Wrist watch connoisseurs, DO NOT read this thread!

[BX25D Rookie]

Some years back, I purchased a gently used Citizen Eco-Drive divers type watch. Good to 300 meters depth.
It was equipped with a black polymer/rubber watch band. The watch band was Citizen OEM manufacture.
The watch was in the neighborhood of $300 new, and the watch seller on another Forum was asking $75 for it.
My "spidey" senses should have kicked in, but didn't.
I suspect, and can't prove, but now I believe that the seller had figured out his watch was a "Weird Alice" model
that no longer had any Citizen Factory support. So he dumped it, and I was the more than willing sucker.

This past November while out deer hunting, I felt the watch band suddenly lose tension on my wrist.
I reached inside my coat sleeve and pulled out the watch, the band had broken.

I went to the local jeweler, who happens to be a Citizen watch dealer.
That beautiful Citizen Eco-Drive divers type watch is now discontinued.
The special ***proprietary*** polymer/rubber watch band for the discontinued watch is also discontinued and unavailable anywhere. So basically, an unusable watch. Darn, I wasted the $75 and I now felt like an fool.
So this watch is a one-of-a kind-case lug spacing of (0.551") which is 14 mm. Also a special one-of-a-kind shape/profile near the rounded portion of the watch case. The Factory watch band continued past the watch band mounting pins and went right up to the rotating bezel, filling in the "gap" for visual aesthetics.

I removed the two segments of the broken watch band.
I ordered a cheap Amazon 14 mm width fabric watch band and installed it.
NO, I am not going to wear that combination outside the house! Way too feminine!

I eventually gathered the emotional fortitude and figured out how to hold the Citizen Eco-Drive watch in my non-angle Kurt milling machine vise. (duct tape on the hardened steel smooth vise jaws, for additional traction)
I then proceeded to mill the spacing on the watch case lugs out to (0.866") which is 22 mm using my Bridgeport milling machine, and the 22 mm watch band width is manly enough for me.

I do have a angle vise for my Bridgeport milling machine, but being about 35 F degrees out in my shop building on the day I did the deed, so it was hurry up and get it done! I did the watch case modification with the standard vise. I would have been able to do a slightly nicer job using the angle vise. For you machinists, I used a resharpened 3/16" carbide end mill.
I milled about 0.1575" from the inside surface of the four watch case lugs. Not easy to do as the round watch case surface gains "altitude" and is in the way of the small end mill.

All in all, I'm reasonably happy the way it turned out. The way it was, the watch was virtually unusable.
You have to look pretty carefully now to see the watch case lugs machining when the watch is strapped on your wrist. The machining on the opposite side from pictured turned out more symmetrical. All freehand, and using the Bridgeport graduated dials.

That Citizen Eco-Drive watch will now accept any 22 mm width watch band. Rubber, leather, fabric, or stainless steel.
My local jeweler had the 22 mm width stainless steel watch band in stock, for about $33 and change.
The jeweler was "shocked" at what I had done.
He said he now had an unbeatable "story" to tell at his next watch/jewelry convention!

When spring arrives, I'm planning on using some rubberized "Cratex" abrasive wheels on a Dremel on the newly machined surfaces on the watch case/lugs. Essentially some light polishing.

IMG_20250203_165928373_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_20250203_165910597_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

 

[McMXi]

Too late ... I read it .... and enjoyed it! I really like the workaround, and a watch thread would be awesome!

I've been a watch fanatic since I was 8 or 9 years old. I have a dive watch that I bought in Australia in 1983 when I started on a commercial diving career. At the time it was $350 (Australian) which was expensive for me. It's a Heuer Deep Dive 1000M Professional model made before the merger with TAG.

I still have that watch that I wore for close to 20 years working as a diver/welder in the construction industry. It sat in a drawer for close to 20 years in the terrible state shown with pitted glass, scratches, dents, broken bezel spring, etc., all from using it every day in a harsh environment. One day I decided to send it back to TAG-Heuer to see if they could restore it but they sent it back saying "no can do".

I found Justin Bennett (TAG1000Diver.com) in February of 2020 and after some back and forth sent it to him to be restored. I paid $650 for all the work and it was worth every penny. Here are some before and after photos.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Send it back for repair it's running a day late.

 

[McMXi]

Send it back for repair it's running a day late.

View attachment 148379

And a dollar short!

