A Note for New Seiko Modders: What You Need to Know Before Changing Watch Hands.
Watches are created to tell time, and in order to do so, a build needs its watch hands. The hands are the most visible and important part of any watch.
It is undeniably true that watch hands have a significant impact on how it looks overall. Preserving the watch in its pristine condition is crucial to many watch enthusiasts. In the watch-modding community, altering watch hands may give it a very different feel overall and is a popular mod.
You may have thought of replacing the watch hands if you enjoy Seiko modifications. The explanation is simple: because they are an integral component of the watch face, the hands contribute significantly to its aesthetic appeal.
Switching the watch hands on an SKX might be a good place to start if you want to give your watch a new, energizing appearance.
When selecting the appropriate watch hands, there are a number of factors to take into account. Here at Watch-Modz, we offer you some of the widest variety of aftermarket hands for you to pick from. We provide other styles to meet your demands as a custom Seiko modder in addition to designs that resemble OEM hands.
Best Hands What Kind of Hands Make Sense for Your Seiko Mod?
Some watch brands have created a strong identity with the hands they use. This leaves watch enthusiasts with a variety of choices when it comes to watch hands, and many options when designing a Seiko mod.
A Style you’d Love
Rolex watches are inseparable from the Iconic Mercedes handset. Our Mercedes hands are the best option if you want to make a watch that pays homage to the Rolex Submariner.
Other modders could be interested in creating a Seiko modification that incorporates hands from a different Seiko model, such as our MM300 hands. The MM300 is a fantastic watch, and the Seiko 5 or SKX mod would look fantastic with its handset.
We also offer different styles of watch hands, which can look fantastic on any Seko inspired build.
What to Consider in Choosing your watch hands?
It is wise to think about the color and design of the hands you are installing to your watch. With Seiko, it’s rather simple to match the watch hands’ size to the movement. The 7S family of movements, which comprises the 4R series and the 6R series, should fit any of our hands. Any Seiko SKX or 5KX can fit all of our watch hands. If you require a different pair of hands, Watch-Modz is available and willing to assist you in every query. Be certain about the type of watch hands that your movement requires since they must fit perfectly to ensure the appropriate operation of the watch. Thinking about the style and color of the hands is also necessary, and probably a lot more fun.
WE HAVE A LARGE COLLECTION OF HANDS AND CAN PROVIDE SEIKO MODDERS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF HIGH-QUALITY SEIKO COMPONENTS. IN ADDITION TO A BROAD SELECTION OF POLISHED SILVER HANDS THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE NH35, WE ALSO HAVE GOLD, ROSE GOLD, AND BLACK HANDS THAT ENABLE A GREAT VARIETY OF SEIKO MODIFICATIONS.
THE FOLLOWING SEIKO WATCH MOVEMENTS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH OUR HANDS: THE 7S26, 7S36, 7S25, 7S35, 6R15, 4R15, 4R35, 4R36, 6309, 7002, 7009, NH35, NH35A, NH36, NH36A, NH38, NH39, NH70, NH71, NH72.
A Seiko SKX or Seiko 5 would look drastically different even if you merely changed the hands and bezel insert. View our catalog of bezel inserts as well to get a better understanding of what Watch-Modz has to offer Seiko Modders.
Must-have Tools in Changing your Seiko Mod Handset
Once you’ve selected a perfectly suited hand set that fits your movement and style preferences, it’s time to gather all the tools and supplies needed to complete the change.
The majority of the supplies you’ll need to do a hand swap are in the list that follows and provides you an indication of what you’ll need.
Set of 3 – Hand-Setting Tool
You’ll need watch hand pushers that are made specifically for an hour hand, minute hand, and second hand. Some people might tell you that one tool does it all – but we highly recommend having the right tool for each type of hand.
Dial Protectors
Dial protectors make sure you are not causing any harm when you install the hands. With the aid of this tool, it is simple to detach your watch hands without fretting about scratching the watch face and to replace them safely without endangering the dial.
