My first DIY watch project
My first DIY watch project
I have been a watch enthusiast and collector for some time, and always wanted to go internal on an automatic watch. I have always been hesitant to go there on my own. Automatic watches aren’t cheap and I was not confident in my abilities.
I have read all the reviews with mixed opinions on if a DIY project is really watch making. Well, it is true you are not assembling the movement, but I found this project truly challenging and hugely fulfilling. I wear my “Bruce Wayne GMT” with the pride of knowing I assembled it. To be clear, I had no previous watch making experience. I bought the upgraded tools for my project. I found the instructions very clear and understandable. Installing the second hand was, by far, the most difficult part. The instructions made it very clear that I could damager the movement if I didn’t align the second hand prior to applying force. I have to admit my total assembly time was ~7 hours, with 5 of those hours trying to be confident I had the second hand aligned prior to pushing it into place. I was able to do it and feel extremely proud of myself for this accomplishment. It takes patience and a steady hand. I admit contemplating if my watch actually needed a second hand more than once during those 5 hours. I didn’t initially buy the second hand placement tool, but ordered it in case I ever had to reinstall the second hand.
So, purist may call my DIY project experience merely watch assembly vice actual watch making, I’m good with that, I am still proud to say I built that and wear it proudly.
Thank you for the experience.