Every time I find a watch I really like the appearance of...I discover it has a 6 digit or greater price. I am particulary fond of the work of Breguet, his 18th and 19th century work, and no, I have none of it....contemporary maker, George Daniels, and no, I don't own any of that either....and there are some great new true watchmakers also....

I agree with Black2b that we should be able to find a decent solution for 928 clocks and create a decent bezel for them also....The aftermarket clock stuff from places like VDO just does not look "right".

 

I'm not saying to develop another watch or clock or to put an actual Panerai or Breitling watch/movement/case into our cars (Although that would be cool). I'm thinking to just develop a face design inspired by those watches or even the same face/hands as you did already for the wrist watches. Only thing to do is measure the OB watch face and make a new one to the same size. No moving parts. Watch faces "inspired" by the same brands sell on Ebay for 25 bucks. Here's one example.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Marina-Militare-GMT-44mm-Dial-/330587885985?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf892d1a1
Seems we can get the high end look of the example watches and/or combined with our own design influence for a much lower price then a working clock/watch. Once installed in the OEM clock it would look great.

I know theres companies that develop high end looks for knock off prices. Invicta sell's a "dead on" Rolex Submariner for $50.00 at Costco. I figured we could key off the resources already used for the 928 wrist watches, but if not -- I'll dig around a little and see what it would take to make a custom watch face in the far east. (I have contacts there for my job).

I think I'm in the ballpark for @100 bucks for a dozen or so faces. What I was hoping for was some communal design discussions on what said clock face should/could/would look like.

 

I know exactly what you mean. That's the problem with the magazines. I found a watch in Tourneau Las Vegas that was in the lower end section of the store by the Invicta's and such. I got excited as it was fantastic looking. Tried it on and my heart sank when they told me it was 50k! Why they stuck it next to the sub 500 dollar stuff I don't know.

Glad you agree with the idea. See my other post - I'm thinking faces are selling for 25.00 on Ebay. Surly we can get a high end look from the far east - it just won't say Panerai or FM. Fine by me. The sandwich dial from that Panerai is the one I personally would like to see done. Just remove the name all together - the look is still there. The question is really the size of the OEM dial and the hole in the center for the hands. I'm ready to open up my extra OEM clock and measure - just holding off to see the group sentiment.

 

Oh, got it... Yea that would be cool if we could find some sort of clock that would allow for a custom face (like the watch on my wrist right now...that incidentally on my training trip to Delaware this week got ALL KINDS of positive attention...it was amazing really!) in both round and rectangle and that could replace all our broken and sad clocks we all have!

 

BTW, My OB clock works and keeps perfect time. But I still want to do the new face idea. There's a place by me that repairs clocks and watches. They are very reasonable price wise. I'm thinking of stopping by and see what they would charge to swap faces on my 928 clock. If they can/will do it maybe we can all send our clocks to them to for the face swap -- if this idea gets off the ground. There's not many places like them around anymore. The guys are older guys and the shop probably dates back to pre WWII if not WWI lol, but I'm sure they can help.

 

So I took the broken OEM clock apart. One hurdle will be how to get the metal bezel off as it's apparently formed as a bond between the lens and the case. I had to destroy mine to get the clock apart. The OEM face is bigger than a watch face. I don't have calipers here at home but estimate is 50mm. There ARE 50mm dials out there so my hope is to be able to use an existing dye and just design the new face. The hole is bigger than I expected so that might be a small issue. Here's a picture against my Breitling for scale.

 

I measured with a ruler and got 1.75 inches which is about 44mm. I'm still looking, but so far found a unbranded Panerai sandwich dial for sale for 15.00!

http://www.manbushijie.com/upload/pr...8-18/51994.jpg

Problem is it's too small at 37.5mm, But I'm encouraged that we can possibly just buy dials off the shelf. This could end up costing less than 50 bucks - soup to nuts. Best bet is looking around at Pilot watches -- as they tend to be larger diameters and likely to go well with our cars.

 

For what it's worth, here's what the guts look like.

 

This is way premature, but here are a couple of pictures of the clock project that I have worked on some months ago. The first is a silver version of the clock face, when the finished product will likely be black, and the second is the little plexiglas lens that will fit the opening in the original clock panel. The movement of the clock will be analog and derived from an aftermarket electronic analog clock and hands, but with this newly designed face. The clock will be intended to be a direct replacement for any of the originals, digital or analog, and will likely be about $300 each.

It is premature because I have quite a bit of machine time needed to complete a batch of bodies for them and I am committed for now to the liners. Enjoy.

Jerry Feather

 

more

 

OK, but with reluctance.

This clock project of mine involves my making a body of sorts out of 3/16 inch ABS plastic (what else?) into which I can locate the "can" and movement of an aftermarket electronic clock designed for cars. I have to rotate the clock movement in order to get the setting **** into a location where it will penetrate the face and not be interferring with the edges of the lens and console trim.

I have about 48 clock frames in process and have not worked on them for months. They still need the center opening machined out for the clock can and some fine machining on each of the two outer holes that the rear AC controls will fit through. Then I am not sure if I will need to put two stiffeners on the back because the top and bottom edges of the frame will be pretty thin. It may be that with the clock can glued in it will be stiff enough without the stiffeners.

In the front of the clock movement will be the new face then a black thin ABS plactic trim piece inside the thin plexiglas lens.

The clock when complete will be a direct replacement for either the digital or the analog clocks in the 928, but only the rectangular ones. Maybe tomorrow when I am out in the shop I can take a couple more pictures of what I have had laying out there for too long. That may be the stack of bodies/frames and perhaps the black faces I have had burned, and perhaps the little forming machine I made to form the trim and lens which are formed together. That is a real trick, by the way, and about half so far are failures.

Jerry Feather

 

I'm sure the S4 folk will be very interested in your project -- as those OEM LCD clocks are just plain ugly. Still that doesn't help the OB crowd. I'll keep looking at my approach on the round clock, as it seems like using the stock clock and a new face change could be a "cheap" tweak.

 

I certainly didn't mean to suggest there is any hair on your project. And, you point is well taken about the need for a nice analog round clock.

Jerry Feather

 

Next to the crappy digi clock, the early round one is exquisite.

I must have missed that clock development by JF. Nice!

 

No you didn't. I haven't posted anything about it before. Jerry Feather