All in all, I had a great time assembling this watch. As others have mentioned, there were some pain points.

I spent hours trying to affix the second hand. From the reviews, I see that a lot of folks gave up and went without it, and I don't blame them. There was a lot of cursing on my part. Most of the problem was that the loupe (magnifying glass) supplied with the crate has a focus point about two inches in front of the lense, so you basically have to hunker down with your face almost touching your workspace, your eye socket squinched shut to keep the loupe in place, and then figure out how to wedge the hand setting tool in there too. Once I broke down and grabbed a head-mounted loupe with a more distant focus point, I had the second hand in place within 5 minutes.

The next roadblock were the ears that hold the movement to the case. Threading those teeny tiny screws into the earholes and then trying to screw them into the movement holder caused a lot more cursing. Ultimately, I scrapped the recommendations in the instructions and set the screw facing threads-up on my workspace and lowered the ears down onto it with a set of tweezers. Be careful with the tweezers, though. If you put too much pressure on a screw or the ear, it'll pop right out of the tweezers and fly across the room.

One other issue I had was that mine didn't come with a temporary stem/crown, so I just used the permanent stem/crown while setting the watch. No big deal. The problem I ran into was that pressing the stem release button was a bear. I know they recommend this being a two man job to release this, but I found that was just too many fingers stuffed into a watch. What I wound up doing instead was to put the movement face-down into the case (with something soft under the crystal so it doesn't scratch) and then press the stem release button with the smallest Phillips screwdriver I could find (which for the record doesn't look anything like the picture in the instructions). The button has a recessed face, and the tip of the Phillips fit snugly into it, not slipping like everything else I tried.

One last tip: before you clamp the ears down to secure the movement into place, turn the watch over and make sure the second hand is still spinning. I had the entire thing secured with the caseback on before I checked and found that some time in the hours of messing around trying to get the hand in place, that I'd bent it upwards, and it was pressing against the underside of the crystal, not allowing it to move. I had to take the whole thing apart (more cursing) and straighten the hand.

I know it looks like I'm bashing the product, but I'm really not. Yeah, I'm old so my neck hurt for a week after craning down over this thing for so long, but it really was fun. I have about 30 or so watches, and this one jumped right to the top of my most worn list. I smile at the work I put into it every time I look down at it. 5 stars and would recommend to friends.

Great kit, didn't really like the band selection and design. I did have a problem installing the dial too close to the date ring causing it not to move to only find out there is an available spacer to prevent this. Why does this kit not come with the required spacer?
Thank you,
DevCav

I am a watch collector. This awesome diy gift with options of how you would like to build it was Christmas gift from my wife.

This is one of the best gifts I have received. I had so much fun assembling the watch. My wife knows I like tinkering and making things work and thought this would make a good gift. She was right!

This kit is fantastic! Wish it came in a crate you needed a crowbar to access but what can you do? Instructions are detailed and easy to follow, but prepare yourself as there are several time consuming and potentially frustrating steps to building your new watch. This kit definitely requires a steady hand and a gentle touch. That being said, I loved (almost) every minute of building my watch and have a great looking high quality time piece as a result. Well done Man Crates (again)!

This is the third Christmas in a row that my son has given me a Man Crates DIY project. The other two were knife making kits which each had a small issue. This watch on the other hand had bigger issues.
I received this kit for Christmas. After getting into it I found that it was missing the final crown and needed a new second hand and spacer ring. While talking to customer service I was asked if I got the addendum to the instructions in the kit. Which I did not. The addendum had some tips necessary to completing the watch. There was not a temporary second hand attached as the addendum says should be removed and was used to test the movement. That was emailed to me and the missing parts were sent by USPS. I spent probably close to 3 hours total time to install the second hand and finally gave up. The rest of the assembly went fairly smooth. When I got to the instructions for punching holes in the band and trimming it, I followed them to the T. Once you install the band to the watch it takes more of the band length. I had to go to the very last hole to get it around my wrist. The instructions don't take into account looping the strap around the pins on the watch. I preferred the brown band to go with the blue face which is now tight because of the extra length used to go over the pins. I suggest not cutting the band off per the instructions until you have it attached to the watch and tried it on for size. This is a good DIY project but the kit and instructions need to be complete when they are received.

1. Screwdriver that came with kit was too blunt to fit in the slots on the screws. I needed to sharpen the tip for it to fit.

2. A spacer is needed between the date ring and the dial. Without one, the date ring is compressed and will not advance. I used plastic collar stays as temporary shims while I screwed on the dial. After removing the shims, the clearance is perfect.

3. I was not able to turn the clips that anchor the movement to the case fully outward. I was able to tighten them down at about a 45 degree angle. Hopefully this will be sufficient.

4. Instructions for sizing the band were a total failure for my 6.75 inch (narrow) wrist. They do not take into account the additional strap that winds across the case lugs. So, my band was already cut (per instructions) too short to fit my wrist before it was threaded through the watch. I suggest everyone first attach the strap on the watch before determining where to mark, punch, and cut the leather.

5. While a loupe wasn’t necessary, having one will make this project a lot easier.

This is my third gift my wife has given me from Mancrates, and all have been awesome.

Unfortunately, as I sit here trying to put the watch together, I can not get the second hand to stay in place. It appears that something has pulled out of the movement itself to hold the hand, as I could feel what appeared to be something sticking out of the hole. When I looked at it under with some reading glasses, there was indeed a piece of metal coming out, which then fell off and is gone forever.

