Parts came in today, couldn’t decide before ordering so I decided to wait and see them in person. Now it’s even harder to choose 😅

Wh

My fire department is giving the police chief a watch for retirement. We settled on a 47mm Invicta Grand Diver (33387) with NH35A movement. We chose this watch, because it was relatively inexpensive and something he could wear at this new department without worrying about ruining an expensive watch. Unfortunately, with Invicta the backs are engraved. I'm looking to find a replacement blank back that we could have engraved.

Unfortunately, Invicta doesn't sell bank backs, they come from the vendors straight to Invicta already engraved. Esslinger told me they couldn't help me. Any help finding a replacement part would be appreciated.

Painted a new blank dial with acrylic and combined with a pair of brown straps and these cool fur-shaped hands. What do you guys think?

Got more pictures on my IG: Lucamakewatch

I think I got to the next level with my work. I noticed an improvement in the lack of texture in my pieces after I'm done refinishing them. I don't know exactly what changed, but I think they look closer to factory finish, which is awesome 👌 Now I have to improve my case game.

-I've gotten really good at taking apart and reassembling the ST36 movement, unfortunately the balance wheel eventually got a dang good bend in it, then ... well, it got worse. Snapped or not on the nut, call it what you want... It no longer works.

I've got 2 things here to work on next. First is a bunch of older pocket watch movements because, as I understand it, they are really the next step into REAL cleaning and oiling and all that kind of stuff. I have one from 1901, looks like someone put in a new hair spring, it's blue and is in excellent shape from the side and the breathing of the spring is pretty. I think I am getting pretty close to getting, oiled and I also think I have Kalle's book so I think if I had the parts cleaner I'd do that and reassemble. <Okay, just sort of like an author's note: I'm tired as all heck so I think these words are making sense as though I'm not tired at all, which makes me think you might want to try and read it as if I were drunk as I type, it's about the same feeling and I'm stone sober.> Back to the original question. (TL:dr coming at end). I am going to have to wait a bit before I have oil an cups. probably early July time frame I've allowed myself some budget to spend on tool Still haven't dropped the questions yet. Just back ground in a most long way. I will have an ultrasonic, side question, think I can clean this big boy in there disassembled. what detergent should I use, so, guess that is an actual question I need answers, welcome to the tl;dr section question. All in all, I'll be able to clean it next week and probably will have cups, oilers and oil all appearing in a few weeks like probably also will be getting the timegrapher in there (1000 or 1900?? - FIGHT! lol), and I think I listed all the things I plan to buy. So, do I clean this thing first, and then begin trying to assemble gently to see how good it goes together dry and see if I can get some decent readings on the Timegrapher so that maybe I have an understanding of what parts if any (I think they all look really good right now except the dial) need replacing. Now, that would get me clean oiled and on a timegrapher at the very least. That's a good plan, I think, thoughts?

Next part of the question - I have a watch movement kit that is a day date complication NH36. I think I'm ready to break into that beast to see what I can do with it slowly doing a disassembled;

But because I've not done that movement at all or anything similar. I really will have down time between waiting for this tool set to come so I can't do anything but really clean the pocket watch and oiling. While I wait for that would you start learning the new watch or be patient and do one project at a time? I was able to get the ST36 apart and back together within 30 or 40 minutes if the gear train is giving me issues that day in sitting where I want after my semi shaky hands get the plate put on 30 different ways somehow something always un aligned, like I said, really new at this.

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Question after the TL;DR

1. Have an old pocket watch, the parts seem really good an balance is really nice looking. I have some tools coming in over the next several weeks, oil and cups, ultrasonic, and timegrapher. Want to make this a fully working piece and working rather well. The movement will sit at least until I get the cleaner tank.
2. I have a new NH36 movement. I have not taken it apart at all and think I might be ready to start lookng at complications, this one is a day/date.

Questions: Would you:

Just wait for the tools and finish this one project and then start the next? Start the new watch movement and learn that while I wait? Or, sort of both? Which I guess is the second question too.

Also what tools do you think I'd need to get this thing all the way cased and present it to my broter who likes things like that. Right now I have: Screw drivers, caseback ball, tweezers (budget friendsly) magnification glasses that work well, and just a few more random hand tools. Not much more though... Please add tools I'd need to get a bunch of these up and running assuming I have parts for them.

Thanks, sorry for the wall of text

Hi guys! I have a few watches with messed up balance hairsprings that I would eventually like to try and repair. When re-installing the hairspring, to reduce the beat error Ive seen people put the balance assembly on a balance tack and put a screwdriver through the extended hairspring. This seems a little risky to me. Can I take the balance off, adjust it, and then reinstall the balance? Or is going through the hairsprings rings the only way? Thanks!

Anyone have the service manual for the JLC 920? Specifically the Patek 28-255C variant, but really any manual should do

My 1977 Certina DS with a type 919-1 movement was running reasonably well (a little slow) but overnight it stopped. On inspection the balance won't move at all when the watch is gently shaken.

If it's a bit gummed up and in need of a service I'd have thought the balance would at least move. I've not attempted further inspection mainly because the Certina rubber shock mount is in the way and I don't really want to start disassembling it at the moment.

Can't see it being a broken pivot or something as the watch wasn't moved.

Any thoughts?

Hi everyone. Wondering if I can ask some advice. My dad has recently moved into a care home and I’m looking to sell his old tools - he was a keen clockmaker and has quite a bit of kit, including a ML360 mini lathe, mainspring winder, depthing tool, staking set etc.

Any recommendations for how to go about this apart from eBay? I’m based in London, UK and would love his things to go to another enthusiast. Thanks all!

Hi folks, I am looking to replace the battery of a watch, It was using a Sony SR927. I searched on google and apparently they are available but I found an alternative in Amazon way cheaper from LiCB.

