Making an Engine Turned Watch Dial

I'm back! Took some time away from content creation to develop some new stuff for my brand. I've taken a slightly different approach to this video; no talking or narration, just making chips.
In this video I make a dial for an upcoming series of watches. The dial is a monoblock construction with integrated dial feet. It starts off as a bar of 360 brass and is carved away into a engine turned (guilloche) dial that is finished off with a plating of rose gold. The dial will receive black polished applied indices and black polished and blued steel hands.

[@alsadaj1834]

You're a lucky guy to not only have access to all these truly remarkable machines but to be able to use them so well. Thanks for taking us back to pre- CNC days!.

Super nice work bro.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

Thanks! I'm a big fan of your channel!

[@richardnedbalek1968]

The satisfaction you must receive from both admiring your own work and having it admired.

[@RedPandaLesbian]

Beautiful, thanks for sharing your process!

[@ateliervipond]

So happy you're back making videos. Wonderful to see more of the process!

[@ReubenSchoots]

Yes! I've waited a year for this. Brilliant work Darren. Much respect 🙏

[@grzegorzsobczak8167]

Amazing job! Saw Your first videos on building the turning engine months ago and greatly anticipated the results. They are stunning!

[@chrisblight6069]

Saw this on Instagram, very nice work on the Guilloche, and the integrated dial feet are a clever addition. Certainly gives the whole thing more strength, dial feet are a pain to fix normally.

[@christopherperisho4819]

Earned a sub for the "Swiss Tears". Great video, beautiful dial!

[@michaelmartinez5365]

That is an absolutely stunning dial!! Kudos 👏

[@garyshirinian]

Amazing work thx for sharing. I wish I had a chance to do what you do. Such pleasure watching work being done on guilloche machines when you see taking life of its own.

[@feafajic6392]

Excellent craftmanship

[@homeworkshopengineering]

Beautiful work there. I started making myself a watch many years ago and put it aside. This is very motivating to get it done. I say watch, I mean case

[@paulschumacker9901]

WOW! I would love to learn how to do that! Many thanks for showing us what is possible!

[@zachsmith3524]

Nice adaptive tool path and Swiss tears 😂. Your process is great Darren!

[@minhoonyoo9657]

Great result and quality video! thanks for sharing your work :D

[@KylesKinetics]

I’ve worked with metal in the form of welded sculptures for ten years. I’ve loved watches for longer. I started taking machining classes and I can’t stop thinking about watch making like this. I’d do anything to be able to machine watch parts and work in that art/engineering medium

[@JeePeeEs]

great video & beautiful work

[@LawrenceButcher]

You milled the feet in, serious flex you animal! Love you're work and great to see some content again. Keep it up.

[@TheRecreationalMachinist]

Enjoyed watching, thanks for sharing! 👍 🇬🇧

[@CMacE920]

Beautiful!

[@SwissplWatches]

totally incredible!!!

[@manuelr.s6328]

WOW...stunning, thanks so much for showing the process

[@Saving-Time]

That's amazing really nice work. I'm impressed

[@petercozzaglio6070]

Beautiful.

[@Karol235]

fantastic job!

[@DarkPa1adin]

so much work just to make one dial... this is insane quality!

[@robdon6458]

You do some really lovely work. I hope your watchmaking enterprise is wildly successful.

[@harryhirsch3637]

Great video. The plating part is very helpful. For the turning, us normal mortals will have to find a way with a china cnc-router... But that dial looks stunning!

[@colerogers3137]

I machine my own dials, not with a rose engine lathe but with a manual mill and lathe. I had some trouble with super glue holding throughout the process so I switched to JB Kwik weld. When I’m finished I soak it in acetone for a few hours and it comes right off.

[@AppliedCryogenics]

I like the mad scientist plating baths! I tried doing something like that once, and every single ferrous object in my garage rusted overnight. Even hot-blued things. It was very surprising. Maybe I shouldn't have run so much current through the HCl solution that steamed all night. ;)

[@azazel7996]

beautiful

[@Likeaudio]

Nice work

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

An enjoyable video, thank you

[@stewartmcmanus3991]

Amazing.

[@brennerheavy]

Awesome work brother, if I could "like" it twice, I would.

[@campbellmorrison8540]

Fascinating seeing the whole process, Im really surprised at how little time was required in the rose gold plating bath. Im loving how you make your own gear

[@stephlaw5958]

Real nice! Great work. Keep it up :))

[@andrejohnson6731]

Amazing ❤

[@tomcruz3774]

That's amazing. I was searching on yt how certain dial patterns were made and found your video.

[@anad2982]

You really like this video? It is different. Old technology don’t you reckon?

[@pamdemonia]

Lovely!

