Trying destro - I should think things through

When I ordered my Serica I didn't choose the destro (left hand crown) variant because I thought that the watch was weird enough with the crown on the more common side. But still, I kept thinking about that left hand drive and if that was something I want. Sure you can put on your watch the wrong way around just to try how it feels - but that's not the same.

So I  decides to build my own destro watch. I thought it's really easy. You need a case, a no date dial and movement and just reverse the dial when putting it together. Easy enough. But then I had an idea: What if I use a dial without any numerals where all markers are the same? This way I could wear the whole watch upside down for the destro experience! No need to think this through further, it's a win!

I searched through my parts box to see what I got. I only needed an upside-downable dial. After a short Aliexpress session I found Rolex OP clomage dials that did exactly what I wanted. So my plan formed: Brushed 36mm case, no date NH38 movement, yellow OP inspired dial, black hands for some contrast.

I routinely built it with the crown at 3 o'clock - I knew it didn't matter because you can just flip it and wear it with the crown at 9 as well. Right. Right??

Not right. I didn't think things through - my flippable watch plan was a pipe dream because I didn't anticipate the hand alignment. When you flip the watch and the minute marker is at 12 o'clock the hour marker shows half past the hour. D'oh!

So open it up again, pull off the hands, set them again. And I hate setting hands, that's the only stresful part of assembling a watch for me.

Done. Finished my only destro mod/ build/ assembly.

Happy? Meh. It fulfills it's purpose, I can try a crown-at-9 watch and it was really affordable. All components together were less than 100 €. And it's a pretty watch - of course it is, it's Rolex OP clomage. I don't like that it's so 1:1. And now it's cased the black hands look off. All to say - to be continued... 😎