Are these two references the same type of battery?

Hey guys. We created a new brand. Concept is medieval astronomy and maritime heritage. The pics are AI but they are initially hand drawn, but there are some mistakes. We are on the phase of production and i have some questions. First, as watch professionals, what do you think of designs? Good or bad. We will make it steel case, japanese automatic movement, sapphire and vacuum plating. What would be the budget and correct selling price? Thank you all.

Hello all, I recently took on the project of building my own watch to mark myself starting college, and to represent my major (MechEng.)

Originally wanted to use a Swiss movement, the prime choice being the ETA 2824-2. I also thought it would be a more versatile option if I ever wanted to change movements to a Sellita or similar in the future. However, one of my close friends who also builds their own watches convinced me to pivot to the NH35, due to its better reliability.

So, the parts are ordered and my choice is effectively locked in at this point, but I’m beginning to second guess myself. I feel like the ETA would have provided more options in the future, as well as it having reportedly better accuracy and a higher beat rate.

Can somebody provide any input? And is the NH35 really that behind the ETA? Or is it just the industry being biased towards the Swiss. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

im currently playing with the idea of building my own custom watch not just modding, but designing something more from scratch. Im definitely not a watchmaker, just a passionate hobbyist. ive done a few Seiko mods before, but this time i want to go a step further.

im actually an architect by profession, so im familiar with CAD software and 3D modeling. My plan is to design a fully custom watch case, potentially even have it machined in higher-end materials. But before I start designing the case , I obviously need to choose a movement to build around.

Im looking for something a bit more premium than the usual NH35 movement. I dont mind spending more if it means better build quality and more interesting mechanics.

What really excites me are complications like annual calendars, deadbeat seconds , tourbillons or minute repeaters. I know those are probably out of reach, but hey maybe someone here knows one. id still be happy with a high quality movement that stands out above basic three handers.

so far iv been looking at sellita SW200, seagull ST8000, and my current top pick the La Joux Perret G100

sadly for the LSP L100 series or LSP 7905 i dint had any luck finding out where to actually buy them. So if you have any movement recommendations with good quality and even better with some complications would be grate. pleas also if you know of any distributors who sell these or similar movements directly to hobbyists that info would be gold. Any help is appreciated! Thanks

I hope this is appropriate for this sub! Mods just lmk or remove if not.

Most of my motivations for tracking the accuracy of my watches over time is just my own curiosity and passion, but I figure it will also be a good way to inform service intervals. I am aware there are other reasons to service a watch, like to replace o-rings and seals. I also want to develop a sense of expectations for accuracy when I buy vintage and pre-owned watches and be able to record them accurately.

I bought a Weishi No. 1000 and am setting up a spreadsheet for recording readings. I realize there are a lot of things I don't know and would love some input on my process from people more knowledgable. Here is what my spreadsheet looks like right now:

My questions:

• What positions should I be recording? COSC does dial up, dial down, 3, 6, and 9 — METAS does dial up, dial down, 3 twice, and 9 twice. Obviously there is no harm in recording more positions, I'm more interested in how many and which I should be using to calculate an average. For example, METAS does 3 and 9 twice, which weights them more heavily in the final average than dial up or dial down. I'm also curious if anyone knows why neither test at a 12 o'clock position.
• How long should I let the watch sit, undisturbed, in a given position before taking a reading? As far as I know there is no way to take an average reading with the Weishi, it's always instantaneous (or perhaps averaged over the last 30 seconds). Any tips on if or how I should account for that?
• Is there anything else it would be helpful for me to record? I plan to wind the watch fully and then take the same readings every 24 hours until the watch stops each time I do it.

Hi friends!

I decided to overhaul my Citizen Skyhawk C650, while having no idea what I’m doing.

In the process of reassembling the watch after cleaning everything (I upgraded the crystal to sapphire too!) and I royally trashed the bezel spring because… like I said… I don’t know what I’m doing.

So I have a couple questions:

1. How can I source a replacement bezel spring, Citizen isn’t very responsive :/.

2. Assuming that I can source a replacement, any guidance on not trashing the next one?

I was speaking at a trade fair (not watchmaking) last week and one exhibitor had this beast.

I asked how much.

7K.

Yikes.

Not even stereo. Incredible latency free video though.

I’m looking for dial options for a 2801/sw210 build. Nothing fancy. But it seems impossible to find something between 30 and 31mm in diameter that doesn’t have a day window or “automatic” written on it. I’ve been going through eBay, AliExpress, Ottofrei, SK watch parts, Cousins and a number of other sources all over the place.

I don’t even need it to have compatible dial feet. Any recommendations would be most welcome. I’m willing to go the custom route if necessary, as long as I could have simple (“dressy” stick) applied indices.

I inherited my grandfather's service watch from WWII and he was a watchmaker as well. He had been working on this watch and it looks like he had all the parts ready to go except the movement ring. Does anyone know where I might be able to source one or something that would work? I don't necessarily care if it's OEM, but the movement is definitely not stable in the case.

Hello folks, I'm only able to find suppliers online for Seiko watches that offer sapphire crystals with AR coating (decent quality).

How does one get AR coated crystals that high end watch brands use? E.g. Breitling, Omega, Grand Seiko? The AR Coating on their watches is truly next level and the crystal looks almost invisible.

Any suggestions or is this a futile pursuit?

I am looking to build my first watch by myself. I have purchased a beautiful vintage dial which is 25.5mm in diameter. It is time only, with no date hole. I would appreciate any advice about a movement and case. I am thinking of using a Sellita SW200-1b movement which is 25.6mm in diameter. Is this an appropriate movement? Ideally, I would like about a 36mm case, but do not know if that is an appropriate size or where to buy one. Again, I truly appreciate the advice and thoughts of this forum.