The Watchmakers App now offers a full digital dictionary of the universal Swiss watch-parts numbering system. Over 1,500 standardized watch-part numbers, organized into categories and linked to the calibers that use them, now available free on iPhone, iPad and Android.

What it is

In 1948 Ebauches SA introduced a universal numbering system for mechanical watch parts, and it became the most widely used way to identify them. A plate is #100, a barrel bridge #105, a train wheel bridge #110 and a mainspring #770. The same numbers appear on material-house listings, parts envelopes and manufacturers' technical sheets around the world. Another 10-digit system was introduced in 1976, but the quartz crisis meant the newer system was much less widely used. The original numbers are still the everyday language of vintage watch repair.

Swiss part numbers put more than 1,500 of these numbers into one searchable reference. Each number has its standard description. Entries are grouped into categories that follow the original dictionaries, from Frame and barrel, Wheels and pinions and Swiss lever escapement to Hairsprings, Mainsprings, Hands, Crystals and Screws. There are also special-materials groups for self-winding watches, calendars and moon phases, chronographs, alarm watches, and electric/electronic watches.

The dictionary was compiled from the primary Ebauches SA references:

• A New Standard Technological Dictionary of Watch Parts (1948)
• The revised 2nd edition (1953)
• Dictionnaire Horloger, Terminologie Numérotation (1976) and its 1988 supplement from ETA SA

These were cross-checked against watch material houses' listings and manufacturers' technical sheets.

How it's used

In practice, a watchmaker holding an envelope marked "#401" can find out in seconds that it holds a winding stem and see which movements use it. Someone restoring a movement can go the other way, from a caliber's parts list to the standard number to quote to a supplier or create a query for eBay search.

About The Watchmakers App

The Watchmakers App brings together caliber data from original Ranfft, different watch material houses, manufacturers' technical sheets and historical catalogues in one reference for watchmakers, restorers and collectors. It covers calibers from 340 manufacturers, with technical specifications, images and parts interchangeability data. You can identify a caliber with detailed search filters or from a photo, and keep a list of favorite calibers. It also includes reference sections for Swiss part numbers, U.S. import codes and trade marks.

The Watchmakers App is available for free on iPhone, iPad and Android, while some advanced features are available behind paid subscriptions (with 2 weeks free trial), majority of data is available for free. The app and its data are updated regularly - don't forget to enable automatic updates on your device to always have the latest version and information. For more information visit https://thewatchmakersapp.com website.

Full teardown of a Rolex Submariner Date on the bench today, powered by the legendary Calibre 3135.

Introduced in 1988 and serving for over three decades, the 3135 is widely regarded by watchmakers as one of the most robust, serviceable automatic calibers ever produced. It’s not over-complicated for the sake of it—it’s designed strictly for longevity, stability, and serviceability.

A few favorite engineering highlights while laying this one out:

• The Balance Bridge: Unlike a standard cantilever balance cock, the 3135 uses a full balance bridge anchored on both sides, allowing rigid stability and precise microstella regulation of the free-sprung balance.
• The Purple Reversing Wheels: The signature anodized Teflon (PTFE) coated gears in the automatic module that ensure smooth, quiet bi-directional winding without requiring heavy lubrication that can breakdown over time.
• Instantaneous Date Jump: The cam and jewel mechanism under the dial work provides that crisp, unmistakable midnight date snap.

Every single screw and wheel has been inspected, run through multi-stage ultrasonic baths, reassembled with Moebius synthetics, and regulated back to chronometer spec.

Always a treat to work on a movement that was truly engineered to be rebuilt for generations.

I have a 1973 Caravelle sea Hunter with bidirectional tension spring bezel. It arrived with what felt like a glued on bezel, sent it through the ultrasonic and it freed up a bit, but still terrible to use. I suspect something is either fossilized inside, or the flange is bent.

Do I just pry with a knife or is there another way to remove the bezel without damaging it or the mid case?

Have repaired another one before, where the bezel wasn’t fully attached, found it easy to remove the crystal, and go from the inside with a dental tool to press in the spring to clear the flange, but on this one, even with the crystal off, the bezel is such that the spring completely disappears behind the flange and can’t be removed first.

Just finished a complete overhaul on this classic IWC Mark XV (Ref. IW3253).

Inside beats the IWC Calibre 37524 (A modified ETA 2892-A2 base), encased in its signature soft-iron inner cage for magnetic protection.

Service highlights:
• Complete disassembly of the movement, calendar work, and keyless works down to the mainplate.
• Multi-stage ultrasonic cleaning to strip congealed oils and debris.
• Inspection of the reversing wheels and train pivots.
• Fresh mainspring, reassembly, and lubrication with Moebius synthetics (9010, HP1300, and 9415 for the pallet stones).
• New caseback and crown gaskets fitted, followed by dry pressure testing.

