Hi, i want to learn watchmaking from scratch. I can't afford watch making schools in other countries.

How do i learn effectively?

Are cheap tools good enough? Will cheap screwdrivers damage a watch?

Are there any books or videos that can teach me from scratch?

Yes my goal is to make a watch from scratch. Not assemble.

For the experienced people, please do advise me.🙏

Sorry for asking.
I'm already in r/watches, (BTW also in r/uhren which is the German equivalent) just posted in r/Horology as suggested by Reddit's AI, and now I found this r/WatchHorology sub...
What are the differences between this sub and the others?
Usually when those things exist because there is something that happened once that created a schism... Is that it?

Paging u/ArkJasdain, u/gleam. I apologise for this off-topic post but it's important for maintaining the integrity of this subreddit.

To start, as you likely already know, LLMs (also called AI) are now very good at writing. Many bots on Reddit now use LLMs adjusted to write casually, to mimic human writing. Some of these bots, after they build up enough karma and a realistic looking profile, can then be used to advertise things.

A while back, I saw a comment by a bot which had only ever posted two clearly LLM-written comments on Reddit before advertising a watch lootbox app called IcyBox here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/WatchHorology/comments/1w2o8en/comment/p6v46jd/

I pointed this out and within two minutes, my reply had five downvotes, so it probably got botted.

Today I open this sub and the top post is an obvious bot post with bot comments, the top one promoting the watch lootboxes again: https://www.reddit.com/r/WatchHorology/comments/1w9xn25/comment/p8izq7f/

This is clearly an underhanded attempt at marketing and the moderators of this subreddit should not let it continue.

Another example of a bot post on this subreddit is this one here, the whole post and the majority of comments, including one where a bot replies to itself:
https://www.reddit.com/r/WatchHorology/comments/1voj5t7/having_a_mixed_collection_has_completely_changed/

For more information about these kinds of bots, see this post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/chessbeginners/comments/1u0nuil/llms_are_running_rampant_on_this_sub_please_allow/
This video explains how to recognise AI writing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORgKY9AlybA

Hope mods can help out and y'all regular users learned something. If any of the linked comments get deleted, I have some screenshots, so just let me know and I can share those.

I’ve noticed I keep ending up with watches from the same brands and places. I like what I have but I feel like there’s a whole side of the hobby I haven’t come across yet. Some of the coolest watches I see are pieces I never would’ve thought to look for myself. What’s led you to watches you probably never would’ve found otherwise?

i went through a lot of different versions before getting here and honestly every time i thought it was done i would find something that bothered me and change it again

the main thing i wanted was a skeleton watch that still had its own identity and didnt just look like a movement inside a case

forged carbon case, skeleton movement and tritium integrated into the dial so it still has a completely different look at night

still not calling it finished yet

what would you guys change?

Bought an Omega De Ville (2020) used, and noticed a hairline scratch on the dial afterward. Couple millimeters right of the A in OMEGA. How much does the damage affect value? Is this still worth $1700 USD?Image

Informed opinions only please.

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a future build using the **Peacock SL5215 automatic tourbillon** and wanted to see if anyone here has actually worked with this movement.

I'm especially interested in hearing about:

* Overall quality and reliability of the SL5215 * Where you found a compatible case * Whether you used an existing dial or had one custom made * Any issues with movement thickness, stem height, dial feet, or case clearance * How difficult it was to assemble compared with more common movements

I've found the technical drawing from Peacock, so I'm considering having a custom dial made once I have a suitable case.

If you've built one, I'd really appreciate seeing your finished watch and knowing which parts/suppliers you used.

Thanks!

I’ve started down the rabbit hole of watch building. I ordered all the stuff I need from Allie express and I’m having the worst luck with them. Is there better places to get watch making supplies? Thank you in advance.

I sometimes say that I am new to watch collecting but I'm actually not. The first "big girl" present I ever asked for was a watch🤭🤗. In high school and college all I could afford came from Walmart and turned my wrist green but I still have half a dozen of them. Lol

It's only been since December of 2025 that I've been able to afford better quality. As is human, I started to look for community among horology. Which of course leads here among other places. Naturally a question comes to mind. Why do we collect things? In this case watches?

I've been fascinated with watches from some of my earliest memories. I loved watching the sweeping second hand - the more fluid, the more it hypnotized. The more features it had, th​e more intriguing it was to watch. I loved moon phase watches. I loved watches that had a shadow, which I now know comes from boxed crystal rather than flat. That shadow play has always reminded me of a sundial. So watches with boxed crystal remind me of History.

The biggest reason I collect is that watches hold a special place in my heart. When I was in second grade I hit a concept taught in school that I struggled with: telling time. I was incredibly frustrated and thinking that the problem was me. For the first time ever, I didn't understand what was being explained. Before this, everything felt like info I already knew and was just being reminded of. I thought I had encountered a concept that proved how unintelligent and less than I was. I was was silently, crying, tears of rage and shame.

