Personal Dark Lord Homage Mini-Project - Help Needed

Monaco_Lover · Jul 21, 2022

Hi guys

Back from my holiday and, in the meantime, my SE Black DLC Titanium Heuer02 (CBL2180) has been sold. The little brother (to the right of my vintage 74033N below) has therefore been sent to its new home - gratuitous picture following:

Thus, as I mentioned in the thread of my introductory post, I am now going to embark on a mini-project and modify a CS2110. I have already secured one from a respected member of the Heuer community and it should soon be in my hands.

As you will see from the reference photo of a CS2110 below, it has potential as a homage to the 74033N if it is simply coated and then the second and sub-dials hands replaced or painted orange ...

I am therefore now turning to this helpful group for assistance.

Can anyone provide recommendations/contacts for having the case coated and hands replaced/re-painted? It would be great if you could specifically help with Heuer/Tag specialists.

Also, if I am to source replacement hands, my initial searching has identified the following potentials:

White/Orange NOS Style Chronograph Hand Set Retro for Eta Valjoux 7733 | eBay

Vintage Orange Triangle Sweep Second Chronograph Hand, Heuer, Enicar, Tudor | eBay

HANDS SET FOR MOVEMENT ETA VALJOUX 7750, MONACO, ref 30-37, SLC1 - SUPERLUMINOVA | eBay

However, I am not sure if which, if any, are suitable/compatible. All I know is that the CS2110 is an ETA 2894 movement.

Anyway, any help with sources/contacts for getting the watch coated and/or hand replaced will be greatly appreciated.

Of course, photos of how it goes (and hopefully the ends result next to the 74033N) will be provided in due course!

abrod520 · Jul 21, 2022

Monaco_Lover
Can anyone provide recommendations/contacts for having the case coated and hands replaced/re-painted?

Where are you located again? I've had a Speedmaster coated in the US by Jack at IWW - https://www.internationalwatchworks.com/
Excellent service, and you can ship to /from.

Monaco_Lover · Jul 21, 2022

Sorry, I should have mentioned, I am UK-based. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Monaco_Lover · Jul 21, 2022

I have quickly mashed together some images (and added some dubious paint shop touches!) to create this rough indication of what I see it resulting in ...

thingziliketoo · Jul 21, 2022

Looks great!

Mspeedster · Jul 21, 2022

Monaco_Lover
Hi guys

Back from my holiday and, in the meantime, my SE Black DLC Titanium Heuer02 (CBL2180) has been sold. The little brother (to the right of my vintage 74033N below) has therefore been sent to its new home - gratuitous picture following:

Thus, as I mentioned in the thread of my introductory post, I am now going to embark on a mini-project and modify a CS2110. I have already secured one from a respected member of the Heuer community and it should soon be in my hands.

As you will see from the reference photo of a CS2110 below, it has potential as a homage to the 74033N if it is simply coated and then the second and sub-dials hands replaced or painted orange ...

I am therefore now turning to this helpful group for assistance.

Can anyone provide recommendations/contacts for having the case coated and hands replaced/re-painted? It would be great if you could specifically help with Heuer/Tag specialists.

Also, if I am to source replacement hands, my initial searching has identified the following potentials:

White/Orange NOS Style Chronograph Hand Set Retro for Eta Valjoux 7733 | eBay

Vintage Orange Triangle Sweep Second Chronograph Hand, Heuer, Enicar, Tudor | eBay

HANDS SET FOR MOVEMENT ETA VALJOUX 7750, MONACO, ref 30-37, SLC1 - SUPERLUMINOVA | eBay

However, I am not sure if which, if any, are suitable/compatible. All I know is that the CS2110 is an ETA 2894 movement.

Anyway, any help with sources/contacts for getting the watch coated and/or hand replaced will be greatly appreciated.

Of course, photos of how it goes (and hopefully the ends result next to the 74033N) will be provided in due course!

Cool project!

The guy that can probably help you the most is Joe Ganzler. He also created his own custom Dark Lord tribute, but using a Cal 17 CW2113 Monaco as his base watch. (There used to be a Calibre11 article on it, which is sadly gone since the site was closed.)

Joe doesn't post here. But he's a member of watchuseek and goes by the name of "TheGanzman".

He tried selling his custom Dark Lord tribute a while ago, don't know if it ever sold. Here's that thread: https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/...o-ref-74033n-dark-lord.2296090/#post-19559890

If he still has it, you might be able to buy it from him.

SteveP · Jul 21, 2022

Monaco_Lover
Hi guys

Back from my holiday and, in the meantime, my SE Black DLC Titanium Heuer02 (CBL2180) has been sold. The little brother (to the right of my vintage 74033N below) has therefore been sent to its new home - gratuitous picture following:

Thus, as I mentioned in the thread of my introductory post, I am now going to embark on a mini-project and modify a CS2110. I have already secured one from a respected member of the Heuer community and it should soon be in my hands.

As you will see from the reference photo of a CS2110 below, it has potential as a homage to the 74033N if it is simply coated and then the second and sub-dials hands replaced or painted orange ...

I am therefore now turning to this helpful group for assistance.

Can anyone provide recommendations/contacts for having the case coated and hands replaced/re-painted? It would be great if you could specifically help with Heuer/Tag specialists.

