Seiko Mods

Deep Thought

Hi folks

saw a couple of mods recently.

one is a Seiko Submariner the other is a Seiko Speedmaster on adverts by seikopath.

anyone any dealings with seikopath?

Any general thoughts on These kind of Seiko mods?

saccades

I can't comment on the top one, but at a minimum that is a fake Seiko dial on the second watch.

I suspect that the only bit of that watch that is made by Seiko doesn't actually have their name on it.

I don't mind my second paragraph but you need to have your eyes wide open as to what you are actually buying. There is a genuine samurai for an extra €65 on adverts at the mo.

H_Lime

If it floats your boat and you feel what he offers is good value then you've made your own mind up.

Generally when I assemble a mod that has seiko on it's usually similar to a specific seiko model. Sometimes I then go out and buy that watch. I prefer not to emulate rolex or omega speedmasters etc but wouldn't be adverse to using the below for sh1ts n giggles and online knee jerk reactions

Brass tacks, if you are buying at that price point personally I'd expect...

A demagnatised and very well regulated seiko nh35 or 36 movement with good amp and zero beat error.

Sapphire crystal with AR on underside

Gaskets lubed and crown cut so there's spring pop off the threads and it screws down flush with case (otherwise it's a sieve generally)

No backplay nor wobble on the bezel with perfect alignment to dial, chapter ring, indices and hands with matching strong lume and no dust inside.

If he hits all these requirements, which I'd imagine he does, then it's a sound build.

o1s1n

Any of you gents tried replacing the shroud on a Seiko Arnie with a stainless steel one?

I'm not a fan of the straight up stainless steel look as I think it makes the watch look far, far bigger and a bit gaudy - but quite fancy trying out the black stainless steel one like below for a bit of added weight (and oddly I kind of like the idea of maybe getting a bit of wear on it)

H_Lime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120522609#Comment_120522609

Yeah it looks well in black anodised, go for it. I had a read and it's pretty doable, the only caveat being potential brittleness of the oe shroud, one guy going as far as using near boiling water to restore some degree of flex before removal.

Love to see it when it done, then sell it to me:)

H_Lime

Skx173 new old stock dial circa 2002 ish (north American release only), nh36 regulated, oe hands, alloy numeral chapter ring, blue ar dd saph, tokilabs brushed dlc stainless sloped insert, 120 click low profile bezel with 0.8mm o ring, triple gasket red s crown, drilled lugs. Reminds me of knight rider or A team lol.

And a parts bin mash up for a mate who wanted something "not too fancy". The indices are greener in person thankfully.

H_Lime

Bit of World War fun with some spare parts kicking about.

Cali dial and cathedral hands are a fun pairing. The broad head trench dial works surprisingly well in that explorer-esque case.

Ian OB

Came across this on another forum. Impressive to say the least

https://youtu.be/B2h5WwrkJFg

H_Lime

A mishmash of Spb317, Sla033, Spb187 and 62 mas style parts. Swopped the crystal for one with better ar and used the 187 insert.

May source some willard hour and min hands, the ones I had were not a matching shade of lume when uncharged.

C3 lume is a winner.

Crown was upgraded to triple seal.

I'm beginning to develop a working theory that seiko style bevelled crystals should only belong where minute tracks are printed on the dial, as opposed to the chapter ring.

saccades

Skx009

Stargate dial

Nh36

Black kanji day dial

Sarb059 signed crown

Ancient CT sapphire

Some no name hands that aren't quite good enough long term (might get some Stargate hands in there).

It really pops, but can't capture it on a camera.

PMMM, yobokies sapphire, mm300 dial and sea urchin hands. Looking for a decent Nato to fit.

Skx031, nh36 and associated crown. Oh and a snzh bracelet which works really well. I have an OEM bezel but struggling to find a sapphire to replace the hardlex, so will leave it lived in (was my dad's so ok with that).

H_Lime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121329430#Comment_121329430

Real nice work!

