Let's start tinkering

Collectors, enthusiasts, trend followers - there are all sorts of watch people. There's also another type, the watch tinkerer.

These are the horology buffs who buy loupes to admire the inner workings of a mechanical timepiece. They examine every nook and crany with extreme interest, and take pleasure in figuring out what every part of watches' insides look like and do.

That's me. I remember when I got my loupe. Straight I went to my 1997 Tissot Chrono Jenairo.

​And you now can imagine why. Being able to witness the minute gears and springs move together to tell and record time is a wonder.

I then progressed to wanting to handle the gears. I wanted to take one apart and see if I could make sense of it. So naturally I went to the internet. Hours or reading and tutorials have prepared me for the challenge of dismentaling and assembling a mechanical wristwatch.

The victim was the Seiko workhorse - a 7S36 movement from a Seiko 5 that I recently purchased.

In this series of posts, I will document the steps, tools and experiences that I gained in taking the 7S36, and other Seiko movements apart. For all the aspiring watch destroyers out there, I hope this helps.

Knowledge of each mechanical part helps if you would like to learn how to service and repair watches yourself. I don't claim to be an expert. In fact I know I'm still very much a beginner.

So sit back and enjoy the ride. "Tinkering with your watches" is about to begin.