JohnG 41 Posted August 29, 2009 A couple of months ago after buying a couple of watches from Getatwatch Co., I decided I wanted to finally try to do a custom watch, a Panerai homage, something not too complicated but that would be unique. One of the huge attractions of homage watches is that one may create designs that the gen manufacturers never produced; in essence sterile "fantasy" watches. The Pam homages lend themselves especially to this because they are rather simple to work on and parts are very easy to acquire. GetatWatch recently started producing a sterile "stealth" dial with glossy black numerals that contract very subtly with the mat black dial, at time visible, at times not, depending on the angle of illumination. I bought a PVD Radiomir homage (reviewed here: http://www.replica-watch-guide.net/forum/i...?showtopic=1703 ) from Getat with this dial and I immediately saw the potential that this dial would have in other cases. I subsequently purchased another Radiomir homage, polished SS, also with the same dial. Again, the watch was simply stunning. About this time I placed the orders for parts that would become my new, one of kind, mini Fiddy homage, as follows: 44mm Mini Fiddy case set with sterile case back - Jackson Tse. PVD Asian 6497 - GetatWatch "Stealth" dial, all black - Getatwatch Handset, silver - Getatwatch Black Poseidon Strap, white stiching - Heroic 18 (purchased from RepGeek member Eddiemonster) Polished SS Pre-V buckle - Strap Culture (purchased from RWG.cc member Siesta181). I had no sooner got the pieces together then the crystal exploded on the watch in the middle of the night. I had to order another from Jackson Tse, along with a crystal press from an eBay seller, and another two weeks went by.... but this week finally the crystal and press arrived and finally the watch is on my wrist.... Enough talk, here are some pics - of the first watch I have ever assembled: Ohhh SH!T!!! No dies big enough for the 44mm case, had to get creative with the movement holder... Took the opportunity to swap from gold (my original choice) to silver hands - with the black Heroic strap monochrome looks better... PVD movement from GetatWatch.... So there it is, my one of a kind sterile stealth dial mini Fiddy homage... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KinCaidk 0 Posted August 29, 2009 woooha John! Looks great!! I might build myself one too.. that PVD movement really looks beautiful! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phaedo 0 Posted August 30, 2009 Very nice, whats that set you back (without the cost of the strap)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted August 30, 2009 Very nice, whats that set you back (without the cost of the strap)? The head was almost exactly $100 all told... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phaedo 0 Posted August 30, 2009 Very nice, whats that set you back (without the cost of the strap)? The head was almost exactly $100 all told... Including a PVD movement?? Not too shabby. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailboss99 994 Posted August 30, 2009 Nice work! Looks as good as I thought it would. Those PVD MVTs are so cheap it's allmost a crime not to use one. That should fetch at least 400 bucks @ geeks! Col. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Manhatten 0 Posted August 30, 2009 i love it! did you do anything with lume on this watch? lume shots needed!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted August 30, 2009 Wow, just wow. That looks absolutely f*cking amazing, mate. Well done!!!! Damn - I want one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
P_Diddy 0 Posted August 30, 2009 (edited) Have you got around to luming the dial? where's the strap from and how much? Edited August 30, 2009 by P_Diddy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted August 30, 2009 Have you got around to luming the dial? where's the strap from and how much? The strap is from Heroic 18, normally $109 I think but I got it second hand on RG for $60. More pics: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted August 30, 2009 I think I need to change my underwear... :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KinCaidk 0 Posted August 30, 2009 I think I need to change my underwear... :P this watch is so fucking sweet! Just let it dry Greg.... I did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Manhatten 0 Posted August 30, 2009 i gotta say... the silver hands on the dial realy make this look sweet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted August 30, 2009 Thanks guys! I gotta say, I am SOOOO happy with this watch, partly because I made it, partly (mostly) because it is fucking cool and very unique. I have a ton of ideas, will probably order a couple of cases tomorrow! I just can't stop looking at my watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KinCaidk 0 Posted August 31, 2009 Thanks guys! I gotta say, I am SOOOO happy with this watch, partly because I made it, partly (mostly) because it is fucking cool and very unique. I have a ton of ideas, will probably order a couple of cases tomorrow! I just can't stop looking at my watch. I will rep this!! muhahahahahaha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllergyDoc 40 Posted August 31, 2009 With silver hands instead of gold, even old HighFlyingClive would approve. Nice work, John! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KBH 7 Posted August 31, 2009 I'm not sure if I really like it a lot or it's just the excellent pictures you've been taking. Actually, it's beautiful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted August 31, 2009 By the way, John - what camera did you get? Whatever it was, it obviously suits the way you work, your photos are stunning... