automatic/mechanical watches on a budget.

[rydesteel]

This showed up recently after a slight delay (thanks USPS). Apparently it sold out within hours of being released.

The Long Island Watch "Islander Diver" has all the goodies: Seiko hand-winding and hacking movement, sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel insert, 200m water resistance, drilled lugs, and all SKX parts (OEM and aftermarket) fit if you ever want to mod it.

It really is the watch Seiko should have made instead of the now discontinued SKX007/009/011. Even the new "SK5" is selling for $295 to $335 and is a lesser watch than the SKX that came before it (albeit with an upgraded movement).

As much as I love it, this is probably another "catch and release" for me so PM if you are interested.


Also, anyone going to the NYC WindUp Watch Fair next week? I'll be there Friday afternoon.


Attachment 113454

Thank you! I got a nice package in the mail this afternoon. I'll post some pics after I get the band sized. The pictures of this watch do not do it justice. It looks great!

[alexstar]

My younger brother who is a "collector" of vintage and new watches and has more than 60 bought these two.

He'll be very pleased with the Grandrally. I have it in the same colorway and it is a lot of watch for the money. The perfect casual sport chrono IMO.

[NYCfixie]

He'll be very pleased with the Grandrally. I have it in the same colorway and it is a lot of watch for the money. The perfect casual sport chrono IMO.

He was really drawn to it because he has a few vintage Zodiac watches and thought having something more modern would be cool.

[NYCfixie]

Rainy Sunday so posting the other pictures I took of watches I liked and tried on at WindUp Watch Fair NYC.
There was so much to like but these really stood out enough that I waited to have a chance to actually put them on the wrist.

Laco Cuxhaven 42mm
Attachment 113554

Stowa Flieger grey limited 40mm
Attachment 113555

Christopher Ward C65 Trident GMT 41mm (not yet released new colorway - white dial)
Attachment 113556


***** I have always really liked white dials but lately some of the sunburst gray dials are really growing on me

[NYCfixie]

Thought I would do a cost breakdown on this mod in case anyone is interested:

154.00 Seiko SNZF17 Watch
36.00 Dial - Namoki
21.00 Hands - mercedes style - Namoki
26.00 Chapter ring - silver - DLW
60.00 Sapphire Crystal - double domed with clear anti-reflective coating - DLW
26.00 Strap - two-piece NATO bond style black/grey - BluShark (metal bracelet included in watch price)
47.95 Movement - Seiko NH36 - hacks and hand winds
100.00 Labor paid to modder
17.95 Shipping to/from modder
488.85 Total

Is it worth it?
(assuming you get exactly what you want, I would say YES!)


And like all of my other modded and/or under $1000 watches, if you are interested in taking this off my hands let me know.

...started life as the Seiko SNZF17 (aka Sea Urchin).

Vintage Submariner style mod....

Attachment 113489

[bbattle]

Those Lacos look nice. I like the CW, too.

I thought I might slow down my watch buying spree but somebody made me an offer I couldn't refuse:



It's the Islander Dive Watch from longislandwatch.com Islander Automatic Dive Watch with AR sapphire crystal, all solid link bracelet, Luminous ceramic bezel insert, luminous hands and markers, and drilled lugs. #ISL-2

For those of you bemoaning the demise of the Seiko SKX--- dive watches, here's a great replacement.

[bbattle]

Well, another watch showed up at my door. It's a San Martin Flieger watch in bronze. Movement is a clone of the ETA 6498, manual wind only.






{watches}

Sapphire crystal, nice leather strap. 43mm diameter, 52mm lug to lug, strap width 22mm. This is as big as I'd want a watch on my 7.5"(19cm) wrist. Would probably look good with a black silicone strap. The lume is very nice. The hands are outlined in blue but my pictures don't do it justice. The crown is large but the watch is not overly tall.

San Martin is a Chinese watch company but the quality is quite good. Here's a review of a similar model that uses a Seiko movement.

[j44ke]

I've always thought the idea of day/date window on a dive watch to be kind of hilarious. I mean, how long are you planning to be down there?

[dgaddis]

I've always thought the idea of day/date window on a dive watch to be kind of hilarious. I mean, how long are you planning to be down there?

Dive watches are like road racing bikes.

Most aren't used for their supposed intended design.

[NYCfixie]

Modern Day Dive Watch aka Desk Diver = Date Window

Dive watches are like road racing bikes.

Most aren't used for their supposed intended design.

I've always thought the idea of day/date window on a dive watch to be kind of hilarious. I mean, how long are you planning to be down there?

[dashDustin]

Well, another watch showed up at my door. It's a San Martin Flieger watch in bronze. Movement is a clone of the ETA 6498, manual wind only.

that's a dandy combo, the bronze + blue. i approve.

[corko]

Dive watches are like road racing bikes.

Most aren't used for their supposed intended design.

AKA desk Divers.....

[NYCfixie]

For a very long time I have been trying to find one watch to do double duty as a less expensive travel watch and could not find anything I really liked. I wanted something that was nice but not too nice, dressy but not too dressy, sporty but not too sporty. So I decided to find out if there might me two that would work, 1 dress and 1 sport, and here they are.

Seiko SARB035 (with the following modifications):
- sapphire crystal including cyclops so I can read the date without needing reading glasses
- grey canvas leather backed strap in place of the cheap stock bracelet (will most probably change out for dark brown croc in the future)
I have recommended this watch so many times but never actually owned one until now and it really is a fantastic watch for the money.

