How to Use Pointed Tip Tweezers for Watch Repair Work

By Jewellery Tools UK — Hand Tools for Jewellers & Silversmiths | Published: 2026-10-31

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to hold, place and release tiny watch screws and hands with pointed tip tweezers, plus the grip and cleaning habits that prevent slips and scratches.

Quick answer

Hold pointed tip tweezers like a pen, grip screws and hands at the tips with light pressure, and support your working hand on the bench so the tips never stab or drop the part. Use anti-magnetic stainless steel tweezers for steel screws and hands, and keep the tips clean and aligned.

Why pointed tips suit watch work, and where they stop

Pointed tips reach into bridges, balance areas and hand tubes where blunt tweezers cannot. The trade-off is that a fine point concentrates pressure: too much squeeze launches small screws, and a bent tip no longer meets its partner cleanly.

Check alignment by closing the tips against a bright light. If you see a gap or one tip crossing the other, stop using them on watch parts and reserve them for coarser work such as spring bars or bracelet links.

Anti-magnetic and anti-acid: what these labels mean in practice

Anti-magnetic tweezers reduce the risk of magnetising steel screws, hands and hairsprings, but they are not a guarantee against a magnetised movement. Keep a demagnetiser nearby and test parts before assembly if you have used magnetic tools elsewhere on the bench.

Anti-acid stainless steel resists corrosion and everyday workshop acids, which matters for long-term tip condition. It does not make the tweezers safe for every chemical, so keep acids and plating solutions away from the tips and wipe them after use.

Step-by-step: using pointed tip tweezers on watch parts

Set up a supported, clean bench: Place the movement in a holder, lay a clean tray for parts, and rest your forearm or wrist on the bench edge. Wipe the tweezer tips with a lint-free cloth before you start. A supported hand is the single biggest defence against dropped screws.
Hold the tweezers like a pen: Grip between thumb and index finger about a third of the way from the back, with the middle finger steadying the side. Keep the tips vertical or slightly angled toward the part. Choking up too far reduces control; gripping at the very back magnifies every tremor.
Pick up a screw at the head, not the thread: Close the tips gently on the screw head and lift straight up. For slotted screws, approach from the side of the slot so the tips do not cam out. If the screw spins or pings away, you are gripping the thread or squeezing too hard.
Place and start the screw with light pressure: Lower the screw into its hole, keep the tweezers closed until the first thread engages, then release and finish with a screwdriver. Do not use the tweezers to torque the screw. Releasing before the thread catches is the most common cause of lost screws.
Handle watch hands by the hub or flat section: Grip hands at the centre hub or a flat part of the hand, never on the delicate tip or the finished top surface. Support the hand from below with a finger or rod where possible. Gripping a hand tip bends it; gripping the top surface can leave marks.
Clean and store the tips after every session: Wipe tips with a lint-free cloth, check alignment against the light, and store the tweezers tip-protected in a case or stand. Do not drop them loose in a drawer. A tip that no longer meets cleanly will twist screws and scratch plates.

Product facts

Pointed Tip Tweezers, 5-S, 5 Inch — Magnetic Anti-Acid Stainless Steel, Watch Repairs: 5-S style pointed tip tweezers, 5 inches long, in anti-acid stainless steel. The pointed 5-S profile gives the control needed for tiny screws and hands, while the 5-inch length keeps your fingers clear of the movement.
Pointed Tip Tweezers, 5-S, 5 Inch — Magnetic Anti-Acid Stainless Steel, Watch Repairs