Here is my Dial of Destiny Antikythera prop. Completely 3D modeled and hand painted by me based off of as many accurate reference photos and screen grabs as I could find.
I started working on this project way back in March/April 2023 when the first movie trailer with an image of it came out. I initially kept it under wraps since I was the first prop maker “doing something about it” to come out with a preliminary version based on the first movie trailer and because others were trying to use images and screenshots of mine as reference images to make theirs. This early version I made was far from accurate but not bad considering I had the one somewhat blurry screen shot of it to work off of.
Screenshot from the first movie trailer and my first prototype version back in April 2023
After new images surfaced of the one on display at the Den of Destiny came out, and even more detailed images of the one at the Hollywood Premier, I went back to the drawing board and redesigned it to be more accurate to the new reference images as well as screen grabs from the movie after it hit theaters. This is easily one of the most time-invested Indiana Jones props I’ve ever made out of all the other ones I make, having spent upwards of 140 hours 3D modeling this over the past year until I felt it was the most accurate one out there. This also involved making dozens of prototypes and a few separate versions as better reference material came out and the movie hit theaters, until I came out with the final version you see here in all of its weathered and detailed glory.
The two halves open up to reveal the internal gearbox (which I don’t “lean on my artistic skills to give dimensionality” ..lmao. I say that jokingly) and I use real mother of pearl veneer that I laser engrave for the inner glyph disc. The dial prop is completely made from resin, and has a rotating center gear (attached by magnets on a washer which was an idea I came up with and others copied) and functional pop-out compass/necklace when the pin is pulled from the spring-loaded compass, that I made specifically to only fit my version. Any other compasses made by others will not fit my dial. Although I could make the Antikythera prop with all its moving gears, I felt having many moving parts or individual moving gears and cogs were ultimately pointless due to most people only displaying it as well as the long production time that already went into making each one, so every gear is fixed in place for ease of production and less parts to worry about breaking. The dial does not sacrifice screen-accuracy for strength in any way, as I’ve designed it to be screen accurate and have never had any issues with any damaged in shipping, unlike other makers in their reviews. I’ve meticulously tested every tolerance to make sure all parts fit together smoothly and there are no parts that rub paint off when the halves are put together or pulled apart. I weather the dial with several dark washes to get the right look of the screen used prop.
This one I made is also featured in five different film museums and Indiana jones exhibitions around the world, and the actor who plays Jürgen Voller even held it in his hands at an event and said it was worthy of his villain character, after someone I had made it for had brought it to show him.
One of my earlier designs of the dial prop on display in a museum in Switzerland:
On display on an Indiana Jones exhibition in Spain:
And an earlier version I made back in April 2023 on display in a museum:
I make most of the other Indiana jones props from the other films, but out of all of the other ones, this was also one of the most controversial and troublesome props that I’ve ever made, not because of the amount of time and work I’ve invested into it to be the most accurate, but because of the sheer demand of several hundred people messaging me on Facebook prop collector groups wanting one over the past year after word spread that I made the best one, dealing with insane super-fans obsessed with having it, dozens of demanding and entitled people who were angry and tried to smear my name on social media because they couldn’t be added to my full waitlist which took me almost a year to work through making over several dozen of them for others, other makers who couldn’t wait to get on my long waitlist so they made their own to sell against mine or paid professional 3D modelers to make it for them after saying they were going to buy mine and then disappearing, and also issues caused by other dial prop makers mainly centered around a couple certain individuals, which I won’t go into because it’s been a subject of never-ending controversy and I feel there’s no positive resolution and nothing good will ever come from discussing it further. It doesn’t matter now. Ultimately my time is better spent elsewhere making Indiana Jones props for people to enjoy and for those who support and admire my work.
While I’ve often felt this was a cursed prop with all of the headaches and issues it’s caused me, I’m just glad I’m finally finished with designing it to what it is now, and that the “dial gold rush” is seemingly over now and the demand for them has died down, and I can finally put the matter to rest with this very extremely accurate version that I’m happy with.
