Beyond the Dial: How a Simple Ad Turned Me Into a Watchmaker
They say the internet knows you better than you know yourself. For months, my social media feeds were haunted by a singular, relentless presence: DIY Watch Club.
Every time I scrolled, there it was—a perfectly lit video of tweezers setting a minuscule second hand, promising that I too could build my own mechanical timepiece. I ignored it for a long time. I’m a collector, I told myself, not a watchmaker.
But the algorithm knew something I was barely admitting to myself: the “watch bug” had bitten me again, and this time, it was terminal.
The Dormant Phase: The Breitling Years
My journey didn’t start with tweezers and loupes. It started ten years ago with a Breitling Super Avenger in white.
That watch was my companion for a decade. It was big, bold, and satisfied my need for a serious timepiece. For years, it was enough. I wore it, loved it, and didn’t spend much time looking at what else was out there. The itch was scratched.
The Reigniton: Tokyo and the Grand Seiko
Hobbies have a funny way of staying dormant until the perfect conditions reignite them. For me, that condition was a trip to Tokyo.
Japan is a dangerous place for anyone with even a passing interest in horology. While there, I encountered the Grand Seiko Ginza Limited Edition. It wasn’t just another watch; it was artistry. The incredible texture of the dial, inspired by the streets of Ginza, the flawless Zaratsu polishing—it woke something up.
Buying that Grand Seiko shifted my perspective. I wasn’t just interested in wearing watches anymore; I was suddenly obsessed with how they were made.
The Gateway Drug: Taking the Plunge
Eventually, I surrendered to those relentless ads. I bought a kit, sat down at my desk, and successfully built my first watch. It was frustrating, fiddly, and incredibly rewarding.
But it wasn’t enough.
Finishing that first kit didn’t satisfy the craving; it only made it worse. I wanted more customization, more control, and more variety. That’s when I fell into the real rabbit hole: the r/SeikoMods community on Reddit.
The Deep End: Homages and Commissions
If the DIY kit was Horology 101, r/SeikoMods was a masterclass in addiction. I realized I didn’t need a pre-packaged kit; I could source my own cases, dials, and hands.
I started building relentlessly. My desk became a permanent graveyard of tiny ziplock bags and finger cots. It wasn’t long before my hobby spilled over into my social circle. Friends and family saw what I was creating and started asking, “Can you make me one?”
Suddenly, I was taking commissions. The requests were almost always for the classics—homages to the icons they loved but couldn’t (or wouldn’t) buy genuine yet. I started churning out homages to Rolex Submariners, Daytonas, and GMTs, often relying on the absolute workhorse that is the NH35 movement. It’s robust, reliable, and makes these custom builds genuinely wearable daily drivers.
What started as ignoring an Instagram ad has turned into a full-blown side passion. I went from owning two great watches to building dozens, gaining a new appreciation for every tiny gear that makes this hobby tick.
