# Your "Homemade" Watches?



## sknight (Dec 16, 2007)

How many of you have completed a homemade watch build?

got any pics to post?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Ahhh... "COMPLETED" ... there's the rub!


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## sknight (Dec 16, 2007)

In process?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

sknight said:


> In process?


... for longer than I would like to admit :-(

I have several really wonderful Eta thermocompensated movements that I am intending to encase. I got it the first one to the partially assembled stage but have to figure out the stem. It semi works but isn't yet a working watch.

Now I have decided to get custom dials... it's an ongoing work in progress :-d


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## rfrazier (Feb 21, 2006)

Here are three. There are a number of others.

AS1802 -- I've had this for some time. (A Schild 1802.)

(Click for a larger image.)

Mil2 -- I've had this for some time. (Unitas 6497.)

(Click for a larger image.)

fj4 -- Pretty recent. (Old Omega RAF case, Longines 12.68N movement, and a goat skin "NATO" strap that was made for the case, and given to me.)



(I need to redo the last one, as I'm not completely happy with the dial or hands.)

Best wishes,
Bob


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## sknight (Dec 16, 2007)

Would you/have you offered a play by play for persons like myself looking for ideas on where to start and what the pitfalls are? Beautiful works.


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## rfrazier (Feb 21, 2006)

sknight said:


> Would you/have you offered a play by play for persons like myself looking for ideas on where to start and what the pitfalls are? Beautiful works.


You have lots of choice about where to start: Movement, case or dials. You just have to get stuck in. I don't do cases, so these were acquired.

I'm mostly interested in the movements, so I read a lot, and practiced on old, medium quality movements. (Old, cheap ones are hopeless.) The 1802 is one of the first I got together. I made it from two or three movements, and it took me a couple of times to get it right. I learn okay by reading, and practicing, but that takes a while. You can take a short cut by getting some proper training. (What really took me a while, since I was doing things slowly, was acquiring the motor skills.)

The dials are fun because you get to play with paint. I started out screen printing (silk screen), but have moved over to using a pad printer. (The dial for AS1802 is screen printed, but the other two were done with a pad printer.) I've been using artists materials, but there are specialist paints/inks for this as well.

When putting it all together you have to match the movement, case and dial up. The tolerances are pretty small, and one screws up pretty often. But, it does get more straightforward as you practice.

Best wishes,
Bob


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## baalb (Sep 13, 2007)

I am new to lurking here and wanted to share a couple homemades.
First is an unusual one. I took a 21 jewel Timex movement and dial and encased it in a generic case from Ofrei. Just a fun project to showcase an old Timex movement.

















Here are three again using the generic cases from Ofrei. The two on the left use Ofrei dials and the one on the right is an ETA skeleton, not the cheaper Chinese movements. I have some of those two. Fun to learn on.








This next one I used a NOS Hamilton dial that I found on the Bay. I used a case that had a bad movement. I had to file the dial to fit the case and I also had to file down the 6498 movement to fit the case. 








The next 2 are a little bling. I found the cases on the Bay as being sold as R***x, but were clearly not. However, I wanted a little bling and got the cases. The one on the left has since been disassembled. They both have the ETA 2824. The right one I made the dial and placed the date at 4:00. I made a watch for my wife with the same dial and the mark at 7 is special between us. 








This watch is made with a piece of copper as a dial in a generic Ofrei case.








I felt compelled to post because I hope to inspire others to just "TRY". I knew nothing, and still don't know a lot, but I got the "BUG" and just jumped in. Trial and error!! It really isn't that hard, just intimidating. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and just enjoy. I have a number of movements in parts because I made a mistake!! There is something special about walking around with YOUR watch on your wrist.


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## 6542 (Jan 16, 2008)

baalb, darn fine! I think I'll give it a go.


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## gasgasbones (Nov 11, 2007)

Here Is my home designed and machined watch  Fitted with a 6497
Ive done 4 homemades now but this ones my best so far !!! and the biggest.....Its HHHEEEEWWWWWWG

Hope you like it :-!

Carl


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## baalb (Sep 13, 2007)

Very, very nice!! Did you also make the dial, or did you have that made? 
Bart


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## gasgasbones (Nov 11, 2007)

I designed the dial on auto cad and a mate with an all singing all dancing engaving machine engraved it for me.(and the case back ) I painted and laquered tha dial and applied the numbers. :-!

Carl


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## Flightpath (Jun 10, 2007)

Very well done gasgasbones!

I _really_ miss my lathe/mill, now, with a wife and two kids I have no time or space in a three bedroom flat. When the house is quiet and everyone is in bed the coffee table becomes my only workspace, I send my father drawings of what I need and he knocks parts up on his lathe back in oz and sends them! (Now I'm into watches he makes smaller parts for what I'm working on).










cheers,

-Flightpath


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## gasgasbones (Nov 11, 2007)

Thanks chaps, 

I miss my Lathe too !!! I made alsorts on it from steam engines to small gas turbines, to watch cases. I sold it to get a watch :-( what and idiot..
There are plenty more lathes in the sea though and will get another one in the future :-!

