Timepieces

[dgaddis]

I've now lost about 35lbs since I bought my BB58, so even with the quick adjust all the way tight it's now usually a bit too loose, so I took a link out. But now with it all the way loose it's sometimes a bit too tight. So I've got a UncleStraps half link coming in today. In the mean time I've been wearing it on this mustard colored strap which works way better than I thought it would.

Also I'm really kicking around the idea of a 'ground up' Seiko mod build. I've never put a movement/dial/handset together before. I'll probably order the parts in another week or so...trying to decide between the uncoated stainless case or the PVD black case.

[NYCfixie]

Also I'm really kicking around the idea of a 'ground up' Seiko mod build. I've never put a movement/dial/handset together before. I'll probably order the parts in another week or so...trying to decide between the uncoated stainless case or the PVD black case.

Have owned lots of Seiko mods but never done one myself (don't have the patience), it can be fun to pick out parts and create a theme. If you are not sure about stainless versus PVD, maybe do both. I have seen some very cool builds with a stainless case and PVD bezel and crown.

Stay away from AliExpress parts/sellers. IME, you pay for cheap parts, you wait 30 days for them to arrive, and then you realize why they are cheap because they do not fit and/or break. They are often the cast off parts and/or ones that did not pass quality control of the "name" brand sellers.

These are may favorite suppliers:
Crystal Times USA - sapphire crystals, cases, "regulated" movements*
Long Island Watch - cases, ceramic bezel inserts, straps
Namoki Mods - cases, parts (hands, dials, etc.)
* Make sure you understand the day (of the week) wheel on Seiko movements and how it relates to cases with crowns at 3 or 4:30.


Checklist for building a full watch: What parts do you need exactly?


Check out build videos here: https://www.youtube.com/c/LumeShot

[dgaddis]

Have owned lots of Seiko mods but never done one myself....

I've put a few cases together but always pulled the movement/dial/handset out of another watch and just swapped it over.

I'm looking at this case :: https://www.namokimods.com/products/...41538355298479

With an unbranded flieger dial and simple white handset. All the parts plus a few tools (hand setter and movement holder) for under $300. I'll wear it on a strap, don't want a bracelet if it doesn't have a quick adjust.

Buttt.....Namoki is starting to offer Miyota movements and cases built for them. But they don't have dials yet, except for one which I don't like even a little bit, so I think I'm going to hold off until they offer more options for the Miyota movements. I don't have any complaints with the Seiko movements but I like that the Miyota's build up much thinner.

In other news. Half link is in, BB58 is back on bracelet, and fit is perfect. Normal sitting at my desk the quick adjust is one notch from fully tight, giving me a bit of room to tighten it and plenty to loosen it when my wrist swells if out and about doing stuff or whatever.

[dashDustin]

don't forget https://www.dlwwatches.com/ and https://tokeilab.com/

https://www.murphymanufacturing.com/...lder_8010.html

That's the movement holder to get. You can push the outer sleeve down, and with the movement still supported, drop the case onto the movement. Makes properly aligning the dial with the chapter ring a hell of a lot easier.

The crystal press was the hard one for me. I now use two...the 'crank'/ turn-y-knob style followed by the lever style.

Dial dots will come in handy if the chapter ring doesn't have that little nub at 12 o'clock.

[j44ke]

.....Namoki is starting to offer Miyota movements and cases built for them....

This is awfully nice looking. Wish it was a bit more water resistant but still looked like this.

[Mabouya]

This is awfully nice looking. Wish it was a bit more water resistant but still looked like this.

Is that the watch brand formerly known as Twitter?

[j44ke]

Is that the watch brand formerly known as Twitter?

Okay so it took me a while. That's an "N" not an "X". The watch is from the place linked about - https://www.namokimods.com

A for effort though :-)

[NYCfixie]

I'm looking at this case :: https://www.namokimods.com/products/...41538355298479

With an unbranded flieger dial and simple white handset. All the parts plus a few tools (hand setter and movement holder) for under $300. I'll wear it on a strap, don't want a bracelet if it doesn't have a quick adjust. Buttt.....Namoki is starting to offer Miyota movements and cases built for them.

Remember when I said in an earlier post that "I am taking a break from mods"? Well, that case is on my list of next projects if I do another one. Great looking case but I would personally go dressy and use the bits Jorn shows below in that already built watch.

Stick with Seiko, so many more parts and info out there right now.

don't forget https://www.dlwwatches.com/ and https://tokeilab.com/

Other good choices. I have purchased a few Seiko OEM parts from tokeilab.

This is awfully nice looking [NMK15 Automatic Dress Watch: GS Steel]. Wish it was a bit more water resistant but still looked like this.

