How's This For A Nice Little Kit?

[fraggle42]

If it's ok with everyone this is a site I've used quite a few times.

They sell straps, parts (cases, movements, straps, dials, hands, crystals) and are happy to put it all together for you too

http://www.siswatch727.com/index.do

I've bought a couple of assembled watches and a load of straps from them. Reasonable quality, inexpensive.

The only downside is simply that you can configure some horrendous looking watches and they are only too happy to build it for you :)

They don't allow you complete flexibility when putting parts together, you choose the style of watch you want and then it only lists movements that will fit in that case, dials that will fit, etc, which is sensible I think.

All dials and cases are sterile with no markings.

(Website appears to be experiencing problems loading for me in the UK right now)

No connection with them apart from a happy customer.

[WillFly]

Here we are folks - assembled.

 

1. Movement - Asian 6497 mechanical hand-wind - £39.00
2. Dial - electric blue with "cartwheel effect" - £16
3. Hands - white, lumed pointers - £12
4. Case - 44mm stainless steel with display back - £25
5. Deployment strap - black leather by "Freeze" - £12

Total - just over £100, including postage of parts. Assembly problem sorting - £20.

The exercise was very interesting. There were two immediate problems in the assembly:

1. The second hand dial hole was marginally out of kilter with the movement - by a fraction of a fraction, but enough to have choked the hand without some minor broaching with a thin needle file.

2. The screw case back holes were also ever so slightly out of alignment with the case body, and had to be slightly reamed for a perfect fit.

Anyway, I got my good friend and watch mender, Derek, to do the necessary fiddling and, eventually, it all came together. A salutory lesson on the difference between cheap engineering and precision engineering - which is why expensive watches are expensive.

All good fun though. I could quite easily have bought an Asian watch of similar style from eBay for a little less - but at least I had the pleasure of choosing exactly the main components that I wanted and, if I decide to get rid of it, I'll get some money back. So - pics:

 

 

 

 

[autowind]

Thats a nice looking watch and even though you can buy one ready made it's not the same as making your own.  I sometimes wonder where you are going to keep all these watches.

[WillFly]

Thats a nice looking watch and even though you can buy one ready made it's not the same as making your own.  I sometimes wonder where you are going to keep all these watches.

 

In one of these (just the case, not the watches!): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24-Men-s-Watches-in-Aluminium-Watch-Storage-Display-Case-/321384563072?pt=UK_Jewelery_Watches_Watches_MensWatches_GL&hash=item4ad4034180

[Geo]

Will you should be well pleased with the end result, it looks **BLEEP** good.

There is always something special about building your own to your specification, it's something I have done with motorcycles and it gives a great feeling of achievement!

[WillFly]

Thanks Geo - I'm enjoying it!