I love aircraft clocks, you seem to be busy there flightpath ? do you fix em and sell them on or collect ?
I had a small Elgin 8 day clock sometime ago, I sold that too though...another regret !

Carl


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## amadama (Jan 3, 2008)

Carl,
That is truly a thing of beauty. Wow! Did you make the wrist band yourself also? Do you have pictures of any of your other creations?
Alex


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## sknight (Dec 16, 2007)

Besides Ofrei, who else sells cases? Unfortunately, I'm not inspired by what he carries.

Ickler.de (parent of Archimede and Limes) has cases listed, but they are overseas.

How does one make dials?


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## gasgasbones (Nov 11, 2007)

Thanks Alex,

Here is a couple of others.
The one on left here was the first one i built, The E is for Evans before I designed my CED logo.

The one on the right went to a chap in the States ( wish I still had it ) and the bottom watch is still with me but the dial has evolved somewhat since these pics were taken.

The strap on the CED watch is an after market Pannerai style that seems to suit the watches size :-!

Cheers all

Carl


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

A good example of Maximum Case and Minimum Dial 

Looks darn sturdy... fill it with oil and you can use it the next time you are diving at 1000 meters


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## amadama (Jan 3, 2008)

All very nice watches. Get a lathe back, I want to see more of your work!
All the best,
Alex


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## zippofan (Feb 11, 2006)

WOW!
Looks great guys :-!
I have just started the TZ level 1 course and will be using the generic Ofrei case for the FHF movement as my first. However, a good friend of mine has all kinds of metal working tools including a lathe and a milling machine. I wonder...:think:

Cheers,
Griff


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## sknight (Dec 16, 2007)

Looks like I have to find the course on teh t0rr3ntz...a bit pricey for me.


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## 2taall (Oct 12, 2007)

This may seem like a novice question to some of you, but here goes..

When I look at expensive watches at the store they have a light catching quality to their stainless steel. The cheaper watches just simply lack this shimmering quality and they have a more "dull" appearance. Here is the question...

Could I, in order to acheive the "quality" look of the expensive watches, use grinding tools, sandpaper, etc. to "refine" the stainless steel surfaces of my cheaper watches to give them the expensive watch look?


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## amadama (Jan 3, 2008)

2taall said:


> This may seem like a novice question to some of you, but here goes..
> 
> When I look at expensive watches at the store they have a light catching quality to their stainless steel. The cheaper watches just simply lack this shimmering quality and they have a more "dull" appearance. Here is the question...
> 
> Could I, in order to acheive the "quality" look of the expensive watches, use grinding tools, sandpaper, etc. to "refine" the stainless steel surfaces of my cheaper watches to give them the expensive watch look?


Many of the very cheap watches are not made out of stainless steel. Check the back to see what it is made of (might say something like base metal case, stainless steel back). If high quality 316L stainless steel is polished well it can have a mirror smooth surface.
Some very expensive watches that look like they are made of stainless steel may be rhodium plated steel or rhodium plated gold (white gold). Ruthenium, platinum and palladium are other materials than can be used to plate a watch case to achieve an exotic look.
Personally I would love to have a Rhodium plated watch (pure rhodium would be even better, but at $7000 per ounce I doubt that is going to happen any time soon!)
Alex


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## Dagoberg (Nov 5, 2007)

Here´s my first watch that I made in school in -95. I have started several other projects, but not finished them yet.

Oskar

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii41/Dagoberg/RIMG0056.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii41/Dagoberg/RIMG0055.jpg


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## amadama (Jan 3, 2008)

Very nice dagoberg!


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## Zahanh (Sep 1, 2012)

This may sound stupid but watches have interested me since I was a little boy but I never knew how to get started on making my own, does anyone have any advice or sites that I could visit to get materials?(I'm in the states)


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## Merak (Nov 14, 2011)

Brilliant Carl! Very nice design - it all works together very well.

Mike.


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## Merak (Nov 14, 2011)

Mine project was really just a kit of parts - but I am happy. The movement is an ETA 2824-2.


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## Tanguero (Dec 16, 2010)

Zahanh said:


> This may sound stupid but watches have interested me since I was a little boy but I never knew how to get started on making my own, does anyone have any advice or sites that I could visit to get materials?(I'm in the states)


Get yourself a copy of "Watchmaking" by George Daniels. That will take you through the process from beginning to end.


