SeaDweller left wrist to right wrist

[EbolaVirus]

I have a SeaDweller with its crown on the right. It has an eta 2836.

Is it possible to rotate the face in the case 180deg to change it into a left crown? I know I will have to adjust hands as well...

Will I have to modify the case or face at all?

Also, I have never removed crystal before. Is it safe to push out push in? Will it seal sufficiently?

Thanks.

[sneed12]

I have a SeaDweller with its crown on the right. It has an eta 2836.

Is it possible to rotate the face in the case 180deg to change it into a left crown?

 

With an ETA 28xx... yes. The dial feet are 180 degrees apart, so you can literally just remove the hands and dial and turn it around the other way.

 

 

I know I will have to adjust hands as well...

Will I have to modify the case or face at all?

 

 

No, you shouldn't have to.

 

Also, I have never removed crystal before. Is it safe to push out push in? Will it seal sufficiently?

Thanks.

 

Depends on the case construction and how good of a job you do, but probably.

[bamcky2k]

you'll need to swap the date wheel too if you go for a destro layout...outherwise the date will be upside down...you can get eta date wheels for date window at 9, so no big problem...pretty cheap too.

[EbolaVirus]

With an ETA 28xx... yes. The dial feet are 180 degrees apart, so you can literally just remove the hands and dial and turn it around the other way.

I know I will have to adjust hands as well...

Will I have to modify the case or face at all?

No, you shouldn't have to.

Also, I have never removed crystal before. Is it safe to push out push in? Will it seal sufficiently?

Thanks.

Depends on the case construction and how good of a job you do, but probably.

Great thanks!

I thought it would be ok, but it's easier to ask the question than to pull it apart and work out that it will not work.

[FxrAndy]

You may be able to get an eta date wheel bit as this is a seadweller you will need an overlay for the date at 9

[EbolaVirus]

Would the date be different?

The date wheel is centred so I thought it should just be a matter of putting the hands back on in the appropriate position. 180deg from where they normally are, so the date changes at midnight.

[bamcky2k]

its not about the date changing at midnight, its the fact the numbers will be upside down at the 9 o'clock position when you rotate the dial...think about it, the date at 3 o'clock is the correct way up....put that same date the opposite side and its upside down...for a date at 9, you just need a new date wheel with the numbers reversed called a date at 9 wheel...to keep the rolex style font you will also need an date at 9 overlay (which im not sure exsists...) unless your happy with the standard eta font...why the need to have crown at 9 anyway? could just wear it on your right wrist regardless and save yourself the hassle...

[EbolaVirus]

its not about the date changing at midnight, its the fact the numbers will be upside down at the 9 o'clock position when you rotate the dial...think about it, the date at 3 o'clock is the correct way up....put that same date the opposite side and its upside down...for a date at 9, you just need a new date wheel with the numbers reversed called a date at 9 wheel...to keep the rolex style font you will also need an date at 9 overlay (which im not sure exsists...) unless your happy with the standard eta font...why the need to have crown at 9 anyway? could just wear it on your right wrist regardless and save yourself the hassle...

But with the face rotated on the movement the date would still be at 3:00.

I've been wearing on my right for the last 5 or 6 years. It is fine really. I was just interested in the technicalities of changing it over. Just to make it a little bit different.

[bamcky2k]

yes, but if you rotate just the dial on the movement the date window of the dial would be at 9 o'clock if you rotate it 180 degrees...so you wouldnt see the date at 3 o'clock anymore, you would see it at 9 o'clock...if on the other hand you rotate just the movement and not the dial, that would keep dial and date window in same place at 3 and put the crown at 9 like you want, but the watch would hand wind by turning the crown towards you instead of away from you...as the crown would be on the opposite side...so i guess that would work!

[rower]

Like this?

 

[fidhle007]

I couldn't figure out all this discussion of changing the DW, it's a rotating ring and the numbers will always be the right way up! You *may* have to re-align it slightly as I'm not sure if the numbers center perfectly 180˚ across the dial...

[bamcky2k]

ahhhh thats rotating the movement and case and leaving the dial in its original place (pic above)...the OP stated he wanted to rotate the case AND face (i presumed by face he ment dial) 180 degrees, which would put the date window at 9 o'clock along with the crown...meaning the date would've been upside down...if its as in the pic then yes-good to go!

[SSTEEL]

Got me a little confused reading this too lol  Interesting mod though

[rower]

I would "flip" over one like this!

[fidhle007]

ahhhh thats rotating the movement and case and leaving the dial in its original place (pic above)...the OP stated he wanted to rotate the case AND face (i presumed by face he ment dial) 180 degrees, which would put the date window at 9 o'clock along with the crown...meaning the date would've been upside down...if its as in the pic then yes-good to go!

That's easy, just wear the watch upside down! If he flipped the dial then it would be upside down, no?

[sneed12]

its not about the date changing at midnight, its the fact the numbers will be upside down at the 9 o'clock position when you rotate the dial...think about it, the date at 3 o'clock is the correct way up....put that same date the opposite side and its upside down...for a date at 9, you just need a new date wheel with the numbers reversed called a date at 9 wheel...

Nope.

 

As others have pointed out, this is not true. When you rotate the whole movement, the date stays right side up if you still display the date on the right-hand side.

 

Here's a 2836 in the regular orientation

 

 

 

and rotated 180 degrees

 

 

 

As you can see, the dates are still right-side-up on the right side of the movement.

 

The only way you need a date at 9 datewheel is if you leave the movement the way it is, and have the actual date display on the left side (like on the Tag Aquaracer).

 

 

Now, as someone pointed out, the one issue is that the date disc has 31 (an odd number) of dates, so exactly across from the stem position is halfway between two dates. If you just turn the dial around, the dates won't be aligned. You can usually correct for this by modifying the date jumper spring, but with a Rolex rep the even easier solution is to remove and remount the datewheel overlay.

[EbolaVirus]

Thanks Sneed12. That's exactly what I wanted to confirm.

 

I'll give it a go and post pics.