Explorer Watch Case - 36mm [ULTRA THIN EDITION / TITANIUM SANDBLASTED] - - - - Lucius Atelier - Swiss Quality Seiko Watch Mod Parts

Explorer 36mm Titanium Sandblasted — Ultra Thin Watch Case

Name: Explorer 36mm Titanium Sandblasted — Ultra Thin Watch Case
Brand: Lucius Atelier
SKU: EC36UT_TSB
Price: 195.0 SGD
Availability: InStock

.price-ui--loading { display: block !important; opacity: 1 !important; }

$195 SGD$0 SGD

The Explorer. Reborn Ultra Thin. Finished in Sandblasted Titanium.

The Explorer is the watch that taught the world a sports watch could wear a suit. We've reinterpreted that silhouette at 36mm — the proportion that defined the archetype before the modern catalogue drifted larger — and built it on the Ultra Thin Edition architecture so it sits on the wrist the way the original was meant to.

The difference here is the material — and the finish. Every component — case body, crown, and caseback — is machined from Grade 4 Titanium, then fully sandblasted. That choice does two things at once. First, weight: the whole case comes in at 18.5 grams, roughly 40% lighter than the same case in 316L steel (30.2 grams). Second, character: where polished titanium can pass for polished steel, sandblasted titanium can't pass for anything else. The matte, non-reflective grey is the finish where titanium looks like titanium — quiet, technical, fingerprint-resistant, completely its own thing.

And underneath the finish: Grade 4 Titanium is the strongest of the commercially pure titanium grades, and it's actually harder than 316L stainless steel — more scratch-resistant, more dent-resistant, with the same hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant properties used in aerospace and medical-grade applications.

At 9.96mm thick with the solid titanium caseback, this is one of the slimmest 36mm Explorer-style cases built for an NH movement — and it ships ready to mod with the SKX013 chapter ring + 28.5mm dial ecosystem you already know.

Ships complete with sapphire, titanium caseback, and titanium screw-down crown.
The flat sapphire crystal ships pre-installed and aligned at our workshop, with the solid titanium caseback and titanium coin-edge crown included. Pair with our sandblasted chapter ring for finish coherence, add dial + hands + movement, and you have a complete watch built around the lightest 36mm case body in the line.

Wears 36, weighs nothing.
36mm case diameter, 43mm lug-to-lug, 20mm lug width — and just 18.5 grams complete with sapphire, crown, and caseback. The classic Explorer proportions disappear on the wrist; the titanium build makes them disappear even further.

Genuinely thin.
9.96mm total thickness with the solid titanium caseback. The NH movement is 7.59mm tall on its own — meaning the sapphire, case body, and hands clearance combined add up to just 2.37mm.

Sandblasted — titanium that looks like titanium.
Where polished titanium reads as polished steel to the eye, sandblasted titanium owns its own identity — matte, non-reflective, quietly technical. It hides fingerprints, catches no glare, and shifts the wear from formal toward tool-watch. The product photos include side-by-side comparisons of sandblasted titanium, polished titanium, and 316L steel for reference.

Harder than steel, lighter than steel.
Grade 4 Titanium is the strongest of the commercially pure titanium grades — harder than 316L stainless steel and more scratch-resistant — while weighing 40% less. The trade-off most people expect (lighter = softer) doesn't apply here. It's both.

Heads up — sold separately

Chapter ring. This case requires a SKX013-spec chapter ring to seat the dial correctly — without it, the dial sits too low and hands won't clear. The case fits both normal and ultra thin chapter rings; the choice depends on your dial, not the case. If your dial has applied (raised) indices, choose ultra thin for clearance. If flat-printed, either works. For finish coherence with this sandblasted case, we recommend our sandblasted chapter ring — the matte finish matches the case body. Browse all compatible chapter rings .

The case ships complete with sapphire crystal, solid titanium caseback, and a titanium coin-edge screw-down crown — you do not need to buy a crown or caseback separately for this case.

For experienced modders only — TYPE M movements only

This case fits TYPE M versions of NH35, NH36, NH38, NH70, NH71, NH72 only. TYPE L will NOT fit. Due to tight clearance between hands and sapphire, this case is recommended only for professional watchmakers and experienced modders.

Specs
Build Guide
What's Included
How To Mod

Dimensions
1. Case Diameter 36mm
2. Case Thickness 9.96mm (Solid Caseback)
3. Lug to Lug 43mm
4. Lug Width 20mm
5. Case Weight 18.5g (complete with sapphire, crown, and caseback) — approximately 40% lighter than the 316L steel sibling at 30.2g
Materials & Finish
1. Quality Swiss Production Quality, ISO 9001 Certified
2. Case Material Grade 4 Titanium (case, crown, and caseback)
3. Case Finishing Fully sandblasted — matte, non-reflective grey
4. Crystal Flat sapphire with clear anti-reflective coating
5. Crystal Size 29.5mm x 1mm
6. Crown Screw-down, titanium coin-edge — included
Compatibility
1. Movements TYPE M: NH35, NH36, NH38, NH70, NH71, NH72
2. Dials 28.5mm
3. Chapter Rings SKX013-spec (required, sold separately) — sandblasted version recommended for finish coherence
4. Hands NH movement compatible
5. Bracelets 20mm lug — fits all our 316L steel and titanium bracelets, but none in our line are sandblasted, so a bracelet creates a finish mismatch with this case body. A leather strap pairs better for finish coherence.
Water Resistance
1. Solid Caseback 100m / 10 ATM
New to Seiko modding? Here's everything you'll need for a complete, functioning watch — in the order you'd actually assemble it.

