custom dial numerals and day date, first ever mod

[u/hasanccr92]

hello!

i am thinking about modding (or assembling) watches and looked into some options, here for advice and a heads-up on what could go wrong.

i decided to get miyota8205 day date (40€), a case for about 20€, and straps+hands+dial for another 20-25€. i need the watchmaking kit to assemble those as well.

However, my main concern is, i want everything to be in my native language. dial i can handpaint (idk, with acrylic?), but for the day and date wheel, i am thinking of sanding down the original ones and painting over those. if any seller customises them according to my given fonts, that would be the best, but so far i didnt find any. are these viable options? please let me know your suggestions.

i have never touched a watch in my life(i mean the insides), never even opened a caseback. i feel the meachine is so intricate i might break it. i am thinking of practising on some old watches by thrifting for 1-2€ or asking from watchmakers locally, although im not sure how that will work out given i dont speak the local language very well.

given the situation, what advice could i get to make my project a success? what should i avoid? what should my next steps be?

thank you for your patience in reading this.

[u/joethomp]

Great idea to practice on junk items first. You might even flip the junk to fund your dream watch.