Seriously though, I took the photo of the Heuer on my wrist about four years ago. I don't wear it much anymore, but I wanted it to be wearable. I don't care for the rubber strap these days so would like to find a decent stainless steel bracelet for it. Heuer doesn't make one that'll fit so it'd have to be aftermarket. The space between the lugs is 20mm.

I just looked at the watch and you'll never guess what the date shows. Yep, the 12th.

 

[BX25D Rookie]

The reason the Citizen watch modification became a priority is due to a Timex stainless steel case divers type watch failure. It is labeled as a "Reef Gear" model.
I bought this Timex watch ~ 20 years ago. Over the 20 years of usage, the internal battery required
replacement every 4 to 6 years, dependent on the amount of time the Indi-Glo feature was used at night.

On the Timex watch, when you push the external case "button" at the eight o'clock position, the entire dial lights up with a soft green "neon" glow and the dial is easy to read in pitch black.
Push the button, dial lights up, uses the battery up faster.

I discovered over time that the Timex watch gave the user a warning that the battery was almost dead.
About a month before the watch movement stopped working, the Indi-Glo feature stopped working
(not enough remaining battery capacity) and it was off to the jeweler for a new battery.
The Timex has a screw down case back, and requires a spanner wrench.

So just before hunting season last fall, I got the Timex set for the correct date.
The Indi-Glo didn't work when the button was pressed.
My GF took the Timex to the local jeweler and they popped in a new battery.

Much to my surprise, when the Timex watch came back from the jeweler, and the Indi-Glo still was inoperative. To be fair here, I didn't tell my GF the Ind-Glo feature was inoperative.
It seems the jeweler didn't notice the inoperative Indi-Glo feature either.

Some weeks ago I reached out to Timex customer service. They have a USA facility in CT.
I started with four or five emails with them.
Then they ghosted me.
I then called them and was back in the game.
Eventually, I emailed several photos of the Timex watch to their customer service and they
forwarded the photos someplace offshore in Asia.
The concern was parts availability for a ~ 20 year old Timex watch.
A day or so later, CS got back with me and parts/service was still available in Asia.

Their lack of initial communication sucked.
Their website for filling out contact information and watch repairs needed sucked.
The website form required model number, style number, and date code.
My Timex had none of these on the watch case back, so I had to improvise and pick out numbers/letters out of "thin air" just to fill out the website form and send it electronically.

They emailed a prepaid shipping label and I sent the Timex to CT, and they will then ship it to Asia where someplace in a small dimly lit room, parts are allegedly available for a ~ 20 year old Timex watch.
I did check the tracking number and the Timex watch arrived safely in CT.
They told me it would take between two and three months for the vacation someplace in Asia.
I'm two weeks into the journey.

Of course, the watch isn't repaired yet or returned, but I'm hopeful due to sending the photos first and hearing the response from Timex CS.
And I will say it again, Timex CS was somewhat poor due to communication, (the initial lack)
and the website was poorly designed for those seeking repairs for an ancient watch.

But I was downright amazed they claimed to have parts for repair, and were willing to go the extra mile to help me out and send it to Asia and back for the princely sum of $30.

I'm patiently waiting for the Timex to return from spa day/vacation in Asia.

IMG_20250127_112645758_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_20250127_112747172_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

edit: added photos of the Timex "Reef Gear"

 

[McMXi]

The reason the Citizen watch modification became a priority is due to a Timex stainless steel case divers type watch failure.
I bought this Timex watch ~ 20 years ago. Over the 20 years of usage, the internal battery required
replacement every 4 to 6 years, dependent on the amount of time the Indi-Glo feature was used at night.

On the Timex watch, when you push the external case "button" at the seven o'clock position, the entire dial lights up with a soft green "neon" glow and the dial is easy to read in pitch black.
Push the button, dial lights up, uses the battery up faster.

I discovered over time that the Timex watch gave the user a warning that the battery was almost dead.
About a month before the watch movement stopped working, the Indi-Glo feature stopped working
(not enough remaining battery capacity) and it was off to the jeweler for a new battery.
The Timex has a screw down case back, and requires a spanner wrench.

So just before hunting season last fall, I got the Timex set for the correct date.
The Indi-Glo didn't work when the button was pressed.
My GF took the Timex to the local jeweler and they popped in a new battery.

