Latest Mod In Progress

Regulated NH36 movement from Crystaltimes. Changed the date wheel to black background. Dial and hands from Dagaz:

https://i.imgur.com/nNbVktpl.jpg

Fitting crystal with new Bergeon press. Christmas present from wife. Soooooo much better than the cheap ones I had. Blue A/R crystal (for sloping bezel insert) and case from Crystaltimes. Crown at 3 and drilled lugs. Quality appears to be very good:

https://i.imgur.com/mZclVGkl.jpg

Funky new caseback from Crystaltimes:

https://i.imgur.com/iZE0gQ6l.jpg

Fitted SARB059 crown and stem then very basic test for leaks in fish tank overnight prior to fitting movement.

https://i.imgur.com/VfRUcwMl.jpg

Okay, it's not a proper test but if the fish like it then I'll be happy. :D

Great work, love the fish tank for testing!

I’ve been tempted by the crystaltimes case with the crown at 3, looking forward to seeing the completed build [emoji1303]


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It passed the fishtank test (:D) and have now fitted movement. The case is well made and the Seiko parts fit with no problems. Unfortunately however, the MM style bezel that Crystaltimes make, does not fit the case. The only one that does is their CT202 bezel. It's ok but not nearly as nice as the MM one which I fitted to a previous mod. Perhaps they will make one in the future. Am now awaiting a bezel insert. As you've probably guessed, it's going to be another PO lookalike. I think I will be fitting a Strapcode bracelet. It will be interesting to see how this fits as it was a pain in the ass when I fitted one to an SKX case.

https://i.imgur.com/Cy5xO2vl.jpg

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Originally Posted by Kaffe

It passed the fishtank test (:D) and have now fitted movement. The case is well made and the Seiko parts fit with no problems. Unfortunately however, the MM style bezel that Crystaltimes make, does not fit the case. The only one that does is their CT202 bezel. It's ok but not nearly as nice as the MM one which I fitted to a previous mod. Perhaps they will make one in the future. Am now awaiting a bezel insert. As you've probably guessed, it's going to be another PO lookalike. I think I will be fitting a Strapcode bracelet. It will be interesting to see how this fits as it was a pain in the ass when I fitted one to an SKX case.

https://i.imgur.com/Cy5xO2vl.jpg

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Nice work. Is the CT202 the coin edge bezel?


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Here it is:

https://i.imgur.com/AqTvPTRh.jpg

Looks good already. I like the idea of modding but don't have the skills. Did you learn yourself or do you have a horology background?

I like that case. The rehault doesn't look as deep as on the standard Seiko SKX. Is that an optical illusion?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaffe

Here it is:

https://i.imgur.com/AqTvPTRh.jpg

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Originally Posted by Boxsash

Looks good already. I like the idea of modding but don't have the skills. Did you learn yourself or do you have a horology background?

I like that case. The rehault doesn't look as deep as on the standard Seiko SKX. Is that an optical illusion?

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Thanks. I'm still awaiting the bezel insert to arrive. Might be another couple of weeks. :(
It's all self taught so far. Partly reading forums, partly watching YouTube videos and mainly trying to work things out myself and making lots of clumsy mistakes. It's very satisfying for me. Delving into the actual watch movement is beyond me however. I would love to take a course some day.
By 'rehault' do you mean the chapter ring?. I haven't measured it but I assume it's the same dimension as the Seiko SKX one. According to Crystal times, all genuine SKX parts will fit their case. Apart from the bezel.

Finished at last. The bezel insert required several layers of 3M tape to bring it up to the required height. The lume on the pip is rubbish so will look at replacing that with a genuine Seiko one I have rolling about somewhere. Very pleased with the result. Despite the information from Crystal Times, I found that their MM bezel (CT237) fitted to the CT707 case. They had advised that only the CT202 bezel would fit. The 202 is fine but I much prefer the feel of the 237. The blue AR coating gives a lovely affect in certain light.

https://i.imgur.com/uBHnwuBh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Eit1cdMh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o3JvEoVh.jpg

Lovely work - that is a really nice looking piece, love the robustness of it.


