Watch hand installation detailed guide part 2: Second hand setting (Challenging!)

This is the second part of a 2-part beginner's guide on how to install watch hands.

In this video, we'll discuss in details how to install the second hand. Three popular methods are covered in this video:
- Method 1: Place a broached/broken in second hand on the correct shaft, then loosely set the second hand.
- Method 2: Position second hand in place, then keep it there using the hand installation tool. Check positioning with loupe, then loosely set the second hand.
- Method 3: (Common among watchmakers but very difficult for beginners) This method requires the watchmaker to feel for the height difference between the smallest post and the minute wheel's post.

We hope this guide can help you with one of the most challenging steps to beginner watchmakers.

Key content timestamps:
▶00:00 - Introduction
▶00:43 - Optional exercise for balancing the second hand
▶01:36 - Method 1: Simply place the hand onto the shaft
▶02:34 - Method 2: Use hand installation tool to keep the hand in place
▶03:04 - Method 3: Feel for the height difference between the smallest post and the minute wheel's post
▶03:45 - Quick check on the loosely set second hand
▶04:06 - Setting the second hand to the correct height and level

Relevant videos to watch hand setting:
▶ Watch hand setting part 2: Second hand (this video)

Watchmaking tools/equipment required for this video:
▶Hand installation tool
▶A pair of tweezers
▶Rodico
▶Loupe (3-5X should work)
▶Hand removal tool

Join us to explore the possibilities of at-home watchmaking! We are working on everything from assembling/modding watches, regulating movements, and even bluing your own steel watch hands at home!
Happy watchmaking!

[Powelus]

Method 2 worked for me. I genuinely thought I broke the pinion. But when I saw the second hand move It was a sigh of massive relief..

[jacc]

At last someone that can explain all the details of this tricky procedure. I’ve watched several videos and they are all a bit hit and miss. Thanks, I may pluck up the courage to change a broken SKX movement now rather than just selling the watch for parts.

[martinocando]

Why didn't I see this video before attempting my first mod? I just damaged my movement beyond repair. 😭 I thought the seconds hand had a pin, but on the hand itself. I never saw the little pinion inside the cannon pinion tube. Or the super tiny hole in the tip of the seconds hand pin. Its a Seagull ST16, so it can be replaced cheaply, but I hate not having my favorite watch until I get a new movement. I've been looking around, and I see no spare parts for this movement, maybe is because is so cheap to begin with.
So, big lesson learned, and it won't happen again. Definitively a skill worth to master. Thank you so much for the super detailed video.

[executivezone]

I wasn’t sure if i was mentally challenged or it was just difficult. After watching this video I now know it’s both.
Thank you for the video. I bend my seconds hand and just closed the project with no seconds hand. I didn’t have another second to waste

[grahamtabby]

Great video. For setting the second hand I put a tiny bit of Rodico on the tip of the setting tool so the second hand sticks to the tool, this frees up my other hand to hold a loupe/magnifier so I can see if the second hand tube is seating on the movement post.

[stalin]

I have build my very own automatic watch because of ur tutorials. I made mistakes and watch over again. I learnt and now I have my first automatic nice watch. Thank you!

[CB]

Incredibly helpful. Used method one for my first ever build and it took me less than 60 seconds.

[johamu]

I like the outline bar you put at the top of your video. Wish more had this organization thought out ahead of time.

[chrisroche]

Hi, thanks for the video, it helped me a lot, I got stuck after fitting the hour and minute hands so I watched your video for a re appraisal. What I actually did was hold the second hand in position on the tool with Rodico just to get it loosely on the post, then removed the Rodico before pressing, your video helped!

[cecilyau]

I’m just starting out learning to do a watch mod for fun and have been watching a lot of mod videos. I’m most nervous about hand installation, and parts 1 & 2 here are super helpful. Thanks for taking the time and effort to make these instructional videos. Much appreciated! 👍

[captainkirk]

Before I send my watch to pay someone to change out the second hand. I want to ask Ickler in Germany if they could change out the second hand so it has lumination, I wanted to see how hard it is. Very interesting to see how it's done.
I bought a pretty expensive pilot watch and assumed wrongly that the second hand would have illumination. The hands and all the indexes have illumination and I really wanted the second hand to have it as well.
Thanks Kirk

[williamreason]

Exceedingly well presented regarding both video presentations associated with watch hand installation. I've demolished several hands and have done irreparable damage to a dial in an effort to learn a good technique. You can rest assured that the destroyed parts were sacrificial in nature and purchased as learning aids. This video has set me on the path to finally achieving success at the most dastardly of reassembly tasks. Well done and thank you. Sincerely, A retired Parachute Rigger easing his nerves with a new (rather pricey) hobby.

[rhinowatches]

Im a beginner and wow I can’t thank enough for this video. I don’t know how many set of hands I ruined trying to do my vintage watch mod . Great video thanks

[djinconroe]

This is easily the best tutorial on this I've seen. I've done this exactly one time and while it works I wasn't happy with the results. Watching your video I now understand why I'm not happy and better yet how to approach correcting it. Thank you for posting this. It's needed and appreciated.

[tonyturner]

Excellent video, great photography and clear instructions at an appropriate speed. Full marks. Off I go to set my hands now...

[mistacriss]

excellent video - helped me replace the Ronda movement in my mondaine quartz swiss railway watch. Really detailed explanations with great close up video. Thank you!

[greggusan]

This is suuuper helpful. Thanks. Watched this, then put together my first watch, forgetting most of the advice here haha. Came back, watched it again, and now have a much better appreciation for what you are saying, and what tools I need. The hand-held hand application tool seems to provide much more feel than the "mounted" style press one. And have ordered some, as well as a decent loupe. Think my next build will be a big improvement, process wise, than my first. Really excellent series.

[imaginekarma]

I used method 2 on my most recent mod. It helps being eye level with the movement to see the pinion. I also swapped the day/date wheels from white to black for the first time ever on this build.

[jonnybreakz]

An excellent video series Very helpful for those with interest in the craft. For me, this was one of the most stressful aspects of watch building when I first started, I like to use rodico to hold the hand to position over the post and then press on and check for level / alignment

[tunokies]

I've just found your instructional videos and they're very well done indeed. Excellent in fact.
I'd like to share my own seconds hand setting method which utilises the same tool as you plus a tiny piece of rodico on the end which allows me to pick up and place the seconds hand without needing to steady the hand with a pair of tweezers.