Much to my surprise, when the Timex watch came back from the jeweler, and the Indi-Glo still was inoperative. To be fair here, I didn't tell my GF the Ind-Glo feature was inoperative.
It seems the jeweler didn't notice the inoperative Indi-Glo feature either.

Some weeks ago I reached out to Timex customer service. They have a USA facility in CT.
i started with four or five emails with them.
Then they ghosted me.
I then called them and was back in the game.
Eventually, I emailed several photos of the Timex watch to their customer service and they
forwarded the photos someplace offshore is Asia.
The concern was parts availability for a ~ 20 year old Timex watch.
A day or so later, CS got back with me and parts/service was available in Asia.

Their lack of initial communication sucked.
Their website for filling out contact information and repairs needed sucked.
The website form required model number, style number, and date code.
My Timex had none of these on the watch case back, so I had to improvise and pick out numbers/letters out of "thin air" just to fill out the website form and send it electronically.

They emailed a prepaid shipping label and i sent the Timex to CT, and they will then ship it to Asia where someplace in a small dimly lit room, parts are allegedly available for a ~ 20 year old Timex watch.
I did check the tracking number and the Timex watch arrived safely in CT.
They told me it would take between two and three months for the vacation someplace in Asia.
I'm two weeks into the journey.

Of course, the watch isn't repaired yet or returned, but I'm hopeful due to sending the photos first and hearing the response from Timex CS.
And I will say it again, Timex CS was somewhat poor due to communication, (the initial lack)
and the website was poorly designed for those seeking repairs for an ancient watch.

But I was downright amazed they claimed to have parts for repair, and were willing to go the extra mile to help me out and send it to Asia and back for the princely sum of $30.

I'm patiently waiting for the Timex to return from spa day/vacation in Asia.

That's a neat story. Too bad the watch won't be able to tell the story of all that it experienced during the journey to deepest, darkest Asia and back to you in upstate NY.

My hunting/hiking/boating watch is a Casio G-SHOCK metal variant that came with a canvas and leather strap but I replaced it with a Casio "pot metal" bracelet which I much prefer. It's been a good watch for me for sure. It's one of those capacitor types so no replaceable battery required. Once the capacitor craps out it's most likely a piece of junk at that point. Interestingly, the minute hand only moves once every 20 seconds to conserve energy.

I took this photo in the Grand Canyon (North Rim) before replacing the green canvas and leather strap with a black metal bracelet.

 

[BBFarmer]

Those are some nice watches y'all have. I've been wearing this one for a little over 15 years. Dropped her right on her face several years ago and a hand fell off. Had to take her apart and remove them both. Still going strong though. Band has been unbelievably durable.

 

[McMXi]

Those are some nice watches y'all have. I've been wearing this one for a little over 15 years. Dropped her right on her face several years ago and a hand fell off. Had to take her apart and remove them both. Still going strong though. Band has been unbelievably durable.
View attachment 148385

When I first saw your photo I thought what the heck, why put a dial on a digital watch!

20 years from now there won't be photos of those Apple/Android things that so many wear now. Oh look, I get email and texts on my watch. I do my best to avoid texts, emails and calls. It's bad enough that I have a cell phone and there's no way I'd ever get one of those soulless, overpriced, tracking devices.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I wouldn't even consider selling my Porsche Design or my Omega Seamaster.
each more than 20 years old and both run perfectly.
Both manually winders / gear driven no batteries.
60 rmb (about $10 bucks) each if I remember correctly bought at the Beijing Silk market.
I was told originals made in same factory as those that sell for $5k!!!
This turnip farmer highly doubt that pitch but heck for $10 took a chance and they have been a good conversation piece that still run fine today.

bloody knockoffs.

 

[McMXi]

Both manually winders / gear driven no batteries.

When I started out I liked quartz crystal watches due to the accuracy and precision, but as I got older I was intrigued by the complexity of automatic watches with all of their jewels and tiny parts. Automatics are my favorite type of watch.

George Daniels CBE designed and patented the co-axial movement that was sold to Omega, and it's amazing how good they are today in terms of precision. Omega is on the third generation of the co-axial movement, and watches with that movement have the Master Chronometer certification from the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). It's a whole other level of tests that go beyond the standard Chronograph certification from the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC).

 

[JimmyJazz]

30 years ago I quit wearing a watch as a means of simplifying my life and reducing stress. I have not regretted the decision for a minute. I recently decided not to shave every day despite my working in a fancy office setting. Simplification is the name of the game. So far so good.