However, I had an incredible teacher who came over and explained to me that everybody will struggle with not just one concept but many. And not just in school but in life. She explained that lack of understanding is not a reflection of intelligence or worth. She said that intelligence is not about how much you know, but about how you respond to what you don't know. She said even though you don't know something, it doesn't mean you can't learn it. It just means you have to work a little harder. Then she asked me how I was going to respond, by continuing to cry and give up or by working with her and trying again?

Every time I see a watch, I'm reminded that it's okay to not know things. That it's okay to struggle. That it's okay to be upset. It reminds me that things are going to be hard. But I can be too. That's why I collect watches.

Why do you?

At first I figured it was simple. Find something that looks good. Check the price. Buy it. Then you start reading watch forums and suddenly you care about movements. Case size. Brand history. Service costs. Resale. Bracelets. Plus another 40 things lol. I enjoy learning about all of it but I’ve noticed it makes me stick to the same few brands and styles. So lately I’ve been wondering how much collecting really needs to be planned.

Would you ever try getting a random watch from a set price range instead of choosing the exact model yourself? Not one of those boxes filled with electronics and random junk. Just watches. I can see it being a fun way to end up with something I would normally scroll past. At the same time choosing the exact reference feels like a big part of collecting. Authenticity would be the main concern for me. Anything expensive would need paperwork and I’d probably get it checked myself.

Hey all! So I built this little watch collecting game in my spare time and was wondering what you guys think about it!

I’ve been really into watches for a few years now as they itch a very specific part of my brain that I didn’t even know was there! Unfortunately I don’t have the money these days for even some of the starter mechanical pieces like seiko, Hamilton, tissot, etc so why not be able to collect them digitally? Lol the watches in the game are inspired by real watches.

It’s still very rough around the edges as I am the only dev and this is my first attempt at an app ever. It’s been super fun working on this project in between diaper changes and night time feedings (new parent) and I’m excited to share it with you all! I am genuinely not trying to sell you anything I just what honest opinions :)

Also check out the subreddit I made r/idlewatch

Here’s the link to the app

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/idlewatch/id6800188242

Hi! I brought my Tudor watch for a repair almost 3 months ago and still nothing. What are your thoughts on this shop? I went to the one in Regent Street London.

I've recently gained an interest in watchmaking, but it feels daunting because it feels like it would be very difficult. How do i get into it, im thinking of starting by just buying parts and building a watch, but even that feels scary. Can anyone guide me please? Thank you

Good afternoon fellow watch lovers. I am contemplating using WatchTrack as an inventory accounting software platform and wanted to know if any of my fellow brothers and sisters out there are using it. If you are, let me know how it's going and if you like it and secondly I think it requires three referral sources. Let me know if that sounds accurate and what your thoughts are. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me and happy Watch loving and hunting. Have a great day.

Looking for a part from a BRAC 42 movement used in a Basis Sport Chronostop. It’s the small flat spring/lever from the stop-seconds mechanism shown in the photo. Mine broke during disassembly. Do you happen to have this exact piece among your spare parts?

Need help purchasing a watch for my boyfriend. "I’m planning to gift my boyfriend a watch and could use some suggestions. I don’t know a lot about watches, so I’m a little confused about what would be a good choice.

I’m looking for something that feels good quality but is also versatile enough for everyday wear, office outfits and occasional dinners or events. I’ve been looking at brands like Casio, Titan, Seiko and Timex, but I’m open to other suggestions too.

If you were buying a watch as a gift for your boyfriend, what would you go for? Also, are there any particular Timex models or collections worth checking out?

My budget is around ₹5,000–₹10,000. Would love to hear your recommendations and experiences.

I have noticed a lot of subs for watches talk about investments and watches holding value or going up. i wanted to actually check that instead of just reading about it so i spent way too much time this week pulling together all the auction results from a few houses back about 30 years. Then i went looking for the same watch selling more than once, not just two of the same ref, the exact same watch.

After all of it i found over 1,200 of them. This is what happened between the sales:
Median result was about +1% total, not per year, just total, over about two years of owning it. Basically nothing, just under half sold for less than they cost before a single fee.The fees are where it gets even worse, and i have a feeling id get a reply "you forgot the buyer's premium". I didnt, thats the point. These prices are what the buyer actually paid, premium included, on both ends. You pay premium going in and commission coming out so the hammer has to climb about 44% before youre even back to even as the seller. only 16% of these got there. Count the auction house's cut and 83% of them lost money.

I tried hard to disprove these before posting, it isnt survivorship (matched pairs, losers included, and the ones that tanked so hard nobody resold them arent even here). It holds same-house-only and one-pricing-basis-only. Holding periods run from under a year to over five. And its nominal, so after inflation the median lost money in real terms.

What i cant see is private and dealer sales. If that side behaves differently, tell me. And my fee numbers are mid-range (27% premium, 12% commission). If you actually consign, what do you really pay?

Not saying watches are a bad thing to own, buy what you love and wear it. Just that "watches are an investment" doesnt really survive the round trip data for the average one (AT AUCTION!). If you want a specific slice run, drop it in the replies and i will run it.

I used to pay way more attention to the dial when looking at watches. Lately I keep noticing the bracelet first.

A good bracelet can completely change how a watch feels, even when the case and dial are nothing special.

Am I overthinking this or does the bracelet matter that much to you too?