It’s been an absolute joy to see the many many people I’ve made these for enjoying them in their Indy collections, and I will continue to make these props for others. Cheers.
I started working on this project way back in March/April 2023 when the first movie trailer with an image of it came out. I initially kept it under wraps since I was the first prop maker “doing something about it” to come out with a preliminary version based on the first movie trailer and because others were trying to use images and screenshots of mine as reference images to make theirs. This early version I made was far from accurate but not bad considering I had the one somewhat blurry screen shot of it to work off of.
Screenshot from the first movie trailer and my first prototype version back in April 2023
After new images surfaced of the one on display at the Den of Destiny came out, and even more detailed images of the one at the Hollywood Premier, I went back to the drawing board and redesigned it to be more accurate to the new reference images as well as screen grabs from the movie after it hit theaters. This is easily one of the most time-invested Indiana Jones props I’ve ever made out of all the other ones I make, having spent upwards of 140 hours 3D modeling this over the past year until I felt it was the most accurate one out there. This also involved making dozens of prototypes and a few separate versions as better reference material came out and the movie hit theaters, until I came out with the final version you see here in all of its weathered and detailed glory.
The two halves open up to reveal the internal gearbox (which I don’t “lean on my artistic skills to give dimensionality” ..lmao. I say that jokingly) and I use real mother of pearl veneer that I laser engrave for the inner glyph disc. The dial prop is completely made from resin, and has a rotating center gear (attached by magnets on a washer which was an idea I came up with and others copied) and functional pop-out compass/necklace when the pin is pulled from the spring-loaded compass, that I made specifically to only fit my version. Any other compasses made by others will not fit my dial. Although I could make the Antikythera prop with all its moving gears, I felt having many moving parts or individual moving gears and cogs were ultimately pointless due to most people only displaying it as well as the long production time that already went into making each one, so every gear is fixed in place for ease of production and less parts to worry about breaking. The dial does not sacrifice screen-accuracy for strength in any way, as I’ve designed it to be screen accurate and have never had any issues with any damaged in shipping, unlike other makers in their reviews. I’ve meticulously tested every tolerance to make sure all parts fit together smoothly and there are no parts that rub paint off when the halves are put together or pulled apart. I weather the dial with several dark washes to get the right look of the screen used prop.
This one I made is also featured in five different film museums and Indiana jones exhibitions around the world, and the actor who plays Jürgen Voller even held it in his hands at an event and said it was worthy of his villain character, after someone I had made it for had brought it to show him.
One of my earlier designs of the dial prop on display in a museum in Switzerland:
On display on an Indiana Jones exhibition in Spain:
And an earlier version I made back in April 2023 on display in a museum:
I make most of the other Indiana jones props from the other films, but out of all of the other ones, this was also one of the most controversial and troublesome props that I’ve ever made, not because of the amount of time and work I’ve invested into it to be the most accurate, but because of the sheer demand of several hundred people messaging me on Facebook prop collector groups wanting one over the past year after word spread that I made the best one, dealing with insane super-fans obsessed with having it, dozens of demanding and entitled people who were angry and tried to smear my name on social media because they couldn’t be added to my full waitlist which took me almost a year to work through making over several dozen of them for others, other makers who couldn’t wait to get on my long waitlist so they made their own to sell against mine or paid professional 3D modelers to make it for them after saying they were going to buy mine and then disappearing, and also issues caused by other dial prop makers mainly centered around a couple certain individuals, which I won’t go into because it’s been a subject of never-ending controversy and I feel there’s no positive resolution and nothing good will ever come from discussing it further. It doesn’t matter now. Ultimately my time is better spent elsewhere making Indiana Jones props for people to enjoy and for those who support and admire my work.
While I’ve often felt this was a cursed prop with all of the headaches and issues it’s caused me, I’m just glad I’m finally finished with designing it to what it is now, and that the “dial gold rush” is seemingly over now and the demand for them has died down, and I can finally put the matter to rest with this very extremely accurate version that I’m happy with.
It’s been an absolute joy to see the many many people I’ve made these for enjoying them in their Indy collections, and I will continue to make these props for others. Cheers.
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