If you're trying to make it look more vintage, you may want to introduce some "wear" to the bezel insert. In which case (a) find a jar with lid, (2) fill the jar with coins, (3) place the bezel in the jar, and (4) give it a few shakes. This should introduce some random nicks and scratches to the bezel insert to give it a well-worn vibe. The more shakes, the more wear. Cheers!
I'm glad you made this. I've been waiting for someone to do it. That pepsi faded dial and the coffee patina looks like an old comic book found in a closet after years of neglect :D Good job mate!
In particular the black looks marvelous. I've seen a few people change the movement over the the NH35 which allows for hacking and manual winding. The bonus here is you would also need to replace the whole crown which would allow you to instal something else.
The faded black bezel insert wins. Agree the crown does not screw back nicely in the case on the SKX. Working on this and having a B&J logo would be radical. Nice vid, mate.
I baked the hands on my 6309-7049 at 200 degrees for 15 mins in a convection oven. The lume came out looking so perfectly aged, I cannot believe it. Matches the hour markers now.
Very enjoyable vid Adrian. I like that it's your discovery process and has an element of jeopardy, will the watch survive, will your fingers fall off and when it goes wrong just buff it out with some 600 grit. How about a NH36 movement swap, do the crown at the same time. If you want unusual how about a Bark and Jack engraved chapter ring or rehaut like a modern Rolex.
A bark and jack chapter ring!!! Yes! That would be awesome. A few people have mentioned the NH36 movement. I’m going to look into this. I guess money will play a big factor. Glad you don’t mind the massively unprofessional approach. Haha.
I’m super interested in doing this, can anyone tell me where to get an extra bezel? Not the insert, I’m trying to get a spare bezel to swap in and out..will be doing this with an Skx 013
This video got me into watches back in December of 2018 and I bought an SKX soon there after.....30 watches later and I'm still a big fan of watches :) Thanks a lot for making my bank account smaller lol
When I got my SKX 013 delivered the first thing I noticed was that the watch is shinyer than I thought. It gives the watch the look which doesn't match with my expectation, it looks more like a jewelery than a field watch. Scratching it with a sand paper is over the top for me but I hope I'll find a way to matt the serface.
I just found this 3 year old video... Loved it. I also like the old "vintagey" look. You mentioned Coffee staining the lume, I've very interested in that but can't find a video. Did you make one?
Caught the skx bug have you. Even with high horology the skx originality fits in to the collection. Try the 013. If you like the 36mm explorer you will like the skx013
Have you got a link to the NATO strap you are using there, every one I buy seems poorer quality than yours. Thanks. I like the bleached effect but I would have prefered a bit less.
i tried to bleach my invicita bezel, but nothing happend. Left it in the bleach for over an hour and rubbed it several minutes. Which bleach did you use? I used 5% chlorite bleach.
Have you ever tried turning a steel watch gold? Apparently dipping it in minwax wood finish 210b works. Please give it a go and let me know. I'm thinking a gold bezel on a Casio Mdv 106
Get the grey ghost bezel on. And maybe now that you've scratched the case to buggery, the next mod could be an engraving job. Granted someone else would probably have to do it, but you could incorporate the bark and jack logo somehow?
Sorry buddy. The sanding didn’t fully remove the scratches, but it blended them in. Now it just looks like an old case, rather than a new case with fresh dents. The steel is rather soft compared to higher end watches.
Bark and Jack thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised the case is softer. Next time you do another mod vid for your SKX ID love to see the results of your sanding. Pretty please. :)
Nice work on the bezels....when I've faded inserts in the past I've removed them from the bezel ring as I didn't want the bleach to eat away at the adhesive and It end up coming loose at some inopportune time One thing I found that worked well on stubborn colours like the red is to use some rubbing compound ..a small amount rubb it on with your finger on a cloth and then clean off....it will lightly polish away the finish on the bezel....do it a little bit at a time until you reach the desired look .... keep up with the content man...follow you on IG and here and enjoy your vids!! You need to join in on the live stream with Paul Pluta sometime...seen ya in the comments last week...be sure to join us again...its usually a good laugh!
