Choosing between NH movements
A look at the NH35, NH36, NH38, NH34 and the rest of the family—and how to choose the right one for your dial.
The NH35 is popular for a good reason: cases, dials and hands for it are everywhere. If I’m building a straightforward three-hand watch with a date, that’s where I start. I wouldn’t change the movement just to put a different name on the parts list.
I would change it for the dial. A dateless dial, a day window or a GMT hand gives you an actual reason to reach for something else.
The other NH movements
| Movement | What you get | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| NH35 | Three hands and date | The date window on your dial |
| NH36 | Day and date | Dial openings and day-wheel language |
| NH38 | No calendar; open-heart layout | A dateless dial (the opening is optional) |
| NH34 | Central 24-hour GMT hand and date | Fourth hand, readable scale and crystal clearance |
| NH39 | Small 24-hour subdial, no date, open-heart layout | Matching dial and subdial hand |
| NH70 / NH71 / NH72 | Skeleton versions in different finishes | A build designed to show the movement |
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For a dial without a date, I use the NH38. It saves you from having an NH35 date wheel turning unseen behind the dial, with a crown position that does nothing. The NH38 has an open-heart layout, but the dial doesn’t have to show it. It’s what I used for my Explorer homage.
For day and date, there’s the NH36. This is an easy choice to make on paper and an annoying one to get wrong in an order: look closely at the dial’s window and the language on the day wheel. “NH36 compatible” tells you less than a clear photo of the actual parts.
The NH34 is the one for a central GMT hand. You need a fourth hand and a way to read it, usually on the dial or bezel. You also need room for it under the crystal. The movement’s overall height won’t tell you whether that taller stack of hands will clear; the NH34 specification is worth checking before you buy a case and hand set.
The NH39 is more particular. It has a small 24-hour subdial rather than a central GMT hand, plus an open-heart layout and no date. I wouldn’t buy one until I’d found the dial and small hand to go with it. They have to land in the right place.
Time Module puts these movements together in its NH-family catalogue. The catalogue specifications give them the same 12-ligne diameter and 5.32 mm overall height. That’s a useful starting point, not a guarantee that an NH35 shopping list will fit a different dial or hand layout.
There are also the NH70, NH71 and NH72 skeleton movements. I’d pick one because I wanted to see the movement through the watch, not as a routine substitute for an NH35.
Before ordering
I pick the dial first, then look for a movement that does what the dial needs. After that, I check the case listing for the exact movement and holder, and make sure the hands and calendar line up. If a seller only says “NH compatible” without showing which NH movement or giving dimensions, I ask or find another listing.
Before closing the case, turn the hands through a full day. Watch for hands touching, check the calendar change and try any extra setting position. And if you’re counting on water resistance, have the finished watch pressure-tested. A closed caseback alone doesn’t tell you it’s sealed.
For a first build, I’d keep it simple: NH35 for a date, NH38 for no date, NH36 for day-date. Use an NH34 or NH39 when its extra display is the reason you’re building the watch in the first place.
If you want the same kinds of displays without an automatic movement, see Quartz equivalents for common NH movements.