The "Money Shifts" of Watch Modding
Now, modding is a lot of fun, and I love to do it. Granted, it does require that you have patience, yet there are some occasions when you realize you have messed up to a degree that will cost you.
a) 3-2-1 ... and we have lift-off!
You're working on a movement, and your confidence is pretty high, as you have done this many time before, but then you jerk the tweezers just slightly, and something becomes airborne. You hear a faint "pling" on the other side of the room, but you don't know where. That part was redundant, right, right? Yeah, right!
b) Things are getting hairy
You regulate your movement, and you are using a lot of caution. Again, you have done this before, it's no big deal. Until you become a little too comfortable, and jab the wooden peg straight into the hairspring. You realize that a hairspring and balance are $5, but the installation can be hairy. A new balance cock is about 2/3 of the price of the movement. You then start trying to rationalize the purchase of the balance cock.
c) First pressure, then release
You are about to put the movement into the case, and press the stem release button. You put the stem back in. It seats, and you can adjust the time. But wait, why can't I wind or adjust the date. Then it dawns on you that you pressed the release lever to hard, and its extension jumped out of the groove of one of the pinions. (Both the NH35 and the 2824/clones allow for that fun, with the 2824/clones having the added pitfall of selecting the wrong position to begin with.) You may get away with removing the front side of the movement, but that's if you are lucky. Otherwise you have a full disassembly or reassembly to look forward to.
d) Nice dial, if you can handle it
You ordered a particular dial from halfway around the world. It's not made out of brass. That's way too common, maybe some layered structures of polyurethane will do the trick. Then you realize the dial feet come off if you look at them the wrong way, and so do the indices. Some of these dial scratch immediately if you drop a watch hand on the dial. You start to sweat profusely during installation.
e) The Rubbery Thing from Hell
You ordered a watch case to realize that it comes with a while spacer. The spacer fits somewhat, but not quite. Or it's fine until you close the caseback, but then it's rien de va plus. You finally decide to put the spacer onto the movement prior to installation. It's tight, quite tight ... and then the tension launches the movement onto your desk.
Now...what did I forget?
Pushing down the hands is always nerve-racking for me, when the dial alone is 70% of the cost of the parts and took 2 months to arrive despite $20 in shipping (go figure). Now I'm covering the entire dial with a plastic film, underneath the bergeon dial protector, as a double protection... 😂
Do not forget about problems with hand installations.
(f) The hour hand is big and goes on fine. Then comes the minute hand. Since you put the hour hand easily, you relax and rush to put on the minute hand. And, in your haste you apply just a bit too much pressure and, voi la, your minute hand is bent, and interferes with the hour hand. Now, you take off the minute hand and attempt to straighten it. And if you are lucky, 10 minutes later, it is straight and you try again. If you are not lucky, time to order a new set of hands from across the world. Project delayed another 3 weeks.
(g) Second hand installation. What there to say? You need to have the eyesight of an eagle, move with the speed of a sloth and steadiness of a Siberian tiger, Use the best possible magnification that you can. And then, after several attempts it may work. And if it not, order new hands. I always order 2 sets of hands, just in case.
(h) You installed your hands, everything is moving fine, and then you look and you see that you forgot to install the dial washer. So, you tell yourself that you are an idiot, and repeat a few times. The you take off the hands, the dial (hopefully you did not scratch it when you took of the hands), and put on the damn washer and the dial and start with the hands again.
This is my limited experience.
Pushing down the hands is always nerve-racking for me, when the dial alone is 70% of the cost of the parts and took 2 months to arrive despite $20 in shipping (go figure). Now I'm covering the entire dial with a plastic film, underneath the bergeon dial protector, as a double protection... 😂
Yes, that is quite a bit of protection, I have to admit. The Bergeon dial protector definitely helps. On some dials you can't use it, because the indices are too tall. (Or you don't want it to touch the dial.) But yeah, if you have the option it's definitely cheap insurance.
It is interesting with chronographs, where you can't use a dial protector for the subdials all that well.
Do not forget about problems with hand installations.
(f) The hour hand is big and goes on fine. Then comes the minute hand. Since you put the hour hand easily, you relax and rush to put on the minute hand. And, in your haste you apply just a bit too much pressure and, voi la, your minute hand is bent, and interferes with the hour hand. Now, you take off the minute hand and attempt to straighten it. And if you are lucky, 10 minutes later, it is straight and you try again. If you are not lucky, time to order a new set of hands from across the world. Project delayed another 3 weeks.
(g) Second hand installation. What there to say? You need to have the eyesight of an eagle, move with the speed of a sloth and steadiness of a Siberian tiger, Use the best possible magnification that you can. And then, after several attempts it may work. And if it not, order new hands. I always order 2 sets of hands, just in case.
(h) You installed your hands, everything is moving fine, and then you look and you see that you forgot to install the dial washer. So, you tell yourself that you are an idiot, and repeat a few times. The you take off the hands, the dial (hopefully you did not scratch it when you took of the hands), and put on the damn washer and the dial and start with the hands again.
This is my limited experience.
Well, at least hands are generally inexpensive. 😉And I agree, a light touch and the right diameter of pushers helps a lot in this regard. I further agree on extra watch hands. You never know how they look "in person", so ordering a variety isn't bad, either.
The good thing with watch hands is that the installation gets easier and easier. These days the second hand takes me seconds to install. Moving the movement holder a little, turning my head 45 degrees, and using the shadow of the pinion as a guide, it usually takes less than 30 seconds . It's the magic of good old repetition.
