Servicing my first watch
Discussion
I am interested in opening up and exploring one of my watches (one that I am not overly bothered about). What do I need and where could I obtain these tools?
I would be interested to hear any advice people may have about starting points or the best way to get into this. I am a total beginer but have always had a keen interest in how things work and operate so this will be right up my street.
Thanks in advance.
I would be interested to hear any advice people may have about starting points or the best way to get into this. I am a total beginer but have always had a keen interest in how things work and operate so this will be right up my street.
Thanks in advance.
Time Zone run a watch school and can supply all tools:
http://www.timezonewatchschool.com/WatchSchool/
http://www.timezonewatchschool.com/WatchSchool/
watchtools.de are a good supplier of watch tools (surpisingly
) and being in the EU there is no tax/duty to pay.
Timezone.com do an online watch school where you first learn about a basic manual wind movement, then move onto a automatic with date (i think). They will sell you the tools and movement (although you'll pay tax, so Id just buy the movement from here).
) and being in the EU there is no tax/duty to pay.Timezone.com do an online watch school where you first learn about a basic manual wind movement, then move onto a automatic with date (i think). They will sell you the tools and movement (although you'll pay tax, so Id just buy the movement from here).
I bought mine from watchtools.de - they do good starter kits. Some of the tools in the kits are cheap Chinese bits, some are very good.
Make sure you've got a Jaxa-type 3-prong caseback opener at the very least. The watchtools.de kit I've got has the necessary tool and plenty of bits, good tweezers and a couple of good screwdrivers. It contains a big box full of spring bars, etc. and other consumables.
The only weak point is the hands remover - it's some cheap Chinese job and failed the first time I used it
Will have to buy another, better, one.
If you want to open Rolex casebacks you'll need to get a special grooved-key tool. The 'authorised' Bergeon tool is expensive but, as always, the Chinese replica makers have a copy tool available that's even in the same colour box and looks the same... some of the Jaxa-type caseback openers have bits that claim to open Oyster cases, but I wouldn't risk it as they're a pain to open and if you slip with a Jaxa tool on a Rolex then you'll scratch the caseback badly.
I'm a complete beginner, and in my complete beginner's opinion (which is probably way off base) the things not to skimp on are screwdrivers and tweezers. Obviously it's best not to skimp on tools at all, but good tweezers and good screwdrivers are a must. The more experienced here may disagree!
Make sure you've got a Jaxa-type 3-prong caseback opener at the very least. The watchtools.de kit I've got has the necessary tool and plenty of bits, good tweezers and a couple of good screwdrivers. It contains a big box full of spring bars, etc. and other consumables.
The only weak point is the hands remover - it's some cheap Chinese job and failed the first time I used it
Will have to buy another, better, one.If you want to open Rolex casebacks you'll need to get a special grooved-key tool. The 'authorised' Bergeon tool is expensive but, as always, the Chinese replica makers have a copy tool available that's even in the same colour box and looks the same... some of the Jaxa-type caseback openers have bits that claim to open Oyster cases, but I wouldn't risk it as they're a pain to open and if you slip with a Jaxa tool on a Rolex then you'll scratch the caseback badly.
I'm a complete beginner, and in my complete beginner's opinion (which is probably way off base) the things not to skimp on are screwdrivers and tweezers. Obviously it's best not to skimp on tools at all, but good tweezers and good screwdrivers are a must. The more experienced here may disagree!
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