Today we are gonna look at a very interesting project where you order your watch assembly kit and you have to assemble the watch yourself! The company is called DIY Watch Club. They wrote me on Instagram and I immediately said yes, as I’m slowly learning watchmaking (not to be a watchmaker, but just for my own purpose, so I can better understand how everything works as there are gear formulas and many other small aspects that can help me to better review a certain watch).

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Anycase, basically you can choose Open heart, Skeleton or Dive watch kit. There are many different dial colours etc. You choose the watch you want to assemble and they send out all the watch parts (case with case-back with crystal already installed, dial, hands, movement) and all the tools you will need! All the dress watch styles are in cooperation with Eoniq (open heart, skeleton). The kits aren’t very expensive, they range from 200-300$ which I think is very cheap.

The watchmaking tool kit arrived in a very neat cardboard box. Inside you will have a zip pouch with all the tools and watch parts inside. I chose the skeleton model with a blue dial. So inside the kit you get:

Parts:

• Watch case
• Crown and stem
• Movement holder
• Dial
• Hands
• Movement

Tools:

• Tweezers
• Finger cots
• Hand pump
• Suede cloth
• Rodico
• Loupe 5x
• Case opener
• Hand removal tools
• Protective film for hand removal
• Hand setting tool
• Peg wood
• Screwdriver
• Pad
• Phone stand to watch the video tutorials

As I work in the watch store with its own watchmakers from who I’m also learning the watchmaking, they helped me to understand what each tool was needed for. They said that some tools were good, but some were not so good. But they said that the quality of instruments isn’t the most important part, as watchmaker can assemble watch with cheap Chinese tools too. But yeah, they filed the tweezer ends and adjusted all the tools for me so the assembly process would go easier for me. I had, of course, the luxury of assembling the watch on the professional watchmaker’s table and with the help of very experienced watchmakers. But I tried to do with the tools supplied only and by using the provided video tutorials.

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The tutorial process actually, in my opinion, is made very simple and easy to understand with videos and high-quality photos. You just get your phone or tablet and scan the QR code, register and you get the access to the video tutorials. I can’t post them here as everything is available on their own site. I was actually surprised how thought out is the whole tutorial process, they really nailed everything from the start. Also if you did something wrong or you have problems you can go to their DWC forum and there are many helpful tips from professionals on how to reverse your mistake. Also if you broke any part or something, you can order a replacement part easily.

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I did not make any assembling process photos, as I didn’t have anyone to do photos with me assembling the watch, so all the photos will be with the already assembled watch. The process was very easy, probably the hardest part for a beginner is attaching the hands, as there are many things that can go wrong, and also happened to me. Basically, I pushed the hands-on too strongly and the movement wasn’t running properly, but that comes with experience. I had to give the watch to my watchmaker to attach the hands the proper way. But the rest went pretty smooth.

I think overall the watch came out pretty good. My watchmakers love the Miyota movements as it is a solid base and very well made + all the watch parts were also accepted by my watchmakers who on a daily basis are repairing or servicing luxury watches. Definitely for a guy who likes watches or just assembling things this is a very interesting project and definitely worth trying! Plus you not only learn the basics of assembling the watch, but you also get a watch that you assembled and that is a great story to tell if someone asks about what’s on your wrist? 🙂

diywatch.club