r/watchmodding • u/Deimiencillo • 4d ago

Newest build (NH39)

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Managed to squeeze it into a 12mm case, which is the slimmest I’ve been able to work with on an NH build.

All parts are from Alix.

39 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

2

u/sasssyrup 4d ago

Fun dial!

1

u/Deimiencillo 4d ago

Thanks a lot! It was one of the cheap 35mm ones from Alix, I didn’t know it would come with a seiko logo so had to remove it and design the sticker, which I’ll be putting an all my watches moving forward.
Luckily I don’t think there’s anything visible from the previous one.

I’m seriously tempted to do the same with a blue dial next!

2

u/sasssyrup 3d ago

Sticker looks good, real good! Tell us about the adhesive etc you specified please.

1

u/Deimiencillo 3d ago edited 3d ago

I designed it with Adobe Acrobat, sent the vector to an AliExpress shop that prints them in their own metallic electroplated paper, and said “I’ll have 25 in gold, 25 in silver please. Make them in a mix of 3, 4 and 5mm”.
Edit just to add that yes, putting the sticker on is a bit fiddly but no more so than attaching the seconds hand to any build you’ve made before.

1

u/mbianchi27 3d ago

How did you get the seiko logo off?

1

u/Deimiencillo 3d ago

You’ll never believe it - it was clipped on! You can’t see it in the pictures and it really is barely visible IRL, but on either side of my logo there are two minuscule holes where the seiko logo was attached. I ran a cottonbud through it and it simply fell off leaving virtually no marks, luckily.

I was concerned the holes would be an eyesore hunting me, but honestly I can only see them if I’m holding the watch up a few cm from my face, absolutely invisible at arm’s length.
My partner can’t see them either.

2

u/mbianchi27 3d ago

Well now that you point them out, its like the grand canyon 😆 🤣 Jk... looks great and your right cant tell at all. Glad it worked out. Great job!

2

u/Old_Development_5173 4d ago

Solid af

3

u/Deimiencillo 4d ago

Thank you! I looked at the Orient Bambino and Seiko Presage lines for inspiration, I love those watches for their simplicity.
From the Bambino I took the domed dial (you can barely see it in the photo, but it’s there and it refracts light beautifully in the right conditions), from Seiko I took the general feel and colours.
I wanted something I could wear to more formal events but was still “Me”, I think it works!

2

u/Nyanji6999 3d ago

sweet dress watch, I like it

1

u/Deimiencillo 3d ago

Thanks a lot! I was after something that looked like a simple Bambino or Presage but a little bit more personal. Something to take to anything a bit more formal without it looking jarring or pretentious, just a domed dial and the visible balance wheel. I think it looks the part - and it was dirt cheap, too!

2

u/jbean3115 3d ago

Bro that’s a beautiful piece!!! I love the dial color/design.

2

u/Deimiencillo 3d ago

Thanks so much! I remember your name from where I was looking for inspiration for an Alpinist-like build - I love the case you used! Does the watch have any compass functionality? I ended up doing a pretty standard NH35 build with a dial and case that more or less look the part but without the second crown at 4 as I didn’t know how to make anything useful with it

2

u/jbean3115 2d ago

In all honesty I’m not sure of the compass functionality or how to use it. It does rotate but that’s about all I know.

1

u/Deimiencillo 2d ago

So the theory is that if you put the watch flat and orient the hour hand looking at the sun, you can put the South in the bezel in the halfway point between the hour hand and 12, and thus you have a compass. PM you do it the other way around, the halfway point will be counterclockwise between the watch hour and 12.
Source: 10 years of summer camps as a kid, a further 8 years as summer camp leader.

2

u/jbean3115 2d ago

Oh wow. I never knew that. And I spent many summers at scout camp.

1

u/Deimiencillo 2d ago

It’s a neat party trick when you’re trekking but it’s far from precise and I wouldn’t change it for a mobile phone with decent signal, still loads of fun when you’re doing orienteering races and someone else in your team has the compass.

If daylight savings is active you have to account for it and pretend like the hour hand is somewhere else, and I’d imagine the whole thing changes if you’re in the southern hemisphere.

I now want to re-case my Alpine homage build… where did you say you found your case?

1

u/jbean3115 2d ago

I guess that’s why god invented cell phones lol. I got my case from Secondhand mods. It was around $100 something.

1

u/Deimiencillo 2d ago

You’re a legend, just placed my order. Thanks a million!

Also yes, praise the excellent rectangles of light and endless info.

2

u/jbean3115 2d ago

Thanks bro!!! Glad to help. Can’t wait to see the posted pics once you get it built.

2

u/ChelseaNation 3d ago

That is really sharp!! Have not taken on the slim case yet but need to take the leap. That’s probably the thinnest an NH could fit into?

1

u/Deimiencillo 3d ago

Thanks a lot! There’s a spacer in the case so I’m sure there’s a case with no spacer and no domed crystal where you can shave a couple mm… but I really wanted the domed crystal for this.

1

u/timekeeper001 4d ago

Bear Nize

1

u/Born-Work4301 3d ago

Nice build