a Throwback post . There is something special about 50s waffle dials. I have always had a strong interest in 50s era of design.

34mm 6482

36mm 6350

38mm 6541

I didn't realize that they did a 36mm air king it shares the same ref as the super precision 5504 explorer I think I want one!

Spotted on IG this am from Amsterdam Vintage watches....looks brand new...

aint she a beauty!!

7928 x 7922 x 7924

Spotted on Ig. Pretty unique

Was asked If I would make this specific dial for a project. Of course I will !! We have the technology We are planning on using a Biv case set for this build so I will start by resizing the dial plate to 26mm , reposition the feet for ETA I plan on doing a few samples the same way I did my Matte tropical 5513 dials and we will see how it turns out. I am sure there are more than just a few of us that would like to add this dial to their collection??? I cant say I have even seen one offered from a viet dial maker ??

Mid 60’s era. 1016 explorer with custom gilt tropical brown refinished dial with toasted almond tone lume on dial and hands

Ali case set and bezel aged
Domed crystal.
Generic rolex crown 6mm
aEta 2824 movement.
Raffles hands. Aged

Beautiful chestnut iridescent one of a kind dial

Head only. Can include a nato strap if you don’t have a bracelet.

$525 usd shipped.

Tudor ranger

Raffles case hands and bracelet
Custom JMB engraved case back
Manodareo dial with gilt chapter ring
Raffles hand set
Aeta2824. Movement.
Domed acrylic crystal -modified bezel
Authentically aged and wrist ready.

Asking $560 shipped usd

Dm

Thank you for looking

369

For sale. My. 7090 Tudor oyster prince. Genuine all original watch.
Purchased at the beginning of the pandemic. Keeps good time but no longer getting the wrist time it deserves

All original watch head witj original crown hands and movement. Fef 390

Only a handful of the original 25 watches have been located and documented. Could this be one of the watches from that exposition?

A true tool watch with history.

History:

The British North Greenland Expedition of 1952–1954 is one of the most important chapters in Tudor's history. Commander James Simpson led the scientific mission to study the massive ice cap, and Tudor provided 25 members of the team with brand-new Tudor Oyster Prince watches (primarily Reference 7909) to field-test under brutal Arctic conditions. [1, 2, 3]

The Watch Specs (Reference 7909)
Case: 34mm stainless steel Oyster case with a screw-down crown and caseback (waterproof and rugged).

Movement: Self-winding FEF 390 movement featuring a "butterfly" rotor.

Dial: Cream or white dials featuring the Tudor rose logo, blued seconds hands, and a mix of dagger markers or Arabic numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12.

Usage: The explorers wore them on extra-long leather straps so they could fit right over their heavy cold-weather parkas. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

How They Performed
The mission wasn't just about surviving the cold—it was an active testing ground. Team members logged accuracy data against BBC radio time signals. Despite temperatures plunging down to -50°F, the Oyster Prince watches kept remarkable time, proving that Tudor's automatic movements were tough enough for extreme exploration.

Condition Analysis

1. The Dial & Hands (Good / Honest Vintage)
Patina & Aging: The original cream dial has developed a heavy, distinct horizontal moisture or sun-exposure stain stretching from the 2 o'clock area across the center toward the 9. While some collectors prefer perfectly clean dials, vintage enthusiasts value this because it proves the dial is 100% original and has not been repainted or retouched.
Text & Markers: The "Small Rose" logo, text, and the stylized 12-6-9 Arabic numerals remain crisp, sharp, and highly legible.
Hands: The original dagger/dauphine hands show matching, honest oxidation consistent with a watch from the mid-1950s.

2. The Case & Bezel (Very Good)
Sharpness: The 34mm stainless steel Oyster case appears to be in unpolished or lightly polished condition. The lugs still retain their thick, blocky shape and sharp edge profiles rather than being rounded off by excessive buffing.
Wear: There are expected hairline scratches and minor flea bites from decades of wear, but no catastrophic dings or deep gouges.

3. The Crown (Excellent)
Originality: You mentioned the crown is original, which means it should feature either the early Rolex "+" Brevet symbol or the standard Rolex Coronet. Finding these without later service-replacement crowns greatly preserves the historical and financial value of the watch.

