watch tools

When you start collecting wristwatches you will soon realise that there are lots of little jobs you can do yourself. If you thought that resizing a bracelet or changing a battery was beyond you, think again. Here is our guide to essential watch tools.

Essential Watch Tools

The first tools you will want to buy are for the most simple jobs: changing straps and bracelets. As you go on you will learn to change a watch battery and maybe even start tinkering with the clockwork of a mechanical watch!

Watch Strap Changing Tool

watch strap changing tool
Buy a watch spring bar tool from Amazon

The most basic tool for strap changing is the spring bar tool. It has two ends: the fork goes between the watch lug and the strap to push open the spring bars that keep it secured. The end wth a pin is for watches with holes in the lugs. If your watch has a bracelet then you will probably need the more expensive “fine fork” tool.

Adjusting a watch bracelet

Watch bracelet resizing tool
Buy a watch bracelet pin pusher tool from amazon

To add or remove links from a watch bracelet you need a bracelet pin pusher. You unscrew the tool, and then place the bracelet over it so that the pin will push the bracelet’s removable pins. The back of the removable links usually have an arrow to show which way the pin pushes out. A soft hammer can be used to tap the pins back in when they have been changed. If your watch has screwed links – for example, a Rolex submariner bracelet – it is worth investing in a good set of watchmakers screwdrivers.

Changing a watch battery

Watch case back opener ball
Buy a watch opening sticky ball from Amazon

As you get more confident you may want to change batteries yourself. There are a number of tools for this task, and it does depend on what kind of watch you have. The most simple watches have “pop backs” which open with a watch case knife and press back on with a watch case back press; more expensive watches have a screw back which can be opened using a case back opening tool or a cheaper rubber ball. Don’t forget to stock up on spare watch batteries – you can get a card full of them for a couple of pounds and save yourself up to £10 a time!

The full set of watch tools

Watch tools kit
Buy a watch tool kit from Amazon

You can get a full set of tools for less than twenty pounds. They may not all be the best quality but you can always replace individual tools after finding out whether you will use them!

By Mike Richmond

Mike spends what little spare time he has writing for WRUK; and what little money he makes building up his collection of timepieces.