The best ways to modify your Seiko to make it unique

Buffy Acacia

The relationship between wristwatches and the DIY spirit is usually limited, because even a simple quartz watch is pretty complicated. Anything more than changing a battery or a strap usually requires the help of a watchmaker, or at least spending some money on specialty tools before you can even attempt it. A popular exception to these rules is Seiko, whose near-modular approach to watchmaking has made enthusiasts realise many parts are interchangeable. A community has risen up around this, to the point where new Seiko-compatible parts are being manufactured for modifying existing models to your liking. If you want to get started, here are the best mods you can do. But proceed with caution, modified watches often lose the support of the brand that originally made them when it comes to aftercare, and the quality control can never be guaranteed.

Crystals

Even the most die-hard Seiko fanatics will admit that Hardlex crystals are a bit of a weak point on most of its budget-friendly models. Hardlex is a type of hardness-treated mineral glass, which means it is resistant to some scratches, but not remotely scratch-proof. It’s roughly three times harder than stainless steel, but a sapphire crystal is around ten times harder than steel. You’re pretty likely to pick up scratches over time with Hardlex, and they can’t be easily polished out like an acrylic crystal. A sapphire crystal really needs a heavy thwack on something to leave a scratch, and they’re extremely reasonably priced. You can choose a flat, domed, or box-shaped profile, and you can even elect to have an anti-reflective coating applied in many different colours, or just clear. This upgrade might not add instant wow-factor to your watch, but it’s a great investment in its longevity.

Movements

Seiko movements are known to be reliable and accurate considering their price, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for an upgrade or two. Considering Seiko’s evolution over the last few decades, its movement production has gradually increased in quality and range of features. Many Seiko watches pre-2019 were powered by the 7S2X automatic movements, famously including the SKX, which couldn’t be wound by hand and didn’t hack the seconds when the crown was pulled out. For those watches, an upgrade to the now-standard Seiko NH35/36 (the same as the 4R3X movements using Seiko’s internal nomenclature) implements those features, and makes them generally much easier to live with. Just keep in mind, some crown stem trimming will be required.

If you already have the NH35, you can also consider a direct swap for the 6R-equivalent movements, though that might prove a difficult escapade. You will boost the power reserve and get a higher beat rate, but Seiko’s production numbers of the NE15 (6R15 internally) are nowhere near the NH35, as they tend to be really rare. Though Seiko has since released an upgrade to the 6R15 with the 6R35 with the 70-hour power reserve, the brand hasn’t made those available to third parties as of yet. Swaps for other movements may be possible, but you’ll need to research their exact dimensions, and you’ll likely need to source dials and hands which are compatible. Speaking of which…

Dials and hands

The quickest way to make a watch your own is to customise the very thing you look at most of the time. Seiko watches generally have pretty great dials to begin with, but there is so much variety out there. Whether you want something totally unique or perhaps an homage to a less easily-attainable watch, many of the popular modding stores like Namoki, DLW or Seiko Mods will have you sorted. If you’re creatively inclined, you could even have a go at painting or otherwise changing the dial yourself, as long as you take care not to get any debris in the movement or case. Hand sets are also wildly variable, and you can end up with some pretty crazy combinations. How about a Mercedes hour hand and a bright orange minute hand? Sophisticated dauphine hours and minutes with a green lightning bolt seconds hand? Anything is possible – even changing the date wheel for a lumed one!

Bezels and inserts

If you’re modifying a Seiko watch, there’s a pretty high chance that it’s a diver. Even if it’s not, they all have bezels. Maybe you want a two-tone effect with a gold PVD fluted bezel for a dressy aesthetic, or you want thick, black knurling for an industrial contrast to a stainless steel case. Bezel style isn’t something to which many people pay attention, but the difference can be highly impactful. More conspicuously, the bezel insert can be changed to better contrast or compliment your choice of dial. You could go for a different style of numerals, with or without luminous markers, or you could even opt for a sapphire-topped insert for as much scratch protection as possible and an aesthetic inspired by the Bakelite bezels of the 1950s.

Cases and casebacks

Changing the shape of a watch case is a pretty extreme mod, because you’re essentially stripping the original watch of its physical characteristics. That might be perfect if you’re chasing a specific result, but there are also less extreme measures available. You can buy a direct replacement for your case, but coated in a different metal tone, or even a completely different colour like black or blue. A titanium case reduces weight and has a cool, dull grey lustre, and Namoki also sells aged steel cases if you’re a fan of the relic look. Most Seiko watches these days have Hardlex display casebacks to show off the movement, but if you want to replace that for a sapphire one or you’d rather a solid caseback to be engraved, then that’s also a consideration.

All of the above

What happens if you purchase all of the above components? Well, you’ve pretty much got the recipe for a complete watch. As long as you’re taking care to ensure all of the parts are compatible using the movement as a reference, then you can actually assemble a watch from scratch. It won’t really be a Seiko, and it certainly won’t come with any kind of customer support, but it would be entirely yours and a fun exercise. The other consideration is that things like water resistance will be harder to trust if you’ve installed the gaskets yourself without any kind of pressure testing, but you could purchase the parts yourself and then pay a trusted watchmaker to assemble them for you, if you need the peace of mind.