I'm not generally a fan of modded watches, but that's absolutely spiffing.
Hi Chaps,
I'm over the moon to have received my completed SKX009 Mod today, all the work was completed by Alex @ Artifice Horoworks (AH) in the US.
I think you'll agree he's done a great job!
The idea for the mod was to take a standard SKX009 and to upgrade it and replace pretty much everything except the case!
So we decided on:
A new Movement using a hacking and windable New Seiko 4R36 and fitted with the Black Day / Date wheels - I sourced this from Rob @ Monster Watches
A new Crown that Alex had engraved with his AH logo.
New Hands using the original Black Minute and Hour hands from a Baby tuna and the black seconds hand from a Sumo (SRP227 H+M, SBDC005 S) again I managed to get from Rob @ Monster Watches
For the Dial I sourced a Seiko Stargate Gen II (SRP493) - Blue - Also from Rob
For the Bezel I got a Yobokies Coin edge with clicks from Harold
And the Crystal Alex sourced for me a Yobokies Single domed sapphire with blue A/R coating.
The insert we kept the original from the SKX009.
Alex was brilliant in helping me choose what would work and with general advise and even sending me photos of how different parts looked etc. He also sent me a detailed breakdown on costs and helped me keep things to a budget.
He kept me up to speed with what was happening and sent me loads of photos, here's a few below:
We started the project a couple of months ago and thankfully the finished article arrived today. I've taken a quite a few pictures to show the unboxing below and the extra bits Alex kindly put in for me:
I've now got to decide what strap I prefer!
Here are some more pics that Alex took which I think look great:
I have to say I'm delighted how it's all worked out and I'd like to say a big thank you to all involved and most of all to Alex for a great job, well done!
I'd have no hesitation in using his services again and indeed will do in the very near future.
That's all folks! I hope you like it
I'm not generally a fan of modded watches, but that's absolutely spiffing.
very nice indeed
I wish I could take watch photos as good as those.
Yea I'll second that! Good job!
Very nice, thank you for sharing this.
Thank you all - I have to say, I love the little presentation tin it came in too!
I've just realised I didn't take a lume shot - be right back !!!
Now that I like!! I think Seiko should be producing that themselves!!!
If you don't mind me asking how much did thi set you back?
Chris
Thanks Chaps...
Quick down and dirty Lume shot:
er....quite a lot!! The parts alone were about £200 extra I believe. Then there was Labour costs and postage etc on top, plus of course the price of the original brand new SKX009 and customs and duty!
However it's a keeper and Mods nearly always cost a lot more than you'll ever recoup if you try and sell them!
I will however try and get some money back by selling all the brand new unused components that I have from the original watch, movement, hands, dial, bezel (no insert!), hardlex crystal, crown and rubber strap!!!!
They'll all be going on SC tomorrow.
Last edited by Thorien; 5th December 2015 at 01:04.
Very nice.
Seiko SKX 007 and 09 mods are a whole other world.
While I have no love for the base models, the mods can do wonderful things.
I follow Alex on Facebook and saw him post pictures of this on his page earlier in the week and thought it looked great! Mind you, most of his mods look pretty good.
thats a good looking Seiko MOD. Well done!
I think that has come out really well. Very nice indeed. You've me thinking if I should try something similar.
Lovely watch!
Love that, and with a movement upgrade to boot
That's fantastic,
you have a really individual piece there and made some substantial improvements to what is in my opinion a basic, reliable good value but ultimately mundane and not very exciting dive watch.
I'm not usually a fan of NATO's, but I love those and think they compliment the watch superbly.
^ Thanks guys, I've been wearing it proudly today, love the way the dial shimmers as well, kind of two tone and it changes as you move and it catches the light.
Fair play, you've done a great job, superb mod.
That all looks rather nice. Great job.
That's lovely. Thanks for showing.
Cheers
I dont usually like mods to class is watches, so to be honest I just clicked out of curiosity what you had done to the 009. Really like what you did here, small upgrade to the bezel and that dial looks stunning in there. Really great job.
The best mods are always the ones that look as though they should already exist; it looks great.
^ Thanks all!
I've ordered a Bond Zulu as above and am thinking of getting a Strapcode bracelet also - not sure which one will suit best though...
Hi Thorien
I really like that! If I could ask you a couple of questions. Does Artifice source the original watch or did you send it to the USA for modding? And did you source all the parts from Rob and Yobokies and send them over, or did you make a list and Artifice get them sent directly? And finally I dont want to know exactly how much it cost in total but would like to know what sort of percentage you had to pay to customs for import duty and fees etc.
Thanks, regards nexus04
This looks amazing.
Looking for a new "daily", this option might be a candidate.
Thanks, Alex @ AH can do it either way, best talk to him about your specific needs. He can source the watch for you if you don't already have one, same with the parts.
Customs and duty etc all available on HMRC website, but allow 20% for VAT plus a bit more for parcel delivery company administration charges.
Good luck.
Thanks for the quick reply Thorien. You have a really nice unique watch there. Will wait and see what santa claus brings, but might go down the same route myself
Cheers
That's a real beauty. I like it best on the red strap!
That is a very nice mod, might have to start looking into these a bit more
Nice watch, but I suggest you avoid NATO. It looks fantastic on a steel bracelet.
Thanks for sharing-excellent mod, nice lume.
WOW!! Looks fab. Love it on the blue or red nato :-) Time for a modded Seiko me thinks :-)
Stunning. Generally not to keen on mods, but this one made me think.......Thanks for sharing
The OP is probably the first Pepsi I've every really liked of any variety.
Kinda get it now.
I appreciate this is a VERY old thread that somehow has been bumped up, but regardless does anyone have anyone in the UK they could recommend for seiko mod / assembly?
Tempted to do my own SKX007 mod but not a fan of sending all the way to the US only for the brexit vat hassles on the way back in :(
Very good work. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy1!
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