This Seiko Dive Watch Took a Beating — Can I Bring It Back to Life?

This Seiko 7002-7009 has been on one wrist for over 30 years — through sawdust, steel, and a whole lot of life. It belongs to a close friend of mine, a master furniture designer who works in both wood and metal. Along the way, this classic diver picked up its share of wear… and a molten souvenir from a welding session that scorched the crystal. In this episode of The Watchmaker Studio, I bring this one-owner Seiko back to life. We’ll go deep into the restoration process — from disassembly, movement repair, case refinishing, and regulation, all the way to the final wrist shot on a new NATO strap. Along the way, I’ll share a bit of Seiko dive history, including the watch’s military roots, and show you what makes the 7002 such an underrated classic. Whether you’re here for the watchmaking, the history, or just some satisfying before-and-after goodness — welcome. --- *Chapters* 0:00 Intro 1:40 Disassembly 5:40 Broken Wheel Found 8:40 Hairspring Damage Discovered 12:10 Pre-Cleaning 15:11 Lathe Work on Mainspring Barrel 17:38 Hairspring Repair 20:13 Cleaning Machine 21:30 Reassembly of Movement 36:32 Case Cleaning & Polishing 39:22 Finding and Fixing the Barrel Problem 41:37 A Brief Seiko Dive Watch History 43:45 Final Assembly 54:46 Regulation & Timing 55:12 Wrap-up & Final Shots --- Tools & Notes: Movement: Seiko 7002A Water Resistance: 150m (early model) One-owner since the late '80s Strap: Black & Gray NATO --- 👉 *Subscribe* for more vintage watch restorations, stories, and the occasional tiny part flying across the room. 💬 Got a Seiko story or a restoration challenge? Drop it in the comments! **Dead Battery Stock Videos by Vecteezy.com