Can you say "Grand Seiko SBGW301 Clomage"? (clone/homage)
The real one does not have any better water resistance.

[dgaddis]

I've put a few cases together but always pulled the movement/dial/handset out of another watch and just swapped it over.

I'm looking at this case :: https://www.namokimods.com/products/...41538355298479

With an unbranded flieger dial and simple white handset.

Welllll....orders placed. ^That case, in silver, that dial, but OEM Seiko handset from this guy.

Will report back once parts are in and assembled.

[bigbill]

I bought my son a Luminox SEAL chronograph when he graduated high school. He normally wears a Garmin Fenix but as a Marine, he cannot wear it in the field or in the cockpit. The Luminox is great for him since it has non-glare glass and glow in the dark hands. I'm not sure if the Garmin can take high G's, but the Luminox can.

[j44ke]

...

Can you say "Grand Seiko SBGW301 Clonage"?

...

The extra width of the bezel and absence of gothic-light lettering on the Namoki build does it for me. The Japanese "classic" aesthetic is some times too sweetly pretty-ish.

But I am also a big fan of the Unimatic designs so I definitely like clunky. But small.

[dgaddis]

Welllll....orders placed. ^That case, in silver, that dial, but OEM Seiko handset from this guy.

Will report back once parts are in and assembled.

Well the handset dealer reached out and said the last set of those hands he had in stock are damaged, so I'm getting a refund on those, and I ordered some simple 'sword' style hands and another flieger dial. The 'new' dial has a date window and the lume will match the hands. The hands won't match the lume on the first (date-less) dial I ordered.

Most of the parts will be here tomorrow, just have to wait on the new dial and handset which will be here next week sometime. I'll probably go ahead and get the case/chapter ring/crystal assembled and ready. The chapter ring doesn't have any markers on it so no worries with getting it aligned with the dial.

[NYCfixie]

The extra width of the bezel and absence of gothic-light lettering on the Namoki build does it for me. The Japanese "classic" aesthetic is some times too sweetly pretty-ish.

But I am also a big fan of the Unimatic designs so I definitely like clunky. But small.

You definitely described the design theme/ethos of those two brands.

I like most Grand Seiko but they are often "pretty", even the dive watches.
I pass on most Unimatic as I find them to Germanic/Brutalistic.

[takashi]

^ "inner city"

cmon you can do better

[dgaddis]

Oooof, what a PITA! A few smudges on the inside of the crystal but it's together. Tonight I'll pull the movement and get those smudges handled. Probably won't do another one, the hands are a true PITA.

Also, for anyone considering a mod :: Namoki > Lucius Atelier. The hands are form LA, I bought a dial from them also with matching blue lume, but the parts were packaged so poorly I'm amazed the hands aren't bent. The posts on the dial that fit into the movement to lock it in place were bent on their dial, so I didn't use it. It was also a glossy dial vs the matte finished Namoki dial. But all the Namoki stuff was very nicely and securely packaged.

[NYCfixie]

Oooof, what a PITA! A few smudges on the inside of the crystal but it's together. Tonight I'll pull the movement and get those smudges handled. Probably won't do another one, the hands are a true PITA.

At least you did it, once. Well done.

And, that is why I will not mod watches myself. A royal PITA and not worth the aggravation IMHO.

I like the final product but not the journey to get there.

[dashDustin]

Putting a watch together is very much like wheel building for me. Or writing music. The process is much more important. That whole “it’s not about the destination, but the journey” thing.
@dgaddis - what do you do now? Thought it was something with civil or MEP drawings. But those look like architecturals.

[dgaddis]

Putting a watch together is very much like wheel building for me. Or writing music. The process is much more important. That whole “it’s not about the destination, but the journey” thing.
@dgaddis - what do you do now? Thought it was something with civil or MEP drawings. But those look like architecturals.

Unlike wheel building, I don't enjoy the process haha. Wheels don't have to be perfectly free of dust or smudges.... Speaking of which, I did pull the movement and clean the inside of the crystal, best I can tell it's perfect now...I'm going to try not to look too closely haha.

The lume looks FAR better in this pic than it does in real life.





Yeah I'm in plumbing design, but those are indeed architectural drawings on my desk, they're marked up with changes in scope to a current project.

Here's the next big job I'll be working on, you ain't never seen a HS like this. As far as I can tell from a quick Google search it'll be the first public HS in the world with an on-site golf course ::

[dashDustin]

who's the architect on that? that's crazy. our high schools are bigger, but much more bland in design.

[dgaddis]

Perkins + Will is doing the building design. We should be getting started on it in a few weeks, they've been working with the school system on programing and whatnot so far.

Here's another one we did with them. I've got to get the video put together but just haven't had the time lately :: https://ahpengr.com/2023/09/11/morrow-high-school/