# Question About This Alba Manta Ray Diver...



## Isthmus (Sep 29, 2005)

Hi guys. I recently purchased this blue Seiko Alba Manta Ray diver:










I'm not a big fan of the pepsi style bezel and would like to swap it for one in which all the numbers are black. After much searching I found this image in the RLT Gallery here:

http://www.horology.info/pic_library/commo...;noMetric=false










Can Roy, whoever owns this watch, or anyone who might know, please tell me where I might be able to find this bezel? Everywhere I've looked I only find the pepsi style or the black ion plated variety. I could have the red numbers colored in, but I'd rather do that as a second option.

Someone here did a similar mod to what I want to do here:

http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?s...p;mode=threaded

Thanks for the help.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Hi Gabe, Im pretty sure the gallery watch and the watch that was for sale is the same watch, ie the numbers were coloured in......


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Hi Isthmus,

I used to own that very watch & sold it to Richard (rsykes2000) ages ago - he's presumably sold it on also. I modified the bezel myself - originally it was the pepsi bezel (like you I'm not a fan of anything pepsi) & I coloured the red numbers in with a black fine tipped permanent (not water based) marker pen. I know that this is your second option but as far as I know it's the only option. Rather than use marker pen though you could colour the numbers with black enamel paint (using a fine brush to apply it). This should turn out to be harder wearing than the marker pen - not that I can remember having any particular problems with the marker pen method though.

The numbers are quite deeply recessed in the bezel so this wasn't a difficult modification to do &, in my opinion, the watch looked much better after it than it did before it! Given the number of variations on a theme that Seiko often do (Alba's a part of Seiko apparently) - different coloured Monsters/Samurai's/007's etc - I'm a bit surprised that a model with all black numerals isn't available.

Hope this helps & best of luck with the mod


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## Mutley (Apr 17, 2007)

IMHO the bezel looks great just as it is, I would say leave it as it is for now, you might get to like it, if not then then change it.

Cheers

Andrew


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## Isthmus (Sep 29, 2005)

Thanks for the help guys and thanks for the suggestions Paulo. If all else fails, I'll try the marker method.

BTW, mine is on a it's rubber strap, do any of you know if a super oyster bracelet will fit this?


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

I never tried a super oyster on my watch so can't say for certain. I thought that the original Alba bracelet was good quality (definitely up to the usual Seiko standards) but looked a little slim against the large watch head. Most of the time I wore mine on a rhino strap which was a comfortable combination.


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