Fully Modded: A Look at namokiMODS's Complete Watches
We started namokiMODS by selling the most commonly replaced parts on popular Seiko divers like the SKX007 and SKX013, and after some time, we noticed that people who wanted to try watch modding had to get their hands on a ‘base’ watch. It’s not that hard to find them online because the SKX was in production for many years and sold at a friendly price point. There are a lot of people selling second hand Seikos, and for about $200, you can get yourself a serviceable unit that you can start modding with.
Results of a quick Ebay search. Which one is correctly priced?
Interest in the hobby grew, and with it, some growth pains. After a few years, an all-OEM SKX007 became harder to come by, and there are even scammers that sold bad quality replicas. People became cautious, and we felt that this slowed down the progress of watch modding.
Now we had an issue to solve: how do we make it easier for people to start taking up watch modding? And the answer is by offering people a full watch that they can practice with.
Our First Fully Modded Watch
The first complete watch that we released was the BlackKX V1, a stealth build that we released on Black Friday of 2018. It featured an original SKX007 dial on our PVD Matte Black SKX case, and a black insert with white markers on a black coin edge bezel. The watch was cerakoted too for additional wear and tear protection. It was built by professional modder @nafokies and had an extremely limited run of 3 pieces.
We released another version the following year, and this time we only used Seiko mod parts. The murdered out mod was dubbed the BlackKX V2 with only 10 pieces built by the same modder. It had the following differences from V1:
- PVD Matte Black Sub Bezel
- Stealth Sub Ceramic Bezel Insert
- Matte Black Chapter Ring
- Black Merc Hands
- Divemaster Stealth Dial
In the spirit of modding, the watch did not come with a bracelet or strap yet, a choice that we left for the customer to decide so they can add the finishing touch. For our first few tries at selling watches, we were pleasantly surprised at how our BlackKX watches quickly got snatched up, showing that there is actually a demand for watches that are built from the ground up with just modding parts! With this, we realized that people don’t have to look for a second-hand OEM watch anymore - they can start with a completely modded watch and go from there.
Building a complete watch from scratch can be quite the challenge for people just starting out, so having a full build to start with is a better starting point. A practice watch, if you will. Wasting no time, we went back to the drawing board and started planning our next watch releases.
The Next Designs: Rolex Homages
For our next fully modded watches, we didn’t just release one or two complete watches. We went out with 5 new designs that all took inspiration from Rolex releases, mainly the Yachtmaster, the Submariner, and the Deap Sea Sea-Dweller. We’ve settled on these 3 main designs mainly for their mass market appeal, and how open the designs are to re-interpretation.
Fully Modded Yachtmaster Watches
The Yachtmaster, or the “YM” as it is more commonly called online, has a very straightforward design. The look is easy to emulate, and it looks good, almost like a classic. After all, it was the first luxury watch that was targeted towards seafarers. This makes it one of the most commonly modded designs by both amateur and professional modders alike.
Designed to impress. Source: Deployant
It’s a 3 o’clock diver watch with a color-matching black dial, insert and strap. The insert can be considered as the most important defining part of the Yachtmaster due to its instantly recognizable design. It also uses the iconic Mercedes handset, so called for the hour hand with a sphere with three spokes in the middle which is very reminiscent of the namesake car brand’s logo.
Our complete Yachtmaster watch uses our Submariner-SKX conversion case for the base and uses all our SKX007-compatible parts that were necessary to achieve the YM look. It is powered by the trusty NH35A and was also fitted with a top-of-the-line FKM rubber strap. With proper assembly, it is water resistant to 200m.
We released it in three main colors to give more options to their would-be owners.
The NMK01 is a black Yachtmaster on a stainless steel case, and looks the closest to the reference watch. The NMK02 uses silver YM Components on the same stainless steel case, but instead of a rubber strap, we fitted it with an Oyster bracelet to make it look extra classy. The last one, the NMK03 goes back to the black YM parts, but this time, we added vibrance to the mod by putting it on a rose gold plated case. The two tone look turned out well!
Fully Modded Deep Sea Sea Dweller Watch
Keeping the theme with another dive watch, our next complete build takes its inspiration from the Rolex Deep Sea Sea Dweller. Dubbed as “the watch that conquered the deep,” the main draw for the watch was its impressive water resistance rating that trumps most of the diving watches available in the market in it’s day, and up till today. The original goes down to 1,220 meters, and the reissue from 2008 goes down to a depth of just under 4km.
