6 Must-Have Watch Tools for Home Use

Are you a watch enthusiast, or do you enjoy collecting and working on them as a hobby?

If so, a set of watch tools is a must-have among the other items in your home handy-kit.

Before technology simplified the making and repairing of watches, wearing a watch was for top executives who wanted to showcase their success and the value of their time.

But in recent years, watches have become an accessory—both for professional use and as a great addition to an outfit.

You can own several, or have one to pair up with different watch straps.

Taking your watch for repairs frequently may be unnecessary if you have different tools at home for watch repairs.

Some tools you can acquire include a watch case opener, watch stand, band holder,  spring bar tool, dust blower, spring bars, and watch tweezers. You can easily navigate fixing your watch yourself with these at hand.

Let's look more closely at the top six must-haves in your tool kit.

Tool #1: Watch Case Opener

Modern, sleek watches come firmly fitted with a back case that you can’t pry open with your bare hands or nails.

Plus, using any random equipment in your space may lead to unwanted scratches and marks on the side or back. Not forgetting the number of times you'll need to try before you succeed.

That’s why you need a watch case opener in your watch repair tool kit.

You may need to open the back of your watch to:

• Replace gaskets
• Change watch batteries
• Straighten the hands 
• Remove dust

A watch case opener, also called a case back knife, has a short blunt blade that is inserted in a small depression at the side to grip the case firmly.

The knife blade is tucked inside a plastic or metallic covering attached to it, similar to a pocket knife.

To open the watch case, apply minimal pressure at the small dent as you twist the knife anticlockwise until the back case pops open.

In some situations, you’ll need to gently move the knife up and down till you hear a pop sound.

Other case back knives come with a blunt knife on one side and a sharp blade on the other end for other uses like sharpening your peg wood.

Tool #2: A Simple Screwdriver Set

If you are a watch enthusiast, you know that high-end and vintage watches usually don’t have press-in backs. The outer casing is screwed in and sometimes bolted on the case.

This extra precaution makes your watch water-resistant and secures the components of your sophisticated watch in case it falls, or hit by a blunt force.

Using sharp objects at your disposal to unscrew can scratch your case or damage the screw.

You’ll need a screwdriver set among your home watch repair tools that’ll simplify your access to the inner part of your watch.

A good quality screwdriver should have:

• A rotating top for ease of use
• A handle that offers stable grip
• A smooth ball-bearing swivel
• Rust-resistance

You don’t need to own a wide range of screwdrivers. Most watches use screwdriver sizes 80, 100, 120, and 140. 

Professional watchmakers can recommend the size you’d need for your vintage watch.

You’ll need to resharpen or re-dress the blades after some time to avoid damaging the screw head.

A reputable manufacturer packs an extra set of blades in the set. Enquire about this before you make a purchase. 

Tool #3: Precision Spring Bar Tools

Precision Spring Bar Tool

A watch band lover never lacks spring bar tools in their watch repair kit.

Whether they receive it as they purchase their watch strap or buy it with other tools, it’s one of the basic tools they can’t do without.

If you change your watch band often, you’ll need to master how to remove the two small string steel bars fitted between the lug at both ends of your watch head.

A good-quality spring bar tool has one fixed large-forked end and a reversible small-forked end on the other side. You can change the small-forked end into a pin.

A spring bar tool ensures you change the straps without:

• Poking your straps 
• Scratching the lugs
• Injuring yourself
• Losing your spring bars

To remove your strap, probe the spring bar tool between the strap and lug. Press until you feel the fork hook to the spring bar ring.

Gently push the spring bar towards the center until the bar detaches from the lug.

Installing Your BluShark Strap

You’ll need to practice several times before you become a guru in changing straps in seconds.

Tool #4: Watch Tweezers

It could take forever to look for a screw that you’ve dropped after it slips from your fingers.

That’s where watch tweezers come in. 

A watch tweezer is a handy tool that prevents this from happening as it grips the screw and holds it in place.

They are different from cosmetic tweezers as they have matching ends with curved and straight edges that firmly hold the screw head.

There are different types you can include in your watch repair tools. They include:

• Screw holding tweezers
• Hairspring tweezers
• Hand fitting and removing tweezer
• Cutting tweezers

Choose some for your kit according to how much you work on watches.

These tweezers come in various sizes. 

You’d need the four commonest sizes for your watch repair tool kit: Brass AM, size number. 5, 3, and 2. 

They’re sold as a set by some manufacturers.

Below are their unique features.

Tweezer	Feature
Brass AM	Anti-magnetic
No. 5	Short and extra fine tips
No.3	Fine tips
No.2	Fine and flat tips

Ensure you use tweezers for your watch repair needs only as their tips can easily bend or break if you use them to pick up things that are heavier than watch parts.

Watch tweezers are held between the thumb and first two fingers in the same way you hold a pen.

Tool #5: Spring Bars

Spring bars (pair)

Spring bars to a watch are like wheels to a car.

This tiny circular steel bar with springs at the center determines whether you’ll wear your fashion-forward watch or not. They’re a must-have in your watch repair kit.

The risk of your watch hitting the floor increases if you use cheap quality spring bars that are loose, easily break or detach from the lugs. It’s important to check your spring bars often for signs of wear to prevent an expensive accident.

There are different spring bar sizes as there are watches.

These sizes depend on the thickness and width of your watch at the lug. Most watches have a lug width of between 18–24mm.

Out of the 18–24mm lug size, 18 mm is the commonest size used—it accommodates most of the different watch straps styles in the market.

A good spring bar is stainless steel and double-fanged for easier grip.

We stock good quality spring bars at Blushark that'll serve you for years. Here's what one customer says:

“Good spring bars at a good price. It's always nice to have a spare on hand just in case. BluShark made it convenient to get a spare set along with a strap order.” - Daniel R.

Tool #6: Rubber Dust Blower

You can never go wrong with an appropriately-sized dust blower in your watch repair kit.

When dust or dirt builds up in your watch, it settles on the parts and solidifies. This interferes with the seamless working of the components, not to mention the ugly layer it can give your crystal-clear watch face.

With a dust blower in your tool kit, you don't need to make trips to the watch repair store to have it cleaned. You only need to open your watch’s case and blow. 

This process will remove the dust particles that could clog the wheels, inner screws, and your watch’s regulator.

Blowing dust with your mouth adds moisture to the watch, worsening the problem by causing the dust to stick to the watch parts.

Dust blowers are also used for drying watch parts that you’ve cleaned or oiled. 

To do this, hold the watch part with a tweezer, then blow gently until dry.

Ready to Use Your Watch Repair Tool Kit

Vintage Bond Watch Strap

Changing straps or making simple watch repairs doesn't require a trip to the watchmaker. With high-quality tools in your tool kit, you can efficiently work on your watch within minutes.

A watch enthusiast with all the tools is sure to enjoy the variety of fashionable, superior, and stylish straps that BluShark offers without having to visit a watchmaker for the fixes.

We offer watch straps that cater to the needs of all watch wearers—providing a comfortable fit without you having to compromise your exquisite style.

Check out our durable watch strap collections that include:

• Apple watch bands
• Nylon and silicone straps
• Cordura watch bands
• Canvasoft 2.0 watch bands
• Samsung Galaxy bands

Order a set of straps that perfectly fit your outfits today.

Featured Image from: Pixabay by StockSnap