Rubbing compound. that's a great idea. Haha, I would have joined in with Archie if I knew how. I've now looked into it and so I'm prepared next time. I'm really glad you like the content. Have a great weekend. Adrian
To avoid any damage to the case or parts inside the bezel; can the insert be bleached without removing the bezel from the watch? Im not sure if submerging the watch in bleach any damage would occur. I ask because I am going to try it but I want to submerge the whole watch...
You can, the rubber won't perish from the bleach, it is an ISO certified dive watch, which means it is tested to be resistant against several common chemicals.
Dude i make this for 1 hour 40mins with bleach/water 50/50 and it fade insanely small amount of bezel, what i do wrong i make it with finger same as you, why it cant be faded? I do it on mine Seiko Sea Urchin.
I would get a domed sapphire crystal, a coin edge bezel, and a crown with a Seiko logo. If you're ambitious you could install a manual wind and hacking movement.
I've put a Hattori NH36 movement in mine, which hand winds and hacks, and has two extra (not very useful) jewels as well. These movements are made for a crown at 3 position though, but if you use a good magnification you can modify the retainer spring of the day wheel to correct the otherwise too far north position of the day indication. The rest of the movement is pretty much a drop in replacement. I've also put a double domed sapphire crystal in, from monsterwatches.nl I've got another one with a dr. Seikostan version, which has a chamfered edge. It's whichever you prefer, the Monsterwatches crystal goes almost smoothly towards the bezel. I'm putting a ceramic red triangle bezel insert in it soon.
I'm a couple of months late on this. Did the blue continue to fade, after the bleaching or, did it stay that nice aqua color? Normally, I'd be all over you about the fake patina (don't ever do it people...EVER... it's not natural!) but, I have to admit, the aqua kinda' suits the nature of the watch. It's more playful. Too bad Seiko didn't do it that way. Put it on a black nato, though... come on xD
Hey! Your video is amazing! I love the vintage style mod and I cannot understand why some people keep saying that they do not like it! It is just our taste and if they do not like it they can just keep it for themselves!I would like to ask how much does those metal bezels cost andfrom where did you buy them! Keep it up you are doing a great job!
Hey buddy. Really glad you like the videos. I found the bezels on eBay. I paid £20 for both the insert and the bezel itself. I think it was just from a guy rather than a shop. I found lots of aftermarket bezels, but they looked rubbish. So I’d stick with the real ones. 👍🏻
Very cool vid Adrian ! Those ghost bezels look awesome ! If you want to push the mod, have u thought about putting a clear caseback ? Not a gpregous movement but that would def look nice ! Basel world 2019 is a great objective ! I'm sure that'll work out ! Cheers !
Nice video! I'm also thinking about bleach my bezel insert, but i don't know which bleach to use. Is there anything i have to be careful with eg concentration of the solution..?
Ah okay wondered if there was a seller of spares but I'll keep looking I loved the look of the purple coming through on the black bezel coming through. Great conten btw.
If you’re gonna change the crown I say upgrade the movement to an nh35, that way you get hacking and hand winding to go along with the awesome looking exterior.
If you're trying to make it look more vintage, you may want to introduce some "wear" to the bezel insert. In which case (a) find a jar with lid, (2) fill the jar with coins, (3) place the bezel in the jar, and (4) give it a few shakes. This should introduce some random nicks and scratches to the bezel insert to give it a well-worn vibe. The more shakes, the more wear. Cheers!
Great advice thank you!
Will a ceramic bezel get scratches through this technique?
I've just bleached an aftermarket Pepsi bezel, and its turned out great, looks really faded and vintage. Great channel, thanks Neil
This bezel looks amazing paired with that nato strap! I’m obsessed!
Hello Adrian! Can I do the same, using a q-tip & without removing the bezel?...
I'm glad you made this. I've been waiting for someone to do it. That pepsi faded dial and the coffee patina looks like an old comic book found in a closet after years of neglect :D Good job mate!
Sometimes I’m afraid to mess up my watches. I love your “screw it, let’s do it” approach to customizing yours. It turned out fantastic.
Great vid Adrian. "The ring that gives it the click". LOL. Such a pro. The watch looks great with that faded bezel now.
Haha, I really do need to become more professional. haha.
In particular the black looks marvelous. I've seen a few people change the movement over the the NH35 which allows for hacking and manual winding. The bonus here is you would also need to replace the whole crown which would allow you to instal something else.
Good job, any object in which you personalise always seems better
Looks great, and just as I thought the scratches add to it with the faded bezels!
