Your Prodi Dive Kit goes together in four stages and most people finish in about two hours. Read this page once before you start, then follow it step by step. If anything feels stuck, stop and send us a photo or short video. We reply within 24 hours.
Before you start
- Space: a clean, flat table about 2 by 2 feet, with good light. A pale cloth or mat helps you see small parts.
- Hands: wash and dry them. Use the tweezers and finger cots or gloves for anything on the dial side.
- Time: about two hours. You can stop between any two stages.
- Dust: use the blower on the dial and crystal before you close the case.
What is in the box
| Part | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case, bezel and crystal | 40 mm 316L steel, crystal fitted |
| Bracelet | 20 mm, folding clasp |
| Dial and hands | 28.5 mm dial, date window at 3 |
| Automatic movement | NH35-compatible or Seiko TMI NH35A, 24 jewels |
| Tool kit | 145 pieces, including case opener and tweezers |
| Hand presser and movement holder | For seating the hands straight |
| Bonus | Second dial and hands of your choice, 20 mm leather strap |
Step 1: Fit the dial (about 10 minutes)
- Place the movement in the movement holder, dial side up.
- Check the date window on the dial lines up with the date wheel at 3 o'clock.
- Line the two dial feet up with the two holes in the movement.
- Lower the dial and press gently at the edge until it sits flat. It only goes one way.
Tip: if the dial rocks or sits high, one foot is not in its hole. Lift it and try again; never press in the middle of the dial.
Step 2: Press on the hands (40 to 60 minutes)
- Turn the crown until the date just changes. That is midnight, so the hour and minute hands both go on pointing at 12.
- Hour hand: lift it with the tweezers, place it on the lowest post pointing at 12 and press straight down with the hand presser.
- Minute hand: place it on the next post pointing at 12 and press down, leaving a small gap above the hour hand.
- Seconds hand: place it on the center pin and press down lightly, leaving a gap above the minute hand.
- Turn the crown slowly through 12 hours and check that no hand touches another or the dial.
Tip: press straight, not at an angle. If a hand is crooked, lift it off gently and press again. A spare set of hands is in the box.
Step 3: Put the movement in the case (20 to 30 minutes)
- Take the crown and stem out of the case if they are fitted.
- Turn the case face down on a soft cloth and lower the movement in, dial first, with the crown opening at 3 o'clock.
- Slide the stem through the case into the movement and push until you feel it click.
- Test all three crown positions: pushed in to wind, first pull to set the date, second pull to set the time. The seconds hand stops at the second pull.
- Fit the movement ring or spacer if your case uses one, so the movement cannot move.
Tip: if the stem will not click, it is not lined up. Pull it out, check the crown is in its pushed-in position and try again. Do not force it.
Step 4: Close it up (15 to 20 minutes)
- Check the case back gasket is seated in its groove.
- Screw on the case back by hand, then finish with the case opener until it is snug. Do not over-tighten.
- Fit the bracelet or the leather strap with the spring bar tool.
- Wind the watch with 20 to 30 turns of the crown, set the date, then set the time.
After you finish
- Winding: the watch winds as you wear it. If it stops, give the crown 20 to 30 turns to restart it.
- Accuracy: the first few days are a settling-in period. Seiko rates the NH35A at -20 to +40 seconds per day.
- Water: the case is rated 300 m by its maker. Because you assembled it yourself, have it pressure-tested at a local watch shop before you swim with it.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Watch does not run | No wind yet | Give the crown 20 to 30 turns in the pushed-in position |
| Watch stops after a while | Hands touching | Open the case and check the gaps between the hands |
| Date changes at noon | Hands fitted 12 hours out | Lift hour and minute hands, refit at midnight |
| Crown pops out | Stem not clicked in | Remove and refit the stem until it clicks |
| Dust under the crystal | Dust on dial before closing | Open, use the blower, close again |
Still stuck?
Send a photo or short video of where you are to our contact page with your order number. A real person replies within 24 hours and walks you through the fix.
Want to read up first? Start with our guide to a watch kit for beginners or compare NH35 vs NH35A.