Rodico - Premium Cleaning Putty
Rodico is great when it comes to removing dust or hairs from your watch dial. Bergeon 7033 Rodico Premium Cleaning Putty makes it simple to remove most smudges and fingerprints from a watch dial, hands, or any other surface.
Additionally, you can use this cleaning putty to lift precision watch parts as it will not smear or mark the fragile surfaces. Rodico Premium Cleaning Putty is worth having – no matter what parts of your Seiko you are modding.
Hand Removers
A quality hand remover is a must-have tool. These lever type tools make the process of removing your watch hands much easier. Don’t skimp on a hand remover – buy quality tools.
Anti-Magnetic Tweezers
Professional grade tweezers are a must-have when dealing with tiny watch hands. (You can also use Rodico to hold your hands) These anti-magnetic brass tweezers are a perfect fit for your modding toolkit. They are a vital part of any hand swapping process.
The delicate surfaces on the dial or watch hands will not be marred or smudged by brass tweezers or Rodico cleaning putty, so you may use it to lift precision watch components. No matter what sort of Seiko modifications you are making, Brass tweezers or Rodico Premium Cleaning Putty is valuable to have.
The Common Problems with Watch hands and what to do about it?
Despite the fact that the watch hands occupy a very small amount of the dial, they might still require attention if your watch is having issues. Here are a few issues with your watch that you might need to take care of.
Keep Your Work Area Clean
The majority of the time, if the hands do not run or appear to “jump” after installation, there was definitely a problem. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that occasionally this may be a component of the movement and may call for more research to repair.
Dust may have a big influence on how well your watch works over time, even if you don’t realize it. Dust harms the movement because it has the capacity to drain out lubrication, increasing the friction between the gears. This is one reason why keeping a clean work surface is important.
Diver’s watches, which are essentially shut off from the environment, may not be too susceptible to this problem; nonetheless, before you switch the hands, make absolutely sure the movement is clean, as well as your new hands.
The movement can also be directly impacted by problems with second hand hollow pins, gaps between hands, and tool selection while installing the hands. When installing them yourself, you need to be extremely careful and take your time.
Second Hand Issues
The last thing you want while switching a handset is obvious misaligned hands. This issue may have its origins in a poor installation or, in certain situations, a malfunctioning movement.
The hands not aligning properly or not being parallel to the dial is usually the result of an installation error. If this happens you will need to either repeat the installation or have a professional solve the problem. A second hand slanted and touching the glass or minute hand is one of the most common problems. If the second hand gets hung up due to improper installation it will cause a movement to not run.
Quartz Movements
You could be confused as to what’s wrong if your second hand moves for 2 seconds before appearing to “hesitate” for 1 second.
In certain circumstances, the second hand often jumps once every 2 seconds before “hesitating” for 1 second.
You can have a quartz watch that is telling you that the battery is dying. You’ll know for sure if even after skips, the watch is still displaying the proper time.
You should change the battery as soon as the second hand starts to hesitate to prevent the watch from completely malfunctioning. If the seconds hand on any automatic watch hesitates, there is likely a problem with the mechanism, and you should consult a watchmaker, or replace your movement.
Watch-Modz is here to help!
Great quality hands for Seiko modifications are available at Watch-Modz, and we also provide our customers with top-notch customer service! You can reach out to us a Help@Watch-Modz.com
We ensure that every part we sell is completely working. However, if for any reason you have any issues, just reach out to us and we will be happy to make it right.
Please browse our wide range of Seiko-compatible watch hands and consider what a new handset could be able to accomplish for your next Seiko mod!
About The Author
Pamela Tabago is an Information Specialist at Watch-Modz LLC. She is passionate about everything related to watches, from the best automatics to modding a Seiko.
She brings her data-driven experience in informative writing and her love for watches to the blog. She also provides watch-related content for other modding enthusiasts like herself.