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr.Manhatten 0 Posted August 31, 2009 By the way, John - what camera did you get? Whatever it was, it obviously suits the way you work, your photos are stunning... yeah!! looks like a advertisement you would see in a magazine, very professional Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted September 1, 2009 That is farkin' lovely, top work that man As above, I may have to rep that lol Although it'd be my first build too and I'd no doubt mess it up at least once! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailboss99 994 Posted September 1, 2009 Wot greg said +1 Great pics John! I realy need a new digi cam but it's a long way down the list I'm afraid. Realy must get the 35mm out and take a few with that. I know I should be using film since I realy detest the idea of digital anyway but I've been lazy. That's one of the things about digital I dislike, it makes you lazy. Take a pic, don't like it? No worries since you can see the results imediatly you can just go get anouther. With film you are forced into taking time and care with shots. You don't get to see imediatly so you must get a good result and film ain't free. With digital you just blast off a hundred frames and get a few good 'uns. Only the rich can even afford that method with film and even then you chance a screwup. I firmly belive that digital is runing the art of photography. Col. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted September 1, 2009 Wot greg said +1Great pics John! I realy need a new digi cam but it's a long way down the list I'm afraid. Realy must get the 35mm out and take a few with that. I know I should be using film since I realy detest the idea of digital anyway but I've been lazy. That's one of the things about digital I dislike, it makes you lazy. Take a pic, don't like it? No worries since you can see the results imediatly you can just go get anouther. With film you are forced into taking time and care with shots. You don't get to see imediatly so you must get a good result and film ain't free. With digital you just blast off a hundred frames and get a few good 'uns. Only the rich can even afford that method with film and even then you chance a screwup. I firmly belive that digital is runing the art of photography. Col. I used to think the same way as you about film vs. digital. Digital was strictly for the wife's snapshots and record-keeping - definitely not for me. Avoided buying a digital SLR for quite some time for that reason. Then about 3 or 4 years ago I picked up the Nikon D50 (the one that I replaced recently) out of sheer curiosity - within two months I realised that my misgivings were all wrong and it was time to sell the 35mm & 6x6 gear. To be honest, film was only more appealing back when I was still doing all my own darkroom work - if you're sending stuff off for prints it's too much of a lottery (which is why I stuck to transparencies the last few years I was shooting film). Incidently, I never preview my shots on site - I always wait until I get home and load 'em into Aperture for post-processing (about as close as I get to darkroom work these days lol), so it hasn't really changed the way I work. I shoot about the same number of photos as I did before, too - so it hasn't really changed the way I work. It'd be different with a compact camera - when I'm using the little fuji compact I keep in the car or the sony compact we have here at work (which is what I use for watch photos most of the time btw), I just bang away with it and pray something comes out. The SLR, however, I use exactly the same way as I did 35mm... Anyhow, I was never the greatest photographer (darkroom work was always more my thing), but I shoot a lot of stuff for publication (work publishes a bi-monthly magazine) and my success rate, if anything, is getting better. Go figure... By the way, I will probably get to take some photos of Jodie Kidd this week Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted September 1, 2009 By the way, John - what camera did you get? Whatever it was, it obviously suits the way you work, your photos are stunning... It is a cheap Samsung ES10. 89 Euros at MediaMarkt. Until I finish the house, I don't want an expensive camera because I leave it laying around in less than ideal conditions. As a painter I am careful about composition and I just put the camera on manual, give it a little less exposure to get more contrast and saturation of colors, NEVER use flash, never put the watch under direct light (at least for artistic shots). I often focus on a bright reflection, then move focal point (with finger lightly depressed on shutter release). Get big contrast this way, lights are not washed out, and camera stays focused on the watch. I haven't yet learned to do "post processing" - all those pics are as they came out of the camera, they aren't even cropped. As I said, painting makes you very aware of composition so I do my cropping with the view finder. I know a little bit about photography, not much, but the basics. The main thing is, like Col says, taking time, thinking about what you are doing. But his complaint about digital, about being able to take tons of pics and throwing the rest away, is EXACTLY what professionals do. For every pretty pic in National Geographic, there are a few hundred rejects of the same scene. If you have no idea about composition, light, how the camera works, etc., you can take five thousand pics and you won't get a professional looking pic. But it is true for those that know a little bit, digital has opened up a new world... Anyways, thanks for the compliments, I spent time on the last shots I posted, they were all around the job site, the last one is right under the cement mixer where I dump when I am cleaning it out after using it. The sand/water/cement forms interesting patterns on ground over time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted September 1, 2009 By the way, John - what camera did you get? Whatever it was, it obviously suits the way you work, your photos are stunning... yeah!! looks like a advertisement you would see in a magazine, very professional Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
