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Invicta Black Bay Homage

9426 Views 23 Replies 16 Participants Last post by rbesass, May 28, 2016

jelliottz

Discussion Starter · Jul 16, 2013 (Edited)

I finished my Invicta Black Bay homage last night. My goal was to make the watch appear as if it came stock while losing a few of the Invicta annoyances. I removed the cyclops, shaved the Invicta branding from the side of the case, brushed the sides of the case which were way to bright in my opinion, swapped in a red bezel (Raffles-Time), retained the stock dial with silver indices and minute markers, added silver lined snowflake hands with lume to match (Motor City Watch Works was great to work with), and a distressed leather band. I'm still up in the air with the crown guards. As a homage, I don't feel it needs to mirror the original, but instead should take points of reference. I can leave them be, file them down to mimic the Tudor Snowflake vintage style pointed crown guards, or remove them completely. Thoughts?

On to the pictures.

And the original... (Pic stolen)

Thanks for looking. I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback.

JZ

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Louis_A

· #2 · Jul 16, 2013

Very, very nice, excellent work. If there is no risk of damaging the watch, I say no guards.

Reactions: 1

spazthecat

· #3 · Jul 16, 2013

jelliottz said:
I finished my Invicta Black Bay homage last night. My goal was to make the watch appear as if it came stock while losing a few of the Invicta annoyances. I removed the cyclops, shaved the Invicta branding from the side of the case, brushed the sides of the case which were way to bright in my opinion, swapped in a red bezel (Raffles-Time), retained the stock dial with silver indices and minute markers, added silver lined snowflake hands with lume to match (Motor City Watch Works was great to work with), and a distressed leather band. I'm still up in the air with the crown guards. As a homage, I don't feel it needs to mirror the original, but instead should take points of reference. I can leave them be, file them down to mimic the Tudor Snowflake vintage style pointed crown guards, or remove them completely. Thoughts?

On to the pictures.

And the original... (Pic stolen)

Thanks for looking. I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback.

JZ

Looks great. Just curious, how did you remove the crystal? I've tried just about everything and mine won't budge. I've heard the flame fusion crystals are much more difficult to remove the cyclops and that seems to be true.

Thanks,

Andy

Reactions: 1

jelliottz

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 16, 2013

spazthecat said:
Looks great. Just curious, how did you remove the crystal? I've tried just about everything and mine won't budge. I've heard the flame fusion crystals are much more difficult to remove the cyclops and that seems to be true.

Thanks,

Andy

I popped the bezel insert out first. Then I used a butane lighter pointed at the cyclops for 3-5 seconds. I used an exacto knife slide under it. It took 3 tries, but on the third it popped right off.

Take your time. It will come off.

arejay

· #5 · Jul 16, 2013

Looks nice. and yes a lighter will do the trick may take some time though. mine came off in pieces. but seriously that looks great.

digivandig

· #6 · Jul 16, 2013

Here's one that I did with the crown guards shaved. It's a PITA because you have to pop out the crown tube or else risk nicking it when you are filing/grinding them down.

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Oilers Fan

· #7 · Jul 16, 2013

That looks great!! Good job. I think that if it is easy enough, you should remove the crown guards. As an aside, I find it quite humorous that so many people hate the branding on the side of the case on Invicta watches, but nobody complains on watches such as the Blancpain 50 Fathoms. I think it has to do with the perception of the brands. Invicta is thought of as a bottom of the barrel knock-off brand, and Blancpain is a highly regarded luxury manufacturer that makes the most awesome watch ever.

Reactions: 2

jelliottz

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 16, 2013

digivandig said:
Here's one that I did with the crown guards shaved. It's a PITA because you have to pop out the crown tube or else risk nicking it when you are filing/grinding them down.

Where did you get that crystal? What size? I can't decide between a domed one like yours and a raised plexi. It looks great by the way.

digivandig

· #9 · Jul 16, 2013 (Edited)

jelliottz said:
Where did you get that crystal? What size? I can't decide between a domed one like yours and a raised plexi. It looks great by the way.

Thanks. It's a 30.8mm GS Diver-Tite crystal, installed without a crystal gasket.

Reactions: 1

tslewisz

· #10 · Jul 16, 2013 (Edited)

spazthecat said:
Looks great. Just curious, how did you remove the crystal? I've tried just about everything and mine won't budge. I've heard the flame fusion crystals are much more difficult to remove the cyclops and that seems to be true.

Thanks,

Andy

It sounds like the OP didn't remove the crystal. I just did an Invicta Black Bay Sunday and I did. After I remove the bezel insert, bezel, and movement, I used a small mallet (from my gunsmithing tools) and a die from my crystal setting press. Choose one small enough to clear the chapter ring. To remove the cyclops, I used MAPP gas (!) when a butane lighter failed.

Cheers, Scott

jelliottz

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 16, 2013

tslewisz said:
It sounds like the OP didn't remove the crystal. I just did an Invicta Black Bay Sunday and I did. After I remove the bezel insert, bezel, and movement, I used a small mallet (from my gunsmithing tools) and a die from my crystal setting press. Choose one small enough to clear the chapter ring. To remove the cyclops, I used MAPP gas (!) when a butane lighter failed.

Cheers, Scott

Correct. I did not remove the crystal. I performed the "cycloptomy" with the crystal still installed.

jelliottz

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 16, 2013

digivandig said:
Thanks. It's a 30.8mm GS Diver-Tite crystal, installed without a crown gasket.

Thanks! It really looks great!

H3O+

· #13 · Jul 16, 2013

Okay, now I really can't wait for my bezel and strap to come in! Looks great, and thanks for the inspiration!

Reactions: 1

DemolitionMan

· #14 · Jul 16, 2013

Well done, great result!

Crown guards were an added feature post vintage for a reason, to protect the crown, leave-em on.
No reason to make it an exacting homage, if you go that route you'll have to swap out the dial.

It stands on it own just the way you've done it!
Rafa

Reactions: 1

Djk949

· #15 · Jul 16, 2013

Great work! I went a slightly different route. Don't really like Invicta but they're a great watch for self-modding.

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Reactions: 2

jelliottz

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 16, 2013

Djk949 said:
Great work! I went a slightly different route. Don't really like Invicta but they're a great watch for self-modding.

Very nice! I really like the vintage color lume and no-date dial. Looks awesome!

Djk949

· #17 · Jul 16, 2013

I almost did exactly what you did. I even had the red bezel insert from Ken! But I was really pining for a vintage look and Ken happened to have these dials and hands that fit dg2813 and 8215. Now I'm eyeing his vintage ranger hands for this watch...

SDGenius

· #18 · Jun 26, 2014

Another great mod from JRA Customs!

Watch accessory Strap Watch Fashion accessory Material property

Watch Analog watch Watch accessory Strap Fashion accessory

Watch Analog watch Watch accessory Fashion accessory Strap

Analog watch Watch Watch accessory Strap Fashion accessory

Analog watch Watch Watch accessory Fashion accessory Strap

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nunhgrader

· #19 · May 26, 2016

These are all awesome - do modders have shops or sell their work (custom work) - new world to me!

nevada1995

· #20 · May 26, 2016

Nice job, looks great.

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