Chapter Rings SKX & 5KX – Chapter rings are located in behind the crystal and on top of the dial. These are used to note the minute markers that don’t appear on the SKX or 5KX dials. The SKX & 5KX chapter rings are made from plastic, coloured in black, blue, orange etc. and noted with marks for the minutes usually in black, or white print. To modify, replace, or repair your chapter ring, you will need have followed a number of previous guides including casing, crystal removal, and insert, or bezel removal, depending on the aftermarket products that may have been used. If you have successfully removed your crystal, it is likely your chapter ring will already be removed.
Removing a Stuck Chapter Ring
If the chapter ring has been held into position after you have removed your crystal, it may be retained by glue. This is not the case with stock chapter rings. If you find the chapter ring is glued into position, you may want to use a 26-27mm dye from your crystal press to remove this. This 27mm dye will fit snugly in the case of the SKX and 5KX – it might need a little wiggle. Once the dye is inside the rear of the case, you can place your case on a case cushion or watchmaker’s paper. Use the dye to apply pressure to the rear of the chapter ring. You can use your finger or thumb to press against the dye.
By using a dye you are applying a solid pressure all the way around the chapter ring, which will allow it to free itself in one piece. If you apply pressure with blades and pegwood you may just find the glue stronger than the plastic chapter ring. Thus the chapter ring is the thing to give. This is fine if you were intending to change the chapter ring, but you really don’t want to be breaking anything, although mistakes will be made. Remove the dye through the rear of the case (the direction it was inserted) after you have removed the chapter ring.
Aftermarket Chapter Rings
Stock/OEM Chapter rings have a locating pin on the rear at the 12 o’clock position. The aftermarket parts that are available for modding these watches may, or may not, have this locating pin, they may have more than one, or it may not be in the correct place. Like excess dial feet, these will need to be removed so there is no sign of them being there. It is best to use a file or Dremel to remove these excess pins as they may hinder your mod! If you don’t know how to use a rotating multi-tool then it may be good to watch some videos and practice on something old as they can be a little dangerous.
Modified Chapter Rings SKX & 5KX
These come in nearly all colours, materials and finishes. Like with everything, the popular ones sell out the quickest, but they will be back. You will need to be patient to get the one you want.
There are of course plastic ones that retain the original styling of the SKX or 5KX chapter ring, only varying in colour, and sometimes without any minute markers. The latter are well suited to mods that have modified dials that include the minute markers, or if you are looking for the clean stealth look, or other sterile options.
Steel and Coated Steel
The market demanded metal and they got it, in all colours and finishes, with and without markers that are painted and/or etched. Everything is available now – PVD coatings, Cerakote, Gold Plating, Rose Gold, the choice is endless and forever growing. The more popular this becomes, the more parts become available. All the best suppliers have detailed pictures of the chapter rings they offer. Be sure to shop around for unique options, like hand painted, lumed indicies and limited edition runs.
Fitting a Chapter Ring
Tools and Consumables
- Cleaning swab
- Stick or screwdriver
- Finger Cots
- Glue
Point to note – when working with domed crystals, it may be necessary to glue the chapter ring into position before the crystal is pressed. The domed crystal adds a little bit of space inside the case. This extra space can allow the chapter ring to move around inside the watch. If you have chosen a metal chapter ring you can only imagine the damage this is doing to the dial over time. This can be the case with some flat crystals and aftermarket/modified chapter rings also. Sometimes the problem is not the height of the crystal, it is the height of the chapter ring being a little shorter than the stock part, and leaving a little room for movement.
In any of these eventualities you are going to need to glue the chapter ring. Lots of people recommend superglue. Superglue is great if you are pressed for time and on a tight budget, but it is not ideal for a number of reasons. At seikomodder.com, we believe a better suited glue to have on hand is GS Hypo Cement. There are better adhesives out there that will require a little patience, in order for them to cure (set) and that will not release gases which may affect a watch’s movement, as superglue will.
Preparation
Best practice is to make sure to remove the crystal gasket when gluing a chapter ring with any adhesive as you won’t want to contaminate the crystal gasket seal with any glue. It is important to clean the area where the chapter ring rests to remove any muck that will hinder a good adhesion. A light dust of the area after you have cleaned is recommended.
Once clean you can apply your chosen adhesive. An elastic adhesive is better than superglue in which it will not dry and become flaky over time, as superglue does. These dry bits of glue can work their way into the movement, which is not good for so many reasons. More problems with a brittle glue like superglue is, should your watch take any hard knock – most do at some point – this can be enough to break the adhesion. The chapter ring may break free and you will need to refit it. At seikomodder.com we don’t recommend using superglue, but understand it is the glue most would be modders will have to hand. By using an elastic glue you remove any of these problems. This will not dry and flake and any impacts will be soaked up by its elasticated properties. Finally, when using superglue, it can want to set rather quickly. This is good if you have nailed the alignment, but not so good if you haven’t. You will need to start again – removing all the excess glue before you begin the process. If you use the elastic based glues you can ensure your alignment is correct as you have around 15 -20 minutes time to cure. Tweaks to the alignment are best made in the first few moments of fitting the chapter ring to the case. For quick cure glues, consider a UV glue and UV light to speed up the process.
Applying the Adhesive
To apply the glue you can use a screwdriver. You will want to be sure to clean it before and after with isopropanol to remove any contaminates, and to clean any excess glue after you have finished.
Squeeze some glue onto a piece of card or a plastic tub. Apply some onto the screwdriver sparingly. You can use the card or paper to remove any excess.
The aim is to position spots of glue on the side of the recess where the chapter ring fits into. Now with a clean screwdriver apply glue to 3, 4, 6 even 8 positions inside the case. It is totally up to you how many glue positions you choose, makes sure they are evenly spaced (as best you can). This will give a good, even adhesion. The nice thing about an elastic glue is you have about 15 -20 minutes for it to set so you can be sure to get the alignment you want.
Placing the Chapter Ring
Placing the chapter ring with fingers and thumbs will help with aligning the chapter ring more easily. There is room for movement which again can be done with fingers or thumbs. It is important to wear finger cots when handling the internal components of your modified Seiko.
Be patient and wait for the glue to set. Now is a great time to take a break from hunching over your watch project. Breaks are important. Don’t forget to have a little stretch while you wait for the kettle to boil!
If you’ve found this guide helpful, be sure to comment below and explore our collection of other informative guides at seikomodder.com. We offer a wealth of resources to assist you in your modding journey. We’re here to support your passion for watch modification.
Useful Information
Size
- 30.45mm(OD), 27.35mm (ID), 2.2mm(height), 1.41mm (thick)
SKX OEM Product Numbers
- 8431-1155 Black (007),
- 8431-1156 Blue (009),
- 8431-1158 Orange (011),
- 8431-1154 Yellow (SKXA35).
Procuring a Seiko 5KX
Seiko have lots of options in the 5KX range a link to the collection can be found here.