Dig the overall vibe of the 009, the oe handset to that blue star gate dial would really seal the deal. I see you left the date wheel white to balance out the missing indice, nice. I love the no big bevel crystal, it's fast becoming a rule for me that any seiko with a chapter ring is getting one. That's a seiko case yeah?

Big fan of poor man's mm lol. It is bgw9 or c1? Never thought to try sea urchin hands on mine, look well. I'd go with grey ribbed nato. Story with the hand alignment? Soz I'm anal!! Love me some mm300, should have one soon.

Re the 031i think I have a saph with blue ar kicking about for one but it has bevel. Cool it was your Dad's so I get keeping as is. All three watches have circled windows which is a major plus geek fest for me btw!

saccades

Cheers, I just thought the build tbf. Was 50:50 on the black day wheel in theory but it really works in person.

Everything is OEM Seiko unless stated otherwise. The sapphire is an ancient double dome, ct17 with blue AR, most of the build is from before COVID but I was unsure financially due to job security unfortunately. But does mean I got most parts before they sold out or went to silly money bitd.

The lume is 100% Seiko lumibrite (OEM parts), I like the inverse lolly pop on the sea urchin hands and thought it would match the hour markers on the mm. Which I think it does. Hand alignment sucks but I'm not a photographer, I might dig the SLR out and try better photos but all three are watches that have been worn for years so full of swirls and scratches. The PMMM was in a savage bike crash 5 years ago and has since been my beater (needed another nh36).

Might follow up with you on the sapphire for the sxk031, it's a gorgeous little watch, but also the most dowdy of all my watches. Dunno, it flips between cool and tired.

I don't get the comment on circled windows, you mean the rounded corners on the day/date border? Pretty sure the birth month Bellmatic I have, has a square window. Seiko are absolute slags for details tbf, whatever they think will sell.

Rambling now, but thanks!

H_Lime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121330353#Comment_121330353

I not the most adventurous modder, I tend to stick to the vintage diver cases and try to make mostly stock looking to all but a modder or seiko nerd. I wouldn't have thought to use the Urchin hands but yea it works, especially the lollipop/indices as you say. Maybe I need to get wild lol.

Sorry I mean the printed white ring around the date window as opposed the raised rectangular/square window frames. Love that look.

I have had a bad knock move an hr hand on an old skx before. Couldn't help but see it soz lol, I'm far more critical of my own builds trust me. I've lost count of the amount of times I have seen a speck of dust and gone in after it.

Let me dig up that crystal and make sure it 28mm.

I have a decent 62 mas case inbound with top hat saph and black un printed rehaut. I plan on making something from various leftover parts I have.

Have you anything else in the works and have you tried any of the titanium cases available? The Heimdallar ones (bar the conventional construction mm300 one) are all brill.

saccades

I'm not too adventurous either tbf, I have the mm hands and didn't like them fitted (will try to dig out a picture),so then looked around at what was available.

The PMMM dial/hands/date window was a "best" fit, as it doesn't actually line up properly (wrong dial size). Plus, a massive off on a roundabout on my bike, put the power down way too soon and the pedal bounced off the tarmac and threw me into the gutter.

I have a 2x types of dagaz white enamel dial with a red bezel insert for a snzh, can't find hands I'd like with them and snzh are a silly price now. Might repurpose to a skx007 version?

Funds are the killer at the mo, these three have hanging around since before COVID and was only recently I knew I was ok to pull the trigger.

H_Lime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121332125#Comment_121332125

Nice enamel dagaz dial. Do they sell a matching set of hands in the same lume? Looks like they used C1. Matching that lume in aftermarket can be tricky, you'd almost be better going bgw9 hands to get the white right and make the difference in charged lume a feature?

That or do what I did and buy the Bergeon lume kit with c1! Speaking of, one of kids has relocated that in oersuit of feckin luminous nails!

Just measured my spare crystal, soz it's actually skx007. Was sure it 28mm:(

saccades

No worries, thanks for looking.

H_Lime

Bought another 62mas case in the 11/11 sales but wasn't happy with the dial I used. Swapped it for a matt black one.

Milanese strap arrived today but I think it looks better on the tropical.