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Picked up a beat-up DW-5600C Japan H module 691 for cheap recently. No bezel, strap, buckle, bezel screws, or spring bars. No problem. Been dabbling in restoring vintage G-Shock squares lately, but this one was special. Seller’s pics:
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Caseback had a lot of surface scuffs and a couple of deep scratches. Crystal had scratches and a couple of pits. Overall pretty dirty, but didn’t seem too bad. That was, until I opened the caseback...
The smell of fish exploded out of the case center. At first I thought it was chemical, like battery corrosion that had seeped into all the watch components. But as I got the module out and further inspected, there was no doubt that the previous owner used this G-Shock for his fishing endeavors, which likely included cleaning whatever was reeled in.
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There were fish gut remnants and filth in the case center and button holes. The button pushers were so stuck in the holes that I had to push them out from inside the case.
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Luckily I had a 691 module and module housing from a different parts watch, because the existing module reeked and could not be cleaned. Everything else went into the ultrasonic cleaner. Normally I would not put the case center into the ultrasonic cleaner for fear of delamination, but this called for extreme measures.
And then something surfaced from the case center. A fish bone!
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That guy had been hiding inside this watch for who knows how long.
Round 2 in the cleaner and guess what shows up:
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ANOTHER fish bone.
No turning back on this project now. Gonna see this through to the end.
After 3 rounds in the cleaner, everything finally looks clean.
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Spruced up the caseback a bit. Then the usual 400, 800, 1500, 2000 grit sandpaper progression for the crystal. Then cerium oxide.
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The next step is where I do things a little bit differently. I like to line the inside of the crystal graphics with double-sided carbon tape. This muffles the alarm tones + button beeps slightly. But it affords protection from the crystal graphics being rubbed off by the alarm spring and bars of the module face.
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Before the tape. Some small scrapes from the module metal bars are already present on the top and bottom horizontal border of the graphics. If the graphics are scraped away, it is visible when viewing the watch from the front. Sacrificing some volume on button beeps and alarm tones is worth it to me to preserve the front facade of the watch.
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Double-sided carbon tape applied.
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Buttons were nice and clean from the ultrasonic cleaner. Rebuilt, lubricated with silicone grease, and installed.
Next install and align the module into the case center.
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Final step is another slight modification. Since the double-sided carbon tape is protecting the crystal graphics, I like to push the module up into the crystal as much as possible. So in addition to the OEM rubber cushion, I stack a rubber O-ring in there before screwing on the caseback. I lubricate the O-ring with silicone grease. Then the caseback glides along the O-ring and doesn’t rotate the module when screwed on.
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This is the O-ring. A pack of 10 cost me $2.25usd.
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All buttoned up.
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Module nearly flush with the inside of the crystal.
—————
This restoration was a doozy. I never would have imagined what I found in this watch. Definitely going to be giving this now clean, but once fishy 5600C, plenty of time on the wrist.
Caseback had a lot of surface scuffs and a couple of deep scratches. Crystal had scratches and a couple of pits. Overall pretty dirty, but didn’t seem too bad. That was, until I opened the caseback...
The smell of fish exploded out of the case center. At first I thought it was chemical, like battery corrosion that had seeped into all the watch components. But as I got the module out and further inspected, there was no doubt that the previous owner used this G-Shock for his fishing endeavors, which likely included cleaning whatever was reeled in.
There were fish gut remnants and filth in the case center and button holes. The button pushers were so stuck in the holes that I had to push them out from inside the case.
Luckily I had a 691 module and module housing from a different parts watch, because the existing module reeked and could not be cleaned. Everything else went into the ultrasonic cleaner. Normally I would not put the case center into the ultrasonic cleaner for fear of delamination, but this called for extreme measures.
And then something surfaced from the case center. A fish bone!
That guy had been hiding inside this watch for who knows how long.
Round 2 in the cleaner and guess what shows up:
ANOTHER fish bone.
No turning back on this project now. Gonna see this through to the end.
After 3 rounds in the cleaner, everything finally looks clean.
Spruced up the caseback a bit. Then the usual 400, 800, 1500, 2000 grit sandpaper progression for the crystal. Then cerium oxide.
The next step is where I do things a little bit differently. I like to line the inside of the crystal graphics with double-sided carbon tape. This muffles the alarm tones + button beeps slightly. But it affords protection from the crystal graphics being rubbed off by the alarm spring and bars of the module face.
Before the tape. Some small scrapes from the module metal bars are already present on the top and bottom horizontal border of the graphics. If the graphics are scraped away, it is visible when viewing the watch from the front. Sacrificing some volume on button beeps and alarm tones is worth it to me to preserve the front facade of the watch.
Double-sided carbon tape applied.
Buttons were nice and clean from the ultrasonic cleaner. Rebuilt, lubricated with silicone grease, and installed.
Next install and align the module into the case center.
Final step is another slight modification. Since the double-sided carbon tape is protecting the crystal graphics, I like to push the module up into the crystal as much as possible. So in addition to the OEM rubber cushion, I stack a rubber O-ring in there before screwing on the caseback. I lubricate the O-ring with silicone grease. Then the caseback glides along the O-ring and doesn’t rotate the module when screwed on.
This is the O-ring. A pack of 10 cost me $2.25usd.
All buttoned up.
Module nearly flush with the inside of the crystal.
—————
This restoration was a doozy. I never would have imagined what I found in this watch. Definitely going to be giving this now clean, but once fishy 5600C, plenty of time on the wrist.
