GS 39mm — Ultra Thin NH34-Ready Watch Case

Seiko NH movements only, and TYPE M versions specifically: NH34, NH35, NH36, NH38, NH70, NH71 and NH72. TYPE L will not fit. Swiss ETA and Sellita movements are not supported on this case. It is NH34 GMT-ready, so a true GMT build is on the table — for those, keep the second hand under 12mm or use a second-hand cap. Because clearance between the hands and the sapphire is tight, this case is recommended for experienced modders. The dial, hands, movement and an SKX013 chapter ring are all chosen separately.

Yes — it is fully NH34-ready, and that is the uncommon part. The NH34 GMT stands 7.99mm tall against 7.59mm for a standard NH, while this case is 10.95mm in total with the solid caseback — so the crystal, caseback floor, case walls and hand clearance share barely 3mm between them. Most cases this slim cannot take a GMT at all. Two things to get right: use a GMT / NH34-specific dial, because the NH34 needs the larger centre hole and a standard NH35 dial will not fit; and keep the second hand under 12mm or fit a second-hand cap. You will also need a 24-hour GMT hand.

Both casebacks take the same Seiko NH movements, so the choice is profile versus view. Solid is the slimmest at 10.95mm total; the sapphire (exhibition) caseback is 11.75mm and lets you see the movement. Both are rated 100m / 10 ATM. If you are adding a decorated bridge and rotor, pick sapphire — it is the only way you will ever see them.

Same 39mm faceted GS silhouette, rebuilt on our Ultra Thin architecture. The headline is thickness: 10.95mm with the solid caseback against the v2's 12.8mm — 1.85mm slimmer at the same diameter. Two other differences matter before you buy. The v2 took Swiss ETA and Sellita movements through a selectable caseback; this case is Seiko NH only, and TYPE M versions specifically. And water resistance is 100m / 10 ATM here against 200m on the v2 — that is the trade for the slimmer case. The v2 is being discontinued, and this replaces it.

Type M and Type L are Seiko's two factory hand-fitting versions of the NH series. Type L sits higher than Type M — about 0.4mm taller from base to second-hand pinion. Because of the tight clearance between hands and sapphire in Ultra Thin Edition cases, only Type M will fit. Confirm your movement type before ordering.

No — and that's the whole point of us pre-installing the sapphire for you. The chapter ring sits on top of the dial inside the case, not under the crystal, so the crystal stays where it is throughout the build. (If you ever do need to remove the sapphire — for example, to replace it — that's a workshop job we handle for you, not an at-home step.)

The choice depends on your dial, not the case — both sizes fit every Ultra Thin Edition case. If your dial has applied (raised) indices, the ultra thin chapter ring is the better choice because its slimmer profile gives the indices clearance instead of resting on top of them. If your dial is flat-printed (no applied markers), either size works. When in doubt, the ultra thin chapter ring is the safer default because it works with both dial types.

A specific size and spec used by Seiko in the SKX013 (discontinued 2019). The LA smaller-case lineup all uses this same spec, which means dozens of chapter ring designs work across every smaller case in the catalogue.

Any 28.5mm dial will fit. Stock SKX007 dials may seat differently because the original SKX007 has a 4 o'clock crown position with offset dial feet, while Ultra Thin Edition cases are designed for 3 o'clock dial feet.

Yes — every Ultra Thin Edition case requires an SKX013-spec chapter ring, sold separately. The chapter ring seats the dial at the correct height; without it, the dial drops and the hands will not clear properly.

They are rounded off — but they are still crisp, and we would rather say that than have you open the box expecting something softer. "Sharp" is genuinely subjective: a Rolex is sharp too, and where one person reads that as crisp and well-defined, another finds it catches. The bracelet clasp is the sharpest part of the whole package — that is the part to know about before you commit.

If a previous mod was painful to wear, it is worth working out what actually caused it: a poorly finished lug edge digging in is a different problem from a clasp catching on the back of your wrist. Email hello@luciusatelier.com and say which it was, and you will get an honest answer on whether ours will be better or much the same.

Cases ship exactly as listed — no custom machining, no changes to size, lug width or lug shape, no alternative finishes of an existing case, and no engraving (a local engraver or jeweller can engrave a finished part after purchase). What you can customize is the build: choose the case, dial, hands, chapter ring, bezel insert, crystal and bracelet you want and LA will assemble the finished watch for you. Bespoke design work — one-off dials, mockups or renders, designing a build to a brief — is not offered. For fully custom work, see the list of watch modification specialists.

UTE is shorthand for the Ultra Thin Edition — the Lucius Atelier case line engineered to stay near or under 10mm while remaining NH-compatible, where most Seiko mod cases on the market run 13–14mm. It includes the Bauhaus 33mm at 9.93mm with a solid caseback (the thinnest NH-compatible mod case on the market), the Explorer 36mm at 9.96mm, the Seikonaut 38mm at 10.0mm, the NH34 GMT-ready 1908 36mm at 10.75mm, the SKX013 Diver 38 at 10.86mm and the Pilot 34mm at 10.96mm. Ultra Thin cases take the standard 0.4mm dial spec, and both chapter ring sizes fit them.