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Thanks. I'm twiddling my thumbs already. Need to start a new project. :)

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Originally Posted by Kaffe

Finished at last. The bezel insert required several layers of 3M tape to bring it up to the required height. The lume on the pip is rubbish so will look at replacing that with a genuine Seiko one I have rolling about somewhere. Very pleased with the result. Despite the information from Crystal Times, I found that their MM bezel (CT237) fitted to the CT707 case. They had advised that only the CT202 bezel would fit. The 202 is fine but I much prefer the feel of the 237. The blue AR coating gives a lovely affect in certain light.

https://i.imgur.com/uBHnwuBh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Eit1cdMh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o3JvEoVh.jpg

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Great work. The watch looks lovely and well done on being self taught. It’s something I’d like to try one day but never seem to find the time.

Thanks. You should give it a go. It's very therapeutic. One thing I would say though is that it's not just finding the time to do it but also being in the right frame of mind. I have made many mistakes by rushing things. I take my hat off to those who work on watches for a living.

That's a right bobby dazzler. I love the crystal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaffe

Thanks. You should give it a go. It's very therapeutic. One thing I would say though is that it's not just finding the time to do it but also being in the right frame of mind. I have made many mistakes by rushing things. I take my hat off to those who work on watches for a living.

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This is absolutely true. It is very therapeutic but cannot be rushed.


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Thank you very much for your kind comments. Started my next project. NH36 movement with lumed day/date. Yobokies dial with hour and minute hands from Seiko snzh55k1. The lume on the hands is a lot stronger than the dial and they're not a perfect match but not too bothered about that. Haven't decided on second hand yet. Have ordered a chapter ring with lumed markers from lcbistore.com. It doesn't come with bar for locating into the notch in the case so they have advised to use dial spot stickers. I forsee much frustration with this but it's all part of the fun. Not trying to copy another watch design with this one. Just making something I like. Think I'll be using a black SKX style case. Cheers.

https://i.imgur.com/hSCLK01l.jpg

Still lots to do. Nothing is fixed in place yet until I make final decision. It's a crystaltimes case. It's a nice finish, though time will tell how strong it is. The teeth on the date wheel are white and it can be seen on close up in the tiny gap between the day and date wheel. I think I might remove it and coat the teeth with some black medium. At least enough to stop it showing through the gap. A fine black felt pen may do the job. Yes, I know it's not Tritium and not issued but I like the style of the dial. There are many options for modded dials but very few that I like. And even less in stock. :)

https://i.imgur.com/9W1O1GWl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/urxuVhIl.jpg

An update. It's finished. Not perfect but I'm pleased with the result. I decided to use dial dots to fit the chapter ring. I was going to use glue, but after watching a youtube video of Mark at Long Island Watches (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPXY1716CJo) making a mess of it and getting glue on the dial, I thought I'd play safe. I think he should have used less glue and allowed it to set first. Cutting the stem to size was new to me. Thanks to Walkerwek's advice, it went without disaster. One thing that lets it down is the lume on the dial. It's not as strong as the other parts. I haven't found any aftermarket dials or hands that have a strong lume. I guess it would cost more to make. I've put it on a Namokies bracelet. It's good quality and an excellent fit to the case. Time to start planning my next project. :)

https://i.imgur.com/DCctaJUh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Al4xtFch.jpg

The Zombie is a beauty. I love the way the coin edge bezel looks face on. Great work and thanks for sharing.

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Originally Posted by Highroller1

Great work. The watch looks lovely and well done on being self taught. It’s something I’d like to try one day but never seem to find the time.

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Originally Posted by Boxsash

The Zombie is a beauty. I love the way the coin edge bezel looks face on. Great work and thanks for sharing.

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Thank you. The MM style bezel has a great feel to it. Though it's quite tall and does add a bit to the 'bulkiness', it's very easy to grip.

Really interesting and encouraging. I have just started to mod my Save The Oceans Turtle; so far just a domed sapphire crystal with blue AR which make an incredible difference. My challenge at the moment is trying to find a bezel insert that goes with the dial, or at least one that is in stock!