$20.00
le locle since 1791
The bench tool reference index
We cut, grind, and stamp every reference at Le Locle for watchmakers who know the tool they need by code. Here you can trace an exact blade width, replace a worn point, or pull the whole section off the shelf.
Commonly referenced bench tools
The workshop tool sections
Browse through our full range of bench equipment, organized by the specific operation you need to perform on the movement or case.
Frequently requested references
These are the specific numbers watchmakers call out most often when retooling a station or setting up a fresh bench.
Prices are as our retail partner last showed them.
$9.00
$15.30
$38.00
$15.07
$18.95
$124.99
$78.89
Selected by blade width
Match the tool directly to the slot or gap in front of you instead of searching through names and general descriptions.
$64.95
6899-AT-050
55-680 6899-AT-050 Stainless Steel Ergonomic 0.5mm Screwdriver with Spare
4.1 from 25 notes
$21.95
$22.00
$24.50
Find by catalogue number
If you already know the code stamped on the shank or printed in the old list, turn straight to our reference index. Every tool we make sits in its place with its spares alongside.
Find by bench task
When you have a specific operation in front of you, use the tool picker. Tell us what lies on your mat and we will show you the pattern we make for that work.
Tools from the Le Locle workshop
232
tools and spares in the catalogue
10
sections of the bench
117
reference lines, spares kept with their tool
1791
the year the house started at Le Locle
How to find what you need
A proper selection takes three steps across the bench, from the broad task down to the exact numbered size.
Identify the bench job
Begin with the operation before you, such as regulating an escapement, setting hands, or opening a tight threaded case back.
Open the section
Go to the group of tools built for that task, where whole sets sit beside individual patterns and spare components.
Match size and number
Check the dimensions of the screw head, pivot, or spring bar, then take the stamped catalogue number for that exact fitting.
Principal tool series at a glance
| Reference | Pieces in the line | Section |
|---|---|---|
| 6899 | 18 | Screwdrivers & Blades |
| 30081 | 17 | Screwdrivers & Blades |
| 30080 | 13 | Screwdrivers & Blades |
| 6767 | 12 | Spring Bars & Bracelets |
| 2611 | 8 | Loupes & Eyeglasses |
| 3153 | 5 | Spring Bars & Bracelets |
| 31081 | 5 | Screwdrivers & Blades |
| 6033 | 4 | Cleaning & Finishing |
On the mat this week
6767
Spring Bar Tool 6767 Watch Professional Watchmaker Tool Length 145mm
We cut reference 6767 with two working ends for strap and bracelet changes. One end carries a fine fork to catch the shoulder of a spring bar between the lug and the strap material. The opposite end holds a round 0.8 mm pin for drilled lugs.
4.7 from 2,139 notes
$20.00
Habits for the watchmaker bench
Good steel lasts through decades of daily use when you treat the working edges with steady care.
Worth the habit
- Store screwdrivers upright in their rotating stand to keep the ground flats off the wood.
- Dress a chipped screwdriver blade on an Arkansas stone before it enters another screw slot.
- Keep cleaning putty stored inside its box so it gathers neither bench dust nor stray oil.
- Wipe tweezer tips clean with elder pith before taking hold of clean balance work.
Costs you a tool
- Do not use a screwdriver blade as a pry bar against a stubborn case component.
- Do not let fine tweezer tips drop against hardened steel jaws or cast iron plates.
- Do not grind a blade dry on an abrasive wheel where heat softens the temper.
- Do not force a spring bar tool tip into an opening narrower than its fork.
Ground at Le Locle since 1791
We have shaped watchmaking tools in the Jura mountains since 1791. Each tool carries a stamped reference number because watchmakers ask for exact shapes, not general descriptions. Behind that code stands the precise blade, fork, or vice we ground for that specific task on the movement.
The catalogue and the bench
We have kept the same system of reference numbers since the early days at Le Locle. When you know the work in front of you, you look up the number rather than the name.
A description tells you what a tool resembles, but the number tells you what it fits. A blade ground for a bridge screw is not the blade you take to a case ring, even when both share the same width across the tip. We stamp every piece with its reference so you can find the correct spare blade forty years after the handle first crossed your bench.
Nobody buys a complete workshop on a Monday morning. A bench begins with a small set of screwdrivers, a brass tweezer, and an eyeglass matched to your own working distance. The rest arrives as movement calibres demand them. You add a specific hand puller or a steady movement ring only when a particular piece of work comes across the room.
Find the right division of the bench before you look up an individual reference.
| Section | Pieces | The job behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Screwdrivers & Blades | 59 | Working on the movement |
| Spring Bars & Bracelets | 43 | Changing a strap or bracelet |
| Case Opening & Crystals | 28 | Opening and closing a case |
| Cleaning & Finishing | 25 | Cleaning and finishing |
| Loupes & Eyeglasses | 18 | Seeing the work |
| Oiling & Lubricants | 15 | Working on the movement |
| Hands & Movement Work | 13 | Fitting hands |
| Bench & Storage | 11 | Setting up the bench |
| Holders & Vices | 10 | Setting up the bench |
| Tweezers & Pickups | 10 | Working on the movement |
Every handle, tip profile, and alloy variation carries its own distinct reference code.
| Kind | Pieces | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | 141 | A tool in its own right |
| Spare | 36 | A spare part for a tool you already have |
| Supply | 26 | A consumable that runs out |
| Holder | 29 | Something that holds the work |
- Every reference number identifies one specific tool pattern, tip geometry, or spare component.
- Spare blades and replacement tips carry their own reference numbers for quick reordering.
- The reference index lets you locate a specific tool when you already know its stamped code.
- The bench picker helps you narrow the list when you know only the task at hand.
- We maintain the same reference markings across decades of production at Le Locle.
Setting up a bench
Start with the sizes you use every day. Choose a modest screwdriver set, one pair of brass tweezers, a basic case knife, and an eyeglass that suits your natural focal length. Add specialized tools only as unfamiliar movements cross your bench.
Notes from the trade
One of the best case openers out there. So versatile and easy to use. Highly recommend using it with the Bergeon transparent sheets to avoid any potential scratches on your watches.
Just... save yourself a lot of trouble & get both sizes. They're worth every penny. Rock solid & multiple options on both sides. You will never regret buying these. If you work on old enamel or porcelain dials, consider the plastic versions. Just for a tiny amount of give.
This tool works extremely well. I've used both ends: the large one for leather watch bands, and the small for metal bands. In one case (a Tissot), it's hard for me to imagine anything else working to get the spring pin out. Very good quality.
It doesn't leave residue and I didn't believe that until I used it. It can pick up dirt and oil off anything and is probably the easiest way to handle hands while installing them. This ended up being a much better watch making tool than I thought it would be.
I've removed rollers with hand removers, but in trying to do an antique Ladies model....Sheesh! This did the trick. No sustitute for Bergeon tools.
If you work with watches, it is worth going Swiss when you can. A very good very small screwdriver is a good place to make a small investment!
Finding your way through the reference index
Use the index to look up a stamped number directly, or search by the task you need to complete on your bench.