Re: We need to focus: THEME IDEAS
Hi -
First and foremost, the movement in question, the Durowe INT 7425-4, is the manual-wind version of the movement that Janne posted. It has a date quick-set, 11 1/2 ''', 25.6mm diameter, 3.9mm height, 17 jewels, 21600 A/h, power reserve 40h.
It has a center sweep second, hence: no sub-second design will translate well. The movement itself dates from the 1970s. The normal finishing of the movement is functional/industrial, and there really isn't too much call for a display back, as the movement lacks any finishing, such as blued screws, perlage, geneva stripes, anglage, etc etc etc.
Hence there are some significant design limitations, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss what could work as an update to a classic design. Given the current availability of plenty of Flieger designs from Laco, I think a variation of the K-M design would be a more viable option and most certainly unique.
Here's a couple of thoughts:
1) The dial will make or break the watch, given the constraints we have.
2) We need to use an existing case (Uwe, can you get perhaps a serious of photographs that would give us the case options?)
Here's my off-the-top-of-my-head idea: Laco KM as per Uwe's post above, lose the sub-seconds dial, add sweep seconds hand.
Hands: blued steel, but with a different design than the Laco KM hands. Black lume (i.e. lume that looks black in the daylight, but shows a moderately subdued lume at night.
Dial: the original KM dials were porcelain, which is simply not doable anymore (too fragile, generally speaking, and unrepairable). However, I think you can get some of the depth that the porcelain dials were famous for (depth in the sense that there was a 3-D effect to the dial) by specifying the following: standard brass dial with date at 6, silver plating, no base coat, then 3 layers of flat white paint, but NOT with a white pigment (this would absorb too much light), then a layer of white paint mixed with a small amount of mother-of-pearl, than a finishing coat.
The dial numbers and the railroad-track chapter markings should be printed using some sort of rubber compound to hold the shape during the painting process and then removed to leave sharply defined indents, which would then be filled with black pigment before the final fishing coat. This could re-create the visual effect and feel of porcelain, but without the ensuing costs. Creating an etched-like effect for the numbers and railroad track would allow you to have a very flat dial, but with a 3-D effect.
Alternatively, if this is too difficult to do (and it is!), then a solid silver dial, date at 6, with a white non-pigment layer, print the 1-12 and railroad tracks in flat black, then put a gloss finish coat on that. The non-covering white would allow light to penetrate down to and then reflect off the silver.
Again, black lume on the numbers, but not on the railroad track (too distracting and non necessary to actually tell the time with at night!). Alternatively, if the black lume is only available on a very limited basis, then only lume the hands and the inverted triangle at 12.
But please: NO full dial lume: at night this is far too garish and distracting.
Oh, and sterile dial. No Laco, no WUS, just the basics. WUS logo and Laco on the case back, along with serial number and other info.
Depending on the case: WR 100m. Sapphire crystal, of course, no screw-down crown (duh: it's a manual wind watch...).
If the KM path is chosen, polished case. I'd prefer one with a slight matt finish, but polished case is more appropriate...
Alternatively: a 1970s design to reflect the heritage of the movement. But we need to see what cases are available!
JohnF
