The Mechanical Skeleton Watchmaking Kit – Black (£234.99) is an all-in-one beginner’s kit, designed and made in Surrey, UK, for building your own automatic mechanical watch — a self-winding movement, skeleton dial, black-finished 40 mm stainless steel case and chain-link strap with sapphire glass — with every tool, step-by-step video guidance and free expert support included.
No experience needed · All tools included · Free expert support
Gift the experience of a lifetime with this all-in-one watchmaking kit: every watch part, every tool and full step-by-step instruction to build your own mechanical watch from scratch. If you’re looking for a unique gift for someone special, you’ve found it.
Dark like the night, this black chain-link timepiece oozes sophistication. The TIME CRAFT Mechanical Skeleton has an automatic self-winding mechanical movement, a stainless steel chain-link strap and sapphire case glass — with a skeleton dial that puts the mechanics you’ve built on permanent display.
What makes us different?
This isn’t a watch you buy — it’s a watch you build. Every part and every tool is in the box, and our step-by-step video guidance assumes no experience at all: you’ll fit the dial and hands to your self-winding mechanical movement, case it up and fit the strap to create your own fully functioning timepiece, with real watchmaker’s tools in your hands from the first step. We pride ourselves on an experience that educates as well as entertains — and our expert support team is on hand, free, whenever you need us.
What’s in the box
- Mechanical self-winding movement
- Skeleton dial
- Stainless steel case and chain-link strap
- Watch hands
- Manual case press
- Precision tweezers
- 2-in-1 chain tool
- Precision screwdriver
- Finger cots
- Dust blower
- Movement holder
- Step-by-step assembly video
Stuck? We’ll help — free
Every builder gets free access to our technical support team — 99.6% of customers complete their build with our help, and most never need to call on us at all.
At a glance
- Kit type: full watch kit — you build a complete, wearable automatic watch
- Colour: black: black-finished stainless steel case and chain-link strap
- Movement: automatic self-winding mechanical movement
- Dial: skeleton dial (movement on show)
- Case: stainless steel, 40 mm diameter; sapphire case glass
- Strap: stainless steel chain-link strap, 20 mm lug width, sized with the included 2-in-1 chain tool
- Water resistance: splash resistant — fine for everyday wear, not for swimming or showering
- Skill level: beginner — no experience needed
- Typical build time: 2–3 hours for most builders
- Tools included: manual case press · precision tweezers · 2-in-1 chain tool · precision screwdriver · finger cots · dust blower · movement holder
- Instructions: step-by-step assembly video (Instructions page)
- Support: free technical support — 99.6% of customers complete their build with our help
- Warranty: 12 months on faulty parts
- UK delivery: free · Royal Mail Tracked 24 · 1–2 working days · same-day dispatch before 3 pm
- Returns: free within 30 days of your order
- Made in: designed and made in Surrey, UK
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any experience to build the Skeleton watch?
No. The video guides assume you have never touched a watch movement before and walk you through every step: fitting the dial and hands to the self-winding movement, casing it up and fitting the strap.
How long does the build take?
Most people finish in 2–3 hours. Work at your own pace — the videos pause when you do and the kit packs away neatly between sessions.
Do I need my own tools?
No — every tool you need is in the box: a manual case press, precision tweezers, a 2-in-1 chain tool for sizing the strap, a precision screwdriver, finger cots, a dust blower and a movement holder.
What movement is in the kit?
An automatic self-winding mechanical movement, shown off by the skeleton dial so the mechanics you have built stay on permanent display.
What size is the watch, and will the strap fit me?
The case is black-finished stainless steel with sapphire glass, 40 mm across, on a black-finished stainless steel chain-link strap with a 20 mm lug width. The 2-in-1 chain tool in the box lets you remove links to size the strap to your wrist. The watch is splash resistant — fine for everyday wear, not for swimming or showering.
Is it a good gift?
Yes — it is one of our most popular gifts for watch lovers: a hands-on experience rather than another object for a shelf, and the finished watch is a black chain-link watch you can wear every day.
What if I get stuck — is there support or a warranty?
Every builder gets free access to our technical support team; 99.6% of customers complete their build with our help, and most never need to call on us. If anything is off, we will help you get it running, free — and faulty parts are covered by a 12-month warranty.
How quickly will it arrive, and can I return it?
UK delivery is free by Royal Mail Tracked 24 (1–2 working days), with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 3 pm on a UK working day. Returns are free within 30 days of your order. We also ship to Europe (3–5 working days), the USA (4–7) and Australia/rest of world (5–11) with duties and taxes included.
Will I really end up with a working watch?
Yes — a fully functioning automatic timepiece, built by you. And if anything’s off along the way, our team will help you get it running, free.
