Putting a watch together to smile again– DIY Watch Vintage Diver

There are a few things that makes us smile. Food, drinks and for us watch lovers, a new piece with all the specs on our watch box. There is no denying that the process of ordering/owning a watch has changed over the years. The fact that we can buy anything rare from the corners of the internet and then, it arrives home just in a few days, diminishes the value, at least to me.

As a watch enthusiast, I’ve seen grail watches become meaningless to their owners and one of the main reasons is that we amassed too much and too fast. We do not appreciate watches as individual object; we see them more as box ticking exercise.

Continuing this path could be quite annoying and potentially, is why many of our watch fellows feel that the hobby is losing their joy, they are chasing the perfect watch or the perfect collection which doesn’t exist.

That said, there is still plenty of joy in watches, especially when you realise that is not about the price but about the experience plus the people you meet along the way. If that is where you are now, well, you are in for something special.

How about assembling your own watch?

Modding objects like cars, clothes and watches is in our nature, we are always trying to stand out for the normal, that feeling of having something unique. In watches, modding a Seiko has exploded, and it brings an opportunity to have something fun, special and allowing you to grasp the experience of designing a watch.

DIY Watch Club has taken this a step further. They decided to democratize the fun part of modding a watch by allowing the wearer to take the front seat, to make him feel like a watchmaker.

This is not my first kit from the brand and now we have the ultimate diver on their line-up, their Vintage Diver Watchmaking kit. It’s an enthusiast driven project with lots of fun to be had, let’s begin.

The specifications

When I mentioned that this was an enthusiast driven project, I really meant it. This was a kit that was requested by many as we, watch lovers like our divers to be 40mm in diameter to have that vintage feel, they listened. That 40mm in diameter with a 47.5mm lug to lug are the golden ratio for these watches, especially vintage ones. The case is so thin and beautiful, it just oozes class. There are still 42mm versions in their catalogue which include the latest and greatest materials, but we are here for a shot of nostalgia.

The matte black dial has this grainy texture that mimics vintage divers from the 60s, it is very tool like and with no date plus a red line on the bottom of the dial, the watch looks like business. We quite enjoy the minimalist touch when it comes to the writing on the dial, it looks truly vintage.

One of the details that makes the watch stand out is the acrylic crystal, it is quite pronounced making the dial distort at the edges, we love it. It is the cherry on top of the cake when it comes to details, just makes the whole package to come alive.

As being part of a mod kit, we have several bezels to play with, a red one which is our favourite, a green and a traditional black. They all give the Vintage Diver a different feeling, not just looks but how the watch speaks to you. On the bezel department you can also opt to use a coin edge one for a more military spec look or a smoother classic design for a subdue composition.

Powering the watch is a NH38 no date variant which I think is the bet movement that can be choose for this project. It is very thin, robust and easy to work with when assembling, it really makes you appreciate what Seiko has done for the watch community with its movements, so we are very happy to have these two brands together.

Once the process is finished, the Vintage Diver will give you 100 meters of water resistance via the screw down crown, plenty to be a good contender for the actual Seiko and Citizen diver out there.

The process

As you can imagine, part of the experience is not wearing or looking at your watch but to put it together. I am not here to say that I am a watchmaker or that we are taking their jobs, but I did come out of this project knowing more about watches and how they function. I’ve also learnt to appreciate more that these little mechanical wonders, they are just incredible.

The process starts with examinate the watch case, the movement, and make sure that everything is ready for assembling. I did not realise how much of a clean environment is needed to ensure that a watch can be dust free, it’s a necessity.

The kit brings all you need, from finger gloves to a dust blower. You do not need to buy or add anything to make your watch.

Once you attached the dial to the movement, well, it is time for the hands. Probably the hardest part of the project followed by removing the watch stem. The hour hand is easy to insert and regulate, just like the minute hand. The seconds hand requires a but more precision and patience. Thankfully the guys at DIY Watch Club included a tool that saves you time and effort and making the process more enjoyable.

The feeling you get when casing the movement with the hands is the equivalent of winning a race, pure satisfaction. As soon as I’ve added the stem and then closed the see trough caseback, I’ve looked over my shoulder looking for someone to yell that it is all done, no one was there but the joy was present.

The watch comes with 3 different straps, each one of them can be paired nicely with the bezel, we quite enjoy the canvas green strap, the quality of the material and the buckle makes us realized that DIY Watch Club is including more and more quality materials, everything feels very premium from the packaging to the components.

On the wrist

As you can imagine, the watch feels great on my 6.25-inch wrist. It is the perfect size not only for me but for this style of watch. We quite enjoy the overall look and how it plays with different bezels/straps, everything is easy to interchange, you will have a new watch every day.

I wore the Vintage Diver mostly of active activities. I went to the gym, hiking and during long walks, it was quite a treat. It just blends quite a bit with everything you must do, divers for me are the ultimate GADA category, it is that good.

The thinness is something that we quite enjoy, and the mid case is a testament to this, keep the watch flat and usable. Legibility is also a strong point, with no date, bright lume and smaller proportions, the watch is readable immediately, no reflections but with that lovely distortion from the glass, best of both worlds.

Conclusions

There is quite a bit to love and enjoy from this whole process. The final product is outstanding and then you have the interaction needed to arrive there, it is much different than just buying a watch, a true experience.

Another highlight that we must do is the price of this kit which is unbelievable. It starts at 315 GBP, not only is cheaper than almost any watch with this movement, but you can also argue that is 3 watches in 1 with their bezels and different straps.

If you want to enjoy watches again, I will highly recommend trying this route. Have a quick chat with the guys at DIY Watch Club and I am sure you will be surprised again.

Technical Specifications

·         40mm DWC Vintage Diver Case

·         Material: Stainless Steel

·         Crystal: Acrylite 8N specialty vintage high-dome acrylic

·         Case size: 40mm (40mm bezel, 38mm body)

·         Lug size: 20mm

·         Lug-to-lug: 47.5mm

·         Thickness: 13.3mm (including high dome crystal)

·         Water-resistant: 10ATM (assuming correct assembly)

·         TMI NH35 / NH38 movement by Seiko