Many of you know my Seiko SNXS79—it kicked off my YouTube channel with my first review, served as my wedding watch, and remains one of my favorites. But when I cracked the crystal, I stopped wearing it, and it broke my heart a little. After months of emotional debates, I finally decided to fix it myself. This post shares my journey, with screenshots from my latest video (check it out here). Let’s dive in!
Why This Watch Matters
This isn’t just any watch. It’s my first dress watch and holds sentimental value from my wedding day. When the crystal cracked, I felt lost—until your amazing suggestions poured in. Shoutout to Escapement & Watch Video, I gained the confidence to tackle this repair myself.
The Repair Challenge
Fixing this wasn’t straightforward. Unlike typical crystal replacements, the SNXS79 has a crystal sitting atop a gasket, secured by a bezel. That means prying it open carefully—not popping it from inside after removing the movement (like a typical watch). Plus, I couldn’t use a generic crystal; I needed one designed for this Seiko model, which meant higher costs due to currency differences and shipping (I’ll share the amount I paid in the video). I ordered two crystals to avoid disaster and gathered my tools. I got my sapphire crystals from monsterwatches.
Step-by-Step Process
Here’s a quick rundown of how I did it—watch the video for the full play-by-play!
- Remove the Bracelet: Start by taking off the spring bars—easy enough with the spring remover tool like this one here:
2. Pry the Bezel: Use a yellow tool (after testing a few) to gently open the bezel. I highly advise taping it to avoid scratches (especially if you’re a beginner). This yellow tool works the best for me.
3. Remove the Old Crystal: The bezel popped off, revealing the damaged crystal. Carefully remove the crystal and put aside.
4. Clean the dial: With those cracked pieces of the old Hardlex that came off, some might still sit on the gorgeous dial. Use a peg wood with a Rodico on it to pick up any of those crystals on the dial.
Rodico is a sticky, plasticine-like material used primarily in watchmaking for cleaning, holding, and placing small parts.
Add a squeeze of compressed air for extra caution.
5. Install the New Crystal: Initially picked a flat crystal with anti-reflective coating, but last-minute curiosity led me to try a double-dome. I loved it! It somehow made this $100 watch even more expensive.
Note: Remember to install the gasket first before putting the new crystal & bezel on.
6. Secure with Case Presser: Used a cheap case presser (surprisingly effective!) to lock it in place. A satisfying “click” confirmed it was done.
The Result
I can’t believe it—I fixed it! The double-dome crystal adds an expensive vibe, and the movement still works perfectly. This win boosted my confidence for future repairs. The video turned out shorter than expected because I didn’t expect it to be this easy.
As you expected, this has been one of my favorite watches, find out why here