Dialed back in with healthy amplitude (>300°) and running well within chronometer standards on the timegrapher.

Came from an Omega 8900 movement

Looking to find a CNC mill to use on grade 5 titanium, and I plan to use it to also make some components (not gears, probably bridges and wheels for movement modifications). Does anyone know of a machine with good precision and able to cut titanium and brass?

Hi everyone,

I’m very new to watchmaking and repair but I’m already a technician in another industry. I’m already repairing movements and I’m having a lot of fun with this new hobby.
Here’s the last one I bought today. Zodiac Automatic from the 60’s.
I can’t remove the case back. Everything is pointing to a snap on case and I see the notch on the case but there is no notch in the actual caseback to grab into.

Any advice?

I recently inherited a bag of watches from my parents. Inside, I found an old Waltham that almost certainly has radium lume (can anyone confirm?)

The caseback was off. I briefly wound it (it works!!) and otherwise handled it. I looked at the dial and realized this may be a radium dial watch, so i washed my hands, wet-cleaned the surface it was on, and put it back in the bag and in a storage room.

I see no reason to keep the watch given the serious danger radium can present. But I'm worried about my exposure. You can see in the picture the dial and crystal etc. appear to be intact. But the lume is clearly deteriorated and I'm worried particles migrating into the movement and to areas i would have touched, and that I inadvertently spread particles around where they would be ingested or inhaled.

Am I overthinking this? The watch is in a bag in a storage room now and I ordered a Geiger counter to asses things but what is the prevailing thought process on this?

I’m currently developing my own watch brand, with the goal of designing and manufacturing as many components as possible in-house.
I’ve just started my first machining tests using a 4-axis CNC machine to produce a watch case made from high-density colored carbon fiber, a really high-quality material.
It’s still in the prototyping phase, but the first results are looking promising!
Looking forward to sharing more of the development process with you. Any feedback or thoughts are more than welcome!

What could be issue and possible fix

1. ⁠The movement doesn’t fully sit inside, theres a gap
   
2. ⁠The case back doesn’t screw on perfectly, it gets raised either at the 3’oclock side lr at the 9’oclock side
   
3. ⁠The bezel when fitted at the 12’oclock position only spins till 10’oclock
   
4. ⁠And is very difficult to press in when installing keeping the marker at 9o’clock

Trying to learn more guilloche style patterns that can be made on CNC. Did this with Fusion 360 + Makera Z1 from stock brass plate. Double-sided operation to create dial feet on underside.

Filming the video for this right now, but wanted to post a quick update since last time

-Luminous dial works pretty well

-Clear 3d printed parts came back flawless from PCBWay

-Mainspring barrel needs tweaking, but 90% done

-Filming going alright, on track to finish the vid in the next month or two

If anybody has any requests for certain parts to be shown in an extended cut seperate, I would be happy to do so and also answer some selected questions in the video.

Also, I've been getting a few pm's asking about the mainspring, I stated it in the first post but I guess not clearly, the mainspring is not 3d printed, its pretty much the only non plastic part (besides screws)

Thank you for all the support, and especially for the few who emailed asking to help fund my work, you kind souls (:

Hey everyone! I’m very new to watchmaking and I just bought some tools and a seagull movement to practice on. Long story short, I want to work up to restoring vintage watches and I bought these two Seikoshas I’ve been looking for for a good while now (long term project later on). Obviously I’m in no position to work on these right away, but these are the two watches I’d like to work my way up to.

How daunting will it be to service these after working with the seagull movement for a bit? Also, I really love the sector dial. Is the black corrosion on the dial going to be an issue that might make it unusable?

Any advice would be appreciated!

I’ve been working at my kitchen table for about a year now and I really can’t do it anymore. I need a dedicated space for this. My neck needs it. What are you using for a workbench?

Looking for a bit of help getting this broken crown off the stem so I can remove it. There is clearly some rust(and maybe some kind of thread lock?) in the threads of the crown/stem connection so I need to be able to hold the stem securely so I can grab the crown and remove it. In the section of the stem that has the spring covering it there are flats that I could use to hold the stem with a small enough wrench? There is not a lot of room to get something in between the spring coils and onto the flats though.

This is a 52mm Smiths 8 day clock from a 1930's instrument dash.

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This Seik0️⃣ was just overhauled, but I found this behavior when setting. Could you tell me if this is normal, acceptable from the watchmaker, and what’s actually happening.

