Essential Tool List courtesy of Gentle

[NCRich 13,745]

Thanks @GenTLe for compiling this list.  It will probably change links over time but for now this is good.

Anyway, it's not hard to start put together some stuff not spending huge money on Bergeon material.

My initial list would be this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000648439472.html (the yellow one, the blue one is crap... Don't know the red one).

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32659049916.html or from Vetus copy. Not the black covered ones which are crap.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32996728725.html all useful stuff for managing the bracelets

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32904751475.html rodico and blower to clean the dials before reassembly

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33012702129.html screwdrivers

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33044684615.html tool to sharp the screwdriver head

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000416343438.html a 1000/4000 sharpener stone

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32953797295.html another type of caseback opener (the one with hammered blue paint)

Add also a 10x and a 15x or 20x monocle and some silicon grease (from your hardware store) for the gaskets

Also good to have are few toothpicks in wood.

 

Eventually:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32801078926.html to deal with Rolex casebacks

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32798194156.html to keep the stem while replacing it and screw it on the crown

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000610493318.html hand presser

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32318726383.html dial protector for hands removing

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32979924610.html good hands levers

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32995258148.html oilers

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000300583031.html pad holder to de-case the movement

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000510712281.html movement holders

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000608117086.html a timegrapher to regulate the watch. I prefer the 1900 (which I have, like this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32393411616.html) than the 1000 because it has a color display and it's useful to understand where to move the hairspring stud if the movement is out of beat, but the 1000 is ok too.

For the oils it's a mess, you'll need different ones and they should be Moebius, and they are expensive... The most used ones are the HP1300 (9104) and the 9010, then there are various others for the barrel, the pallet fork, the lithium grease...

 

[Devil 2,883]

Very useful list, there's a few things I might need to pick up myself!

[Devil 2,883]

might add a spring bar removal tool?

I found one on your list nevermind lol

Edited March 18, 2020 by Juggo

[GenTLe 1,497]

Also, if you need to replace a bezel insert, a sharp scalpel (to fit between the insert and the bezel) would be a nice to have object. It's thin enough to fit into the glue behind the insert, but you need to exercise care and run the scalpel all around the insert circumference (again: between the lower part of the insert and the upper part of the bezel):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000487085618.html

A standard safety razor blade is comfortable to separate the date wheel overlay from the date wheel:

And some long-time (relatively speaking) drying glue is perfect to reglue the DWO over the DW having time to put it in the right position. Also good for the new insert on the bezel. Use FEW of it and just at 0, 90, 180 and 270°, no need to spread it everywhere:

I use this specific one because it is very strong, it permits you to reposition the object for around 15 mins and it fully dries in 24h and, after it dries, it resists to basically anything (acids, bases, marine water etc etc).

 

Some medium threadlock for the bracelet screws, Loctite 221 or 241 are ok.

 

Isopropyl alcohol / isopropanol to clean the parts, go for the 99% one, not the lower grades or those mixed with other stuff.

 

Microfibre cloth to clean the crystal before putting back the movement in the case. To see if it's clean, look a light through the watch case, keeping it like at 30cm from your eyes and you'll see all the particles still on the crystal.

 

If you are going to try to service a movement, these comes handy, they are perfect to keep the parts separated (i.e. all the autowind parts in a little box, all the main train gears and screws in another etc), they are cheap in any hardware store. An advice: put some soft paper at the bottom of the container where you're going to put the hands, they scratch EXTREMELY easily:

 

If something else will came to mind, I'll add here

[BravoDelta 22,424]

Nicely done list of tools (as if I know how to use any of them). 

[Bbsee 469]

32 minutes ago, BravoDelta said:

Nicely done list of tools (as if I know how to use any of them). 

Lol same here.

[Nikosaldente 630]

Great list!

Well done @GenTLe and @NCRich 

[BIG GRUNDY 6]

YES !  Been looking for a simplified list for awhile now.  Lots of potential projects that have been just sitting.  Thanks NC !!

[NCRich 13,745]

3 minutes ago, BIG GRUNDY said:

YES !  Been looking for a simplified list for awhile now.  Lots of potential projects that have been just sitting.  Thanks NC !!

Thank @GenTLe he is the man with the info.

 

[Glaude 1,615]

Excellent material list, should come handy for any tinkerer preparing the Finland watch repairer certificate ...  

[OJHorology 352]

Exactly what I was looking for! Lurking around looking for something like this before making a post - sweet.

[Figmo 61]

Great list and one to which I'm happy to refer while beefing up the few tools I already own. I'm just getting into modding, so what I already own are a jaxa type case wrench, a set of Rolex case openers, a set of screwdrivers, and a few bracelet sizing tools.

It seems I'm late to the party, and at this point many of the originally linked items are no longer on Ali Express. @NCRich would it be possible at some point to have the item names added in so they're more easily searchable even after the individual listings have expired?

