Planet Ocean 42mm 2500 modifications

[Joeprez]

Ok, this is the tool:

http://www.ebay.ph/itm/201376250120

Darren is a member from TZ-UK also, cf31bloobird. He told me he tried to become a member here but apparently never got the registration email.

Transaction was completed outside of eBay, payment was sent and I received the tool a week later. No issues at all.

[59yukon01]

Think it would look smoking hot with an orange Nato as well. Love color in the summer.

[Joeprez]

After another night of drinking at home and not feeling sleepy, my inner "watchmaker" emerged

Nothing as complicated as trying to regulated a Speedy, this time it was just a bezel swap. After being bummed out about learning that Ofrei would not have the 2500 orange bezel on stock for some time (if ever again), I though this project would never get done. Now, about two weeks ago, I received a message from a guy from the UK offering to sell me a 2500 orange bezel. After a quick check of references, I noted he had sold an Omega bracelet to another watchnut I know here in PR (I invited him over here but he only visits the forums to buy and sell), and he confirmed the guy was good to go. I received the bezel yesterday and got to work:

Well that was easy, this tool is awesome, just pull and twist:

Untitled by jraul7, on Flickr

Untitled by jraul7, on Flickr

After a quick clean:

Untitled by jraul7, on Flickr

Untitled by jraul7, on Flickr

Ta-da!

Untitled by jraul7, on Flickr

Untitled by jraul7, on Flickr

Definitely like it more than the model with the orange numbers (but yes, the orange numbers/black bezel combo is hot!). This is stupidly easy to do. The delrin tool doesn't marks the watch, and the bezel then goes in with a moderate amount of pressure (I found it more difficult to do a bezel swap to a SKX007).

For some reason the orange bezel turns harder than the black one, even though I'm using the same click spring. I'm thinking I may have clean all the lubrication, so I'll need to find info on that. Or maybe I damaged the click spring, as it went flying the first time I pulled out the black bezel. Still, the bezel sits similar to the black one. I'm a happy camper

[r.palace]

That looks fantastic, Joe. I like it better as well, some pop without being

You might've cleaned too much of the lube off (cue Terry), I'd recheck that before I think about the click spring.

[Erratic101]

Looks awesome Joe! Great job.

[HapaHapa]

Very nice.

[james80]

Looks great, nice to have the option to change back and forth.

Get it wet and see if it's easier, if so relube.

[1954Selmer]

Looks great Joe. It's Nice to have the proper tools.

[hoppyjr]

Well done sir.

[Joeprez]

Thank you gents!

[andrema]

[toxicavenger]

Nice Joe. Did you reuse your old bezel spring? Sometimes the tension on new ones can be to tight. But if it was me I would take it back off and put a lube around the gasket first.

[CGSshorty]

I wish this was a simple option on the 8500.

[JDC222]

I like the black bezel better but that orange is cool too! Nice to have the option, for sure!

[dnslater]

Well done. Maybe a little silicon grease?

[Joeprez]

Nice Joe. Did you reuse your old bezel spring? Sometimes the tension on new ones can be to tight. But if it was me I would take it back off and put a lube around the gasket first.

Did at first, but then changed to the spring on the black bezel. I'll get some lube and pop the bezel off again.

[toxicavenger]

Nice Joe. Did you reuse your old bezel spring? Sometimes the tension on new ones can be to tight. But if it was me I would take it back off and put a lube around the gasket first.

Did at first, but then changed to the spring on the black bezel. I'll get some lube and pop the bezel off again.

http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?8871 ... -seamaster

[AntonioPD]

Late to this party - very cool Joe; looks awesome! Congrats!

[andrema]

I wish this was a simple option on the 8500.

I love this watch!!

[Joeprez]

Second modification to the PO: Adjustable clasp.

First off, thanks to Tony who posted the original thread regarding this and then help me tracking down the parts... DWC brotherhood at its best. DWC OG thread:

http://www.thedivewatchconnection.com/f ... 51&t=51229

This summer was a little hotter than usual in Puerto Rico and on several occasions while wearing the PO I just had to take it off due to swelling on my wrist. One of those strange things as it had never happen with other watches I wear on bracelet (ExpII and Speedy), but even with half links, the PO was just right (which meant too tight in the heat) or too loose. Due to this I decided to install the adjustable clasp from the Seamaster 300c to my PO. A couple of guys from WUS have done this to their 2500 PO's and even to older Seamaster and Speedies. Mind you, if you have an Omega with a bracelet that uses screws, you just need to get the clasp, as Tony did for this 8500 PO. For those of you with a 2500 PO (pins and collars bracelet), this is what you need:

Clasp (Seamaster 300c): 117STZ001154
Endlinks for said clasp (2 sets): 118ST1589. Each endlink comes with a pin and two screws.
2 sets of pins and screws (1 set = 1 pin and 2 screws, so you need 2 extra pins and 4 extra screws).





The process is very easy, you just take off the original clasp, including its endlinks, put the new endlinks using the pins and screws (old pins and collars will not be used) and add the clasp. In my case, I had to add a half link to my bracelet (actually removed a half link and added a full one), otherwise I would had to fully extended the adjustable clasp. No biggie.

Now some pictures for the TL;DR crowd:

Take out the original clasp with its endlinks:





And install the new endlinks and then the clasp:









Other side:





Fully extended:





The clasp is bigger and thicker, but after one minute on my wrist, I forgot about it:







The clasp is beautiful (the "OMEGA" could have been smaller) and the mechanism feels very robust, this is a must have modification in my book. I don't know if all Omega boutiques sell parts for the same price, so hit me up via PM if you need more info regarding the cost.

This is the original WUS thread, all the information is there, its just a pain in the ass to skim though it (31 pages long):

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f20/planet ... 38834.html

Thanks again Tony

DWC

[toxicavenger]

Great info Joe!!

[Joeprez]

Great info Joe!!

Liking it a lot so far, aesthetically the original clasp looks better with the bracelet, but being able to wear the watch comfortably throughout the day trumps it.

[toxicavenger]

I will have to tell my little bro about it since now he has a 42-45mm PO. He might need this mod.

[JP Chestnut]

Can you measure additional length on the short side of the bracelet from the new clasp? That's always a problem for me.

[BBK357]

Anyone know if this clasp will fit a 1610/930 omega 2254 bracelet?

I have this clasp incoming on a new bond bracelet but I want to find a 1610 and sell the bond.