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What’s wrong with it? Contest!
All the clues you need are here and in the picture. (Feel free to click on it for a larger view) This watch is a Rolex caliber 3135 with low amplitude. What is the problem? And specifically what...
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Upside Down
As some of you figured out for yesterday’s challenge the balance wheel was upside down. At this angle you can see how the balance wheel contacts the fourth wheel. Here you can see the roller is a...
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One more solution for broken screws
I’m sure you know that sick feeling. The one that comes when a screw head breaks off. If it happens when you are loosening a screw, at least you can justify blaming “the last guy.” If it happens when...
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Tweezers for Precious Bridges
What kind of tweezers do you use when handling the bridges of watches that cost $500,000 and more? If you are Stephen Forsey you use Dumont Tweezers with Boxwood Tips. I recently sat down with Mr....
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Watchmaker or Tinkerer?
When you are a watchmaker everyone thinks you are a tinkerer. Inevitably I get asked if I repair clocks, or music boxes, or automata, or any sundry of other odds and ends. In fact I’m a good repairman...
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Whoa! That’s a bit tight
Dear Sir or Madam who last worked on that beautiful Hamilton 992b that was on my bench today. I think you may have tightened down the crown wheel screw a bit too tight. That is a 1.60 mm screwdriver...
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Come in a little closer . . .
As a watchmaker we have to examine every part of every watch to check for defects. The smallest imperfection in a watch can make a big problem. If you click on the picture you can see it closer up....
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Another Damaged Mainplate
A few months ago we showed you a mainplate from a watch that had somehow come to be damaged through severe mishandling. Today, we’re going to show you another damaged mainplate. This time, from a...
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George Daniels’ Autobiography Back in Bookstores
It has been a historic month for watch auctions. A Rolex Single Red, Sea-Dweller prototype sold yesterday at Antiquorum for half a million dollars (yes, that is a time only, stainless steel watch)....
View ArticleA Handy Tip for Letting Down the Power on a 7750
Here’s a handy tip for letting down the power in the mainspring of an ETA or Valjoux 7750, without the hassle of disassembling the automatic section, achieved by lifting the click spring out of its...
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5 Fun Stocking Stuffers for Watchmakers
In past year’s I’ve compiled lists of usually useful – and sometimes unusually useful – tools for watchmakers that can fit in a stocking. For this year’s list, I’ve opted to have a little bit of fun...
View ArticleHow Jewel Bearings for Watches are Made
Ever since John Harrison first used them in his H4 pocket watch, to defeat the longitude problem, jewel bearings have played a pivotal role in the precision of nearly every serious watch or chronometer...
View ArticleShock Protection
Here is another great video from Gary Biscelli and the folks at the Lititz Watch Technicum. We’ve talked about shock protection before way back in 2008 and you may recognize this model as a very...
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The small things
At the tip of every balance wheel pivot sits a little flat ruby jewel called a cap jewel. It’s role is integral in the capped system for reducing friction on balance pivots. When the watch is dial up...
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A Message from the AWCI President – December
December’s Horological Times 2012 Please note: The situations outlined in the following message also apply to many of our clock repair members. Continuing on my last month’s message to both repair...
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A Message from the AWCI President – January
A Message from AWCI President – Manuel Yazijian, CMW21 January’s Horological Times 2013 I trust you’ve had an enjoyable and festive season with your family and loved ones; now let’s start an exciting...
View ArticleIf NFL Players Were Watchmakers
So here is something that is just lots of fun! Pass it along and feel free to let the world know what it would be like If NFL Players Did Your Job. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeTmVMdSJ_I
View ArticleIf NFL Players Were Watchmakers v2
Sorry, for the double post. For those who receive my blog posts in email and couldn’t see the embedded video here is a link to the video. You’ll want to watch it, its quite entertaining....
View ArticleBarrel Arbor Endshake
I know that after I danced Gangnem Style in the last video you thought this was going to be the “Harlem Shake” but it isn’t. Endshake is the amount of play that an arbor has along its axis between the...
View ArticleTimekeepers – A Documentary
The gentlemen in the video below are looking to make a documentary which will encourage people to take an interest in something very dear to me: timekeeping, horology, and watchmakers and clockmakers....
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