Thread: Watch making kit

Does anybody know of any kits for building a watch movement? I would very much like to assemble all the pieces of the movement but don't know where to start. There seem to be very few books on the subject and not much on the net either.

I don't know if there is a kit available. You probably need to just round up the tools, plug into some expertise and give it a go. Sounds like razor honing and restoration, doesn't it?

I think that a good way to start would be to get an inexpensive movement or an old pocketwatch and do a strip and reassemble. A couple of great resources would be Timezone.com or EquationOfTime.com. Another starting point would be to attend an NAWCC (National Assoc. of Watch and Clock Collectors) show. Look at nawcc.org for contact info. Their members include watch and clock makers and the meeting programs frequently feature presentations on watchmaking.

A few years ago one of the guys at Paneristi.com took a plain movement and completely re-did it by fully skeletonizing the plates and decorating all the components. He posted the whole process and I think a search over there will turn it up. Really interesting stuff. Good luck.

Timezone.com has a watch school. The school is only two parts, and each part requires you purchase a kit. The first part uses a manual wind movement, the second is an automatic movement. I've looked into it, and it seems pretty cool. Check it out.

TimeZone Watch School Home

Now I'm even more interested. This looks great fun.
I think I chose the wrong career. I would thrive on this kind of thing.

This thread comes along at a good time. I've just gotten my dad's pocket watch back from my longtime jewelers and found it wasn't fixed right. These are wonderful people and completely honest, and they will do everything they can to make it right, but their mechanical-watch expert is an elderly gentleman and I'm sorry to say I'm beginning to think he may be losing his touch. And this craft is probably not something that is attracting a lot of young talent. It has occurred to me lately I might have to learn the basics in self-defense. (Not that I'm "young talent" by any stretch of the imagination.)

~Rich

There are no kits for making watches. There are kits for clocks. Sattler makes a kit but it is very expensive. If you search the web you will find a variety of clock making kits and sites. Many members of the NAWCC do clock building as a hobby.

To make your own watch from scratch requires a lot of skill since you can't buy ready made parts you would have to cut gears and all that and that is hard and as the parts get smaller the harder it is. The Timezone watch school is for learning the basics of how a watch works and how to take them apart and put them back together again and do minor service. I've taken both courses.There are some people who have access to a proper lathe and have constructed their own watch by buying a movement and making alterations but you have to really have some skill to do that.

As far as the pocketwatch situation you should never take any mechanical timepiece to a watch repairer unless you know he or she is competent. Most experienced people are getting to an age where their skill is deteriorating and anyone who learned the trade after the mid 80s shouldn't be let near any mechanical timepiece. There are precious few competent people around who can do any repair jobs on mechanical timepieces. If you have one near you your the luckiest person in the world and should run out and buy a lottery ticket.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

As far as the pocketwatch situation you should never take any mechanical timepiece to a watch repairer unless you know he or she is competent. Most experienced people are getting to an age where their skill is deteriorating and anyone who learned the trade after the mid 80s shouldn't be let near any mechanical timepiece. There are precious few competent people around who can do any repair jobs on mechanical timepieces. If you have one near you your the luckiest person in the world and should run out and buy a lottery ticket.

Amen, I have an old Illinois key wind that my jeweler used to keep going for me, but since he died 15 yrs ago, I rarely use the watch. The new guys havent the skill and I have heard horror stories about movements being stolen and replaced with junk.

If any of you are into scroll sawing this guy sells clock making plans. They look like fun to make.

Rick's Scrollsaw

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

anyone who learned the trade after the mid 80s shouldn't be let near any mechanical timepiece.

FWIW watches/pocketwatches and larger clocks/wallclocks are VERY different animals. I know clock guys who wouldn't dream of touching a watch.

As for the above comment I completely disagree. Yes the good ones are few and far between but I know for a fact that there are guys who learned after the 80's who are as good as the masters. To learn an "old" trade can be done many ways. In terms of watch repair/building many guys learn straight from the old guys in an apprenticeship type situation and eventually at least reach the skill of their teacher. It's how progress is made and old techniques aren't lost.

Originally Posted by rastewart

This thread comes along at a good time. I've just gotten my dad's pocket watch back from my longtime jewelers and found it wasn't fixed right. These are wonderful people and completely honest, and they will do everything they can to make it right, but their mechanical-watch expert is an elderly gentleman and I'm sorry to say I'm beginning to think he may be losing his touch. And this craft is probably not something that is attracting a lot of young talent. It has occurred to me lately I might have to learn the basics in self-defense. (Not that I'm "young talent" by any stretch of the imagination.)

~Rich

Actually, you'd be surprised. My university has a watchmaker program that has gotten international attention (bear in mind this is Oklahoma). I get the feeling that watches are likely in a slump but will come back soon.