I assembled my automatic watch for less than €60
My passion for watches
For a few years now, I’ve had a huge passion for horology. In fact, I found a field that combines very precise engineering with a form of art and beauty.
So, I started watching a lot of content on YouTube:
- Antique watch repair (this kind of video).
- Explainer videos (shoutout to Frank sans C).
- And above all, AliExpress builds! (like here).
It was these videos that pushed me to assemble my own watch! (And to do an internship in watchmaking, but that will be the subject of another article.)
How I went about it
First things first, you’ll have to get rid of your preconceived notions about AliExpress!
Sure, many things aren’t reliable. But for watch parts, you can find quality materials, often assembled in the same places as mainstream brands (Seiko, Citizen, etc.).
We are going to center the search for parts around a central element: the movement!
The movement is what makes your watch beat—and if it’s automatic, it recharges itself on your wrist.
For my watches, I have two to recommend:
- The NH35: This is the movement used in Seiko watches. It is known to be reliable and easy to handle. However, its price is increasing due to the growing interest in watchmaking. You can find it around €50.
- The Miyota 8215: This is the movement used in some Citizen watches. Its big sister, the 9015, powers the vast majority of automatic watches under €1000. You can find it around €20.
However, you have to be careful not to buy Chinese copies, but rather genuine Japanese movements. Indeed, Chinese copies are sometimes unreliable and will only save you a few euros.
Once you have chosen a movement based on your budget, you’ll need to focus your search around it.
Why? Each movement has its own dimensions, crown position, etc. So, if you buy a dial for an 8215 to put on an NH35, you’re going to make things complicated for yourself.
To find the right parts, I simply type:
- Case Miyota 8215
- Dial Miyota 8215
- Hands Miyota 8215
- Leather strap 20mm (20mm corresponds to the lug width of your case! It is often indicated in its description)
⚠️ A point of vigilance regarding part selection! Since descriptions and titles on AliExpress are sometimes a bit messy, you really need to double-check to be sure you have compatible parts.
Also, if you buy a dial and hands with Luminova (lume), make sure to get the SAME COLOR (it would be silly to have a dial that glows blue and hands that glow green…).
Next, for the assembly, I’ll let you watch one of my unlisted videos, where I assemble my own model:
What it brought me
Creating your own watch is waaaay more than just having a beautiful object at a low cost.
In fact, it’s a creative process that allows you to express yourself and gain confidence.
By choosing the parts, you make design decisions and create a model that suits you.
Then comes the assembly. I prefer to warn you, it’s complicated! (Count on a good 6 hours for a first build).
But once you succeed, and you see your watch ticking away the seconds, you feel a huge sense of pride! (And then, you can flex to everyone.)
It’s also a discipline that teaches patience and precision because placing the second hand requires extreme meticulousness.
Tip: When you struggle to place it, try putting a tiny ball of Rodico (the turquoise putty) on the tip of your hand press tool: this is the tip that personally unstuck me.
In short, I can only recommend that you create your own watch.
Don’t hesitate to email me your builds!
Tom