SEIKO MODDING GUIDE: Quick Tips and Notes
Is your interest in watches growing? Want to expand that to make things even better? Learn watch modding!
It may seem intimidating or even frustrating if you have been researching something like a watch modding tutorial because there is so much data available. More often than not, you would receive many responses to the same query, leaving you unclear of which one to choose. We thought we’d do you a favor by compiling all the pertinent material in one location, even though it’s worth the time to read and become comfortable with the overall process of customization and the hobby as a whole. If you’d like a complete step-by-step process of building a Seiko, be sure to read through our comprehensive Seiko Tutorial.
Let's start with the fundamentals:
Note: As we will be frequently adding new material to this article you should bookmark this page in your browser. We are confident that this material will be beneficial to you since our how-to’s and instructions have undergone thorough investigation and have been produced with the assistance of expert Seiko modders.
Purchasing the Needed Things
Parts
Without watch mod parts, you won’t be able to do any modification, therefore, in this post, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of everything you’ll need to assemble a whole Seiko watch from concept to completion.
Larger parts, such as the case and crystal, are relatively simple to remember to get, while smaller components, like gaskets or click springs, are easy to forget. This Seiko modding guide also covers the description and usage of each item in case you’re still unsure about how they fit together in a watch build.
Tools
After you have all of your parts picked out, you may begin assembling them, which will be challenging without the required watch tools! While a watchmaker has a large toolkit, a novice modder may not use the same tools as a professional modder. Only buy what you need as to not waste any money. For example, there is no need to purchase a water resistance tester if you are only replacing the bezel.
Crystal Choice
You don’t typically look at or examine the crystal of a watch. After all, its sole purpose is to protect the dial and hands against moisture. Nevertheless, picking the incorrect crystal for your build will completely wreck your setup, forcing you to spend more money on the proper crystal for the mod.
Think about buying a double domed sapphire, but pairing it with a flat insert, causing a large stepped gap. Or a flat sapphire with a sloped insert that will cause the insert not to fit at all. or selecting the incorrect Anti-Reflective coating, resulting in a dial that has a discolored appearance. By reading this Seiko modding guide, you can prevent these problems.
Choosing your Case
Obviously, among the most crucial mod parts of any watch build is the casing. Similar to vehicles, even while the engine propels the vehicle, the body is what gives the vehicle its distinctive look. The same is true with watches: in addition to projecting a particular appearance, they serve as the framework for all other parts of the mod.
Avoid selecting a case that doesn’t flow with your idea, or one with a color that will clash with your design. On the contrary, if you prefer a watch that draws attention organically, you could want to choose one with an unusual-looking color or one that is inspired by classic styles like the Submariner.
Chapter Ring Choice
Selecting the ideal chapter ring for a Seiko mod may significantly improve the watch’s visual appeal and make sure that all of its parts work well together. Like a dive bezel, the chapter ring may also be used to help tell the minutes if your dial doesn’t have minute markers.
To guarantee that the watch has the appearance and functionality that you want, it is crucial to learn how to pick the correct chapter ring that matches with your dial.
The Modding Process
Bezel and Bezel Insert Replacement
One of the easiest modifications you can make to your watch to significantly alter its design is this one. Keep in mind the design you’re going for. For example, the black and blue insert gave the Rolex Batman its moniker, whereas the black and red insert gave the Rolex Coke its name. Don’t forget to properly pair it with the type of crystal you buy!
Although replacing a bezel is a straightforward modification, errors can seriously harm your case or even damage your crystal. Make sure to tape off the lugs with painters’ tape, and carefully insert your bezel removal tool, trying not to slip!
Removing a Stuck Bezel
If somehow the resistance is too little and the bezel is forcibly pushed onto the casing, it may become stuck. It’s also possible that the bezel is just warped from poor construction or held on with years of grime, which makes it unable to remove normally.
No need to freak out! There are still techniques for removing it from the watch case, even though it could be more difficult than normal. Note that it is still preferable to see a professional if you are unsure about handling delicate components. But if you want to fix it yourself and don’t mind using some force or handling sharp objects close to your watch, the read our Stuck Bezel Removal Guide!
Watch hands Replacement
If you want to upgrade your current watch, the information in our in-depth tutorial on replacing watch hands will be particularly helpful. The watch hands, like bezels and inserts, are a little modification that has a significant aesthetic impact; nonetheless, for many watch modders, this mod is the most intimidating.
What makes this task so difficult? Your hands should be perfectly aligned and spaced properly. Your attention must be at 100 percent. Pushing with too much effort will easily bend your hands, while using too little force can lead to them falling off or slanting. Hands need to be exactly aligned at midnight on the dial when the date flips over. Good hand pressing tools can help, we recommend pen style hand pushers.
GMT Movement
Seiko has recently released the SSK001, which is the GMT successor to the SKX007. Along with this release is the introduction of the affordable GMT movement, the NH34, opening a brand-new modding opportunity that a lot of modders have been waiting for.
It’s a plug-and-play movement with a lot of current mod part offerings in the market, but it’s not entirely an isolated movement that suppliers have to create an entire set of new parts for. There are some already existing parts that are directly compatible with the NH34 such as hands, and there are others that need just a little bit of alteration to make it work, like widening the center hole to use NH35 dials.
Watch Care and Maintenance
Techniques for Proper Watch Cleaning
Would a quick wipe-down of a watch suffice to clean it? Also, if the product is water-resistant, will running water be the right cleaning method? The reply is, “It depends.”
This may be sufficient to clear away surface dust, but this may not offer sufficient depth of cleaning to keep your watch functioning properly. Even if everything is clean on the outside, if you didnt keep the dial and hands clean while assembling, you might need to open it up and clean the inside with some Rodico.
Water-Resistance Servicing/Care
As you are most likely modifying a diver’s watch, water resistance is going to be important to the finished build. Regardless of the depth your watch is advertised to go to, you generally shouldn’t dive or even go swimming with it without first giving it a thorough inspection.
Make sure that you grease the caseback and crown gasket with a suitable silicon grease. This will prevent any binding or pinching when screwing on the caseback, or tightening down the crown. NEVER grease a crystal gasket. Crystal gaskets are friction pressed and grease could actually make them pop out under pressure, or on a hot day as the grease expands.
Mechanical Watch Regulation
Your watch will eventually run too quickly or too slowly. No matter how far mechanical watch engineering has come or how precise new movements are, this is just something that happens over time. You may regulate your watch movement to run as accurately as possible, which reduces the margin of error. This is something you will get into as you become more familiar with modding.
Want A Step-By-Step Guide?
This Seiko Modding Guide is only a quick reference to thumb through in order to be more familiar with what is to come. If you would like an in-depth step-by-step guide to modifying your first Seiko, then please read our Seiko Mod Tutorial.
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.