 

[skeets]

Yeah I feel your pain I had the same problem with my Citizen eco drive diver and a Seiko sitting in a drawer some place. I was lucky enough to find a watch dealer that had a new old stock band for the Citizen, cost me about 75 bucks,, the Seiko, no luck at all,, both take an odd sized band with and both discontinued,, bummer. If I wasnt so damn cheap I would wear my Deep Blue, but its to nice a watch to wear everyday

 

[KKBL]

I quit wearing a watch in the mid 70's after shorting a metal band on an amp meter when reaching behind the dashboard of my Power Wagon truck. It left a scar on my wrist that was visible for over 30 years. I found that I really didn't need a watch on my wrist to keep track of the time.

 

[DustyRusty]

I bought a Mavado watch I think it was 1962, and it is a windup watch. I haven't worn it in more years than I can remember. I stopped wearing a watch probably a few years after I purchased it. I have no idea of its rarity or value. It probably needs a cleaning and a new crystal. I also have a gold watch that my father wore for many years, but it has a gold band that is too small for me. Both are resting comfortably in a box somewhere in our home. My wife put it in her hiding place, and I don't think even she remembers where it is. After 40 years in the same home, things get lost and are only found when looking for something else.

 

[McMXi]

30 years ago I quit wearing a watch as a means of simplifying my life and reducing stress. I have not regretted the decision for a minute.

How would you know what a minute is without a watch? Just kidding!

It is interesting how we're all so different. For me wearing a watch is a pleasure and not a stressor. It feels weird to me to not have a watch on my wrist, not so much when I'm home, but whenever I leave the house.

 

[BBFarmer]

It's bad enough that I have a cell phone and there's no way I'd ever get one of those soulless, overpriced, tracking devices.

THANK YOU, my thoughts exactly.

 

[whatsupdoc]

One day were shopping and we walked into a fine jewelry store and a watch caught my sons eye. The clerk walks over and asks if he could help.

My son points to a Patek Philippe and asks "can I see that watch" the clerk smiles and says of course and hands my son of 8 years the watch.
My son looks at it and and asks the clerk how much does the watch cost.

The clerk replies like thirty thousand dollars. I tell my son give the watch back to the man. My son gives the watch back and says im going to buy this watch one day. I thanked the clerk and we walked out.

Now many years later he owns a few high end watches and me personally I never had any interest in expensive watches.

 

[BX25D Rookie]

I added photos for the Timex "Reef Gear" watch back in post #5 of this thread.
It's a bit rough, as it was worn daily for close to 20 years.

 

[McMXi]

I added photos for the Timex "Reef Gear" watch back in post #5 of this thread.
It's a bit rough, as it was worn daily for close to 20 years.

I had to read your post again to remind myself that the button at 8 o'clock is for the illumination and not a helium escape valve.

 

[McMXi]

Now many years later he owns a few high end watches and me personally I never had any interest in expensive watches.

Expensive is a relative term isn't it, but that's often the way an interest starts!

Part of why I like tractors so much is because of my dad, who after leaving the Royal Navy became a farmer, and I have happy memories of spending time with him and my brothers and sister on his farm. I think I like watches because my uncle had a Rolex Submariner that he'd bought in Hong Kong when his Navy ship docked there for a week or two in the '60s. He raised me for two years before I went to the orphanage at age 4, and all through my youth I saw that watch almost every Christmas, Easter and summer.

One of my older brothers who has been watch obsessed since he was very young has owned a couple of Patek Philippe watches and three Breguet watches. They were all stunning and expensive and definitely out of my price range, and frankly not something I'd buy or wear.

Last year one of his business partners bought a very collectible Rolex with only two known to be in existence, with John Mayer owning one of them. My brother took the train from London to Brussels, Belgium one morning, picked up the watch and wore it as he took the train back to London the same day. He did this for his business partner to get around the VAT that would have to be paid if the watch was declared. All receipts, box, manuals and provenance were mailed to the UK so no customs to worry about. The super rich will do just about anything to avoid paying a penny more than necessary.

Since this is a tractor forum, you could buy an M4D-071, an M5-091 and and M6-141 for the equivalent amount of money for that Rolex, and I sure know which I'd rather have! Of course, the Rolex will most likely increase in value over time and that's why it was purchased.