Some beautiful geometry on this! Source: Rolex
Not a lot of people dive that deep but it sure makes for a great conversation. And along with those dizzying numbers is a stylish look that makes it ready for everyday wear. It’s a 3 o’clock stainless steel watch with a black insert with a lume pip on the 12 marker, and a black dial with a date window. It sports the same Mercedes hands as the YM.
We took the iconic look and gave a bit of spin to it by murdering it out. All parts used were black, from the Oyster bracelet to the dial. The case is a brushed black Submariner-SKX conversion case with an NH35A inside. At the front, you’ll see a black bezel insert sans the lume pip, complemented by the black chapter ring with line markers. Of course, we added Merc hands to the build. The result is a stealthy diver that may not reach the same WR as the original, but certainly goes toe to toe when it comes to visuals.
Fully Modded Vintage Submariner Watch
Of course, we can’t make full builds of iconic Rolex divers without making one of the Submariner. For many, it’s the watch that got them interested in diver’s watches despite not having any training or experience with diving. Only with the Rolex Sub did diver’s go mainstream preceding the previous YM and DSSD watches.
Gorgeous even in patina. Source: Monochrome Watches
Since it first released in 1955, the watch has undergone many transformations that helped it become more accurate as a diving tool and more reliable for the professionals that use it. Despite its many versions though, the one constant thing about it is its design. The signature 3 o’clock case that was adapted by many dive watches after it, the black insert and dial, the Mercedes handset, it all started with the Submariner. On the 1966 release, they added another feature that became the “Rolex signature;” a date cyclops lens that magnified the date window.
In our version of a “Seiko Sub” build, we wanted to capture a vintage feel. After all, the first Submariners were the most impactful watches so it only makes sense that we pay homage to those early models. We achieved this by using an insert with a red triangle and lume pip for the 12 marker. The dial also features cream-colored lume, like aged lume found in antique pieces. We also used Sword hands instead of the traditional Mercedes design. To finish the build is a brushed Oyster bracelet.
It seems the modfam liked this design the most, with units selling out relatively soon after release.
How is the quality?
We’re a watch modding brand, not a watch brand. Not even a microbrand. You might be cautious about the quality of our watches.
And while we don’t have millions to invest in R&D, marketing, or top of the line manufacturing, we’re not your usual Ebay watch either. We believe that we’ve achieved a nice balance between the quality and value of our watches. Don’t take it from us; take it from the people who got the Namoki watches for themselves!
“Overall this is a whole lot of watch for the money and gets more notice than my $3000 Omega’s and I live my Omega’s.” - Danny F.
“Sold FIVE (5) watches after receiving this one...they just collect dust. Planning on buying another to use as a base for another mod.” - csfeegs
“I own a few Tudor, Rolex & Omega and honestly, the Namoki builds come scarily close to the build quality of my Black Bay GMT! Kudos!” - Frédéric W.
It’s flattering to be compared with watches that are worth a couple thousand dollars, and it’s definitely heart-warming to know that our customers were quite satisfied with the quality of the builds that they received. We hope to wow the modfam again with our next fully modded watch releases!
New Upcoming Full Watches
Aside from the mod parts we will also be periodically releasing full watches into the scene, and in fact, we have 4 new designs that are coming out really soon.
To give you a hint at their designs, we are doing a build based on one of the most popular diving watches, this time from the Seiko camp. If the Sub was Rolex’s original dive watch, then this is Seiko’s equivalent. It’s going to be a 3 o’clock build with a rather slim wrist profile and will come in two main colors: black and blue.
We will also be releasing 2 other full watches that are much less design-heavy so we can leave the upgrades to you. As usual, these watches will be ready to wear right out of the box, and you’re free to do any modifications as you see fit. Whether it’s a small color accent that will only be noticeable on closer inspection, or a complete dial or insert swap to totally change the look of the watch.
Wrap Up
Before, people had to adjust based on the watch that they are wearing. But now, with the advent of watch mods, people can adjust the watch based on their preferences and personality. It has become a way to express their individuality by making the tweaks that make their watch unique from everyone else’s. A tip to the curious: watch modding doesn’t have to be hard. If you can’t find a good OEM watch to practice with, or don’t want to make a full build from scratch right when you’re starting out, a good jumping off point would be to use a fully modded watch as your base.
You don’t have to worry about the quality - we only use the best parts that we have available to create these builds, and only experienced professionals are working on assembling them by hand. You can be sure that the watch you get is something you’d want to wear.
And when you feel that you’re ready to make the watch your own, mod it with namokiMODS.