Haven’t yet decided if I’ll put it together without the second hand, and just wear it as is, or not.

I got a kit for my birthday in March. Finally got around to putting it together and I can tell you the tools provided will not get the job done. Luckily, I have some tools I bought a while back and I was able to get the watch together. The hands are very flimsy so be careful when pressing down with the number 4 tool. I ended up having to use the other set of hands. It's a really cool idea and as someone who has wanted to build a watch, this crate was fairly comprehensive but lacking in quality.

Bought this for my dad for Father’s Day. He loves watches and was excited to receive this gift. He started out strong but the pieces didn’t match up and he was very frustrated. He tried to make a part “fit” and it wound up breaking. Man Crates was helpful in replacing the broken piece but ran into further frustration trying to complete the process. This was not a win for us and I would not recommend it.

I have some watch making and clockworks experience and was disappointed in some of the details. The tool which was supposed to be the required screwdriver was too large for the tiny screws. The second hand would not fit and even though I was sent an additional works and second hand it still did not fit.
I have magnifying loupes and can't imagine how anyone could put this together without them. The watch itself appears to be of good quality but mine has no second hand as it just would not work. I had fun putting it together but really can imagine someone without experience being very frustrated.

Ordered as Christmas gift for my husband. None of the parts would line up as described. He is an avid watch collector and knows a thing or two about assembly. Excitement quickly turned to frustration and disappointment.

Could not even start the project as the second hand was attached and I had no tool to remove. My first watch kit and this has turned me off to a new hobby. Very disappointed.

Better instructions are needed. I like the 'fun' attitude to things and the way they are written but having access to some real step by step, detailed, instructions when dealing with something in this price range would be nice. Tell me exactly how to line up the face and exactly how far it should be pressed down so that it doesn't interfere with the date movement or the hands. Things like that.
There are too many tiny parts that can snap off if something isn't perfect the first time.
The second hand on mine would either not stay in place or press too tightly against the hour hand so that it moved with it. The final time it popped off it disappeared into the ether. Leaving me with either a mismatched second hand or no second hand. Even without a second hand I figure if the next steps are as obscure it will just get more frustrating.
To save what is left of my sanity I put the entire kit in a drawer where it will likely stay.
I'm sure the giver had the best intent but it was not a good Christmas gift.

Got this sent to me overseas in a deployed location as a Christmas gift from my mother. Upon opening the box and starting step one I noticed the hand on the first part was broken off and paint was chipped on it.

So my wife got me this for Christmas, and I was pretty excited once I opened the box to and figured out what it was. I had never put a watch together and was excited for the challenge. First the watch movement case was broken with little bits of plastic from the sides laying in the box. Second the movement came with a second hand attached, meaning I couldn’t even put the face on the movement. So this project wasn’t even able to get past step one since I also have no tool to take the hand off with. Like I said at the top of the review this is a great idea, just really lacking on the execution part of it.

I received this as a gift. The instructions were sparce, materials flimsy and the bizarre watch band was nothing I would ever wear.

I received this as a gift. Like other reviewers have said, the supplied screwdriver is too big for the screws. Come on man crates, you've been told this several times...FIX IT! Also, I wouldn't have been able to assemble the watch without other watch tools I already had like a stem removal tool, tweezers and proper size screwdriver. For the price of this kit these tools should have been included. The instructions are also lacking, especially at the part placing the face on the movement. The instructions should mention the face cannot be installed tight against the movement because it prevents the date from moving properly. How the leather bands attach to the watch is also poor. This makes the watch uncomfortable to wear. The band also covers up the glass back so you can't see the movement. Why have a glass back if the band is going to cover it up? The instructions weren't correct when punching the holes for the band either. I followed the directions and the band was too small. It's a shame because with the proper tools and better bands this could have been a really fun gift. Not worth the money.

I got this as a gift from my girlfriend. She was so excited to give it to me because she know how I like to build things and how I have always wanted to get into watch building. It's a great idea but the screw diver that came with the watch does not fit. I would like to note it is not the one shown on the web site or in box instructions. contacted customer service and they attempted to help but we stopped trying after the 2nd attempt to get the proper tools. I like this company but this a solid disappointment

First off the screwdriver is too large for the watch screws and must be filed down. After getting the watch assembled, I could not get the date to set and the date will not change in a 24 hour period. I contacted Man Crates about the problem and their reply was sorry here is a 20% discount on my next purchase. Not how they could make it right or suggestions on what may be the problem, but a discount on my next purchase. That is pretty bold in assuming I will purchase from you again, so I will set the record straight and let you know that won't happen.

Screwdriver doesn't fit the screws for attaching the face. Getting the mechanism to the point where the date changes is wrong. I've turned mine and the date doesn't change. So far I've done two steps and both have been either impossible or need thinking outside the box. I have a full tool set and mechanical experience so the screwdriver I needed I had but for the price this is a frustrating experience. I've contacted customer service and we'll see what the response is.

Read the reviews before purchasing! I did not do that, and I am mad at myself. I have purchased numerous man crates, and been very pleased with all of them. However this one was not thought out enough. Like other users have mentioned, the screwdriver they sent for the microscopic screws does not actually work with the screws in the watch. I did not know that. When I called to let them know the tool was not the right size, they sent us a replacement ( which was very nice of them), but it was the exact tool that I already had... even though they asked me to send a picture of the original screwdriver. I’m not sure how we are going to assemble this watch without the proper tools. Very disappointed 😔