Since the last post about custom dial printing, I have been having fun designing dials and printing them.

My inspiration came from the two informative websites Ostalgie-Ruhla Watches of the GDR and Watches of the USSR listing watches made by various factories in the Soviet Union—not because of the recent trend of eeo-Sovietism but more because they are printed dials with some unique designs.

For example this one if copied from a Slava featuring a California dial. I chucked the Island boys trio in there and stuff the thing into a NH36 build.

I have a old Chinese 7120 build with only the generic Shanghai dial. The numerals are from a Raketa and based on the theme of Sapporo JR station's big star clock.

Another Chinese 7120 with Leningrad design. The frog came from a Ruhla cartoon clock.

At this point you have have noticed all these dials have a dark base color. This is because I was printing the designs on a transparent sticker and pasted the design onto a piece of aluminium.

The transparent part reveals the metallic shine under the print, like the famous gilt-relief dials of Relax or Tudor.

I bought white-based sticker, and painstakingly replicated the Ruhla frog clock dial, including the "Made in GDR" footer.

I refuse to explain this one. The numerals are from a Ruhla.

Using yellow copper as a base, a gilt-relief California dial inspired by the Rolex bubble back.

Red copper for the rose-gold color. Numerals are from a Raketa.

Numerals are from a Luch.

The Daiso Mili watch is a cheap and good base for modding, with a half-decent PC21S movement compatible with Miyota 2035 hands. At least better than those Chinese GL68, those the Chinese quartz feature steel case while the Daiso is all plastic. You gain some you lose some.

This approach has proven to be working quite well for me. I am still trying to figure out the date/day window cut-out and how to get raised indices to work.

Good stuff.