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I need your help. I have many projects waiting in the wings and find myself at a bit of an impasse in trying to decide what comes next. This past year has been fairly low key on bigger ticket projects and so I thought I’d air a selection of the more sumptuous candidates and invite direction from any of you inclined to voice an opinion. If you would like to do so, please feel free to add a comment to this post or under the associated Instagram post at @amateurwatchfettler. If you feel unable to identify a particular watch, then I am happy to fold into the mix expressions of preference in terms of general type (diver, dress), sub-brand, movement type (hand wind or automatic), high or low beat, case material (steel, gold cap). Over to you.
Adventures in Amateur Watch Fettling 
I really liked one of your posts, where you ‘hot rodded’ a watch.
You know mixing and matching various periods of Seiko or any brand together (also known as Frankenwatches). I made a fun one: Seiko Kinetic GMT, into an old Invivta case (that used tot have a NH36 movement), then New 24Hour bezel insert, and hands were searched out to use in the build. The dial that fit perfectly was a TagHeuer GMT dial, that originally had Quarrtz movement. Something like that.. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYERopCMXsqTYAEIEpbkDK6n23UjfzrzdvheJQ0/
Dear Martin,
Oh that is very exciting and so sumptuous indeed! As you are an inspiration and guiding light, I have hoped that I might be of service to you, and though this is not in the way I imagined, I am delighted to offer my meager opinion: the 4420 GoD GS with cracked glass from 6 to 9 looks like an ideal candidate, being perhaps the most in need of solace and comfort. Wishing you all the best for 2022!
Kindest regards,
Aaron
Hi Martin,
It’s hard to tell from the photo if you have one in the mix but I’d like to see the servicing of a Seiko quartz 4004. I have a half dozen of these that need servicing but I never seem to get around to them due to other projects. I’m looking for some guidance and motivation. As always, I enjoy your posts on Seiko restorations.
Tom
All of these are mechanical but I’ll keep your suggestion in mind. Thanks!
6105 please!!!
Met vriendelijke groet, Best regards, Mit freundlichen Grüssen, Cordialement,
Ivo van de Puttelaar
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I’ll play! I vote for the Gold Cap, GS, Hi-Beat.
Wow!!
That’s some collection of watches. I’m very envious!!!
Any of the Ho-Beat Grand Seikos would be fun to see being restored.
Keep up the good work. I find your site very helpful when fettling my (much more meagre) collection of old Seikos.
So many great candidates. I see why they choice has proved rather difficult. However, that 44 GS looks stellar and the 45 GS with the aged cap gold would look fantastic with some love.
Regardless of what you choose to work on, it look like a rather exciting year’s ahead of us.
You have a very good eye! The 44GS is lovely and the patina on the 45GS rather special. The dilemma with the latter will be how to keep the patina when the case will still need a thorough clean.
That is true, but if memory serves me right, the patina on the gold cap 9943 remained mostly the same, even after cleaning.
I wish you the best for this new year, Martin.
Thanks Marcos. The patina on the 9943 was mostly lost when I cleaned the case unfortunately.
Have you done a hi-beat recently?
I haven’t, no. Point noted!
Have you done a hi-beat recently?
I haven’t, not for a while. A good suggestion.
Hi Martin,
As ever, thanks for your entertaining and informative blog. Two votes for the gold cap 45GS from this household please
Thank you and noted!
I vote for a KS Hi-beat
My vote is for the Grand Seiko 5646, although the 4520 cap gold would definitely be good too!
Please record my vote for the King Seiko Chronometer. I’d like to see up close how it differs from a lesser grade of the same movement. Also, that dial color!
Same here!
The 6105 is a hot watch now with modern proportions.
My first suggestion would be to leave some for the rest of us! The prices are getting crazy enought as it is 😉
Amongst all those classic white dials and dauphine hands, the blue 5626-7040 chronometer really stands out and gets my vote. Looks like the case, and especially the original finishing are in good shape too.
And it comes with its original bracelet.
that black dial KS hi-Beat is standing out to me!
Yes! Martine! Listen to us… LoL
They are all stunning….but my vote is the asymmetric cased 6105…..
Thanks for the recent posts Martin, I particularly enjoyed the re-luming episode. The last two watches were affordable subjects for the Amateur Watch Fettler, which would be my suggestion for future posts. The Grand Seikos will undoubtedly be fascinating posts, but only a few dedicated amateurs will be able to follow in your footsteps! Also, I would fascinated to see you tackle something like a 33 jewel Citizen Cutlass, just so we can compare and contrast with Seiko. All the best for the New Year!
Michael, there will still be plenty of affordable watches – but sometimes it’s nice to include some of the more aspirational examples.
Excellent! And will we ever see any more Citizens, to follow that Super Crystal you did a while ago??
I don’t see why not.
Definitely – the Hi Beat… wait – there are 8 of them… The King Seiko Hi Beat… umm there are only 4 of them… OK, OK the Blue Dial KS Hi Beat day/date. 5625?? Please.
Go for one of the divers. You have done a lot of “dress” watches and a diver is something different. Thanks and keep up the good work
Bring back one of the Hi Beat KS.
Dive, dive, dive…
Hi Martin,
I’d say any of the King Seiko …
Many thanks for your great posts!
Paolo