Dial washer? So you work on something other than an NH35? Excellent! There are many movements that deserve a modding community, IMHO.
The hand set yeah sure it will fit and it’s longer than the dial 🤣😫…
Sure sandstone dials looks sparkly and sexy… craack!! 😱😖
Well, at least hands are generally inexpensive. 😉And I agree, a light touch and the right diameter of pushers helps a lot in this regard. I further agree on extra watch hands. You never know how they look "in person", so ordering a variety isn't bad, either.
The good thing with watch hands is that the installation gets easier and easier. These days the second hand takes me seconds to install. Moving the movement holder a little, turning my head 45 degrees, and using the shadow of the pinion as a guide, it usually takes less than 30 seconds . It's the magic of good old repetition.
Dial washer? So you work on something other than an NH35? Excellent! There are many movements that deserve a modding community, IMHO.
Yes, I started with ST3600 and ST3620 first. Those require the dial washer. Now I also do NH35 and NH34. BTW, the NH34 movements came with dial washers.
The hand set yeah sure it will fit and it’s longer than the dial 🤣😫…
Sure sandstone dials looks sparkly and sexy… craack!! 😱😖
Yes, forgot about the handset. ("13mm will fit, I'm sure it will.") Most European manufacturers post the "dial opening" in mm, which is very helpful.
But yeah, you may even cut or file the minute hand down, and things tend to go sideways from there.
Sandstone has to be one of the least ideal materials for watch dials. I'm amazed that you tried.
Yes, I started with ST3600 and ST3620 first. Those require the dial washer. Now I also do NH35 and NH34. BTW, the NH34 movements came with dial washers.
I tried an ST3600, just for giggles and grins. Took it apart and put it back together prior to modding with it. Fairly easy overall, but mounting it in the case was deceptively finicky, with those tiny screws and tabs in a recess.
I tried an ST3600, just for giggles and grins. Took it apart and put it back together prior to modding with it. Fairly easy overall, but mounting it in the case was deceptively finicky, with those tiny screws and tabs in a recess.
I took a couple of online watch repair classes and they used this movement to practice with. So, I also ordered the cases. All 44 mm cases and most 42 mm cases require those mounting clamps and small screws. But, by accident, I ordered a 42 mm case that is snug enough so those clamps are not needed.
God! Just reading about all the ways it can go wrong has raised my blood pressure 10 points!
Most expensive mistake I've made was installing hands onto a G-Shock GA-2100, and I put the minutes hand down onto the pinion lightly and then gave it a push sideways to get it lined up. But it was on the pinion enough that it was gripping it and turned the pinion a little. And on a GA-2100, that pinion is driven by a small plastic gear. Broke one of the teeth right over and the gear would. Just jam and the hands couldn't move. Had to replace the entire module, and only way I could do that easily was buying a whole new watch. Worked out in the end, since the module I broke had the negative LCD display, which is useless, and got a different colored watch with a normal gray LCD.
As for number 2, about parts flying away, had the little spring steel strap over the battery on my 1972 Bulova Accuquartz fly away on me. And that is not an easy part to replace. I heard the general area where it landed, which was a messy area in a corner by a cabinet. Gently tore everything apart and paid close attention, and I FOUND IT! I got so lucky there!
Good point on quartz watches and their low-torque movements. I will keep that in mind when aligning hands on subdials of mechaquartz chronos.
You were lucky with that part. Part retention is key. I thought I lost a screw tonight, pulled one from a donor movement, only to find the original screw. Also, battery changes can be high-risk endeavors. There are people who short the battery, force a connector out of the way that should be carefully removed, or jam a screwdriver into a coil.
Good point on quartz watches and their low-torque movements. I will keep that in mind when aligning hands on subdials of mechaquartz chronos.
You were lucky with that part. Part retention is key. I thought I lost a screw tonight, pulled one from a donor movement, only to find the original screw. Also, battery changes can be high-risk endeavors. There are people who short the battery, force a connector out of the way that should be carefully removed, or jam a screwdriver into a coil.
God! Just reading about all the ways it can go wrong has raised my blood pressure 10 points!
It takes a special frame of mind. I can't work on watches when I'm stressed. On the plus side, it generally has a calming effect. You also have only yourself to blame if things go wrong.
I always have trouble with the seconds hands. My vision is not as sharp anymore. It is hard for me to do hand-eye coordination with the eye magnifiers.
Most seem to find their own way that works for them when placing the second hand. Magnification definitely throws off depth perception. I read about gently placing the second hand on the pinion, but the hand tended to slide right off. However, putting a tiny bit of rodico on the end of a pusher worked for me, along with some light from the side.
Pushing down the hands is always nerve-racking for me, when the dial alone is 70% of the cost of the parts and took 2 months to arrive despite $20 in shipping (go figure). Now I'm covering the entire dial with a plastic film, underneath the bergeon dial protector, as a double protection... 😂
Are we still taking about watch modding 🤣😂😆
Are we still taking about watch modding 🤣😂😆
Of course we are! 😎
You realize that you need a chapter ring , a gasket, a crown, or something else because you either forgot to order it, thought it was included with something else you ordered, lost it, or what you have and thought would work definitely doesn't. Move back 3 spaces! (3 more weeks)
You realize that you need a chapter ring , a gasket, a crown, or something else because you either forgot to order it, thought it was included with something else you ordered, lost it, or what you have and thought would work definitely doesn't. Move back 3 spaces! (3 more weeks)
Right, often combined with the "inventory confusion". (I swear I had an extra crystal gasket.)