Scratch the itch

So a build rarely ever goes in a straight line for me. I usually start somewhere with a finish line in mind, but then unforeseen forces and events cause me to go left and right, jump hurdles, climb mountains, cross deserts, but eventually I find the finish line.

I started with this little bit of trash.

I was making it for a friend who didn't really care, so I didn't really care. Turns out that's not great inspiration for a fabulous finished product. The dial was hideous, I was careless and cut off the wrong dial legs so I had to try to use dial dots, and the date window ended up all wonky. It had a 24hr bezel but no GMT hand. It was a hot mess.

Since my friend didn't care, and had completely lost interest before I was done, we agreed that I could try to make that sows ear into a silk purse. I wanted to make it into a ln actual GMT. So I waved my magic Rodico (and my wallet), said abrawatchdabra, and it turned into this.

A huge improvement! And I was excited... For a minute. But the lume on the handset was terrible, so the dial WAY out shined the hands. It also had a domed crystal. Domed crystal has its place, but it didn't feel right on this watch. Plus the build quality of the watch and bracelet was poor. It felt cheap. I tried to sell it on OfferUp but my conscience wouldn't let me. That stupid angel on the shoulder kept whispering in my ear that it wasn't right. So along came a young guy asking about it, super excited, orange is his favorite color, asking if I would consider a trade for some of the trash he had on his page. But I'm not Oscar the grouch and I wasn't interested in trash, so I told him he could just have it. Then I asked the angel " are you happy now? Shut up already". I honestly was happy to be rid of it and was ready to move on.... Or so I thought.

I can't speak for everyone who builds watches as a hobby, but once something creeps into my head it just eats away at me. It's like an itch I can't scratch until it's done. I had set out to make a GMT. I had succeeded but... Not really. Now I felt like I needed to make good on that GMT build.

This time I did care. Funny how that changes your approach. I spent countless hours scrolling. Trying to decide which case I liked, which bezel I liked, what dial I wanted to use, which strap it should have. I made my choices and pressed "BUY NOW". My wallet wept a little knowing that I rarely have one build at a time. They seem to come in bunches. While you're looking for parts for one project, inevitably something else catches your eye.

I somewhat patiently waited for my parts to arrive. The heart always beats a little faster when I find this in the mailbox.

I sit down at my very organized workstation

to begin my GMT masterpiece. I check the movement and everything seems to be in order. I carefully cut the dial feet, I like to think I learn from my mistakes, and fit the dial to the movement. Then comes to GMT hand. It squeezes on a little tighter than I remember from last time. But it goes on easy enough so I don't think about it much. I probably should have. After the GMT hand is on, I test it to see if it turns. It barely turns. I tried the quickset function to see if that's working any better. I pulled the crown out to the first position, and twist the quickset. I feel it begin to engage, not turn at all and then begin to slip. Honestly, I thought it was a problem with the movement. I figure out of every million or so movements, surely it wouldn't be unusual for one to be a lemon. I DMed @Ichibunz knowing that he seems to always have something in the oven, and asked if he had ever had a problem. Coincidentally, he had just recently had a problem with the crown stem on an NH34. Even though they were different problems that somehow comforted me, as if I wasn't the only one. I ordered another NH34 and start it again. I wasn't 5 minutes into the project before I had the exact same problem. 🤬😡🤬 Once is a coincidence, twice is a pattern. I began to suspect user error was more likely.

I decided to post to WC to see if anyone had any ideas what was going on. It looked perfect

@ayadai suggested perhaps something had just jarred a little loose, and needed to be reset. Ichibunz had just posted about a teardown to resolve the afore mentioned crown stem issue and had plenty of pictures to help walk me through it. He encouraged me to take a peak at the insides and see if I could resolve it myself.

So armed with ayadai's encouragement, and with ichibuns as my spirit animal, I began my dabble in watchmaking. I sat back down at my trusty workstation, you remember my workstation right?

And started a teardown.

Note the extravagant and elaborate equipment I used to contain my project.

Now I've never used chopsticks. But I have to assume handling movement screws with a pair of tweezers is similar to learning how to eat with chopsticks. Squeeze a little too hard the wrong way and poof they're gone. Those little effers are almost microscopic

As I heard a sound I can't even describe, but almost like a "ping" and I feel the screw pop and it's gone. I can not measure the level of anxiety you feel when you realize that screw just went flying. My sphincter slammed shut, I began to involuntarily mudder "no, no, NO!!" I quickly began to scan the table then the floor then the table again. And miraculously there it is just a few inches from the movement. Thank God! I also cannot begin to describe the absolute euphoria you feel when you find that lost screw. I don't know if even drugs could give you that level of ecstasy. And I repeated this pattern no less than three times. Once on my hands and knees scouring the floor finding it next to the baseboard. Somehow I managed to get the movement apart and back together again. But sadly I am not a watchmaker. So I never found the issue. 🤬😡🤬 Dabble complete.

So I return the 2 NH34's, yeah I know, it's a dick move knowing it was probably me that caused the issue, and order another.

Then one night, while I'm waiting the next victim of my clumsy watch building skills I randomly remember how stiff that GMT hand was going on. Also how tightly it was on. It was a struggle to get it back off without scratching the dial. Then the Domino's start falling. I had bought a dial for a NH35. I knew I was going to have to file out the hole. And I did. But did I file it out enough? After casually thinking about it for a bit (or obsessing for days) I became almost certain that the GMT hand was either squeezed against the edge of the dial, or sandwich between the movement and the dial. Either way it wouldn't be able to move and I've heard that watch movements might be a little delicate.

New movement day comes. I sit back down at my trusty table and begin work. I hold my breath while I work on that dial hole again.

And breath a sigh of relief as I manage to get it accomplished without scratching the dial. I fit it on the movement.

Good, good! Looks like there is plenty of clearance. Now the moment of truth

IT FITS!! Yes! Give it a test. All good. Stack on more hands

It takes a few tries to get the hands to hit midnight as the date changes but I get it there. From here it's smooth sailing. I fit it in the case, trim the crown stem. A little at a time. That's a different lesson I learned the hard way. And wala... I present to you my newest build.

I'm not sure it was worth all the trouble. It doesn't have the "pop" I expected and the GMT hand would be more legible if I had used a red tip. But otherwise, Itch scratched. I'm pretty satisfied... I think. We'll see