Installing the hands is one of the most satisfying parts of building a mechanical watch — and usually the part that requires the most patience.
On an NH35 movement, the hour, minute and seconds hands sit on three tiny concentric posts. They need to be installed in the correct order, aligned accurately and positioned with enough clearance to move freely without touching each other or the dial.
It looks delicate, but with the right tools and a little patience, it is entirely manageable for a first-time watchmaker.
Before you start
The dial should already be securely fitted to the NH35 movement.
Work on a clean, well-lit surface and place the movement in a stable movement holder. Use finger cots when handling visible components and avoid touching the dial or hands directly.
You will need:
-
A hand-setting tool
-
Fine tweezers
-
A loupe or magnifier
-
A movement holder
-
Finger cots
The most important thing at this stage is not speed. Small, careful adjustments make a big difference.
1. Find the midnight position
Before fitting the hands, you need to establish where midnight is on the movement.
Pull the crown into the time-setting position and slowly advance the movement until the date begins to change.
This gives you your midnight reference.
Leave the movement in this position. The hour and minute hands can now be installed pointing at 12 o’clock, ensuring the watch displays the date change at the correct point in the day.
2. Fit the hour hand
Carefully pick up the hour hand with your tweezers and position it over the centre of the movement.
Align it as accurately as possible with the 12 o’clock marker.
Once positioned, use the appropriate end of the hand-setting tool to press the hour hand vertically onto its post.
Only moderate pressure is needed — roughly the amount you would use when writing with a pen.
Look at the hand from the side. It should sit level and parallel to the dial, with a small amount of clearance beneath it.
3. Fit the minute hand
Position the minute hand over the centre post, again pointing exactly at 12 o’clock.
Press it carefully into place with the hand-setting tool.
Once installed, inspect both hands from the side.
The minute hand should sit above the hour hand with a small, even gap between them. Neither hand should touch the other or the dial.
Correct clearance is just as important as correct alignment.
4. Fit the seconds hand
The seconds hand is usually the most delicate part of the process.
Its mounting point is extremely small, so this is where a loupe is particularly useful.
Hold the seconds hand carefully with your tweezers and position its centre directly over the seconds pinion.
Do not press until you are confident that it is properly centred.
Once it is correctly positioned, use the fine end of the hand-setting tool to press it down gently.
If it does not seat correctly, stop and reposition it rather than applying more force.
Patience is much safer than pressure here.
5. Check the hands and their clearance
Once all three hands are installed, check everything before moving on to casing the watch.
Pull the crown into the time-setting position and slowly advance the hands through a complete 12-hour cycle.
Check that:
-
The hour, minute and seconds hands move freely
-
None of the hands touch each other
-
None of the hands touch the dial or hour markers
-
The hour and minute hands remain correctly aligned
-
The date changes around the midnight position
Look at the hands from the side as well as from above. A side view makes it much easier to spot a hand that is sitting too high, too low or at an angle.
If anything catches or touches, correct the alignment before putting the movement into the case.
Watch the process
Sometimes it is easier to understand the tiny movements involved by seeing them rather than reading about them.
VIDEO: Attaching luminous Mercedes hands on NH35 movement (Sportsman)”
The video uses our Sportsman design, but the same basic hand-setting process applies to compatible hour, minute and seconds hands on an NH35 movement.
Common mistakes when fitting NH35 watch hands
Installing the hands before finding midnight
If the movement is not first positioned at the date change, the hands can be installed out of phase with the calendar. The result may be a watch whose date changes around midday rather than midnight.
Pressing too hard
The hands need to be seated securely, but excessive force can damage the hands or movement. If something does not feel right, stop and check the positioning before pressing harder.
Fitting the seconds hand off-centre
The seconds pinion is very small. Trying to force the seconds hand down when it is not correctly centred is more likely to bend or damage something than to make it fit.
Forgetting to check hand clearance
Hands that look correct from above can still touch each other. Always inspect them from the side and advance the movement through a full cycle before casing it.
Touching the dial or hands
Fingerprints and dust become much more noticeable once the watch is sealed. Finger cots, clean tools and a clean work surface make a big difference.
Is fitting watch hands difficult?
It is probably the most precision-sensitive part of a first watch build, but it does not require professional watchmaking experience.
The hour and minute hands are relatively straightforward. The seconds hand takes a little more patience because its mounting point is so small.
The biggest advantages for a first-time builder are having the correct tools, compatible components and a movement that is already assembled and ready to work with.
Take your time. Getting the alignment right matters much more than getting it done quickly.
Can you build an automatic watch yourself?
Yes.
Fitting the hands is only one stage of assembling a watch. The complete process can include fitting the dial, installing the hands, placing the movement into the case, fitting the crown and stem, closing the case and attaching a strap or bracelet.
Our [Complete step-by-step Horologic Build Guide →] takes you through the entire process with written instructions and a video for every stage.
If you are curious about what is involved before choosing a watch, you can also see [How the Horologic build works →].
Build your own automatic watch
Horologic makes mechanical watch assembly accessible at home.
Choose one of our curated designs and receive the compatible watch components, specialist tools and step-by-step guidance needed to assemble a real automatic watch by hand.
The NH35 mechanical movement arrives fully assembled and the crown stem is already cut to the correct length. You fit the dial and hands, case the movement and finish the watch with its strap or bracelet.
No previous watchmaking experience is required.
Designed in St-Prex, Switzerland · Shipped worldwide