Professional watchmaker hammer

Made for professional ateliers, this watchmaker's hammer features a precision-balanced head, replaceable inserts of different hardness and a polished hardwood handle. It is the everyday companion of repair benches that service hundreds of watches per year.

Product overview

The professional hammer offers two interchangeable faces (soft nylon and harder polyamide) on a single head, allowing the watchmaker to choose the right firmness for each task: closing a thin dress case-back, seating a stubborn diver back, or driving a strap pin.

Technical specifications

• Head: dual face, nylon + polyamide, replaceable
• Handle: French walnut, varnished
• Total length: 230 mm
• Weight: 130 g
• Head diameter: 24 mm
• Compatible with all case sizes
• Spare inserts available

When to use it

The professional hammer is used daily for closing case-backs, driving small pins and seating press-fit components. Its balanced weight reduces operator fatigue across long workshop sessions.

How to install / how to use

Choose the softer nylon face for finished case-backs and the harder polyamide face for tougher seating operations.

1. Lay the watch on a leather pad.
2. Place a wooden block over the case-back to spread the impact.
3. Strike the block firmly but never violently.
4. Repeat in a circular pattern around the case-back rim.
5. Inspect the seating: the case-back should be flush.
6. Test water resistance if applicable.
7. Rotate or replace the head insert if wear is visible.

Materials and compatibility

Watch gaskets exist in several elastomer families, each with its own properties. NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) is the most common and offers good resistance to oils and ageing. FKM (also marketed as Viton) withstands higher temperatures and aggressive solvents, and is the preferred choice for professional dive watches. EPDM resists ozone and weathering and is often found on sport models. Hytrel, a thermoplastic elastomer, is used on certain Rolex and Omega references. This tool is fully compatible with all four families, provided the gasket is lubricated with a silicone grease such as Moebius 8217.

It can be safely used on Swiss makes (Rolex Submariner, Omega Seamaster, Tissot PRX, Longines HydroConquest), Japanese makes (Seiko 5, Seiko Prospex, Citizen Promaster) and German makes (Sinn, Junghans) as long as the case-back type matches the tool's purpose. For watches rated above 10 ATM, always pressure-test after every gasket service.

Maintenance and storage

Keep the tool dry, in a clean drawer or its original sleeve. Wipe the metallic parts with a soft cloth after each use; if you have worked near solvents, dry the steel parts immediately to prevent corrosion. Inspect the working surface (tip, head or die) for marks or burrs every few months; small irregularities can be polished gently with a fine-grit abrasive cloth, but heavier damage requires replacement.

Avoid contact with strong acids, chlorinated cleaners and rubbing alcohol on plastic handles. Heat above 60 °C can soften polymer grips and reduce dimensional accuracy on precision blades — never leave the tool in direct sunlight or near a soldering iron.

Common mistakes to avoid

Three errors account for the majority of damage observed in workshops: applying excessive torque (which strips the case-back notches), using the wrong tip diameter (which slips and scratches the bezel), and forgetting to replace a hardened gasket after service (which compromises water resistance even with a fresh O-ring of the wrong size). Always work under a loupe, double-check the gasket reference before ordering a replacement, and verify the seating of the case-back before closing the watch.

A final tip from the workshop: never combine a new gasket with an old, dried-out one on a multi-seal case. If the case-back gasket is replaced, also inspect the crown gasket and the crystal gasket — they age at the same rate and a single tired O-ring will let humidity in.

Quality and origin

Hand-assembled in Europe, this professional hammer is calibrated for repeatable strikes. The hardwood handle is selected for grain density and longevity.

Frequently asked questions

Which face for a vintage Seiko diver?

The nylon face is sufficient; only use the polyamide face if the case-back resists.

Can I use it on a strap-pin replacement?

Yes, with a small nylon-tipped punch.

How long does a head last?

On average 5 to 10 years in a professional workshop.