures do it justice but it wears much slimmer on the wrist now. 

Installing the movement was easy enough - got it with the higher hand height and used epoxy to space the dial and DWO. 

Overall I’m pleased with the watch. With the bracelet and all the rework, it wears like a vintage watch and pays a good homage to the original. 

Enjoy the updated pictures. Thanks! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zulu44gmt 1,046]

Nice work ! 1675’s are probably the most fun to build because of all the options available. That thinner case set really makes it - those older chunky pamthick cartel cases drive me nuts...


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[JSebwc 87]

Nice Job on the build. That case looks great. Sooo. When will you be supplying these mid cases to the rest of us ??


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[hanski 40]

13 minutes ago, JSebwc said:

Nice Job on the build. That case looks great. Sooo. When will you be supplying these mid cases to the rest of us ??


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Once I can get the base mid-case by itself I'm happy to. So far, I haven't found a seller willing to sell me the Cartel 1675 mid case without all the rest of the stuff. 

I've also gotten in contact with a micro-welder who will add material to the CG's (~ $100). I'm going to give that a try soon and see if I can't make the Cartel case even better!

[hanski 40]

Updates: 

- CG’s: Laser welded then reshaped, cnc’d, and repolished by me. See my other post for details  

- Crown: 5320 tube installed and gen 530 crown attached. 

- Insert: Decided to try on a gen black Insert. Let me know what you think (unless it’s to say it’s not gen, in which case let me live in the sweet, expensive bliss of pretending it is, and say nothing). 

Enjoy some pics! 

 

[BM284 1,518]

That is just a superb effort - the attention to detail and seeking ways of constant improvement is impressive. I’ve enjoyed reading through a few of your threads now - I only wish I had some of these watch tinkering skills! Enjoy wearing in the best of health