Watchmaking
by George Daniels · Philip Wilson Publishers
Canonical text for making watches rather than repairing them, completing the arc from understanding to servicing to building. Step-by-step account of making a complete precision watch by hand, with detailed line drawings: tools and lathe work, wheel and pinion cutting, escapements including the co-axial, balance and spring, cases and dials.
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More resources on Watchmaking & Horology
The Theory of Horology
Swiss school textbook on horological theory: gear train calculations, escapements, the balance and hairspring, isochronism, lubrication, shock protection, automatic winding and complications. The theory text for the WOSTEP 3,000-hour watchmaker course. For learners going past hobby servicing, this is the rigorous engineering explanation of why movements work — the professional standard.
Watch Repair Channel
About 180 free bench videos by a working watch repairer, showing full strip-downs, cleaning, lubrication, reassembly and regulation of vintage and modern movements, including chronographs such as the Seiko 6139, filmed in close-up HD with commentary. Seeing hand technique (tweezers, pegwood, oiling) is essential and books can't show it.
Practical Watch Repairing
Classic illustrated bench manual assuming no prior experience. Covers workshop setup, tools, cases and dials, barrel and mainspring, train, escapement, cleaning and oiling, and springing and timing, with over 550 line illustrations.
Mechanical Watch (interactive explainer)
Free interactive article that builds a mechanical watch piece by piece with manipulable 3D models: mainspring and barrel, going train, escapement, balance and hairspring, jewels, motion works, keyless works, date mechanism and automatic winding. Best possible on-ramp: makes the function of every major movement component visible before a learner touches tools or reads dense texts.