Enjoyed that. I did like that brief purple hue off the black bezel, though. Was sorry to see it go!
I'm not a huge 009 fan, but that faded Pepsi bezel looks awesome.
Looks fantastic! Thank you for sharing this and your other mods. Great video as always.
Fully understand that ‘oh it’s finished - what now?’ feeling..
The faded black bezel insert wins. Agree the crown does not screw back nicely in the case on the SKX. Working on this and having a B&J logo would be radical. Nice vid, mate.
Thanks buddy. I’m going to see what I can do with the crown. 🙌🏻
I’m going to do this with my black bezel!
Wasn't expecting much at the start, but turned out really nice😅😅
I baked the hands on my 6309-7049 at 200 degrees for 15 mins in a convection oven. The lume came out looking so perfectly aged, I cannot believe it. Matches the hour markers now.
Doesnt get the glue away when insert the whole bezel (with insert)?
Do you think the bezel could be treated without removing it? As in, just soaking a cotton swab in bleach and going around and around on it.
Very enjoyable vid Adrian. I like that it's your discovery process and has an element of jeopardy, will the watch survive, will your fingers fall off and when it goes wrong just buff it out with some 600 grit.
How about a NH36 movement swap, do the crown at the same time. If you want unusual how about a Bark and Jack engraved chapter ring or rehaut like a modern Rolex.
A bark and jack chapter ring!!! Yes! That would be awesome.
A few people have mentioned the NH36 movement. I’m going to look into this. I guess money will play a big factor.
Glad you don’t mind the massively unprofessional approach. Haha.
Make sure you don't mix up your coffee & bleach, bit of a blurter hurter if you do.
hahahahahaha
Dipping your skin in bleach was already dumb enough...
I’m super interested in doing this, can anyone tell me where to get an extra bezel? Not the insert, I’m trying to get a spare bezel to swap in and out..will be doing this with an Skx 013
I got all the parts on eBay. Good luck. 👍🏻
Great video!! Doing this to the seiko 5 sports blue bezel. Just got to removing the bezel.
Strangely through age the red has faded more than the blue on mine. Great content. Oh and my lume is shot which I may do something about
This video got me into watches back in December of 2018 and I bought an SKX soon there after.....30 watches later and I'm still a big fan of watches :) Thanks a lot for making my bank account smaller lol
oh my god, what a lovely watch has it become!
Thanks a lot Hugo,
Can’t this be done with a q-tip and bleach?
I want to see the bleached out black bezel on it, with that NATO strap... I think that would be awesome!
When I got my SKX 013 delivered the first thing I noticed was that the watch is shinyer than I thought. It gives the watch the look which doesn't match with my expectation, it looks more like a jewelery than a field watch. Scratching it with a sand paper is over the top for me but I hope I'll find a way to matt the serface.
Jack! Please put this SKX now on a jubilee so we can see what it looks like. Btw it looks stunning, amazing job
as for the red on the Pepsi, you can mix bleach with some glycerine gel and apply with a Q-Tip on the red and let it set until you get what you want.
It looks absolutely incredible, all of the modifications to come sound awsome
Class....those bezels give this legendary watch the retro look it needs 🙌
how does the bezel insert glue hold up after the bleaching?
Possible movement upgrade to like an nh36? Or at least change the day/date wheels to black.
I just found this 3 year old video... Loved it. I also like the old "vintagey" look. You mentioned Coffee staining the lume, I've very interested in that but can't find a video. Did you make one?
Does it have to be an aluminum insert?
Do you have to take off the bezel retaining spring first
that looks phenomenal, love the black one!
If i were to get anyone to proper customize my skx007, it would have been you, sir! Cool ideas, and good work. :)
Q. I want age a rootbeer ceramic bezel, will this work? Or should I use coffee & sanding paper (e.g. 2000 grain).
will the bezels fade naturally over time just by wearing the watch?
oh man bleached bezel looks so nice
Artificially ageing but worries about little scratching on the case?
Caught the skx bug have you. Even with high horology the skx originality fits in to the collection. Try the 013. If you like the 36mm explorer you will like the skx013
How long does it take for the bleach to work it’s magic?
That looks really good. Good effort.
