MikeMcNair 0 Posted September 30, 2011 So one of the major builds I have done lately came out well, really well! Some gen parts, most rep parts, but the most important, and personally impressive, is the fucking pearl!!!!!!! I came up with a 2 stage process to get this effect, tested it on a few of my own watches, then did the customers. Notice VERY carefully the PEARL!!!! The results are perfect!!!! And NO, I will jot share how I did this, it's now a trade secret, but I assure you, I took a razor to the old "stock" pearl, and filled it with my "special sauce! And it worked famously!!! Check this shit out..... Before the pearl was done, you can see it's "cavity" here.... Another fun shot... Compare THAT pearl to mine, which ska did a sick ass job on!!! But I think I found a slightly better process You be the judge Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twall 1 Posted September 30, 2011 Son of a BITCH! That is awesome! You gonna be able to do that at the GTG? Please? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcNair 0 Posted September 30, 2011 Son of a BITCH! That is awesome! You gonna be able to do that at the GTG? Please? Absolutely, but I MUST line all watches up at once, cause i have 5 min to make it perfect (that's a hint, but you still won't guess it) So sure I may hide my chemicals tho, but that's only fair. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcNair 0 Posted September 30, 2011 Disclaimer : this was not a "normal build" Did anyone notice the gen parts? There are two you can see in the pix, but we are so used to copying the dam gens, we miss the TINY details! Wink mutha fuckin wink!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twall 1 Posted September 30, 2011 Son of a BITCH! That is awesome! You gonna be able to do that at the GTG? Please? Absolutely, but I MUST line all watches up at once, cause i have 5 min to make it perfect (that's a hint, but you still won't guess it) So sure I may hide my chemicals tho, but that's only fair. That's expected....... Such as it is with proprietary processes. .....or you could do it in a booth...like those cardboard things the teacher would put on your desk in school when you weren't paying attention.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcNair 0 Posted September 30, 2011 Like the wizard of oz!!!!!! But I'm not 5'2", I am 6'1", and could kick the ass outa that little acondroplaziac wizard!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twall 1 Posted September 30, 2011 I noticed the red seconds hand, too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Verylong 0 Posted September 30, 2011 great pearl. Why not mass produce a few and sell me two or three. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WebWind 1 Posted September 30, 2011 Congrats Mike! Can you take serious macro of that pearl, please? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dssd 0 Posted September 30, 2011 I just had sex wee come out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeNnY 29 Posted September 30, 2011 Sooooooooo, gen bezel insert and pearl ? B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcNair 0 Posted September 30, 2011 Sooooooooo, gen bezel insert and pearl ? B) Kenny knows a thing or two B) But I made the pearl myself, and honestly, it's the best I've done yet!!! Thanks baldy, I appreciate your enthusiasm. Cheers Michael Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g.man 0 Posted September 30, 2011 Sooooooooo, gen bezel insert and pearl ? B) That's what I was wondering too. The triangle the pearl sits on is the correct shape for a gen insert...except for the last two pics where the top of it is curved like the rep version. intriguing g.man Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcNair 0 Posted September 30, 2011 Gman, Last 2 pix are MY watch, with an old ass gen insert, the first 6-7 pix are of the watch in question, thus the confusion. Sorry about that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solkryssare 109 Posted September 30, 2011 Great work mate B) Wish we had you in da EU Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KeNnY 29 Posted September 30, 2011 Sooooooooo, gen bezel insert and pearl ? B) Kenny knows a thing or two Yep I do Glad it turned out this great !!! B) congratulation Mike, looks awesome ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baldrick 1 Posted September 30, 2011 Thanks baldy, I appreciate your enthusiasm. Irony is lost on you, isn't it Mike ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeterWorcester 0 Posted September 30, 2011 So one of the major builds I have done lately came out well, really well! Some gen parts, most rep parts, but the most important, and personally impressive, is the fucking pearl!!!!!!! I came up with a 2 stage process to get this effect, tested it on a few of my own watches, then did the customers. Notice VERY carefully the PEARL!!!! The results are perfect!!!! And NO, I will jot share how I did this, it's now a trade secret, but I assure you, I took a razor to the old "stock" pearl, and filled it with my "special sauce! And it worked famously!!! You be the judge Mike, It looks awesome and the best thing is that it will be on my wrist sometime today. Woo Hooo. I have to say, this little project was NOT an easy one for mike, I basically sent him a bag of parts and wheels and screws and stuff and I'm getting back a master piece, Mike is incredible to work with, all along the way we had some good laughs and few setbacks but Mike is a TRUE professional and i mean that sincerely. When we had an issue with the date wheel crop up twice just as he was readying to send it, he ended up giving me the movement out of his own DSSD, now how many people would do that ? Well I now know one. Mike I just want to say "Thank You" not only did this come out incredibly well but you are a person of great integrity and a good friend. Thank you Obi Wan !!! Cheers, Peter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vonGluberschmidt 0 Posted September 30, 2011 awesome job Mike. it's great that your modding stuff is taking off! d. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seclark007 11 Posted September 30, 2011 Great Work Mike. Might need to send a bag of parts your way too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blue Rocket 0 Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) I need to do this do my DSSD and Shark! Edited October 3, 2011 by Blue Rocket Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cynikal.Mindset 1 Posted October 3, 2011 Not too shabby Mike but I think DarthAlex's mod is superior check it out! And now for something different completely different... You know how no one has a good pearl for a ceramic Rolex? Well, I found some Rolex documents online which show the gen Pearl construction. (See below) The pearl is very similar to a 16610 pearl in construction. The sapphire lens has a pocket underneath where the lume is installed, and then it is glued into the 18kt white gold cup. If only I had one of those! Hmmm.... You know, I once posted that maybe a watch material pearl could be used to make a better pearl for a ceramic sub or Deep Sea. I was quickly shot down by the naysayers as it is for a 16610 only. Oh ye of little faith! It just so happens I keep a few on hand. I tried soaking one in acetone to get the sapphire lens out of the WM pearl (BTW it does have a sapphire lens and construction is gen-like which is why it looks so good), but no luck. Time for a new approach. (Just as an aside, I am working on a white gold base that will be accurate and I have contacted a lens maker to see about producing a bunch of these lenses to address the pearl issue once and for all.) So I drilled a hole in the back of the pearl, and pushed the lens out of the front. This little lens is only 2mm so don't sneeze! Under side of the lens Top view (note the remnants of the old lume in the cup and on the lens.) Wait, it gets better! A couple more views: Now first of all (and this is in part why I am working to make a new base for the lens) let me say that no it will not fit the noob pearl, not with out some coaxing. I removed the plasticized lume and cleaned it up but the metal cup is a tad too shallow and a tad too narrow... think micro tad. So I fabed up something to hand drill out the cup a little deeper and a smidgeon (technical term) wider and that little sucker slipped right on in there. Now I know you are dying to see the result, and I can say in all honesty this is probably the greatest watch mod of all time (Yeah I am modest too) but this is awesome. It is as close to gen as you are going to get, short of a better metal base. I did another one on my BK DSSD which I will post later. But every time I make one it gets better and better. I think I can make one good enough to be a replacement for a gen with a lost pearl. Time will tell. Check it out boys and girls: No that is not a Gen you are looking at, it is a noob insert with a modified pearl using super-luminova and a WM lens out of a WM pearl! Lume shot: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeMcNair 0 Posted October 6, 2011 Thanks for pissing in my cheerios. But seriously, I have been working on getting gen pearls for MONTHS, and my "guy" swears he can supply them. But I haven't gotten one yet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