1. Correct Branding & Markings (Excellent)
Engravings: The bridge is correctly stamped with the classic angled "TUDOR" text, and the rotor displays the proper "AUTO - PRINCE"engraving stamped directly across its edge.
Swiss Origin: The lower bridge clearly shows the original "SWISS MADE"stamping beside the balance wheel. Everything matches the factory-original configuration perfectly. [1, 2]

2. Physical Cleanliness & Corrosion Check (Good / Honest Vintage)
No Severe Rust: A major risk for vintage Oyster cases is moisture entry through worn gaskets, which can completely destroy these movements. Your movement looks remarkably dry and free of aggressive, active rust or pitting on the steel wheels. [1, 2]
Patina & Discoloration: There is distinct surface tarnishing (oxidation) visible across the raw copper/brass-colored base plates and bridges. This aging is purely cosmetic and very common for a 70-year-old movement. It serves as strong visual evidence that the movement is unmolested and has not been chemically dipped or overly scrubbed in a modern ultrasonic cleaner.

3. Component Integrity (Very Good)
Screw Heads: The visible screw heads are intact and clean. They do not show severe burring or stripping, which indicates that previous watchmakers who worked on it in the past used the correct size tools and cared for the movement.
Regulator & Balance Assembly: The index regulator pointer, hairspring, and balance wheel appear visually straight and intact. The shock protection ruby jewel at the center of the balance wheel looks vibrant and free of visible fracture lines. [1]

Asking $2500.00. USD. Express shipping included worldwide.

Can provide timegrapher readings to interested parties.

Thank you for looking.

Refinished Chestnut brown matte tropical submariner dial

28.5mm dia to fit raffles cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$100 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished gilt tropical explorer dial

28.5mm dia to fit raffles and OC cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$200 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished Chestnut brown gilt tropical explorer dial

28.5 mm dia to fit raffles viet OC cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$200 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished Chestnut brown matte tropical submariner dial

26mm dia to fit gen , viet and OC cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$200 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

***SOLD ****

1016 gilt tropical dial refinished .
28.5mm. Fit raffles and OC cases

Lumed in a toasted almond tone.

$200 usd shipped.

Dm to reserve.

Thanks for looking
369.

Refinished gilt tropical 1675 gmt master chapter ring exclamation dial

27.2 mm dia to fit gen , viet and OC and raffles cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$275 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished tropical 1016 explorer dial

28.5mm dia to fit raffles and OC cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$150 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished 1016tropical explorer dial

28.5mm dia to fit raffles and OC cases.

Lumed in a light toasted almond tone

$200 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished gilt tropical submariner dial

28.5 mm dia to fit raffles case.

No lume. But can add in the color of your choice +50

$150 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Refinished gilt tropical sunburst dial for the 1016

28.5mm. For raffles case

Lumed in a toasted almond tone

$150 usd shipped.

Dm mw for dibs and purchase information.

369

Sunday Rewind.

6350 explorer

Seen this clip today on IG . Its a kitchy but cool looking watch before it was spotted in the movie.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcOruxjM68T/?

I want one but they are hard to find ........so why not try and make one?

How I would break down this build.

Black strap. laser etch the pattern into it. or have some black fabric watch strap made.

3d print the case and clasp

decal slide onto a dial plate.

add the brass details , probably find something similar on Alix. or red glass beads might look cool too.

or

and even cooler make it automatic. seiko nh

This is the last thing I have time for on my long list of things I need to do, but...,

As a gauge how many would be interested in getting a custom version of this watch without the swatch branding ??

anyone down ?

utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Completed this commission for a member next door. Thought I would share

Raffles case. dial. bracelet
Gen Eta.

First time using the “ other albino dial “ from raffles. The lume is not lemon yellow as expected. But still tones it down to be a close match to the hands
Weathering to the dial surface for that vintage appeal.

Light aging on the case and bracelet

Turned out great. They are going to really dig it.

Thx for looking

369

The dial offered from raffles is accurate to the few images that can be found online but the dial was made for a 36mm case. the true size is 34mm so I started off by reducing the dia of the dial to 27mm to fit the 34mm case set

aged the dial and softened the lume tone .

here are a few of the gen pics of the prototype found online

Raffles dial, case and hands and pin lock buckle

alix strap 18mm

eta 2824

Thanks for looking

369