CodeFour
·I was bitten by the mechanical watch bug about 20 years ago, obsessed and researched for years, then finally bought my first - a Seiko Samurai - in 2006 (borrowed image, but same model - SNMO11, stainless and black).
I have absolutely loved this watch and it has gone everyplace with me since then.
The only 2 things that bothered me about the watch, after some years of wear and tear, were the aluminum bezel and mineral crystal. I’ve always liked the way domed sapphire and ceramic bezels look, but have been waiting for those features for when I buy a luxury watch sometime in the next year or two. But...I couldn’t wait and decided it was time to try my hand at modding. I bought a domed sapphire AR crystal from Crystal Times, and a ceramic bezel insert from DLW Watches. Crystal Times had the exact crystal for my model, but the ceramic bezel was more difficult. I wasn’t surprised that I couldn’t find an exact bezel insert for my model. So I researched dimensions, did some educated guessing, and went with a ceramic bezel intended for the Seiko Sumo. I watched a few YouTube videos on the subject and bought a crystal press for about $12 US.
I love to tinker, so the whole process was very fun! The crystal fit perfectly, but the bezel insert is a bit too tall/thick. The bezel insert’s diameter is perfect though, so it fits but just sits a bit proud of the bezel.
I am by no means a watchmaker, and the mod is by no means perfect, but it was a fun project, I didn’t ruin my watch or the removed parts, it has a shinier/deeper look that I love, and it is more resilient against scratches. All thoughts positive and negative are welcomed!
Cheers
I have absolutely loved this watch and it has gone everyplace with me since then.
The only 2 things that bothered me about the watch, after some years of wear and tear, were the aluminum bezel and mineral crystal. I’ve always liked the way domed sapphire and ceramic bezels look, but have been waiting for those features for when I buy a luxury watch sometime in the next year or two. But...I couldn’t wait and decided it was time to try my hand at modding. I bought a domed sapphire AR crystal from Crystal Times, and a ceramic bezel insert from DLW Watches. Crystal Times had the exact crystal for my model, but the ceramic bezel was more difficult. I wasn’t surprised that I couldn’t find an exact bezel insert for my model. So I researched dimensions, did some educated guessing, and went with a ceramic bezel intended for the Seiko Sumo. I watched a few YouTube videos on the subject and bought a crystal press for about $12 US.
I love to tinker, so the whole process was very fun! The crystal fit perfectly, but the bezel insert is a bit too tall/thick. The bezel insert’s diameter is perfect though, so it fits but just sits a bit proud of the bezel.
I am by no means a watchmaker, and the mod is by no means perfect, but it was a fun project, I didn’t ruin my watch or the removed parts, it has a shinier/deeper look that I love, and it is more resilient against scratches. All thoughts positive and negative are welcomed!
Cheers