The black is a bit too faded for me but the pepsi looks awesome
Yeah, I wouldn't want the red to fade at all (just the blue) it looks good.
If I remove the bezel and change the bezel insert is still WR to 200m?
Yeah it doesn’t impact the WR.
Which liquid is in the second bowl? For first you use bleach and then..?
Just subscribed this morning - am really enjoying the content. The SKX mods have been fascinating!
Hi Ian, thanks so much for subscribing. I'm so glad you like the content. Have a great weekend.
Adrian
Have you got a link to the NATO strap you are using there, every one I buy seems poorer quality than yours. Thanks. I like the bleached effect but I would have prefered a bit less.
i tried to bleach my invicita bezel, but nothing happend. Left it in the bleach for over an hour and rubbed it several minutes. Which bleach did you use? I used 5% chlorite bleach.
Is the coin edge metal bezel of seiko 6309, 7040 can fit for the seiko skx007?
Have you ever tried turning a steel watch gold? Apparently dipping it in minwax wood finish 210b works. Please give it a go and let me know.
I'm thinking a gold bezel on a Casio Mdv 106
Get the grey ghost bezel on. And maybe now that you've scratched the case to buggery, the next mod could be an engraving job. Granted someone else would probably have to do it, but you could incorporate the bark and jack logo somehow?
it comes out much better than i expected !!
too bad you ruin the black besel, though, i would have buy it !
How well did the sanding do at removing the scratches? You never showed us.
Sorry buddy. The sanding didn’t fully remove the scratches, but it blended them in. Now it just looks like an old case, rather than a new case with fresh dents. The steel is rather soft compared to higher end watches.
Bark and Jack thanks for the reply. I'm not surprised the case is softer. Next time you do another mod vid for your SKX ID love to see the results of your sanding. Pretty please. :)
Nice work on the bezels....when I've faded inserts in the past I've removed them from the bezel ring as I didn't want the bleach to eat away at the adhesive and It end up coming loose at some inopportune time One thing I found that worked well on stubborn colours like the red is to use some rubbing compound ..a small amount rubb it on with your finger on a cloth and then clean off....it will lightly polish away the finish on the bezel....do it a little bit at a time until you reach the desired look .... keep up with the content man...follow you on IG and here and enjoy your vids!! You need to join in on the live stream with Paul Pluta sometime...seen ya in the comments last week...be sure to join us again...its usually a good laugh!
Rubbing compound. that's a great idea. Haha, I would have joined in with Archie if I knew how. I've now looked into it and so I'm prepared next time.
I'm really glad you like the content. Have a great weekend.
Adrian
thanks a lot. i did it with my SKX also, its really really cool. do you know can i use the same way with my rolex pepsi insert?? thanks
i hope you did not do it to the rolex bezel..
Did bleaching the bezel affect the lume quality of the pip?
Adrian,
Could you please tell me where to buy an SKX in the UK?
Thank you!
The only place is online, try Amazon or Creation watches.
Awesome, thank you! Just ordered an SKX007K2 from Amazon as a result of watching your videos! Can't wait to receive it. It's my first 'proper' watch!
What's the ref# on this model?
I think the strap looks great but is too new for the watch. The black bezel ended up looking like the rhodium dial on the yachtmaster. Cool.
LOL so good. So funny coming back to these old vids…..
where was the nato strap from?
wouldn't acetone do the job too?
How long did you have to keep it in the bleach? It didn’t even phase my bezel insert at all, even after 20 minutes.
To avoid any damage to the case or parts inside the bezel; can the insert be bleached without removing the bezel from the watch? Im not sure if submerging the watch in bleach any damage would occur. I ask because I am going to try it but I want to submerge the whole watch...
You can, the rubber won't perish from the bleach, it is an ISO certified dive watch, which means it is tested to be resistant against several common chemicals.
Funny how much these watches are worth now a days, non buggered ones I mean. Best of luck flogging that one.
Hi Adrien, can you recommend a nice soft leather nato that I could put on my SKX ? Thanks.
That looks absolutely amazing! Great job!
Cool vid. Any ideas on ageing a ceramic bezel?
Are these aluminum bezels or ceramic?
Looks amazing 👍🏻👍🏻 Congratz!! And Happy Easter
About how long was each soaked for?
Looks awesome! I need to give this a try. Thanks for sharing your process.
what brand of nato is that?
may I ask where did u buy that grey nato?
