Timepieces

[Matthew Strongin]

So nice, though. Enjoy!

[NYCfixie]

Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic True Second

The True Second (aka Dead-Beat) complication is interesting as it acts like a quartz second hand but is actually mechanical. You can read more about it on Hodinkee here and here.

[bbattle]

I know they are common but here is my contribution. Bought from local Authorized Dealer with only 4.5 month wait.

It appears you are driving the wrong car for that watch.

(is that a Mercedes-Benz tri-star on the hour hand?)

[Blue Jays]

"...Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic True Second..."

Pretty much universally love JLC watches.
I do think the applied metal "surround" on the date window needs to be further refined.
They manufacture truly superb watches.

[dgaddis]

My sister and I got my dad a new watch for Fathers Day. It'll be his first 'nice' watch. 'Nice' meaning not a Timex or similar, but certainly not a Rolex either haha.

Citizen World Perpetual A-T CB0166-54H. Two tone stainless steel case and bracelet, sapphire crystal, 100m water resistant, perpetual calendar, atomic radio sync, and solar powered. Set it and forget it. Also really easy to change time zones without throwing it out of time. Lucked up and nabbed it when the price dropped to only $200 on Amazon. My only complaint is I wish the indicies were lumed and/or had a bit more contrast compared to the dial. In pictures they stand out pretty well, but in person at certain angles they can be hard to see.

[NYCfixie]

I was able to acquire one of these at 60% off retail and could not pass it up because I love orange dial divers. It is on the way and like the other orange dial Seiko diver I have (SKX011), I am already thinking about mods to make: black ceramic bezel insert, double dome ar coated sapphire crystal, and a rubber strap.

Seiko SRPC07/SRPB97 (aka Seiko Samurai series watches)

[72gmc]

NYCfixie, do you mod your own or do you "have a guy"?

[NYCfixie]

NYCfixie, do you mod your own or do you "have a guy"?

I purchased the custom/modded SKX011 via Long Island Watch as soon as they started their program a few months ago.

There are a few other good ones out there who do more than basic mods:
- Yobokies (no website...google and you can find how to contact)
- Watchmakers4 (contact via insta - a few month waiting list)

Do you research because some are really good modders and some that really suck. This is for fun and I have no plans to do it myself. I mostly had parts upgraded that Seiko should have included as part of the original watch (i.e. sapphire crystals and bezel inserts that actually look good with the rest of the watch).

Below is a stock SXX011 as well as the one I had modded:
- double domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating replaced hardlex to help avoid scratches and deal with glare
- ceramic black lumed submariner style bezel insert to replace stock aluminium one which has gold lettering
- silicone rubber strap to replace stock plasticky one.

* what looks like yellow in the picture is actually "shiny looking gold color" in real life but it does not photograph that way

Stock SKX011


My Custom/Modded SKX011
Attachment 112283
* This one is probably going up for sale soon as the SRPC07 "Samurai" arrives. I'm not sure I need 2 orange dial Seiko divers.

[72gmc]

Thanks for the info. I was only aware of yobokies.

[choke]

Thanks for the info. I was only aware of yobokies.

Northeast Watch Works also does mod work. About NEWW

Bill Yao (MKII Watches) started out modding Seiko divers. He might have been the first to do that; he was certainly the first person that I heard of on Timezone who was doing mods, somewhere around 2002-3.

[NYCfixie]

Northeast Watch Works also does mod work. About NEWW [snip]

I contacted NEWW the other day and am about to send in my first mod order (the Seiko Samurai shown above) but did not want to share the name until I had actual experience.

Another person who comes highly recommended is Lume Shot (aka Eric)

I have two projects I want to complete so I was going to send one to each person and see what happens.
- SKX011 movement upgrade to Lume Shots in NYC (NEWW does not do movement upgrades)
- SRPC07 bezel insert and sapphire crystal upgrades to NEWW in RI

[joosttx]

This is a very good auction!!!

[NYCfixie]

Before one goes down the Seiko modding rabbit hole, know that even if you perform the work on your own it may not be worthwhile in terms of cost. One can take a stock $250 SKX 007/009/011 and easily turn it into a $600+ "custom" watch very quickly. At that point, there are so many other better options in terms of quality such as Hamilton Khaki Field, Squale 1545, Steinhart and Sinn.


Seiko skx blacked out mod build info


Seiko Mods - A waste of money?

[dgaddis]

Modding is less about 'value' and more about just making something your own IMO. That blacked out Seiko looks really great!

I picked up a G-Shock GW-M5610 (one of the 'square' G Shocks, solar powered and radio controlled, digital) a few weeks ago to wear when I don't want to risk damage to my nice watch. There's a ton of mods for those as well. I've got a metal bezel and a nato strap adapter kit coming in today for it.

[NYCfixie]

Modding is less about 'value' and more about just making something your own IMO.

As mentioned in another thread, I am thinking about having a "Folex" DateJust created based on the SARB035. It requires the bubble date window sapphire and a fluted bezel mods. When you factor watch cost, parts, and labor it may be almost $750.

After


Before

[rydesteel]

I was able to acquire one of these at 60% off retail and could not pass it up because I love orange dial divers. It is on the way and like the other orange dial Seiko diver I have (SKX011), I am already thinking about mods to make: black ceramic bezel insert, double dome ar coated sapphire crystal, and a rubber strap.

Seiko SRPC07/SRPB97 (aka Seiko Samurai series watches)

I just purchased one these last night on the Macy's Father Day sale. Thanks for the link to NEWW I really
like the look of a Sapphire Crystal.

[NYCfixie]

I just purchased one these last night on the Macy's Father Day sale. Thanks for the link to NEWW I really
like the look of a Sapphire Crystal.

That's were I got mine. It's much bigger than the Turtle and SKX so I am not sure if I am going to keep it.

If you want to go all out, do a sapphire crystal and bezel insert:
Ceramic Insert - Samurai Black - Luminous Green – dlwwatches
Sapphire Double Dome - Seiko Prospex Samurai – dlwwatches

[rydesteel]

Does any one here size their own Bracelets? What a good starter kit to size and swap bracelets? Thanks!

[dashDustin]

Does any one here size their own Bracelets? What a good starter kit to size and swap bracelets? Thanks!

I do. But I bought tools as I needed them. 1.4 driver for the links in my Tudor, and this little fellow for the spring bars:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001IZT8R2...roduct_details

And a microfiber towel

[dgaddis]

Does any one here size their own Bracelets? What a good starter kit to size and swap bracelets? Thanks!

It's super easy to do. We bought a whole kit on Amazon years back...the pin pusher vice thingamajig broke after a few bracelets, but the kit came with several pin pushers and a little hammer and a plastic stand that holds the watch, so it's easy enough to tap the pins in/out. We got something like this :: https://www.amazon.com/Repair-Eventr...dp/B0714DJYLQ/ tho that is a higher quality kit than the one I have. Ours the 'watch band tool' had a plastic base, which is what broke.

Honestly I think it's easier to tap the pins in/out with the hammer. Depending on the thickness of your band the pin doesn't always align perfectly with the pin pusher on the little clamp tool.

Do some google searching on what type of bracelet you have. My Citizen uses a 'pin and collar' style, and had I not known that beforehand I would certainly have dropped and lost one of the tiny collars.