Whoever said that watches are plain and simple contrivances that measure time, has not really peeked inside the darned thing. Those of you, who are connoisseurs of fine and quality watches, know that owning a collection of good ones of them often calls for a lot of money. I mean the hobby is very expensive to say the least.
Moreover, the saga does not end at paying for the watch at the showroom or at an auction. Rather it starts right from there. If you thought that what you wear on your wrist is absolutely cushy and undemanding, then let me tell you my friends you guys are in for some real surprise. Even they need their share of your attention and maintenance, as for every little malfunction you cannot afford to run to a watch repairer.
Today’s watches incorporate cutting edge technologies underneath the bezel, and have seriously confusing movement circuits. It will take you considerable amount of time, before the small circuits and parts of your watch mechanism start making some sense to you. Nonetheless, if you want to have a collection, you have to have the basic knowledge about your watches.
That is why it is highly recommended that you start collecting the necessary tools, which you will be needing, to fix the normal anomalies of your watches, like changing batteries or cleaning up any moisture particles that might have crept inside and similar rookie stuffs. However, getting yourself a set of all the watch making tools can prove to be a tad expensive, so a better idea will be to check out the online auction markets, for any second hand instruments which might be put out for sale.
There are many forums and websites, which are solely dedicated to such purposes, so just search for them and start building up your collection.
December 30th, 2008
Do you know that watches are the third most common gift item all around the world? Moreover, this has been so from a very long time. For this and for many other reasons, watches are very dear to us. And, it is this dearness, that has elevated watches to a much higher position, than it deserves in terms of its utility.
Today watches have become an aspect of style and fashion, it is more important to us because of its face value, than as a time reading machine. Due to this fact, the entire watch industry has changed its perspective towards manufacturing watches.
However, by this I do not mean that performance of the watch does not count, it definitely does; but what also counts are the design, shape and other visual aspects of the watch. That is why nowadays we have designer watches, which are aesthetically crafted and give off an aura of sheer prosperity and elegance.
In fact, watches today are no longer confined to the wrist of men and women. There are watches, which are meant to be worn on other parts of the body. A recent observation showed that chances are high that pocket watches will come back into fashion. We also have necklace watches, which has a tastefully crafted pendent, which is actually a watch, swung into an equally beautiful chain. It makes a perfect gift, for giving to your loved ones. That is why these watches are considered as ideal anniversary gifts.
Generally these watches are very expensive, but in front of their beauty, the price really seems very small, as these are the kind of watches which are sure to make to your lady fall in love with you, once you gift it to her. All you have to do is look for the right moment.
December 30th, 2008
Hi, to all the watch lovers around this planet, here we are back with our next dose of technical wisdom for you. This time we are going to talk about the necessary tools that you must have in house, the ones that you need from day to day. It is been observed that most of us often make regular trips to the workshop of a watch repairer, for such rookie stuffs that we can fix ourselves, only if we have those tools.
Moreover, when the fact is that the tools do not cost us a lot, it is sheer foolishness not to have one at home. One of such tools is a Watch Bracelet Pin Remover. This particular instrument comes very handy when more than one person in the family wears the same watch. One can easily use this to resize the bracelet’s length as per one’s wrist, without leaving any mark on the watch. It has a very strong anti-slip gripper, to reduce the potential risk of you damaging the pins, while removing them. Moreover, this tool can work on a variety of bracelets of different make and design.
As time had passed the size of the watches have kept on reducing and today we have some watches whose circuit particles cannot even be perceived by naked eyes, like for example a few Rolex watches have such small crowns, that one can barely see them. That is why today we need a tool called Bench Vice, which securely holds the watch at one place, so that while repairing them we can operate with considerable ease. Therefore, having this tool can keep you from sabotaging your watch while repairing it. There are many more such instruments, which you need to have, but we will tell you about those in our next post.
December 30th, 2008
Watches no longer follow the rule ‘one size fits all’ and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The bracelets on the watches today can be easily modified unlike the watches of the yesteryear.
