A GMT no Crown Guard Submariner Style Watch

This is the current project...  The watch started life with a case similar to this

Bare Invicta 8926C Case

I am not always good at getting a before picture when I take a watch apart...  This is actually the case from a different watch of the same model.  The watch was a used Invicta 8926 I picked up on ebay.  I wanted to make something that resembled the old Rolex 6542s.  The 6542 has a smaller crown and a bit slimmer case, but for all intents and purposes, this will be a fairly close approximation.  I immediately stripped the watch down and started filing away.  One of the first things that has to go is the obnoxious INVICTA logo in the side of the case.  When they carve in that stupid logo it instantly ruins the look of the watch... at least in my opinion.
After the initial filing, the case looked like this

Crown Guard Removed

Invicta Logo Removed

You will notice there is no obnoxious logo carved into the case side.

DG3804B movement top

3804 Movement Bottom

The movement I will use is a DG3804B.  This is a Chinese made movement with a GMT complication.  It's certainly not as nice as an ETA movement, but it's functional and the price is right.


This is the movement.  I could live without the blued screws and the red winding gear, but it will do what I need it to do.



















Fans of James Bond might recall that he wore a similar watch in Goldfinger.  In the opening scene of the movie, Bond checks the time with his lighter, illuminating the non GMT version of the watch, the 6538.

One of the worst parts of building watches is the wait for parts...  Unfortunately, most of the aftermarket watch parts come from Asia, so sometimes the wait can be more than a month.  Plus, I have been building this watch on a budget and really trying to not spend more than $20/week on parts.  If there's something that costs over $20, I just have to wait until I have accumulated the necessary funds.  This technique keeps SWMBO off my back a little!

After more filing and sanding the case now looks like this

It's not entirely evident in the photographs, but finish ended up quite nice.  The final sanding was done with 1200 grit paper and wet sanding.  At this point, I was waiting for a dial, and several other parts to arrive.  The crown in the Invicta was a screw down crown, but unfortunately the threads were a little chewed up on the case tube, making it difficult to screw down the crown (I suspect this is why the original owner sold the watch).  Because of the thread damage, a new crown is definitely in order.  The bezel was also over polished, making the notches around the perimeter dull and not well defined.  At some point I will try to machine a new bezel, but in the mean time, a little file work on the existing bezel will make it slightly more tolerable, as long as the filing doesn't ruin it altogether.  In the photos you can see that the factory crystal is a flat mineral glass crystal.  Everyone knows that a vintage dive watch would of course have to have a plexiglass crystal.  I had a plexi crystal in my parts box that would fit in the case, but won't fit through the bezel insert opening.  I popped it into the case to see how it looks, and in my opinion, it looks GREAT!!!  I can't wait for the new one to arrive, that will fit through the opening.

Domed Plexi Profile

Earlier, I had also assembled the watch with the old Invicta dial, just to get an idea of what it will look like completed.  This is a sign of my impatience...

At this point, I would have started wearing the watch, but the crown is a real issue and has to be replaced, so it was back to waiting for parts to arrive from the Far East...  In it's current condition, it would leak like a sieve...

Finally the dial arrived and it was time to get down to business.  The DG movement, while used in many watches, does not have strong aftermarket support, so I ordered a dial that is intended for a Seiko movement.  This means that the dial feet (little posts that mount the dial to the movement) have to be removed, and new dial feet installed at the proper location for the DG movement.  Once this was complete, I installed the dial and the hands on the movement.

Sterile Submariner Style Dial

Here is the watch with the hands mounted and the dial in place.  At this point, I am back to waiting on parts...

Hands and Dial Installed

The case will need the hole for the crown guard drilled and tapped for the new crown and tube.  The proper size crystal will also need to be installed.  Also, another import part missing is the GMT bezel insert.  Of course, this is going to have to wait... this week's $20 is already spent

Currently in the mail:
new crystal
M3x0.35 tap (for the hole for the crown tube)

Need to Order:
GMT bezel insert

Work to complete:
Drill and tap the hole for the crown tube
Install the new crystal
Install the yet unpurchased bezel insert
Cut the winding stem to fit

Some progress has been made.  In fact, it's entirely done with the exception of new lume and aging the watch a little bit.  All in all, it turned out quite well.  I am pleased with the overall result

Finished Watch

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a shot of the watch before I got the GMT bezel.  It's on one of my homemade leather straps in this photo.

Countdown Bezel on Leather

Watches and Cars, where too much is a good thing....

This blog is about my various projects.  Projects that are certain to irritate SWMBO.  I am a guy with serious champagne tastes and a store brand soda budget...  Since I can't afford the really nice watches, I build watches that resemble really nice watches, but with my own twists.