***Please note that I am no longer accepting new work at this time. If you’d like to still contact me, please feel free, however I may take longer that usual to reply***
The following pricing is for Labour only. The cost of parts is not included:
Hand swap and/or dial swap – $80 (if swapping day and/or date wheel +$50)
Seconds hand $40
Custom fit crown (cutting/fitting stem) – $50
Bezel and/or bezel insert swap – $50
Chapter ring swap – $80 (no charge with crystal replacement)
Crystal upgrade – $80 (if reusing gasket – +$20 for new gasket)
Packages (labour only):
1) Crystal + bezel/bezel insert – $120
2) Dial and/or hands + bezel and/or bezel insert $120
3) Movement Swap (dial + hands + day wheel + crown/stem cutting) $150
4) Crystal + dial and/or hands + bezel and/or bezel insert $180
5) Crystal + dial and/or hands + bezel and/or bezel insert + custom fit crown and stem $220
Q: How does this work? Do I buy the parts? Do you buy the parts for me?
A: Either is fine. There’s no difference in price. I usually have shipments coming in weekly, and I can add extra parts into existing orders. I do require payment upfront for any parts I am ordering on your behalf so that I am not stuck with extra parts I may not use. If you are ordering parts, please make sure everything is compatible.
Q: How do I get this dial?
A:Dials are the hardest part of the mod to get. Seiko does not sell dials, and neither do I. I’m constantly scouring the internet for dials (watch forums, eBay, Instagram), but so is everyone else and they’re becoming harder and harder to find, and obviously more and more expensive (most are $100usd+). Because of this, I’ve been trying to keep a small inventory reserved for those who are doing a mod/build with me. So if there is something you’re looking, let me know. If I don’t have it, I may be able to point to you in the direction of someone who may have it. But I do not sell dials on their own.
Q: I have a dial made for a case with the crown position at 4 o’clock, but I really l like this case with the crown at 3 o’clock, will it work?
A: Not the way it’s intended to work – OEM Dials have little metal feel that fit into the sides of the plastic movement holder. This means that the date window will not line up when properly if you are not using a case with the same crown position as it was originally made for. So what can you do? You can cut the feet off and use an adhesive or “dial dots” to keep it in place without the feet. Is it ideal? no… But it’ll work. I usually don’t recommend it as it de-values the dial. But if you are not concerned with re-selling the dial, and you’re ok with the fact this adhesive could eventually let go (maybe not for years, maybe never), then I’m happy to do this for you.
Q: Why do I care about these Day and Date wheel options? Aren’t they all compatible?
A: No! There’s a lot of different options here. The “Kanji” date wheel with Japanese text is one of the most popular day wheels I’m asked for. There’s a number of things to consider with this. The most important is the crown position. Cases with 3 o’clock crowns and 4 o’clock crowns use different day wheels. And if you’re buying a new NH36 movement, it almost always comes with a day wheel meant for a 3 o’clock crown position, and the alternative language is almost always Chinese. So if you’re putting this into a case with a 4 o’clock crown, you will need a new day wheel or it will not line up in the day/date window on the dial. Also if you are changing the date wheel, there’s a few things you need to be aware of. The first thing is that you need to disassemble much more of the movement to change this. Also, you can not use a date wheel from a 7S26A or 7S26B in a 7S26C/NH36/4R36 movement – they do not line up. But date wheels on 7S26C/NH36/4R36 are all compatible with each other, and the crown position does not matter with the date wheel (unlike the day wheel).
Q: I have everything ready to go, how can I get it to you?
A: Unfortunately I am no longer offering local drop-off/pick-up, everything is done by mail. I use a number of courier services and can typically get a shipment anywhere within Canada in less than 3 days (most times, over night). If it makes it easier for you, I can also arrange a courier pickup at your house.
Q: Can you source the base watch for me?
A: I don’t have any connections with Authorized Dealers – Basically the price you see on the site is exactly what I would pay. Sometimes it makes more sense for me to order on your behalf so that the watch can be shipped directly to me. Again, payment for this will need to be made upfront.
Q: Can I call you to discuss the mod I’m thinking of?
A: Unless it’s an absolute horological emergency I don’t do phone consultations. I’ve got a busy day job, and a busy family life. I like to talk about watches, and I’m sure you do too, and we’ll both end up not getting much done besides talking about our grail watches. But if you’ve got questions on parts compatibility, which supplier to buy from, etc, please email/DM, I’m more than happy to offer assistance.
Q: I’ve DM’d and emailed you, but I haven’t heard back. What gives?
A: I do most of my replies after 5:00pm Eastern. I have a busy day job, and don’t usually have time to check on mod inquires until my work day is done.
Q: Do you sell parts?
A: No I don’t. I have a very small inventory of commonly used parts, but they are reserved for customers doing mods with me.
Q: Do you sell completed watches?
A: Not usually. Everyone’s tastes are different, and most people want to mod their watch exactly the way they want. From time to time, I will build a watch with the intention of selling (and usually heavily discount my labour), but it doesn’t happen very often.
Payments options: PayPal (4% surcharge) or email money transfer (no surcharge).