Are Seiko Mod watches worth the money?

"How good is the quality" isn't something that can't be answered with a blanket statement; it will vary from modder to modder. On the whole they'll be pretty good as modders tend to be very interested in watches and quite fastidious (many of them seem quite OCD), but some modders are more experienced and/or do more interesting things than others, which is something to keep in mind as you start looking around.

If buying a modded watch is an area you're dipping your toe into, try and find comments and reviews on the specific modders you are looking to buy from. That'd be my best advice. Aside from that, have fun.

I'm thinking it would depend on who has done the mod, anyone can get a sapphire crystal, new dials hands case etc and have a crack at it themselves, here lies the problem, you wont really know what you are getting unless they have a good reputation behind them, some are great but you could end up getting burnt with someone's ham fisted attempt.

I had these thoughts and now I hope to get some more information about experiences with these kind of watches in the community

Or you can do the mod yourself. This forum has talked quite a number of members through their first mod. 😉

My question is, where do you draw the line between a mod and build? If a person mod his SKX to have sapphire, ceramic dual time insert, and 4r movement then it's a mod, I agree. But if one's to build a seiko mod from 0 with after market case, hands, bezel, dial, etc while the only parts that were made by seiko is the movement, is that still considered a mod?

Now I don't have a problem with both, but if I were to build my own "seiko" mod from the ground up, I would prefer it to have a neutral dial.

Sorry not trying to be provocative but why would you like to mod the Seiko to look like a Sub or AP? Can't you just buy 500€ watch you like at exisiting esthetics/design and be done with it or maybe switch a strap/bracelet for individual touch, there is huge variety of brands to choose from. If you really prefer the Rolex look just buy a blatant homage/copy as they probably use Seiko movement inside ( the name Seiko on the dial will be the only remaining Seiko thing after moding anyway as shown on the picture above ). Also total cost of moding a Seiko ( total with the watch ) will not end at 500€, at least not for well finished end result you are looking for.

I wouldn’t, if did not own at least 1 Rolex. For me it would just be a fun watch, which I would wear in situations when I usually don’t wear my Rolex. Such as going to the playground with my kids or cleaning my car 😊

Ok sorry, based on picture and first sentence "Since a while I saw pictures of Modified Seiko watches which look like Rolex or AP. On pictures they look pretty clean and nice." I assumed that is what you are looking for. Then just buy a 500€ watch and have fun😎

I am with you on that.. I have a Seiko mod that I wear when I know there is a high chance of getting a ding on it.. looks like Rolex Batman and is very clean looking automatic watch..

Thanks! Didn’t know that Invicta makes Seiko Mods. I know the brand since a while and also realized they make designs similar to Rolex and Breitling. But didn’t know it’s a Seiko inside.

Thanks! What about warer resistance of your watch? Can you wear it while showering or washing your hands?

I've assembled a few watches and modded watches in the past 2 years. In terms of my personal experience and perceived value here are a few points I can make:

• Modding vs building is not that different in terms of skill needed to do it properly. If you are taking apart a case, replacing hands, swapping bezels, etc. you need the right tools, a steady hand and attention to detail.

• Modding an OEM watch has the advantage of starting off with genuine OEM parts which are hard to source individually. Getting the authentic look is much easier with "real" parts obviously.

• Quality of parts is one of the biggest reasons to mod or build. The most common reason people mod OEM Seiko watches is to improve the crystal or bezel (sapphire, ceramic, alignment, etc.). But lume for example, is already really good on an OEM Seiko. So getting an after-market set of hands or dial will not be as good unless you want to re-lume and really know what you're doing.

So in conclusion, my honest opinion is modded or custom build watches are worth the money because they are generally an improvement on a "big box" OEM watch, if done properly. They are the next best thing to a good microbrand watch. But just like microbrands, you need to research or interview the builder to determine if you trust them.

Most importantly, building or modding a watch means you can make it look like anything you want! Here is a mod I did on an OEM Seiko 5 Sports:

And here is my fav Seiko, which has an OEM dial, hands and bezel/insert, everything else is after-market (case, NH36 movement and bracelet). I put the SKX173 handset on it!

The above two examples are better build quality IMHO than the straight OEM Seiko watches. They both have sapphire crystals and upgraded bracelets. I bought the 5KX on sale with a 40% discount, plus parts is cost about $300. The SKX mod was about $600 all said and done. Was it worth it? I think so, because they will last long, are easy to service, but most importantly, I like wearing them! To be fair, I'm actively trying to sell my Pepsi mod, but only because I have this crippling addiction called "watch collecting".

I believe the one I have says it has 300m water resistance. I have worn it in showers and heavy rains, but haven't tested it while swimming. Usually use apple watch or my good old trusty Casio Pathfinder when I feel adventurous..

Modding definitely improve the aesthetic / quality of the watch as after market are most come in better quality than OEM (otherwise why bother modding?)

However, build a watch from scratch, is another story. It is totally a crime of faking a watch, and that cross the line. It is not different than you buying a fake Rolex.

I'd agree with that statement if you were building a watch as a copy to pass that off as genuine. Lot of modders here and there are some excellent "frankenwatches" made by our WC family. I don't consider those as counterfeit. Ask them to post some pics and you'll see.

I like the metal casemod for the Arnie.

There are good modders and there are bad. I pride myself on going the extra distance to provide the best quality possible (also my OCD). Just find a modder with a decent following and one that prides their work.