Often the top of the line watches carry metal bracelets and there are times when such a bracelet may be a tad loose or tight for us to wear it. There are many cases where the user had worn a watch with a loose bracelet only to loose it or damage it. But this is a condition that can be easily rectified with the bracelet removing pin pliers with ease. We no longer have to fret about the watch being too large for our hands as we can use this tool to remove the bracelet pins and resize the whole watch.
This tool comes with a rubber grip making it easier for us to maneuver the pins out of the bracelet or push them back in. In addition, it is supplied with a 1mm spring loaded punch providing the pressure that one needs to handle the bracelet pins. This tool is designed to provide convenience and does not mark the watch in any way. So the utilization of this tool should not impact on the overall appearance of the timepiece in any manner. This tool can be used on a variety of bracelets and pins, from the link pins as found on the expensive watches as well as on the split pin bracelet as found on the mid tier watches. By and large, this is the tool to reshape and resize the bracelets.
July 6th, 2008
The watch movements have long since transgressed from the big bulky pieces to the miniaturized ones that are available today. Since 1514, the watches have come a long way, from being bulky to being slender and elegant. The watches of today comprise of tiny miniature pieces that one may even require a certain degree of magnification to handle some of them. For example, the Rolex crown on the dial of the watch is so tiny that it is not clearly seen with the naked eye.
So when it comes to repairing watches, a person may require certain specialist tools to handle these watches. One of them is the heavy-duty bench vice; this tool is primarily used to secure the watch so that the repair could be carried out with ease.
A watch consists of many parts, from the escarpment movement utilized in a mechanical movement to that of the tiny electrical battery used in the quartz movement. The parts used in the modern watch are numerous, with the size of each of them being quantified in millimeters.
When it comes to repairing a watch, one needs the heavy-duty bench vice otherwise; each and every miniature part of the watch could run off in separate directions. Furthermore, the watches of today are quite precise, with each and every part customized to provide the optimum performance. So repairing without the secure platform that this bench tool may well affect the performance of the watch itself. The stair steel jaws help to secure the watch quite firmly so that one should be able to carry out the repairs with ease. In addition, this tool is mountable so one can easily fit this tool anywhere. This tool is essential so as to provide a secure platform while repairing the watch.
July 6th, 2008
This is the age of piracy and most of the consumer items are often duplicated and pirated, in the process, cheating the consumer of his or her money. One of the products that have been duplicated many a time is none other than the Rolex watch. Since most of the Rolex models cost a bit, the duplication of the Rolex watch itself has turned into quite a profitable business for many a black marketer.
The first thing to look for in fake Rolexes is to look at the case back as most of the fake Rolexes come with a skeleton casing at the back. The skeleton casing is used by the fake Rolex to show the inner workings of the watch so as to impress the gullible customer even more. Real Rolexes do not have a skeleton casing and are totally covered, so this would be one good way to spot the fake.
The other thing to note is that real Rolexes use precision engineering so if the watch starts to tick, then it is not the real deal. With such precision engineering, real Rolexes are very smooth and they do not tick, so that is another dead giveaway.
The Rolex crown is another surefire way to spot the fake, real Rolexes carry this engraving at the 6’o clock position. The engraving is done by laser on real Rolexes and is quite small to be seen with the naked eye. Whereas in the case of fake Rolexes, the engraving is so large that it literally jumps at you from the casing, one cannot miss seeing it
The date bubble is off center in most of the cheap imitation Rolexes, and the magnification of the date less as well. With the real ones, the Cyclops is dead center and the magnification is set to 2.5 times exactly.
Most of the fake Rolexes use cheap glass and not the sapphire glass that the real one uses. So one can try and run a few drops of water across the face of the Rolex in question and one should see the water bead up, in the real Rolex. In case of the fake ones, the water just smears along, this is the same test that one uses to differentiate between a Diamond and a piece of glass as well. Anyway these are some of the tests that one can use to spot a fake Rolex and ensure that one is purchasing the real thing.