What’s the best practice? Get the thinnest sheet of c353, cut and true on a lathe? Cut teeth and then sand and polish?

The thinnest I could find in the US is about 1.6mm thick, where else can I find thinner? Thanks all

My mom just dug this out and gave it to me. It was my grandfather's watch. She said he was very proud of it. Does anyone think it's worth trying to get repaired? It needs a new crystal, and obviously it's not a typical shape. I would love to be able to wear it and think of him.

I am about to start working on a Rolex 1530 movement with a breget overcoil on the hairspring. I have plenty of practice in removing, cleaning and replacing flat hairspring balances. Are there any special precautions I should take when removing and replacing the balance on the movement? Thanks

I'm an engineer and seeing a running watch movement is the closest I get to a religious experience. I could spend hours with a loupe peering at them. The fact that they KEEP time is part of the joy, but I don't really have a desire to wear them or have them keep correct time -- I like them on my desk to look at and watch while I work.

I've got a st3620k, ST36, ST1901, and Miyota 8N4, and I'm trying to find the clearest (as in literally transparent) lowest-frills way to have them on my desk so I can look at them but not get them dusty/oily and have them hold together when turned around etc. I've seen options for some acrylic cases but they're rather chunky, and many have cloudiness or coloring around the edges. My DREAM would be something akin to a coin capsule, transparent from all angles, which just a pinhole for the crown stem, but obviously that kinda flies in the face of the reason most people want these (to wear them) so it seems like that's not a thing.

Does anything like what I'm looking for exist? The closer I get to a clear capsule with even a boxy base + minimal end link/strap mount, the more expensive they get ($150+), and the closer I get to a cheap acrylic watch case, the more chunky and chintzy they get with more writing and opaque edges. I really want something I can pick up, turn over, hand to someone else while running (I'm an engineer and have a lot of friends that would love to borrow a loupe and stare for a few hours), etc. so a display box/dome that just seats the bare mechanism on stand is not a great fit for taking it out and handling.

Am I missing any options? Is there something that exists and I'm just searching for the wrong name? Is this a sacrilege and no one would ever make such a thing? 😅

Thanks for any thoughts.

Quick question, and I'm sorry to be asking about a cheap watch here...

This watch (LOQNCE LQ98003) arrived working fine. I don't wear it often because I have a lot of watches in my rotation. But, after it being in my drawer for a few months, and having only been worn may 3 times/days, at a desk, the hands stopped working. Completely. Not even a twitchy/pulsing stationary seconds hand.

The digital face behind the hands, and the light, work perfectly fine.

Is it likely the CR2025 battery is just weak (maxelll)? Or can it be reset? Or is it likely the hands part of the movement is dead?

I know it a cheap watch, but I was wondering if it could be made to work again.

Also, when looking inside the back of it, I noticed a little debossed word (PRESS) and arrow ambiguously pointing exactly between a little hole in the movement's backplate, and a little notch at the edge of the battery compartment. I'm not sure if that's some sort of reset, or something else.

If this little PRESS and arrow are some sort of reset, how is that normally utilized? is it an actual button, or a pad to be shorted to another pad, or a battery-to-pad short, that's supposed to be the 'press'?

Any help appreciated.

also, the picture of the movement shows it with the metal battery hold-down removed.

Hey everyone!
I’m a 29-year-old Army veteran who recently transitioned out of the military. I’ve been exploring different career paths, and watchmaking has really caught my interest.
I’m currently living in NYC and would love to pursue watchmaking as a long-term career, ideally working for a luxury brand like Patek Philippe, Rolex, or Omega someday.
I’ve been researching programs like the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative and Patek Philippe’s watchmaking training program in New York, but I’d love to hear from people already in the industry.
A few questions I have:
1. Are there any watchmaking schools or training programs in NYC or New York State you’d recommend?
2. Are there apprenticeships or entry-level opportunities for someone with no watchmaking experience?
3. Does anyone know of programs that accept GI Bill or VA education benefits in NY?
4.For those working in luxury watchmaking, how did you get started?
I’m willing to put in the time and effort to learn the trade and work my way up. I’d prefer to stay in New York, but I’m open to other opportunities if they’re worth considering.
Any advice, recommendations, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I’ve bought multiple crystals for this thing now, but all of them have ended of splitting. I’m not sure what I can do now, and I don’t want to buy a NOS original in the case that it splits too. When installing the crystal, it feels a little tight against the case like it doesn’t have enough room to fit correctly. After a little while, it starts to crack and split (as shown in the photo). I’m buying these new crystals from respectable stores that are specifically listing them for this model. Any ideas on why this issue is occurring?