An argument for a higher-perceived status of the Franken/custom watch…

[Spacefruit]

If you are going to mod, then Mod

Check out the lug tops. Flattened like the original.

it’s a bit away from an original Alaska III

Maybe more of a replica than a mod…

 

[michael e]

One I made some time ago from parts I had.
Wonder where it is now? movement number never left the factory according to the archives, notice the Lemania top plate too.

 

[Eve]

I wonder if Omega would ever service these watches..

 

[Barking mad]

Introducing the BM LE, I did this back in 2015. New later model case, 321 service dial, 2998 hands, 321 movement( with EoA stating movement is from a Speedmaster), originally 220 error bezel and now sporting later DON bezel, custom case back and these days on an Uncle Seiko bracelet.

 

[Fallout Boy]

Well, I asked the AI today to create a 15 th century Speedmaster



btw: this is the 18th century sub

Edited: Oct 7, 2023

 

[michael e]

Eve

I wonder if Omega would ever service these watches..

I don’t think any of the posters here would send them to Omega to be fair

 

[itsjustausername]

Eve

I really like the standard reedition FOIS, however a few things bugged me about this reissue. The caseback is very uncomfortable for my skin and the applied Omego Logo is a modern one.

this is a really attractive package

 

[M'Bob]

Davidt

I lteqlly like a lot of the customised watches, especially some of the examples in this thread from Lewis WC.

But, just a couple of counter arguments to play devils advocate.



1. If buyers searched out an already customised watch to buy, that would still be someone else’s vision and design.

2. it feels a bit like modded cars to me. There are some people who can modify and the result looks great, better than factory. I’ve got a mate who buys a car, mods it over a few years then sells it and starts again. The results are really impressive.
However, the vast majority of modded cars look like they were designed by a 12 year old, Have no balance of cohesion and look utter shite. I’m left thinking, “wow, you’ve ruined a really nice Audi S4 there”.
A lot of the modded watches in general, even from places like Bamford, fall into this category for me.

3. like any collectible, most people want the archetype, especially when standard practise has been to replace and refinish over the years, meaning good condition, factory original examples are hard to find.

4. re Speedmasters, has anyone seen a mod they prefer over the original? I’d add limited editions to that as well. I like the ST1 and a couple of others, but if I had to keep one it would be the original.
there’s also a huge number of LE Speedies meaning many combinations one might have thought up have already been created. Parts supply also severely limits modding as there are no decent aftermarket dials etc that I’m aware of.

All excellent points.

I would only add the obvious comment that modifying a watch to change something one doesn’t love (the FOIS caseback discomfort mentioned above in the thread is a perfect example), or as an expression of one’s creativity, does not also exclude wanting both pristine, untouched examples, and beaters to wear with impunity.

There are so many great rationalizations to buy more watches, aren’t there?