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Omega x Swatch Moonwatch upgrades - Tutorial

marrickville

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Hi all,

As some of you may be aware, I have been helping Aussie members on this board for a number of years with repairs, mods, etc.

I haven't done one of these for a long time but given the growing interest in these little plastic puppies, I thought i'll share some upgrades which I think can be done with a bit of practice (plus if you mess up, its a $35 watch afterall). In particular, i'm referring to the cheaper version whereby the movement is a micro-stepper (with faux 2 o clock subdial).

Critically, there are 2 obvious issues with the rep watch.

1) the faux 2 o clock subdial that follows the hour hand. Now in the genuine, it only moves once the chronograph is activated. In the absence of a new / proper movement, the best solution is to just freeze the subdial.

If you are confident enough to dissemble the watch to bare movement, remove the top plate of the movement (no screws btw, its friction fit with plastic stubs). You will see that there is a extra wheel between the hour hour and the 2 o clock subdial. You just need to remove that piece and using either a touch of glue or double side dots, secure the 2 clock pinion. Sorry I didn't take photos of this particular step but I think once you remove the top plate, the above step should be pretty apparent.

1.jpg


FYI, the DW and all the DW gears are irrelevant here so if these come loose, who cares. Secure the top plate and you are good to go.

Reverse the removal steps and put all the hands back in place - test the chronograph before putting the watch back together.

2) the weight. The version I got was so light it just felt wrong. It should weight around 30 grams but when it came, it was <20 grams. Solution? lead tape. Easy to find at your local hardware store or if you play sport, you may alreay have them, they are used to increase the weight of a racquet, club, etc.

I just put some on the back case. Just make sure it doesn't interfer with the battery / movement placement.

FYI, in the below pic, I hadn't done the freezing of the subdial yet.

4.jpg

3.jpg
 

marrickville

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thanks Geonor. This is what this community is about - thanks for adding those pics in this thread.

For those that didn't see it - the gear to be removed is in the third pic.

It sits top of the hour wheel / left of the 2 o clock gear - red circle below.

3rQ3No.jpg


p.s. your watch with those hands look great!
 
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Geonor

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Do you have a link to where you got the hands?
I don't sadly. They came from a $15 gold Speedmaster rep from AliExpress and the listing is gone. I originally planned to put the MoonSwatch dial into the gold case with the gold hands but the case was 44mm and made of plated tin or something. Just terrible quality and light as air.
 

Hinclimincli

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Thanks for the detailed tutorial! How do you decase the movement? I can't figure out how to take out the stem, actually...
 

Geonor

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Thanks for the detailed tutorial! How do you decase the movement? I can't figure out how to take out the stem, actually...
There's a little metal tab that looks like a mini diving board and points towards the crown. Press that in while the crown is in the "winding" position and just pull it gently out. Putting it back in is as easy as just pressing it in while adjusting the rotation until it slips into position.

I stuck the white hands back on mine.

3cGAkF.jpeg
 

Thatwatchguy

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Well I think I’m about to go and break one on my first attempt :ROFLMAO:
 

Oxfordgreen1

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Do the chrono pushers have the same removal method? Every time I try and put the movement back in I can’t get the angle right and the hands come off! Using a bad rep as a practise one here
 

Pinion Minion

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Do the chrono pushers have the same removal method? Every time I try and put the movement back in I can’t get the angle right and the hands come off! Using a bad rep as a practise one here
You just have to finesse it- be sure an the hands are on well before recasing.
 
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restandrelaxation

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Depress this little guy to remove stem
Any chance of a pic of the other side of that mars? Is your bezel ring white or pink?
Do the chrono pushers have the same removal method? Every time I try and put the movement back in I can’t get the angle right and the hands come off! Using a bad rep as a practise one here
I had that issue with one of early ones, the issue is the dial would fall off and take everything with it. If you use double sided tape to fix the dial to the movement it helps... a lot!
 

Pinion Minion

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Any chance of a pic of the other side of that mars? Is your bezel ring white or pink?

I had that issue with one of early ones, the issue is the dial would fall off and take everything with it. If you use double sided tape to fix the dial to the movement it helps... a lot!
I pulled that pic off Google.

I think the ones now all have the ring as well as the weight shim.
 
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Got20Mate

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Great thread guys and awesome with the photos. Maybe I'll pluck up the courage to try on one of the cheapies on the way
 

Geonor

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Great thread guys and awesome with the photos. Maybe I'll pluck up the courage to try on one of the cheapies on the way
I honestly wear mine more than I'd like to admit. It's become my defacto gym watch since it's handy to have a chrono to time my breaks between sets, it's quartz so it's easy to throw on with no time setting and it's so light you forget you're wearing it. But get a new strap for it. The one it ships with sucks.
 
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Got20Mate

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I honestly wear mine more than I'd like to admit. It's become my defacto gym watch since it's handy to have a chrono to time my breaks between sets, it's quartz so it's easy to throw on with no time setting and it's so light you forget you're wearing it. But get a new strap for it. The one it ships with sucks.
What strap would you recommend? Anything in particular or just whatever takes my fancy
 

Thatwatchguy

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Well I have the afternoon off and having a few ciders so will attempt this…like a game of pool this could go either way:oops:
 
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Pinion Minion

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What strap would you recommend? Anything in particular or just whatever takes my fancy

I love a NATO with them. I have some Ali rubber straps coming that are supposed to contour fit the Moonswatch- ill post when they come.
 

Pinion Minion

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Great thread guys and awesome with the photos. Maybe I'll pluck up the courage to try on one of the cheapies on the way
you can buy Sunon PE50 movements ( the same movement in the rep moonswatch) for about 7 USD delivered via Aliexpress.

you can start with those before delving into the actual watch.