Custom cases, coatings and gold, again...
Discussion
Since we have bry1975 here and he seems to be a bit of a hand, I'll ask this as it's plan B for Project Lator.
Basically I have a 9ct yellow gold plated case with a Landeron 189 movement inside. It's an interesting movement and in lovely condition. I really fancy it in a heavy, old, solid rose gold case with an ostrich strap for the smart evening wear that my steel watches won't really suit.
I'm messing about with old rose gold 'vintage chronographs' with knackered movements from eBay and trying to see whether I can transplant the Landeron 189 into one of those. But the only one I've received so far is hollow (described as 'solid') and rubbish.
I've got some other mad plans, such as transplanting a screwed balance into the Landeron 189 to make it 'ultimate spec' but the case is the final problem.
Assuming I can't find a case suitable on eBay, and waste enough money doing so that I give up, Plan B is to keep the 9ct yellow gold plated case - and get it either remade in solid rose gold or re-plated in 18ct rose gold.
So - option 1 - feasible? Can I get a case made out of solid gold to a specific shape? Or is this just stupidly and uneconomically expensive?
Option 2 sounds realistic - but, realistically, how thick can I get the case plated? I want it as close to solid gold as possible - not scratchable 'plate' - and am willing to pay the hundreds of pounds of gold that this would require. Can it be done? How thick can I get the case plated? Would I need to get the case blasted down a bit first to accommodate the thick layer of rose gold? And who does this kind of work?
It's a bit of a leading question for bry1975 really (option 2) - can you let me know what is possible please?
ETA - shame there's not a rose-gold shade of PVD ceramic coating… the titanium nitride is very 'yellow gold' and the aluminium chromium nitride is very 'copper' but something in between would be a good rose-gold substitute… though I'd like the density of solid gold ideally for this sort of watch...
Basically I have a 9ct yellow gold plated case with a Landeron 189 movement inside. It's an interesting movement and in lovely condition. I really fancy it in a heavy, old, solid rose gold case with an ostrich strap for the smart evening wear that my steel watches won't really suit.
I'm messing about with old rose gold 'vintage chronographs' with knackered movements from eBay and trying to see whether I can transplant the Landeron 189 into one of those. But the only one I've received so far is hollow (described as 'solid') and rubbish.
I've got some other mad plans, such as transplanting a screwed balance into the Landeron 189 to make it 'ultimate spec' but the case is the final problem.
Assuming I can't find a case suitable on eBay, and waste enough money doing so that I give up, Plan B is to keep the 9ct yellow gold plated case - and get it either remade in solid rose gold or re-plated in 18ct rose gold.
So - option 1 - feasible? Can I get a case made out of solid gold to a specific shape? Or is this just stupidly and uneconomically expensive?
Option 2 sounds realistic - but, realistically, how thick can I get the case plated? I want it as close to solid gold as possible - not scratchable 'plate' - and am willing to pay the hundreds of pounds of gold that this would require. Can it be done? How thick can I get the case plated? Would I need to get the case blasted down a bit first to accommodate the thick layer of rose gold? And who does this kind of work?
It's a bit of a leading question for bry1975 really (option 2) - can you let me know what is possible please?
ETA - shame there's not a rose-gold shade of PVD ceramic coating… the titanium nitride is very 'yellow gold' and the aluminium chromium nitride is very 'copper' but something in between would be a good rose-gold substitute… though I'd like the density of solid gold ideally for this sort of watch...
Edited by cyberface on Saturday 9th October 18:59
Hi there,
You can get rose gold PVD I'm 90% sure just my coaters don't offer it as most of their work is for machine tools and motorsport parts. Have you thought about having the pocket movement PVD'D?
If you want a solid gold case email my mate Geoff@thewatchsmithy.com he employs an ex Cartier case maker.
Regards
Bry
You can get rose gold PVD I'm 90% sure just my coaters don't offer it as most of their work is for machine tools and motorsport parts. Have you thought about having the pocket movement PVD'D?
If you want a solid gold case email my mate Geoff@thewatchsmithy.com he employs an ex Cartier case maker.
Regards
Bry
Edited by bry1975 on Saturday 9th October 22:47
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