Why everyone should have a mod or two…

The watch modding community likes to ape expensive watches - fact!

Bezels, hands and cases shaped in familiar designs from expensive brands adorn mods and make them appear, at first glance at least, to be perhaps something a little more than they actually are - but maybe that’s driven by wealth (not everyone can own an expensive watch so why shouldn’t they get a bit of the feel of one too?) - or by the suppliers of modding parts leaning heavily into lookalike parts - or is it just as simple as great design simply works, so why not go with it? - and after all, the varieties of patterns put out by the expensive makers cover pretty much every base, so its not actually that simple to build something that’s not going to allude to horological greatness without being truly bespoke?

Whatever!.. This is why I have ended up with my modding addiction, and it might just make some sense to follow my lead:

My first ever watch was a Seiko digital chronograph bought from the Argos catalogue when I was a boy. I still have it. My first expensive watch was a Sea-Dweller that I purchased in 1999. I still have that too, and it’s been my daily ride for the last 25 years. I also have a Doxa, and that’s it in terms of expensive stuff, but I love mechanical watches and my first love remains strong so I have collected many Seikos along the way, largely turtles, but a few oddments to go with them. When I started modding, it was to upgrade straps, then the odd bezel or crown - moving on finally to dials and hands. This led to the builds featured on the site and, admittedly, some of them are clear homages to much more expensive wrist estate, but it’s fun to do and the pleasure is as much in the build as the wearing - moreover, it does have a particular purpose for me…

I started travelling to places like Manilla and São Paulo for work in the 2000’s and knew that the Sea-Dweller was a risk in terms of theft and my own personal safety, which meant it would come off in deference to a fairly battered turtle Pepsi that I’d bought second hand from a mate for forty quid in 2002 - just in case! I love that sodding thing now and would not want it stealing either as it has grown sentimental value on my trips; but the mod builds never will (Well, there might be one... Or two…).

And so, my friends (or enemies, depending on your view of mods), I put it to you that a mod watch is something that we should all own - London today is as dangerous as Manilla was is 2005 for an out-of-towner walking around alone (like a beacon flashing “MUG ME”), as are many of the larger cities the world over - so keep the watches you love for the places you feel secure and get yourself a nice mod (that you like to look at and makes you smile to wear) happy in the knowledge that you can give it over to the wolves without having to fight the impulse to keep hold and risk yourself.

And good luck!