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## James Roettger (Feb 1, 2009)

I finished this last March. Hand engraved titanium dial heat colored and inlaid with 24K. The hour markers are platinum rivets. Eta 2801-2 movement. Sterling silver case which I designed in CAD and cast. The lugs are soldered on for a clean look. The crown is silver as well with an emerald set in. (In this photo the hour hand was a substitute. It now has an alpha style hand to match the minute hand.) One other note, I recently cleaned and oiled this "new" movement and it seems the winding and setting mechanism works smoother and easier than ever before.


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## Shift (Apr 21, 2012)

Merak said:


> Mine project was really just a kit of parts - but I am happy. The movement is an ETA 2824-2.


Beautiful!

This is exactly the kind of thing I (and I'd reckon a few fellow amateur watch murderers) am after.

Did you buy all the bits in one place? Or from all over the Bay.

And... the million dollar question... if all the bits were bought separately, how did you know in advance that the movement would fit the case.

The people demand answers! ;-)


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## Merak (Nov 14, 2011)

I bought the "kit" minus the movement from a person advertising here at WUS $95 shipped! I don't want to sound like an ad for the person but I was very pleased with everything I got. Here is a link to the thread:

https://www.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-sub-diving-case-dial-hands-eta-2824-movement-726660.html

I had a spare 2824-2 sitting around after I removed it from another watch for repair so I looked at what was available as far as cases and dials. I could not beat the 95 buck deal so went with that and am very happy. I wear the watch all the time - it feels great and looks great. My only criticism would be that I would have preferred a metal movement ring/holder and I think the lume could have been brighter (maybe old stock?) but apart from that it is great. I think I am going to add a NATO strap next.


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## Shift (Apr 21, 2012)

Thanks! That's really useful.

Heading over to their site now...


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## neckyzips (Sep 19, 2012)

be nice its my first post!
ive had this movement laying in the box for a year and couldnt figure out what to do with it. i loved the face and movement and wanted to use both.
so a driving watch!


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

neckyzips said:


> be nice its my first post! . . . . .


Oh the humanity . . . . . another Hamilton pocket watch bites the dust.

p


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## neckyzips (Sep 19, 2012)

pithy said:


> Oh the humanity . . . . . another Hamilton pocket watch bites the dust.
> 
> p


lol, i know right! but she is perfectly preserved safe and sound, well provided i dont smash it against something...


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## mars-red (Sep 1, 2008)

neckyzips said:


> lol, i know right! but she is perfectly preserved safe and sound, well provided i dont smash it against something...


I am definitely in favor of turning orphaned pocket watch movements into something that can be actually used and appreciated, as long as they are not misrepresented as original.


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## Archer (Apr 23, 2009)

mars-red said:


> I am definitely in favor of turning orphaned pocket watch movements into something that can be actually used and appreciated, as long as they are not misrepresented as original.


I agree, and 917's aren't exactly in the "collectible" range for pocket watches. So many of the gold and gold filled cases are melted for scrap value, there are always plenty of movements out there lacking cases for them. And if the job is done right, there's nothing done to the movement that can't be easily reversed, so the concern is rather strange IMO. But to each his own I guess.

Cheers, Al


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

Archer said:


> I agree, and 917's aren't exactly in the "collectible" range for pocket watches. So many of the gold and gold filled cases are melted for scrap value, there are always plenty of movements out there lacking cases for them. And if the job is done right, there's nothing done to the movement that can't be easily reversed, so the concern is rather strange IMO. But to each his own I guess. Cheers, Al


Noted.

p


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## dbg326 (Sep 23, 2012)

Merak said:


> I bought the "kit" minus the movement from a person advertising here at WUS $95 shipped! I don't want to sound like an ad for the person but I was very pleased with everything I got. Here is a link to the thread:
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/f29/fs-sub-diving-case-dial-hands-eta-2824-movement-726660.html
> 
> I had a spare 2824-2 sitting around after I removed it from another watch for repair so I looked at what was available as far as cases and dials. I could not beat the 95 buck deal so went with that and am very happy. I wear the watch all the time - it feels great and looks great. My only criticism would be that I would have preferred a metal movement ring/holder and I think the lume could have been brighter (maybe old stock?) but apart from that it is great. I think I am going to add a NATO strap next.


Pardon my ignorance?.. I guess that's the best word; but out of curiosity, how much in the way of specialty tools is involved in piecing a kit like this together?


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## KiwiWomble (Sep 13, 2012)

neckyzips said:


> be nice its my first post!
> ive had this movement laying in the box for a year and couldnt figure out what to do with it. i loved the face and movement and wanted to use both.
> so a driving watch!
> View attachment 825837
> ...


I love that!...really nice photos too


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## Merak (Nov 14, 2011)

dbg326 said:


> Pardon my ignorance?.. I guess that's the best word; but out of curiosity, how much in the way of specialty tools is involved in piecing a kit like this together?


