Building your own watch?

johnro6659

Tyme Machine
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Mar 13, 2015
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Today after lunch my Ex Stacy and i did a little window shopping at a few watch shops. I was talking to one of the guys I know at one of the guys and she interrupted and asked why I don't build my own watches. I really could not give her a reason why I never tried it. Tonight when I got home I did a little searching for parts and figure WHY NOT! Dials, cases, movements are fairly cheap if you shop right. I do not see why I can not put one together with available parts. I think I will source out having the hands put on that is an issue for me. I have tried and failed numerous times even though I have the tools to do it. Has anyone on the group attempted building their own watch? I would appreciate any tips or sources besides Ebay for cases. I really would like to find a very different case than the usual dive case. I do not want to buy a kit I want to use the parts I pick. I would imagine I will do a simple three hand no date auto at first.
 
My brother does it all the time. Trial and error. He etches his own dials, or paints them. He's done mostly chinese mechanical hand winds and miyota autos. The fitting of the hands is a major pain in the ass. He uses mostly cushion shaped cases. Sapphire. Superluminova. I'm his mail carrier and he's getting parts all the time. He's made about ten watches now and gets a little better each time. Lots of parts go flying, dials get ruined. Frustrating and satisfying when it all comes together.
 
My brother does it all the time. Trial and error. He etches his own dials, or paints them. He's done mostly chinese mechanical hand winds and miyota autos. The fitting of the hands is a major pain in the ass. He uses mostly cushion shaped cases. Sapphire. Superluminova. I'm his mail carrier and he's getting parts all the time. He's made about ten watches now and gets a little better each time. Lots of parts go flying, dials get ruined. Frustrating and satisfying when it all comes together.
If you do not mind ask him where he gets his parts or if he has a favorite place aside from Ebay or a fav Ebay seller. I do business with Esslinger and Otto Frei for a lot of my tools and some parts but neither really offer any variety of cases etc. I plan to use either the auto Seiko or Miyota movements mostly but the Seagull movements seem to be solid these days. I have a friend who is sitting on a hobby lathe/milling machine that he hasn't used in 20+ years. I have been trying to convince him he needs to give it to me! LOL If he eventually folds I will attempt to make my own cases at some point.
 
If you do not mind ask him where he gets his parts or if he has a favorite place aside from Ebay or a fav Ebay seller. I do business with Esslinger and Otto Frei for a lot of my tools and some parts but neither really offer any variety of cases etc. I plan to use either the auto Seiko or Miyota movements mostly but the Seagull movements seem to be solid these days. I have a friend who is sitting on a hobby lathe/milling machine that he hasn't used in 20+ years. I have been trying to convince him he needs to give it to me! LOL If he eventually folds I will attempt to make my own cases at some point.
My brother has used the seagull mechanical hand winders most often. He has been trying miyota autos lately, but since I'm a watch guy I don't like that he isn't able to make them screw down crowns normally associated with using the movements, and he leaves a very small gap in the crown because he can't figure yet how to install a screw down crown part to his cases. I'll try to ask him where he sources his movements and cases next time I see him but he's out of town for the next week or so.
 
I've learned the hard way about the skills of others plying their trade and are taken for granted. It's one thing to have a hobby and enjoy some basic stuff depending on one's own skill set. I've always been handy and intrigued about how things work, etc.

I've seen folks like Clemens Helberg and Elshan Tang with degrees in mechanical engineering and the learning curves for even them on some projects isn't taken for granted.

I enjoy doing what I can do and I'll still test my limits. I think that is why the full DIY kits seem to sell pretty good for folks who need to scratch an itch.

https://diywatch.club/
 
Build Your Own Watch - DIY Watch Kit

Jun 13, 2021

My Retro Watches

Hi Guys, in this video I have been sent a watch from DIY Watch Club which I will build and show you all the tools and steps required to build your own watch from a kit. This is my honest opinion of this product that I believe is a great place to start to get you into this wonderful hobby of watchmaking and why I really wanted to show and review this for you all. I hope you enjoy this one.

DIY Watch Club Website: https://diywatch.club/
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I've always wondered...why hasn't anyone made an acrylic watch? Transparent band and body allowing you to fully see the innards of a watch. Or would that just look like too much cheese?
 
I've always wondered...why hasn't anyone made an acrylic watch? Transparent band and body allowing you to fully see the innards of a watch. Or would that just look like too much cheese?
It's been done numerous times by many different brands. Just google acrylic watches and you can check out many differing looks.
 
It's been done numerous times by many different brands. Just google acrylic watches and you can check out many differing looks.
Ah. Not many, but there are a few. Not really what I had envisioned, though. Or maybe I hadn't seen it, yet. I did come across a very transparent Swatch, though.
 
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