Tom's Watchmaking Blog

After a quick clean of all of the bits, the movement ticks along nicely, all I need to do is fit the dial and hands to the movement, then this group into the case and figure out how to hold it all tight..

To attach the dial to the movement with the least possible fuss, I line up the crown on the movement and case, and use rodico (watchmakers blu-tac) to get the dial as close to upright as possible.

Once I get it as close as I can, I drill 2 holes through the already existing holes in the dial through to the movement, and place 2 screws through to hold the dial in place, when I test the movement/dial into the case it is thicker than I can use, so the gold layer has to be removed, this lets the register ring sit flat against the movement.

For holding the whole assembly into the case, I enlarge the holes normally used for the casing screws, and fit 2 of the bolts that I use to hold the case together as casing screws… a little bigger than normal, but they seem to do the job 😉

A quick clean up of any debris that got where it shouldn’t, all the screws checked a few times, and the movement is secured in snugly. I fit the case back, loctite all of the case bolts, another quick look… Undo all the bolts, remove the case back and the hair that had slipped in, repeat the process a couple of times, and the watch is basically done!

I fit the band and try it on.. not too bad.. though a little larger than I’m used to for sure 😉

A1 Front

A1 Back

A1 Side

And on the wrist!!

So after a whirlwind 7 weeks of machining, filing, scattered with the flu, dentists appointments, as well as a full time day job, my watch is ready to fly off to foreign climes 😉

A1 ready to fly

Stay tuned for A2……

and here’s a quick shot of all of the brass that was machined in the process, as well as the prototype (as far as it got) sooo many brass filings to clean up…

All up about 2kg of brass