Thanks again,

- Figmo

[tribefan 6,768]

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Watch-Repair-Tools/1188822_508116054/1.html?origin=n&SortType=bestmatch_sort&g=y

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1796515?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.45dd4c4duy7xxt

These sellers have been around a while and have just about anything you could think of.

These guys are good for parts and movements.

https://watchery.aliexpress.com/store/2957126?spm=2114.12010612.pcShopHead_6491550.0

 

[Figmo 61]

2 hours ago, tribefan said:

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Watch-Repair-Tools/1188822_508116054/1.html?origin=n&SortType=bestmatch_sort&g=y

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1796515?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.45dd4c4duy7xxt

These sellers have been around a while and have just about anything you could think of.

These guys are good for parts and movements.

https://watchery.aliexpress.com/store/2957126?spm=2114.12010612.pcShopHead_6491550.0

 

Thank you for the list of sellers! Aliexpress is somewhat new to me so I'll keep at it and thank you all for the helpful info posted here.

[J!m 289]

The list has no end...

Be very careful with alcohol around the pallet fork and roller table impulse jewel. Both are typically held in with shellac and alcohol will soften or dissolve it. A pallet jewel doesn’t need to move much to ruin your day...

Good movement holders if you plan to go deep...

[GingerApple 7,272]

Do you use/recommend a bezel remover tool @GenTLe?

[BadPickle 2,738]

1 hour ago, TheGingerFerret said:

Do you use/recommend a bezel remover tool @GenTLe?

 

[GingerApple 7,272]

39 minutes ago, pickledbeetroot said:

 

Says the guy with ten unfinished builds

[GenTLe 1,497]

2 hours ago, TheGingerFerret said:

Do you use/recommend a bezel remover tool @GenTLe?

It depends from the watch actually.

For sport watches with rotating bezels I use this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1850759731.html but beware that there are different sizes around, and often the cheaper ones (25/30$) are good up to a submariner size but not bigger ones. And I put a plastic foil between the watch case and the 4 jaws.

 

Sometimes for other watches (i.e. the Tudor black bay or even a submariner) a sharpened case opener blade is good enough (providing you put same masking tape on the lugs not to mark them with the blade when you leverage it).

For watches with bezels flushed with cases, like for instance a Rolex DJ/DD, I firstly remove the movement from the case and then I use a very sharp cutter blade like this below and the small watchmaker hammer so that the blade can fit between the case and the bezel and lift that half/threequater millimeter that permits the upper bezel remover to fit into the gap. This with the blade and hammer has to be done alternatively on 2 sides of the case, in order to lift the bezel symmetrically.

 

Then (let's give some food for his bitter soul to the guy upper with the ugly avatar, it's Christmas in the end...) there is a damn PAM 21j based "small Egi" that I didn't manage in any way to remove the bezel... It even broke me a set of blades of the upper bezel remover... I don't know how that damn thing is fixed, but it doesn't come out.

Also recently I fixed a SubC (can't remember the brand but it wasn't the classic good 'ol Noob) where the bezel was done in such a stupid way that bezel, the glass, glass gasket and gasket ring were coming out all together because there was too much interference between the bezel and the gasket ring. Also put it back has been a damn nightmare...

[GingerApple 7,272]

It's such a pleasure to have someone on here who actually contributes to the forum. Cheers Gentle!!!

[J!m 289]

I have a similar bezel remover and they’re fine, but the jaws should be removed and lapped flat and polished. Even with a plastic sheet, any burr or imperfections will cut through the plastic and scratch the case. 

[BadPickle 2,738]

1 hour ago, TheGingerFerret said:

Says the guy with ten unfinished builds

Says the guy who’s removed many different types of bezel assembly 

[GenTLe 1,497]

50 minutes ago, J!m said:

I have a similar bezel remover and they’re fine, but the jaws should be removed and lapped flat and polished. Even with a plastic sheet, any burr or imperfections will cut through the plastic and scratch the case. 

True! Better to pass the flat part over a fine grinding stone like the ones used to sharpen the screwdrivers.

[GingerApple 7,272]

As an update to the bezel removal tool query above, I ended up getting the one below because it was on offer (cheaper than it is currently) and it looked alright. Having now received it, it bloody is alright! An exceptionally well made tool - surprisingly robust - and it made short work of a nightmare bezel that has been plaguing be for months (and before Pickle starts, I've also removed loads of bezels, normally in 20 seconds flat with a caseback knife or a razor blade combo for the odd stubborn one), but this fucking bezel was next level, like it was welded on with no discernable gap to the case.

https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.html?spm=a2g0s.9042647.6.2.7ada4c4dIaHYkR&orderId=8130977189907289&productId=4000117489085

 

[GenTLe 1,497]

30 minutes ago, TheGingerFerret said:

https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.html?spm=a2g0s.9042647.6.2.7ada4c4dIaHYkR&orderId=8130977189907289&productId=4000117489085

 

Ginger, this link is a snapshot of the object page at the time of your order, we can't see it.