[@jozefnovak7750]

Super! Thank you very much!

[@hutchdw77]

The “Swiss Tears” bucket got my subscription.

[@JeePeeEs]

LOL

[@dimitriivanov6910]

same

[@jemofficialromantic492]

Very very nice

[@SingaporeTravellerAdventure]

Nice! Thanks for sharing. Wish you happiness, health, and peace, stay in touch🙏😊

[@BaltimoreKnifeandSwordCo]

Thanks for sharing this!! Anyone dreaming of a good pantograph let me know. I have a heavy spindle Gorton P2-2 available very cheap. Love to see it go to a new craftsmen. I replaced it with a P1-3. Located in 21104 USA at a fraction of what I paid.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

The P2-2 is a beast. Wish I had room for one more.

[@satyris410]

I would so much prefer just listening to the ambient noise, rather than the muzak. Masterful work, thank you for sharing.

[@tito_662]

Awesome work. Any update on this piece?

[@zumwild]

Born feet first! So beautiful to "watch" :-)

[@imajeenyus42]

There's something so satisfying about seeing the pantograph engraver in action! Did you experience any problems with the brass blank warping after so much material had been removed from one face during milling? Funnily enough, I did something similar a few weeks ago, and the blank warped and popped off the holder half way through. It might be something to do with the alloy though - it looks like you have a free-machining material, more like you'd get in bar form, while I had the ductile stuff (long string chips when turning).

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

I'm using 360 brass (free machining) in extruded bar form. So far it's been super stable while machining. I remove nearly equal amounts from both sides, and the dials have been coming out dead flat. The lead content allows it to machine more powdery, you can especially see it while engine turning. It breaks the chips off very short, when non-leaded brass alloys will produce a long stringy chip.

[@imajeenyus42]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces Thanks, that makese sense. 360 sounds about the same as the CZ121 we have here.

[@RossWristWatchLove]

Fire!!!!

[@sphandengraving5691]

Truly amazing work! Are you on Instagram? Do you sale any of your dials? I came across this from searching his to solder feet on as I’m trying to get some black dials for hand engraving. I sure hope you make some more videos this is something I can come to KZbin for thanks for sharing respectfully Paul

[@jcs6347]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this. I am new hobby guy and never knew what a rose or straight engine were until I watched your videos on them last nite. I am looking for how you make the indices now. I like the different format for this demonstration. I also really like your detailed video 1 and 2 on how you are to make the straight line engine. I have most that equipment at home or work and can't wait for you to finish the straight line engine and potentially make one myself. Thanks for sharing!

[@emalis]

Hi! Thanks for the video! What is the name of the guilloche machine and where can I buy it?

[@thibaultravel9331]

That’s amazing and tasteful as well. How much are the watches ? Any plans on selling dials?

[@joshuanapier1463]

Really interested by your use of the pantograph to creat the dial feet. May I ask why you do it that way rather than milling and either tacking or gluing the dial feet in position??

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

The milled dial feet are just way stronger and more accurately placed than soldered feet.

[@vidsantoro]

Swiss tears, lol. Great video!

[@druma159]

So glad to see you back. This video is awesome. Are you planning on releasing any more about your straight line lathe?

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

I probably won't be revisiting the straight line build for a little while. Though I do plan on making a video on my Hall straight line engine that I restored.

[@druma159]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces Ahh, that is what I saw in the backgound. Would love to see a vid.

[@misterhatman5771]

Just found this. Didn’t know you could hook a pantograph up to a mill!!! What’s the feed back and haptics like?

[@_GOD_HAND_]

Did you build that rose engine yourself? Incredible

[@zeemonkee13]

Fascinating process. Just wondering how you harvested that much Swiss Tears?

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

When I tell them that I make watches in imperial measurements, the tears flow like the river Nile.

[@zeemonkee13]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces 😹🎉

[@TheLeeattwood]

Wicked 🎉

[@ammonrichards3131]

Have you made a video about the process you showed in the video of changing the color of the brass?

[@dimman77]

Great video, but any reason you don't just face the backside on the lathe then spotface and solder on some lathe turned dial feet? I mean besides just for showing how awesome pantograph milling is.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

The milled feet are significantly stronger and more accurate than soldered feet. It's worth the extra material/time to do it this way to avoid having to scrap a dial with hours of work into it because one of the feet fails.

[@wannabecarguy]

I know a machine shop that specializes in impossible things. They lack what it takes to make this type of master piece.

[@jeroennishikigoi1164]

I wish i could learn this somewhere

[@Victor33]

Amazing. Do u sell them ?

