Caseback
Simple display back.
The exhibition window leaves the first build’s NH35 automatic movement visible—a fitting detail for a watch made to learn how the pieces work together.
Where the project begins
SEA
LEVEL
Sea Level (0ft) is the entry point to four77: a practical automatic diver built to learn the craft, prove the packaging system, and turn a collection of ideas into a real watch.
Prototype 0 · CompleteEntry-level by intent
A first build with a clear purpose.
The white textured dial, turquoise-and-white bezel, luminous handset, and cut-to-fit white rubber strap make Sea Level approachable without making it anonymous. It is the baseline from which the more ambitious four77 designs can grow.
MovementNH35 automatic
Case40mm diver case
DialWhite wave dial
StrapWhite rubber · butterfly clasp
The finished watch
See it from every photographed angle.
Drag, swipe, or use the arrows
Prototype 0
Built, boxed, learned from.
This was my first attempt at building a watch. It was deliberately simple: choose compatible parts, install the dial and hands, case the NH35, fit the strap, and build a low-cost presentation box. The process was surprisingly straightforward—and the finished result is an automatic watch I can say I built myself.
No shortcuts disguised as mastery · Just a first build
Parts and cost
About $142.70, including the box.
Most watch components came from AliExpress. The total excludes reusable tools—primarily the hand press—and could likely be brought closer to $100 with cheaper sourcing.
PartSourceCost
Watch · stated subtotal $128.99
40mm NH35 diver caseSapphire crystal · AliExpress$28.02
28.5mm white wave dial + handsAliExpress$10.18
NH35 Japanese movementAliExpress$62.71
20mm cut-to-fit silicone strapWhite · butterfly clasp · Amazon$27.99
Presentation box · subtotal $13.71
6 × 8 presentation boxMichaels$2.99
Foam sheetsInsert layers · Michaels~$10
8.5 × 11 linen cardstockFour sheets · Michaels~$0.72
Repeat the process
A manageable first watch build.
Compatibility is the main thing to get right: an NH35 case, an NH35 movement, a dial sized for the case, hands made for the NH35, and a strap matching the lug width.
Choose compatible parts.
Start with the movement and case, then confirm the dial diameter, hand fit, stem position, crown, and strap width before ordering.
Dial, hands, and case.
Secure the dial, press the hands carefully, test clearance through a full rotation, install the movement, trim the stem, and close the case.
Build the box.
Layer foam inside the 6 × 8 box, cut the watch and card recesses, finish the visible surface, and print the sleeve and story-card files.
What comes next
Learn one new skill with every build.
The next projects will add custom-painted dials, waterslide decals, embossed case and crown details, and custom-painted lume. The long-term goal is to work toward original complications—and eventually build the mechanical four77 tide watch.
AI helped accelerate concept renders, site layouts, packaging exploration, and parts planning. The watch still required hands-on sourcing, iteration, assembly, and plenty of back-and-forth learning.