Modding a Sead 1675

[CptTripps]

Just got the QC pics from Sead for the 1675 I ordered. I read up and it looked like he was the best source for 1675s.

 

What do I need to do to mod it closer to gen? I hate the look of a new "old" watch, so I need to age it a bit. Is there anything else I need to do to the case while I'm aging it?

[docthor]

Hey mate...sad to say but say "good bye" to "close to gen".

The 1675 are very hard to mod to get it close to gen and the best base isn't a 1675 straight from a dealer either.

 

The good news is...once you don't look for a "close to gen" look you can make this your own interpretation of a vintage 1675 and this can lead you to a very nice watch overall

 

What I'd do to your watch (or any other new 1675) is to vintagize the dial and hands, bleach the inlay and "torture" the case in a bag with screws and nails, then repolish it. Do this until you are happy with the look and that's it.

 

I had several 1675 in the past and tried to get them "close to gen" but always ended up with still having just a rep (but an expensive one, some with gen dial, inlay, crystal, crown) on the wrist, easily to spot as one from those who know where to look at. Hence...I always felt unhappy because I'm one of the few who can spot a 1675 rep on the wrist.

 

Today I'd say no need to spent $$$ in getting a 1675 base modded or even frankened. Just vintagize it, make it your very own watch...best one can do

[Drummania]

I have a 1675 incoming too. My plan is just to replace the dial with a gilt one, add a small triangle GMT hand, and mod the case to PCG.

 

At the end of the day, if you know where to look you can always find flaws in any rep. I don't know what to spot for 1675, so that maybe a good thing  

[ebzen02]

Modded my bp 1675 as well.. reshape cg to make them look squarer and longer.. relumed .. wso insert .. Yuki dial is next.. build .. less than $250 forgot.. with slightly thin case..

 

 

Gen

 

 

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[Sogeha]

My friend @docthor hits the nail square on the head and wearing the current reps would drive me nuts, but to put it in perspective the people that would know fall into two tiny groups that overlap. Us and vintage Rolex obsessives. I would hazard a guess that together that is a very tiny fraction of one percent of the population. If the watch looks suitablely aged, most will have no idea or really care.

 

Remember guys, we have a very rare sickness and even to me one watch looks pretty much like another from six feet away.

[preacher62]

I understand the idea of "vintagizing," however, if you look on eBay at 1675s you will find that many, many more, than not, have white dials and if they are patinized it is just slightly.  The cases are usually over-polished and the inserts are faded, but the dials look new.  That's what closer-to-gen is for me.

 

I "vintagized" watches for years and then built a 1655 with a white dial and I love it. Just my .02.  Maybe I've been doing it longer.  You will settle in on your own style after awhile...after you've tried some things.  Just be happy with what you do.

[Sogeha]

2 minutes ago, preacher62 said:

I understand the idea of "vintagizing," however, if you look on eBay at 1675s you will find that many, many more, than not, have white dials and if they are patinized it is just slightly.  The cases are usually over-polished and the inserts are faded, but the dials look new.  That's what closer-to-gen is for me.

 

I "vintagized" watches for years and then built a 1655 with a white dial and I love it. Just my .02.  Maybe I've been doing it longer.  You will settle in on your own style after awhile...after you've tried some things.  Just be happy with what you do.

I agree with you. I've seen reps that have been vintagised to the point that they look like they have received a direct nuclear strike. They can look very interesting and I am not total opposed to them but convincing they are not. Over polish and faded insert is the way to go if convincing is your aim.

 

Personally I like watches that make me smile. A convincing rep, a nice gen a cartoonish aging or a Seiko built from scrap parts, if I look down at it on my wrist and smile it's okay for me.

[Revere]

Direct nuclear strike, lol. 

 

The big mod I would do to this watch is to make the CGs more rectangular as ebzen did. 

 

My order of operations on this watch would be:

 

1. Mod CGs to be more rectangular

2. Replace the hands

3. Replace the dial

4. Center the DW (if you care about this)

 

CGs and hands are the two things that jump out at me about this watch.

[Nanuq]

Here's a reference point. This is from 1963 and it isn't beat, and it isn't fresh. It's just been worn a lot. All the detail is being worn away so it's just "smoother" everywhere. Hands and dial are slightly yellowed, not much.

[Sogeha]

Service dial and hands on that @Nanuq?

Have you still got that Milsub?

[Nanuq]

That's the rare "mini radial" dial that only appeared 1973-4 which is 10 years after she was born, and the curved hands, matching the early 70s date of the dial. So yes they must have been replaced during a service.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, my local AD watchmaker called me one glorious day and said to bring it down pronto, he had a gilt tropical dial for me. But he needed a dial to send in, if he wasn't sending the tropical gilt. I was forced to decide between the Radial and the tropical gilt. I went gilt, and that beautiful Radial dial went back to Rolex. What a shame, I wish I'd had a garden variety matte to send in instead.

[ilikewatchestoo]

Man, that is gorgeous love the Pepsi!