Aftermarket exhibition caseback

Received an email notification that spiralwinder is releasing their 3861 exhibition caseback. Anyone here receive an early sample or initial impressions?

https://www.spiralwinderwatchparts....ition-caseback-for-the-3861-omega-speedmaster

My parts fit perfectly. I would never go back with the original case back, specially due to my FOIS now looks like an "ultra slim watch".

I would also be very interested in hearing any experiences with the 3861 caseback swap 😀

Well, I decided to take the plunge and order one for my 3861. It arrived crazy fast! The provided 3D printed case opener worked easily and painlessly. Installation took maybe a minute. The movement looks *super* close to the crystal, but I guess I'm hoping their engineers accounted for this. Watch now fits slightly closer on my wrist, not that that was ever really an issue for me. Regardless, the movement is beautiful and this is a pretty cool and easily reversible mod.

I've done the same switch for my Hesalite 3861, the watch feels slightly thinner and wears more snug (probably also due to the increased friction provided by the sapphire glass vs metal). I was also able to pressure test the watch at an AD to 5 bars with no issues.

Adding a data point for Spiralwinder:
1) I ordered on Saturday Sep 17
2) Proprietor emailed me on Sunday Sep 18 with shipping confirmation #.

I didn't get the 3D printed caseback tool though, as that is currently not available from Spiralwinder. I then entertained the idea of ordering a Bergeon Jaxa opener from Otto Frie down the street, but rubbished that thought once I saw the price for the Jaxa was going to be $220 after local Oakland sales tax. 🙁

The Amazon reviews for off-brand imitation versions of the Jaxa tool didn't look very promising. I'll plan to take it to any of the ~dozen watch makers in the Shreve building across the bay in the Financial District later this week, once I receive the caseback. The last time I did a caseback swap, Geneva Watch Repair in that building had me in & out the door in 5 minutes. Will share photos!

For the 1861 - I did have excellent results with the Thomas Priek caseback. I wasn't too interested in seeing the 1861 movement, but had instead felt compelled to get the Thomas Priek sapphire caseback primarily to mitigate the pain & discomfort caused by the raised Hippocampus & circular perimeter from the previous generation Speedy Pro caseback.

The hippocampus on the 3861 caseback is no longer a comfort & skin health concern. Omega updated the caseback design and made the hippocampus 100% fully recessed below the elevation of the caseback surface which comes in contact with wrist. Bravo Omega, in addressing that! But I'd gotten used to seeing that manual wind Lemania/Omega chronograph movement, so aftermarket parts here I come, to equip a displayback on my 3861 speedy pro 🥰

In the coming days, I'll add photos & testimonial onto those previously shared by fellow forum members. Thank you chnzwh, matty_westside for sharing your 3861 Spiralwinder results to date.

Is there any risk to get the watch magnetized (more easily) and then it would run outise the tolerance because one swaps from metal caseback (which - i think does provide and anti-magnetic protection through the dust cover) to transparent caseback ?

Everything is possible. There is no free lunch..... Don't work in a Loudspeaker Factory.

Received Spiralwinder caseback on Wednesday; had ordered on Saturday. I'm pleased by the product. Only minor critique is that the very high polish on the metal perimeter, combined with its sharp angles, really shines in the light and draws the eye away from the 3861 movement it's designed to showcase. The high polish was not an issue with Thomas Priek casebacks for the 1861, since the metal perimeter on that is convex and not angled.

For those in the Bay Area, the fellas at Geneva Watch Repair in the Shreve building did the caseback swap and had me in & out in 5 minutes. They also did a water resistance check and confirmed 5 bar.

I'm quite bad at photography, but here's how it worked out:

This thread helped to find a sapphire caseback for my 145.012. Thanks a lot! I just received a Preik and when I installed it and turned the watch, something is moving inside the case. It‘s either the spacer ring or the whole movement. Does someone have an idea what I did wrong?

Thanks for the swift replay. It came with the one attached in the middle.

Alright, thanks. I will try and contact him to see what his solution might be. What kind of o-ring would I need in case he isn’t of any help.

Just to give an update: I contacted him and he sent me a higher spacer in the mail that made the wiggle disappear.

Any other 145.022 owners tried it out? Would love to put one on mine, but the limited data points in this thread for 145.022 don’t give me much confidence.