May 9th, 2008
The quartz watches have certainly added their own flavor to the evolution of timepieces, with the utilization of the quartz crystal. They are some of the most efficient timekeepers of today, hardly losing any time at all in the process.
The quartz movements power the timepiece as a result of the electricity stored in the battery. This watch performs on the basis of the movements of the quartz crystal, which oscillates on reacting to the electrical discharge from the battery. As these oscillations are very minute and accurate, the quartz watches are able to keep time more effectively than the mechanical watches. The quartz watches can either have a regular [analog] dial with hands or a digital display, with some of the versions even displaying tenths of a second.
In lieu of the battery, some of the watches use a mini electrical generator for power while there are those that use the motion to power the watch. The user’s movements generally powers up the watch, causing the quartz to oscillate. There are even those quartz watches that use the solar cell to power up the watch, with the help of a capacitor. Quartz watches are generally trendier in appearance and much more convenient to the end user- as they do not have to be winded every now and then. These watches are much more efficient time keepers than the mechanical watches on account of their precise and steady oscillation; so much so, they are able to record even tenths of a second. The quartz movements are generally less bulky when compared to their mechanical counterparts and are able to provide increased functionality. The quartz watches are not as high-maintenance as the mechanical watches so they are a more convenient option for the user. Today, most of the watches utilize the quartz crystal so as to offer a better package to their customers.
May 9th, 2008
The history of watches is a long and fascinating one, dating back to the Medieval Era and flourishing with the blossoming of science and technology that the Renaissance brought. The technological progress of the watch was often driven by political and military needs. After all, rarely are those two separated. In fact, it was the Great War to end all wars that helped to make the wristwatch surpass the pocket watch for men.
Watchmakers have always made innovative use of the technologies available to them, always pushing forward towards the creation of better, more accurate timepieces. Here are some highlights and turning points in watch history:
- It’s pretty, but is it practical? While it was Peter Henlein who, in the early years of the 16th century, brought the size of the clock down to what could be called a watch with his oval-shaped “Nuremberg Eggs,” it was Jacob Zech who devised a way to transform the watch from a novel but not very practical item, to something with real timekeeping value. In 1525, Zech helped to resolved the problem of the watch moving fast when first wound and then slowing as it wound down by regulating movement with his fusee, serving also to secure the dominance of the Swiss in fine watch making for centuries to come.
- Counting the seconds took centuries. Not so long had passed since time was counted only by the hour hand on watches and many clocks, as with the “Nuremberg Eggs,” when in 1560 the second hand first appeared on clocks. However, more than a hundred years passed before that hand actually counted seconds accurately, with the second hand appearing on the watch in 1690. An essential part of that increased accuracy was the balance spring , which came into use in 1675.
- Precision timekeeping solves the longitude problem. As the world expanded, through marine travel and the discovery of new worlds, the need for accurate, portable time grew stronger, spurring leaps forward in watch making technologies. Navigational needs led rulers throughout Europe to offer huge rewards for successful innovation. This is part of the inspiration that encouraged John Harrison to devote so much of his life to developing precision time keeping technologies. His efforts were essential to solving the “longitude problem” and through his work, a whole new level of accuracy was achieved in the watch. He began his work on this navigational problem in 1727 and was formally recognized for his success in 1773.
- Still marking time after all these years. One of the oldest watchmaking names in the business around today originally opened for business in 1755 in Geneva. Jean-Marc Vacheron began making the watches that would carry his family name for more than two centuries. Innovative designs featuring a broad range of complications have always been a part of this watchmaking house’s way. This secured its position not only in the history of Swiss watchmakers, but also as one of the most notable watch makers in the world.
- Some say he was the greatest watchmaker the world has known. Abraham Louis Breguet opened his watchmaking enterprise in 1775, and made countless innovative contributions to the modern wristwatch - many of which are still used in today’s finest mechanical watches. He designed movements that increased accuracy and allowed him to slim down the case to a size that offered a sleek elegance that redefined the possibilities of watches. The traditions he began centuries ago in Paris still influence design today.