[@ProbablyAtTheOffice]

Hell yeah that is so neat. I wanna get in to making watches and this dial is incredibly inspiring 🔥💪

[@andrewspence3171]

I have no abilities to make a thing like this. What amazed me, was the number of steps taken to make the finished ( except for numbers and hands) dial. I would probably make a real mess of it if I tried. I would take the brass bar, face it in the lathe, part it off, glue it to a support and mill out the 12 recesses, then mill the pattern, then plate it. Where is that wrong? ( sorry, should have said, the dial is superb)

[@garyshirinian]

Here I'm watching again your video. It's so beautiful. What kind of rosette are you using, what the pattern looks like. It's incredible.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

Thanks Gary. The rosette is a 24 wave, 0.005" amplitude.

[@garyshirinian]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces thx very much. When I retire in 5 years I feel like making a small one for hobby. I wish that I could come and yours someday. I live Toronto Canada 🇨🇦. Thx for replying. So I'm guessing that it's radius not just a step. Is 6" in diameter? Because when I look it seems about there. Thx again

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

@@garyshirinian My rosettes are 5.25" in diameter. The pattern looks just like a low amplitude sine wave, but wrapped around a circle. Very smooth transitions, and I'm using a ball bearing as the touch piece.

[@garyshirinian]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces thx for replying. I would use also ball bearing. Is it just in .005 or in .005 out .005

[@leahannwhite1111]

Can you tell us more about these machines you are using?

[@melody3741]

WHAT!!!!! Milling the feet like that???? Holy shit????

[@user-ei2de3cs8g]

good mashine)

[@douglaslodge8580]

Did you build the lathe ?

[@abdulrehmanahmedshaik19]

Amazing do u sell them?

[@911_dan2]

👏👏

[@A.Pipetkin]

Bravo. Сэндвич это очень хорошо. Вам нужно работать с серебром

[@soundmindtv2911]

"Swiss tears" 😂

[@feynthefallen]

Is that what they do in Geneva to make these super expensive watches.

[@vidsantoro]

I gotta ask: what's the difference between depth of cut and total depth?

[@JacobthePoshPotato]

Why not use CNC, is it not precise enough?

[@nunsc]

where can I buy a dial like this?? it's for a custom mod.

[@melchizedek_v]

I never knew it had to go through so much process..I thought it would be like we'll have the pattern in pc and make the pattern using laser

[@LucasGuillemette]

Swiss tears 😭

[@tom18181]

Did you get another pantograph engraver? I notice this one is green

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

I did! The green monster is a Gorton P2-3 3D pantomill. It's capable of running up to 3/8" tooling, and I use it primarily in my case making process.

[@tom18181]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces Nice as!! You will have to make a video on that too

[@marcn8750]

Nice video thanks you. May I request no music in the future ?

[@b1r2y3n]

No, you may not.

[@yesjared950]

Do you know any watch dial manufacture?

[@bendeguzszabo3269]

Woooow what is that machine called??

[@brokenarrow1348]

'Swiss Tears' sounds like a drink served at Russian hockey games.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

It's a delicacy enjoyed around the world!

[@aliaslan4164]

Hello What is the brand and model of this rose engine? home made? please can you give me a plan

[@melody3741]

Holy. FUCK.

[@freshdugi]

What kind of Guilloche machine is that? It appears as though it could have been shop made.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

I built this rose engine myself. I have another video on my channel where I go over the machine in detail.

[@wileecoyoti]

Looks amazing! Two questions: would you approach it the same way if the dial was domed? Eg I've got a longines 280 based watch and a couple spare movements, the dials look pressed but maybe not. Second do you have a video going over your plating process in detail? Third, not a question: the homemade rose engine is a work of art for it's own sake.

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

Thanks Ryan! Usually domed dials on watches have been stamped. While there are ways to engine turn a dome (think Faberge egg,) it's a more challenging process that requires some unique parts when it comes to the cutter frame and cross slide. I don't have another video going over plating, but it's definitely something I can cover in more depth in a future video. In the meantime, if you have specific questions or want to bounce any ideas off me feel free to shoot me a message on IG.

[@milanvucicevic6820]

Moze li masina negde da se kupi i po kojoj ceni

[@deadprivacy]

"swiss tears" lol

[@Spikeydelic]

wtf is this kind of sorcery. I need to now.. how did you make this brilliant interface to run the machine?! the mill i man .. u guide it with delrin blocks it seems. but how.

[@SK-gk6lw]

SWISS TEARS ☕️

[@mushious]

It's been 84 years....

[@glass1258]

You still making watches?

[@shs1415]

Interesting way to make dial feet…

[@DMTiffanyTimepieces]

Give it a go. You'll never want to solder another dial foot on for the rest of your life.

[@shs1415]

@@DMTiffanyTimepieces I can see doing it with brass or silver. It becomes very expensive with Paladium500 dials like mine…