Beautiful result!
just did the same to my blue turtle, looks stunning now, thanks mate!
Nice one, I bet that looks awesome.
would love to show you a pic, maybe i'll do a little video on it, but it does, turned the dial into baby blue/turquoise stuff, just epic and unique
If you're on instagram, send me a photo @barkandjack
Does the coffee stain affect the Lume?
Hey buddy. Yeah it reduces the brightness quite a bit, but it’s super bright anyway so it’s still usable.
very cool! did your finger survive the bleach?
Dude i make this for 1 hour 40mins with bleach/water 50/50 and it fade insanely small amount of bezel, what i do wrong i make it with finger same as you, why it cant be faded? I do it on mine Seiko Sea Urchin.
That’s awesome! Is your finger ok after it being in the bleach for so long?!
I would get a domed sapphire crystal, a coin edge bezel, and a crown with a Seiko logo. If you're ambitious you could install a manual wind and hacking movement.
I find the stock bezel goes nicely if you where it on a jubilee bracelet.
I have a SKX007 and I’m not a fan of these mods - but the domed sapphire sounds great!
I've put a Hattori NH36 movement in mine, which hand winds and hacks, and has two extra (not very useful) jewels as well. These movements are made for a crown at 3 position though, but if you use a good magnification you can modify the retainer spring of the day wheel to correct the otherwise too far north position of the day indication. The rest of the movement is pretty much a drop in replacement. I've also put a double domed sapphire crystal in, from monsterwatches.nl I've got another one with a dr. Seikostan version, which has a chamfered edge. It's whichever you prefer, the Monsterwatches crystal goes almost smoothly towards the bezel. I'm putting a ceramic red triangle bezel insert in it soon.
Good video for those who are in haste.lols. Best way to have a patina? wear the watch frequently, live your life, dive!
im skx owner, im first time here. i really like this vid. I subscriped this channel.
Thanks so much buddy. Really glad you liked the video. 🙌🏻🍻
the faded pepsi bezel look incrdible!!!
I'm a couple of months late on this. Did the blue continue to fade, after the bleaching or, did it stay that nice aqua color?
Normally, I'd be all over you about the fake patina (don't ever do it people...EVER... it's not natural!) but, I have to admit, the aqua kinda' suits the nature of the watch. It's more playful. Too bad Seiko didn't do it that way. Put it on a black nato, though... come on xD
Hey! Your video is amazing! I love the vintage style mod and I cannot understand why some people keep saying that they do not like it! It is just our taste and if they do not like it they can just keep it for themselves!I would like to ask how much does those metal bezels cost andfrom where did you buy them! Keep it up you are doing a great job!
Hey buddy. Really glad you like the videos. I found the bezels on eBay. I paid £20 for both the insert and the bezel itself. I think it was just from a guy rather than a shop. I found lots of aftermarket bezels, but they looked rubbish. So I’d stick with the real ones. 👍🏻
Very cool vid Adrian ! Those ghost bezels look awesome ! If you want to push the mod, have u thought about putting a clear caseback ? Not a gpregous movement but that would def look nice ! Basel world 2019 is a great objective ! I'm sure that'll work out ! Cheers !
The look is excellent! Love the coffee lume and faded bezel. How about a distressed strap?
Nice video! I'm also thinking about bleach my bezel insert, but i don't know which bleach to use. Is there anything i have to be careful with eg concentration of the solution..?
Hi Julius, I just used normal bathroom bleach. Don't dilute it too much, maybe 1/3 water and 2/3 bleach.
Thanks for the reply 👍
Dude! If you would turn your bezel around you would see that seiko left a small space to insert your tool and pop your bezel
Hey would love to try this out where did you get the bezels from?
I got it off eBay. A guy had just customised his SKX and was selling off the parts he didn’t need anymore.
Ah okay wondered if there was a seller of spares but I'll keep looking I loved the look of the purple coming through on the black bezel coming through. Great conten btw.
Wait up... What if you just did that without removing the bezel???
Very cool mod!! Maybe there is a way to mod the DW as well?
Doesn't bleach burn you??
Where do you source your parts? Great relaxed video.
If you’re gonna change the crown I say upgrade the movement to an nh35, that way you get hacking and hand winding to go along with the awesome looking exterior.