Attachment 114334



Seiko SKX011 (with the following modifications):
- sapphire crystal including cyclops so I can read the date without needing reading glasses
- BluShark silicone rally strap in place of the cheap plasticky stock strap
- skx style ceramic bezel insert with white lettering in place of stock skx aluminium one with gold lettering
- marine master style black hands in place of stock skx gold hands
- upgraded Seiko NH36 hand winding and hacking movement
- upgraded Seiko SARB059 signed crown/stem assembly (needed for movement upgrade)
I have already owned a modified SKX011 (now with another forum member) and really missed it so I made sure this one had the cyclops which I did not have on the previous one.

Attachment 114335

[bbattle]

Very nice mods, indeed.

I have the SARB035 and it is a very nice watch to have. Not quite the "baby GS" the Prospex is but is a very nice looking watch, indeed.

I had picked out a watch for my grandson but my wife thought he might not like it( a Citizen dress watch). I gave him the choice between it and the modded SKX I got from 'somewhere' and he chose the SKX. But all is right in the world; I have a LIW Islander dive watch that is every bit the SKX replacement the world is looking for.

I've taken the bracelets off a couple of my watches and replaced them with NATO or leather straps with great success. I recommend swapping straps just because it makes such a dramatic change to the watch wearing experience. It's like getting a new watch, the change is that dramatic. And much cheaper than buying a new watch.

[NYCfixie]

Very nice mods, indeed.

I have the SARB035 and it is a very nice watch to have. Not quite the "baby GS" the Prospex is but is a very nice looking watch, indeed.

I had picked out a watch for my grandson but my wife thought he might not like it( a Citizen dress watch). I gave him the choice between it and the modded SKX I got from 'somewhere' and he chose the SKX. But all is right in the world; I have a LIW Islander dive watch that is every bit the SKX replacement the world is looking for.

I've taken the bracelets off a couple of my watches and replaced them with NATO or leather straps with great success. I recommend swapping straps just because it makes such a dramatic change to the watch wearing experience. It's like getting a new watch, the change is that dramatic. And much cheaper than buying a new watch.

All good advice (unlike your comments in the other thread).

The LI Watch Islander is great and a proven success as it seems they cannot keep them in stock even though they keep coming out with new models/colorways.

If you really want a modified SKX, I might know a guy...

[NYCfixie]

I thought I would document my inexpensive (relative term) watch journey over the past 12 months.
- I tried on many watches but never purchased them so they are not listed.
- I purchased and returned many other watches so they are not listed.
- I only listed watches that I actually purchased and kept even though many have since been sold.


Casio G-Shock 35th Anniversary
Purchased: 2/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Great watch but my wife hated it.



Seiko SKX011 mod v1
Purchased: 2/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Great watch but could not read the day/date without my reading glasses.



Hamtun Kraken H2
Purchased: 4/2019
Status: For Sale
Notes: Still waiting for it to show up (i.e. Kickstarter) but should be here in 1-2 weeks. I have been waiting so long for it I have lost interest so I am selling it.



Hamtun Nanok
Purchased: 4/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Great watch but could not read the day/date without my reading glasses. Never even took off the plastic.



Spinnaker Tesei Titanium
Purchased: 4/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Liked but did not love it. Never got use to the blue dial and black bezel insert.



Seiko SRP777 Turtle
Purchased: 6/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Liked but did not love it. Too big for me.



Seiko SNZH55 Fifty Five Fathoms mod
Purchased: 7/2019
Status: For Sale
Notes: Love it but have too many black dial diver watches.



Seiko SNZF17 Submariner Retro Diver mod
Purchased: 9/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Love it but have too many black dial diver watches.



LI Watch Islander Diver
Purchased: 9/2019
Status: Sold
Notes: Love it but have too many black dial diver watches.



Collins Hyperion - Limited Edition Blue Dial
Purchased: 10/2019
Status: For Sale (maybe)
Notes: I love the blue dial and that it is 1 of the 5 limited edition pieces the owner made for fun. Stock version has black dial.



Seiko SARB035
Purchased: 11/2019
Status: Keeper (for now)
Notes: My travel dress watch. Added cyclops crystal so I can read the date without my reading glasses.



Seiko SKX011 mod v2 (this is not the same one as listed above)
Purchased: 11/2019
Status: Keeper (for now)
Notes: My travel sport watch. Added cyclops crystal so I can read the date without my reading glasses.

[shirk]

I ordered a Seiko SN809 earlier this week and eager for it to arrive. I've been wearing a simple Timex Expedition resin case watch off and on the last year after it sat for years in a drawer. It died and I decided to "move up" to the budget Seiko.

[NYCfixie]

I ordered a Seiko SN809 earlier this week and eager for it to arrive. I've been wearing a simple Timex Expedition resin case watch off and on the last year after it sat for years in a drawer. It died and I decided to "move up" to the budget Seiko.

Let the Seiko mods begin...

[Blue Jays]

Great reminder posts to look into a SEIKO automatic as a super-reliable "daily driver" watch.

[shirk]

Let the Seiko mods begin...

hahha I have enough trouble keeping up with all the bike building projects I have bouncing around in my head to add in watch mods.