Also, if I am to source replacement hands, my initial searching has identified the following potentials:

White/Orange NOS Style Chronograph Hand Set Retro for Eta Valjoux 7733 | eBay

Vintage Orange Triangle Sweep Second Chronograph Hand, Heuer, Enicar, Tudor | eBay

HANDS SET FOR MOVEMENT ETA VALJOUX 7750, MONACO, ref 30-37, SLC1 - SUPERLUMINOVA | eBay

However, I am not sure if which, if any, are suitable/compatible. All I know is that the CS2110 is an ETA 2894 movement.

Anyway, any help with sources/contacts for getting the watch coated and/or hand replaced will be greatly appreciated.

Of course, photos of how it goes (and hopefully the ends result next to the 74033N) will be provided in due course!

James Hyman could paint the hands for you no problem. I'd be very careful when looking at replacement hands-you need the correct hole sizes and lengths too obviously-it could look pretty badly done otherwise. As @abrod520 says, Jack at IWW is normally the go-to man for this-but you do have to wait for it. There is a guy in the UK who could Cerakote it for you. PVD/DLC is hard to find for a single project otherwise...

Interested to know how Joe Ganzler did it....
Steve

Monaco_Lover · Jul 27, 2022

Thanks for the help all.

I looked at Joe's sale post and cant believe he struggled to sell it for so long! If I knew about it, I would have taken it from him immediately!

Oh well, I am excited to do my own homage.

Jack at IWW has been excellent and we have discussed by email. I am excited to say that I have now sent the CS2110 to Jack, and he will be coating the case and painting the hands. Of course, only 2 bits of work/changes, but I am hoping it gives a nice final result somewhat like the mockup above.

Now to undergo the tortuous wait until I get it back from Jack!

Monaco_Lover · Sep 27, 2022

Update on this mini-project - Jack at IWW just sent me these photos:

I am very happy indeed! It appears to have come out better than I originally envisaged - I especially love the negative space on the dial that gives the design room to breath just like the original 74033. Much better than the recent SE Black DLC Titanium Heuer02 (CBL2180) IMHO

Can't wait to see this in the metal and put it next to my vintage original

imagwai · Sep 27, 2022

Yes, turned out much better than I expected also. You will have a unique watch there. Congrats.

Mspeedster · Sep 27, 2022

Looks awesome! 👍

Hubert · Sep 27, 2022

Interesting project! The circular left sub-register looks a bit odd, but overall it turned out great. Congrats!

Hubert · Sep 27, 2022

One question though. What happened to the white hands?

HoltzPlatz · Sep 27, 2022

This has been a fascinating idea of yours, thanks for the updates. Looking forward to the siblings pic👍

danwel · Sep 28, 2022

Monaco_Lover
Thanks for the help all.

I looked at Joe's sale post and cant believe he struggled to sell it for so long! If I knew about it, I would have taken it from him immediately!

Oh well, I am excited to do my own homage.

Jack at IWW has been excellent and we have discussed by email. I am excited to say that I have now sent the CS2110 to Jack, and he will be coating the case and painting the hands. Of course, only 2 bits of work/changes, but I am hoping it gives a nice final result somewhat like the mockup above.

Now to undergo the tortuous wait until I get it back from Jack!

I’m intrigued in the coating process as I am toying with getting my cal 5 or cal 16 head done.

what sort of costs are involved if you don’t mind me asking ?

thansk

Monaco_Lover · Sep 28, 2022

Mspeedster
Looks awesome! 👍

[/QUOTE]
I ended up going with Jack's recommendation and keeping the process simple by avoiding fitting new/different hands. Finding hands that fit the movement properly etc was difficult and Jack was concerned about it, Of course, this project could have been aimed at being more faithful and entailed more work, but I have only been wanting a simple, cheap homage, so the choice of only coating the case and painting hands seem a decent compromise.

Jack has been awesome - the 1st coat wasn't to his high standards and so he sent it back for re-working. Once coated he has moved really quickly with the painting of the hands

Monaco_Lover · Sep 28, 2022

D danwel
I’m intrigued in the coating process as I am toying with getting my cal 5 or cal 16 head done.

what sort of costs are involved if you don’t mind me asking ?

thansk

Best to look at Jack's site - details, faqs and prices are all available there: International Watch Works

I have been more than happy with Jack's service and would definitely recommend his services.

YG_Rulz · Sep 28, 2022

Excellent rendition. I'm sure you'll be over the moon with the result @Monaco_Lover. Can't wait to see the final product on the wrist.

YG_Rulz · Sep 28, 2022

Monaco_Lover
Update on this mini-project - Jack at IWW just sent me these photos:

I am very happy indeed! It appears to have come out better than I originally envisaged - I especially love the negative space on the dial that gives the design room to breath just like the original 74033. Much better than the recent SE Black DLC Titanium Heuer02 (CBL2180) IMHO

Can't wait to see this in the metal and put it next to my vintage original

I wonder if the buttons and crown will also be coated - they should IMO. Seems a bit odd at the moment!!

Monaco_Lover · Sep 28, 2022

Nah - I specifically specified not coating buttons and crown - in homage to the original which also don't have pushers and crown coated (see photo above in 1st post of this thread). Presumably this was because coating tech back then meant it would wear too easily on these most-used parts.

Indeed, the pushers and crown being coated in the recent SE Black DLC Titanium Heuer02 (CBL2180) was something I was disappointed with because it strayed from the original 74033.