Watchmaker repair kits - any good?

[Nuisance_Value]

As a consequence of being bitten by the watch bug I am steadily amassing a number of watches and suspect I will always have a dozen or so to play with. Though not of great value, I would like to be able to swap batteries and straps etc when required and so I was browsing eBay with the thought of buying a spring bar remover and found the watchmaker repair kits like this..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143-Pcs-Watchmaker-Watch...

Has anyone bought one and are they any good? Is there any other reasonably priced sets to consider? I think I would like one with a loupe as well

Thanks gents.

[mrdemon]

me too, I would like a watch kit and some tools. maybe buy a old beater off the bay to take apart over winter.

[Hoofy]

It's ok. There's enough to change a strap, adjust a bracelet or replace a battery but it's hardly a repair kit if you need to service a watch or replace a crystal.

Total cost of that separately would probably come to over £20 so if you can get it for £5-10 you're laughing.

[Nuisance_Value]

Hoofy said:

It's ok. There's enough to change a strap, adjust a bracelet or replace a battery but it's hardly a repair kit if you need to service a watch or replace a crystal.

Total cost of that separately would probably come to over £20 so if you can get it for £5-10 you're laughing.

I suspected as much, thanks for confirming. I wouldn't mind trying to service an old beater i have kicking about over winter as per mrdemon suggests, though I doubt I would need to change a crystal, I would probably leave that to the experts (though no harm in trying on an old Rotary or the like I suspect)

Without seeing one in the metal, are there other 'makes' that are worth looking at? Or is it worth investing a few more quid and getting some proper bits and pieces? If so, what should I get?

[Hoofy]

Burgeon is the brand to go for. http://amzn.to/1aSv1Lq

I think you can see why I don't have a Burgeon, though.

If you want to service the watch, you will need small screwdrivers (the ebay kit appears to have them but does it go small enough?). You will need a hand tool. Basically, for every task, there's a tool.

[ed335d]

If you're mainly after something to change spring bars with, then I'd recommend buying Bergeon fork and pin ends.

In my experience, cheaper ones are really a false economy. The fork ends bend or snap and the pin ends snap.

Luckily, the barrel (the bit the ends screws into) seems to be universal, so you can use the one from a kit and just put better ends in.

A whole Bergeon spring bar tool from cousins is about £10, but extra forks & tips are about £1.50 each (all +VAT & carriage.

[hilly10]

I have one and as been said great for changing and altering straps bracelets etc.

[MiseryStreak]

I'm looking at these kits also, I would like to adjust my own straps and change batteries of a couple of watches. They don't have to be great quality but they need to work and not break first time or damage the watches.

I quite like the look of this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tooltime©-Piece-Repai...

What worries me is none of these screw type strap pin removal tools seem to be adjustable to take different widths of bracelet. I might be better off with the 'pliers' like this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-59201-Watch-Bracele...

Edit: This one looks better and is cheaper:
https://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/tools/bracelet-a...

Any thoughts?

Edited by MiseryStreak on Friday 29th November 11:58

[bry1975]

I'd be VERY careful using those cheap Jaxa 3 jaw caseback removers most will slip, the bits are often HARDENED steel and will slice through Austenitic 316 SS like NOTHING.