Welcome to the DIY Watch Assembly Instruction

In the next two hours, you will dive into the world of watchmaking.

Please relax, take your time, and enjoy the fun of the craft of watchmaking!

 

GMT Diver Assembly Instructions

Before starting, you can familiarize yourself with the tools and parts needed:

Parts:

  1. watch case

  2. bezel insert

  3. crown and stem

  4. movement holder

  5. chapter ring

  6. dial

  7. hands

  8. movement

  9. gasket

  10. strap

  11. quick release spring bars (optional depending on strap type)

Tools:

  1. tweezers

  2. finger cots

  3. hand pump

  4. suede

  5. Rodico

  6. loupe

  7. case opener

  8. hand removal tools

  9. protective film for hand removal

  10. hand setting tool

  11. peg wood

  12. screwdriver


1: Dial and Movement Assembly Installation

Introduction: how to use mechanical watches with date

This is a brief introduction to the basics of a mechanical watch with date function, which might prove useful in your subsequent installation.

If you are already familiar with how a mechanical watch works, feel free to skip this video and proceed to the next one.

Content:

  • crown position for setting date

  • when to avoid setting date

  • how to determine AM/PM


1a. Opening the package and wearing finger cots

Introduction to what’s inside the package, and how to wear finger cots to protect the movement.

Content:

  • introduce package content

  • how to wear finger cots, and why


1b. Preparing case parts

Your watch case comes pre-assembled in order to keep it clean. This part will show you the individual parts of a case.

Content:

  • How to open case back

  • How to place parts


1c. Precautions during movement installation

Mechanical movement is the soul of a watch. It takes great care to install it. In this part, we’ll show you what to be mindful of when you install the movement.

Content:

  • Introduction of different parts of a movement

  • Areas you should not touch

  • Areas you can apply pressure on


1d. Removal and installation of stem and crown

Watch assembly and basic watch repair require you to install and remove the stem and crown. You will need to do this multiple times throughout this workshop.

Content:

  • Function of crown

  • How to remove and install crown


1e. Installing dial

Installing the hour wheel spring

Before installing the dial, you need to install the hour wheel spring onto the movement. Take note of which side is the top side, and place it onto the central hour wheel (highlighted below).

With the spring in place, you can proceed to the next guide on dial installation. The spring can easily fall off, so make sure it stays in place throughout the process.

  1. Identify the hour wheel (highlighted in green)

2. Identify the top side of the spring

3. Place the spring onto the hour wheel

With the hour wheel spring installed, we will install the dial. Please refer to the following video for instructions.

Content:

  • Install dial onto the movement

Your sandwich dial has a top and bottom layer. Normally they should come assembled in the kit, but if they fall off, you can reassemble them by aligning the feet and hole indicated by the arrows.

The movement dial holes are highlighted below (green spot):

Optional: How to remove the dial

To remove the dial, simply use a screw driver, and insert it in between the dial and the movement or movement holder. Inserting the screw driver next to the dial feet will give you a better control. For Seiko NH movements, you can find slots on the movement holder for this purpose.


1f. Installing movement holder

In this part, we will install the movement holder onto the movement assembly.

Content:

  • How to install the movement holder


2: Hand Installation and Adjustment

If this is your first time installing hands, it might be quite difficult. You can take a break first before continuing.


3: Installing Case and Other Parts

[Optional] Bleaching bezel insert

Before installing your case, you can opt to give your bezel insert a faded look by carrying out a process called “bleaching”. Learn how to do it via the button below:

3a. Cleaning parts and movement assembly

Instruction on how to clean parts and movement assembly

Content:

  • Using hand pump

  • Using rodico

  • Using peg wood


3b. Cleaning watch case

In this part, we will clean the watch case

Content:

  • Avoid touching the inside of case

  • Using rodico, peg wood, and suede for cleaning


3c. Installing chapter ring and watch case

In this part, we will install the movement assembly with hands into the case

Content:

  • Installing assembly

  • Aligning movement and stem

  • Installing case back

3d. (optional) Installing custom rotor

If you have customised a rotor, replace the factory default rotor with your custom rotor.

Content:

  • Finding the right screwdriver

  • Removing the rotor

  • Putting on the new rotor

For Seiko rotor:

3e. (optional) Switching bezels.

This video will outline the key steps to remove and install bezels compatible with our 42mm Divers.

If you need to convert your bezel from uni-directional 60-click to bi-directional 24-click (or vice versa), you will need to watch the following video


If you need to reinstall any of the components, you can refer to this:


FINAL CHECK!

  1. Check for proper watch functions by winding and setting time. When hands are being turned, check if they come into contact with other hands or parts.

  2. Check for dust or dirt on crystal, hands, dial or other parts. If needed, you can remove the case to clean the inside.

  3. Check if the case back is securely fastened. If not, water resistance capability of the watch might be compromised.


Almost there!

Good job! You are now one step away from your DIY watch!