What's already in this purchase:

The Explorer 36mm titanium case body with the flat AR-coated sapphire crystal pre-fitted, the solid titanium caseback, and the titanium coin-edge screw-down crown — all in fully sandblasted finish. That's the foundation. Everything below is what you'll add to make a wrist-ready watch.

The 4 parts you'll need for a complete watch:
1. Chapter ring — required first. The chapter ring seats the dial at the correct height; without it, the dial sits too low and the hands won't clear.
  (SKX013-spec — sold on a separate page. For this sandblasted case, we recommend the sandblasted chapter ring for finish coherence.)
  View the sandblasted chapter ring · browse all compatible chapter rings
2. Dial (28.5mm) — the face of the watch. The biggest aesthetic choice you'll make. Match it to your chosen movement (date / day+date / no-date dial). For the sandblasted case, matte or military-style dials pair especially well with the tool-watch character.
3. Hands — paired with your dial. Most modders match lume colour across both hands and dial markers (BGW9 white-blue, C3 green, etc.). Our Swiss Super-LumiNova® BGW9 hands pair especially well with the Explorer silhouette.
4. Movement — NH35 (date), NH36 (day+date), NH38 (no date), or source your own. The movement is the engine of the watch.
Optional finishing touches:
1. Strap (20mm lug) — the sandblasted titanium build pairs especially well with luxurious leather. We recommend our shell cordovan straps for a refined wear, plus full-grain cowhide options and military-style nylon for tool-watch builds.
Want it built for you?

Tick the Assemble Watch (+SGD $50) option above on this page and we'll handle the full build in our Singapore workshop — case fitting, movement seating, crown alignment, caseback press, and function check.

Heads up: assembled watches require 2–5 business days of workshop time before shipping.

Once your parts arrive, see the How To Mod tab for assembly tutorials.
1. 1x Watch Case Body in Grade 4 Titanium, Fully Sandblasted (with pre-fitted flat AR-coated sapphire crystal)
2. 1x Titanium Coin-Edge Screw-Down Crown, Sandblasted
3. 1x Solid Titanium NH Caseback, Sandblasted
All photos of watches with modification parts are for illustration purposes only and are not included with the case purchase.

Should I pair this case with a bracelet?

Honest answer: probably not. None of our bracelets are sandblasted, so any bracelet pairing creates a visible finish mismatch with this case body. We recommend a leather strap instead — shell cordovan or full-grain cowhide both pair beautifully with sandblasted titanium, and military-style nylon works for tool-watch builds. The case is the statement; the strap supports it.

What's the visual difference between sandblasted and polished titanium?

Sandblasted titanium is matte, non-reflective, and a softer grey — it doesn't catch light or attract fingerprints, and it reads as quietly technical on the wrist. Polished titanium, by contrast, is visually indistinguishable from polished 316L stainless steel — reflective, mirror-finish, more formal. Both are the same Grade 4 material with the same weight, hardness, and corrosion resistance; the finish is the only difference. The product photos include side-by-side reference comparisons.

Why Grade 4 specifically?

Grade 4 is the strongest of the commercially pure titanium grades — pure titanium, no alloying elements, but with controlled oxygen and iron content that pushes its strength and hardness above the other pure grades. It's the same grade used in aerospace structural components and surgical implants.

Why pair this case with a sandblasted chapter ring?

Finish coherence. The chapter ring is the thin ring that sits between the dial and the inner case wall — it's visible from the front. A polished or brushed chapter ring against a sandblasted case body creates a visible finish mismatch under the crystal. Our sandblasted chapter ring shares the same matte finish as this case, so the transition from dial to case body reads as a single material.

What's the difference between Type M and Type L?

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.

Do I need to remove the sapphire crystal to install the chapter ring?

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.)

Should I choose the normal or the ultra thin chapter ring?

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.

What is an SKX013 chapter ring and why does it matter?

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.

Will SKX007 dials fit?

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.

Does this case need a chapter ring?

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.

How does titanium compare to steel for a watch case?

On this case, three differences matter. Weight: the titanium build is 18.5 grams complete, versus 30.2 grams for the 316L steel sibling — about 40% lighter. Hardness: Grade 4 Titanium is actually harder than 316L stainless steel, so it's more scratch-resistant, not less (the common assumption goes the other way). Skin contact: titanium is hypoallergenic and entirely corrosion-resistant, so it won't react with sweat or skin oils the way some steels can over time.