- The first real effort at mass production. In 1880, Girard-Perregaux became the first to mass-produce watches. These watches were manufactured for German naval officers and were designed to be worn on chains around the wrist. This was perhaps one of the first formal acknowledgments by a military force that the pocket watch was not the most practical means of timekeeping in battle - since it required a free hand to remove from a pocket.
- Practicality rules the day. By the time World War I got into full swing, it became readily apparent that two hands were better than one, and the wristwatch became the battlefield timekeeping device of choice. As the war began, many military forces still issued pocket watches to their troops, so the men improvised, tying them to the wrist, or bought their own, choosing from the specially-made trench watches that became popular during the time period. The wristwatch became masculine, tough, and replaced the pocket watch as being the favored timekeeping piece for men - soon to be army-issued and civilian-bought.
- Bringing timekeeping to the masses. In the early days of the watch, it was a rich man’s status symbol gadget and a wealthy woman’s fashion accessory – expensive and rather delicate. It did, of course, become sturdier and more accurate, but was still expensive. The manufacturing improvements made possible by the Industrial Revolution allowed for the mass production of watches, using cheaper materials and simpler designs, bringing affordable pocket watches and wristwatches to the everyday working people. Dollar Watches were among the most famous of these mass produced, low-priced watches. One of the biggest makers of these watches meant for the masses, Ingersoll Watch Company, advertised themselves as being the manufacturers of “The Watch that Made the Dollar Famous.”
- Competition comes from the east. The first Japanese wristwatch was made in 1913 by a company that would eventually become known as Seiko. Seiko has contributed numerous innovations in function and design to the world of horology, as have other Japanese companies. Among these are Citizen, which made their first wristwatch in 1931, and Casio, a company that started out making calculators and other products, before moving into making wristwatches in 1974.
- Marching on with the advance of technology. As the world became enamored of rapid developments in science and technology, so, too, did watchmakers, with many experimenting with designs that went beyond the purely mechanical. In 1957, Hamilton produced the first electronic watch. Soon quartz driven watches hit the scene, and again, Girard-Perregaux was at the mass-production forefront, being the first manufacturer to mass-produce an affordable quartz wristwatch in 1969. Digital watches arrived in 1972, and ten years later, Seiko produced a watch with a small television . The wristwatches of today incorporate a wide range of modern technologies, with some offering a GPS (Global Positioning System), others offering cell phone service, and still others able to perform computer functions.
While today there are many timekeeping devices that accompany the average person through his/ her busy days, it is unlikely that the history of the wristwatch is going to come to an end any time soon. As has been the case with the watch from its very beginning, there are always innovative watchmakers looking for ways to take the watch to the next level of precision and usefulness.
October 8th, 2007
As a blog about watch repair, we thought it would be good to lead your through some of the tools and watch parts that you’ll need for watch repair.
Front and center is the watch repair kit. There are many types of watch service kits, and you’ll want to make sure that the kit that you purchase meets your needs. Horologists, watch hobbyists and watch repairmen will want to make sure to have several service kits on hand to meet any conceivable need.
A watch repair service kits should include various watch parts like the balance staff, screws, wheels, springs, levers, etc. Since each set is slightly different, it is important that the service kits you buy give a detailed list of the included watch parts.
If you’re looking to get into watch repair, or just want to try it on your old watch that’s stopped working, you should start by purchasing a service repair kit.
September 11th, 2007
I never could have thought this one up. It appears that watches are currently being engineered that can monitor glucose levels and administer the proper dose of medication based on these levels. Now that’s innovation in the watch industry!!!!
The watch is likely to have carbon nanotubes at its bottom touching the skin. Connected to an electronic device, the sugar level will be displayed on the watch. In future designs, the company could go in for watches that would administer the drug also.
It is likely that the watch will be equipped with a laser pointer illuminating a patch of skin over the sensor to read the glucose level while an infrared light detector monitors the response at the same time.
Source
Remarkable, no?
June 8th, 2007
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