Okay let me see - I used jewelers screwdrivers, hand setting tools and hand removal tool, blower, calipers to measure the amount by which I would have to shorten the stem, a tool to cut the stem to length, files to file the cut end of the stem, blue loctite on the stem when attaching the crown, Ridico for cleaning and finger cots. Those are the main tools however there were probably a few more like movement holder etc. Building or assembling your own watch is easily done however don't attempt it until you have "played" around and experienced some basic assembly and disassembly. Get a few older watches and use them as learning tools.

Mike.


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## Challenger (Oct 7, 2010)

Bob, Those are really nice...not too fancy or over the top. I'm currently building up a 40mm case with a "Kitty Hawk" airplane theme on the dial and the reverse cover of the case. The kit I started with had two black leather straps included, but I'm thinking about an alligator strap (it's a Florida thing...). The movement I'm using is a new Swiss ETA 2824-2. I could have bought a complete watch with this movement (not the Asian version) for about the same or less. But this is more fun for a change.


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## RCDesign (Jun 12, 2014)

My first try!

























Anodizes aluminum case, anodized and routed dial, stainless "pop-on" back and Miyota movement - weighs in at a steady 21g!


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## RCDesign (Jun 12, 2014)

Second try in stainless

























Stainless case, anodizes insert, Tissot manual movement


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## Dave S (Sep 17, 2012)

Looks better in stainless.
Dave


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## NathanielGoodtimes (Jul 22, 2014)

This is an awesome thread!

Thanks guys!


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## Deli (Jul 19, 2014)

PR516 DNA somewhat 

Nice one, cheers |>


Edit: what about the lug holes for the last one ? how did you do ?


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## RCDesign (Jun 12, 2014)

Deli said:


> PR516 DNA somewhat
> 
> Nice one, cheers |>
> 
> Edit: what about the lug holes for the last one ? how did you do ?


Yes, the PR516 is a favorite - currently less than 10 pcs in my collection but soon order will be restored! ;-)

Drilling in this stainless is a #¤%¤# so I did it a bit different in this case.

- Drilled the lugs with a 2mm bit
- Made four 2.05mm pins with a 0.7mm hole in the center ~1mm deep
- Heated the case a bit and drove the pins into the holes
- Cut of the pins and lapped the sides


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## fatalelement (Jun 14, 2013)

Made one off of an ETA 6497 clone as a first project - which was easy because there's so many parts that fit. I'm currently finishing the tail end of my struggles with a moonphase automatic that I've had to modify a lot to fit the case (shaving the autowind bridges and rotor before redoing perlage, originally just took it off but it fits just barely now) and having to make custom breguet hands. Fun project, but I have a lot on my plate at work so it's moving like molasses.

My first project ever, so it's pretty rough. Machined down a big dial and made a nameplate with my last name. Had to make a second hand too, which was obnoxious. It's in a rose gold case from Ofrei and on an alligator-style leather band I stole from another watch since the buckle was rose gold too. 









The current struggle >< the dial is just a paper prototype to test how a few things look.

Movement in the case









A paper dial test









Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## fatalelement (Jun 14, 2013)

RCDesign said:


> Second try in stainless
> Stainless case, anodizes insert, Tissot manual movement


Big fan of both! Not sure if it was intentional, but I think it was a good call to skip the drilled lugs on the stainless case since it'd be more visible. Did you just attach a standard size SKX bezel insert onto the case? It looks really good!


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## RCDesign (Jun 12, 2014)

Thanks!

The initial plan was to have a small "lip" in the case closest to the crystal so it would be, brushed metall, insert, brushed metall and then the crystal. Space was a bit tight so I had to skip the "lip" - perhaps in another version!
The insert is routed from 0.5mm anodized aluminium, the edges then reanodized och the grooves filled vith a mxture of paint and lume.


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## bipyjamas (May 20, 2016)

My "homemade" contribution. Personally very happy with the results even though it took ~2 months to complete.

Parts list,

Ickler 37.5mm case 
ETA 2824-2 movement 
Blue Breguet/moon style hands 
Vintage pocket dial, only took 6 weeks of scouring eBay followed by some amateur refinishing work 
Hodinkee shell cordovan strap 

Pics of dial as received originally and finished product attached.


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## RCDesign (Jun 12, 2014)

Made a dial and bezel for a "Lemania clone".
The dial and bezel are milled/engraved/laserengraved 0.5mm anodized aluminium, lasercut rally-strap.


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## k.han (Oct 14, 2017)

How can I start learning watchmaking?
I love it but I am a-little confused because I don’t know how to start learning it. I am living in Montreal and there is no watchmaking school here.


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## Reinhardt (Sep 19, 2012)

I'm also busy with my first handmade watch build. Ran into some issues but nothing too major. The dial is made of stone but I may swop it for a titanium dial in the future.


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