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
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
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
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
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!
Fullmosa Watch Straps 22mm, Axus Series Leather Strap Replacement Watch Strap Compatible with Samsung Galaxy Watch/Huawei Watch/Garmin/Fossil, Black 22mm
