Although some people may think that watches are no longer necessary since cell phones can also tell the time, they are still a popular accessory for many people. Not only are watches practical, but they also add a stylish touch to formal settings.

You may have some old watches lying around that no longer work or appear outdated. However, these watches can still hold value and be a part of your collection with the help of Seiko mods. Seiko mods involve repairing watches with Seiko spare parts and can even give them a modern look.

Therefore, don't discard your old watches just yet. With Seiko mods, you can repair and renew them to become a valuable addition to your wardrobe.

What To Do With A Broken Watch?

Timepieces often hold a special place in people's hearts due to the memories they create and the experiences they have been a part of. Whether it's a watch that was passed down from a loved one or one that was purchased for a special occasion, these timepieces can become a cherished item in a person's life.

However, even the most well-made watches can show signs of wear and tear over time. The straps or bands may become faded or damaged, the dial may develop rust, or the internal mechanisms may stop working altogether. When this happens, it's easy to assume that the watch has lost its value, but that's not always the case.

In fact, depending on the condition of the watch, there may be someone out there who is interested in purchasing it when you no longer want it. You could sell your old watch to a collector, someone who enjoys repairing watches as a hobby, or to a company that specializes in watch repair. These companies may even purchase non-working watches to use for parts, which can make the sale of a broken watch just as worthwhile as selling a working one.

Alternatively, if no one is interested in buying your watch, you can still find ways to repurpose it. Of course, there is always the option of recycling a watch yourself to make it wrist-worthy again.

Some Options to Recycle Your Broken Watch

Keeping a broken timepiece doesn't have to mean letting it go to waste. Instead, it's an opportunity to recycle and repurpose the watch in a new way. Recycling is about finding a positive use for something, rather than just throwing it away or giving it to someone else.

Since watches are made up of a variety of materials, they can be repurposed in many different ways. For example, you could use the face of an old watch to create a unique piece of jewelry, or turn it into a keychain. You could also take apart the watch and use the individual components to create a new craft project, such as a piece of artwork or a decorative item for your home.

If you have a family member who is interested in watches, you could even pass down your old timepiece as a family heirloom, whether it's working or not. This way, the watch can continue to hold sentimental value and be passed down from generation to generation.

If you can't find a use for your old watch, consider donating it to a watch recycling group or a charity. This way, the watch can be used for parts or repurposed in a way that benefits others.

Creating a Vintage RestoMod

Building a watch from scratch can be fulfilling, but restoring an old one to make it usable again is a different beast altogether. When it comes to watches, old doesn't necessarily mean bad. That's why we're getting reissues of old watches even in 2023 - because some watches just look so great that they have to make a comeback.

That said, completely restoring a vintage watch will be tough as these are most likely discontinued by the manufacturer, meaning OEM parts will be scarce if at all available. You will most likely have to rely on aftermarket parts to do a restoration, and even then you may not be able to salvage everything, but instead just keep some of the defining pieces to use them together with new parts.

For the average Joe, restoring an old Seiko would be easier than restoring, say, an old Rolex, due to the prevalence of Seiko mod parts. Plenty of old Seiko dials, especially those from the Seiko 5 collection, may still work with modern movements and can fit modern cases.

If it's the case that you want to reuse, it will be a bit harder and you may have to do manual alterations to make modding parts work with vintage OEM. Whether it's 3D printing movement spacer adapters or manually filling the insides of a case, it will be more laborious but not impossible for the resourceful and determined.

Modding Makes Old Watches New! 

Watch recycling is a great way to get into Seiko mods, if you have the right watch mod parts. It's fun, practical, and helps the environment too so there's no downside to trying it out!

Most people in the watch modding community know that namokiMODS is a great source for SKX007 Parts, but many people also look to us for many other kinds of Watch spare parts. 

There is no doubt that fixing up an old watch is great for you and for the planet, but you can also make it work as a business. You might like watch recycling so much that you'd want to help other people recycle their own watches for a fraction of the price of getting a new watch!