This week we have been discussing helpful information on the watchmaking process. The first blog post of the series discussed helpful tips when building or tinkering with your watch. Make sure to read that post here as a companion with this one! This post will cover the tools helpful when building your first watch. The tools used for watchmaking can make the process much easier to complete and some are imperative to watchmaking success.

1. The case press 

This particular tool can be replaced with the palm of your hand, but the press makes the step much easier. The tool is used to close the case for the watches you are assembling. It can be difficult to close your case during assembly because of the waterproof seal included with many watches. The case press will easily close the case for you with the pull of a lever. It works by pressing the case in around the perimeter, and not putting too much pressure on the center of the glass. 

2. Case opener knife

Sticking with tools needed for the watch case, the case opener tool makes the job of opening the case much easier. These knives are thin but strong and can wedge the case open. A proper case knife can be substituted with a dull kitchen knife, though these knives are made specifically for watches. Especially important for those who want to tinker with watches, the case opener knife can be a best friend in the watchmaking process. 

3. Finger cots

In the companion post here, we discussed the importance of wearing gloves when watchmaking. In summary, gloves protect the important watch parts from your oils in your skin. Some people do not like to wear gloves for extended periods of time. If you are in this category the finger cots would serve you well. These wrap around your fingers but not your entire hand. You do not have to deal with the sweat caused by gloves with this alternative. 

4. Tweezers and screwdrivers

The watchmaking versions of these tools are much finer and more precise than normal versions. When building your watch make sure to use specifically designed tweezers and screwdrivers for watchmaking. The small size of the pieces makes it imperative to use tools designed for the process.

If you want to get any of these tools to help ease your own watchmaking process or want to build your own watch check out our store here. As an added bonus, our kits come with some of the tools described above as well!