Tag: watchmaker

The Accutron, The cool that never was.

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Even though I’ve been doing this trade for quite sometime, I keep learning about the many ways that have been invented to do basically the same thing, give us the time. The race in the past was to come up with the best and most accurate way of doing this. The history of timekeeping is a vast and very interesting one that really came to a pinnacle when quartz technology hit the market. This is the moment when innovators and scientists seeking accurate time technologies, simply dusted their hands and looked towards other mountains to climb because quartz regulation simply destroys all other forms of timekeeping. But there was a brief moment before this “quartz revolution” when many different and new innovations were flooding the market. One of them is the tuning fork.

The bulova 2180. She’s a beauty

This is the story of my journey with the Accutron and the tuning fork technology. Now, I’m not going to give you a history lesson on this technology but if you’re interested there are many resources out there. Check this one out. It was only produced for a few years in the 60s and quickly fell into obscurity in the 70s. The frequency of the tuning fork sits around 300hz (depending on the model) and this was far superior to the modest 5hz (give or take) that the Swiss lever escapement gives. Of course this pales in comparison to quartz, which runs at a blistering 32,768hz!! Now who can compete with that? Not the tuning fork apparently.

Omegas answer to the tuning fork. The Omega F300HZ

Today, the Swiss lever escapement has strangely survived the quartz era and is seen in most of the current mechanical watches on the market. Brands like Rolex, Seiko, most of the Swatch group and Richmont group brands, and many others use some form of it. What is interesting is that no one has taken up the baton to use tuning fork technology in modern times. Why has the Swiss lever seen such success but the tuning fork has drifted away? To be found only in the nostalgic hearts of us watch enthusiasts. In watchmaking school, the subject was barely explored and when I took on the task of learning how to service them, it was a lonely place and finding experts and technical assistance was challenging. But once I got some questions answered and some guidance and experience, I’ve found these watches and this technology pretty fricken cool and exciting.

It’s always about the regulator. From the pendulum to the quartz crystal, this is the thing that vibrates and is measured and translated into timekeeping. The regulator of the Bulova Accutron and the Omega F300 is the tuning fork. As it vibrates back and forth at 300hz it pushes two very small jewels on the end of two very tiny rods to advance a wheel with 300 very tiny teeth to rotate once a second. This drives the gear train and thus the time. Simple right? (wink)

My stereo microscope. game changer!
The coil and component assembly for the original bulova 214.

The first tool I bought so that I could work on these was my stereo microscope. This was a game changer as I am now able to see the indexing mechanism clearly and make the necessary adjustments. I usually use a 5times loope for my watch servicing but this microscope gives me 45 times magnification. Honestly, it feels like cheating and now I use it often on many of my other jobs. Now that I understand how this technology works and how to make adjustments, servicing the rest of the movement is like all the other jobs I take on. The cleaning, adjusting, proper lubrication, regulating etc, is like a walk in the park. It’s finding parts that is tricky. I have built a contact base of parts supply houses and other watchmakers who have some of these parts but they are often very expensive. I’d love to see someone come up with a new version of this. It sure would make finding parts easier if they could make them new again. If the Swiss lever can survive, I bet the tuning fork could capture the imagination of the watch lover and be the next obsession for collectors.

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AI and the rise of the counterfeit watch.

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The first time I really got a sense of the possibilities of AI and the impacts it may have on our concepts of truth and information, was when I saw Bill Hader on David Letterman doing a Tom Cruise impression. Someone had created a Deepfake of him speaking and essentially turned him into Tom Cruise. It was freaky and hilarious! But God Damn, what does that mean? The ease of which we can spread misinformation, and misunderstandings will be a serious storm to weather. So in the future, where will we go for information that we can trust?

I see the 2824 right away. To many, this would look just like a legit Roger Dubuis. God is in the details

I’m seeing this first hand in relation to watches and counterfeit watches. It is more difficult than ever to spot the fakes. I had a client recently bring in a Roger Dubuis Easy Diver. He had bought it at auction but it was not running and needed some work. Of course, Roger Dubuis is a serious watch and I was excited to take a look. Unfortunately, upon first inspection, I had some serious doubts to it’s authenticity. As a watchmaker, I always go straight to the movement when attempting to verify a watch. This watch had a cloned ETA 2824 movement.

The Roger Dubuis RD14. Shimmer me timber!

The Easy Divers mostly use the in-house RD14 movement. This is some serious horology! They retail for well over $10,000! There are very few watch houses that use the 2824 at this price point. The only one I can think of, is the Ressence but this is a totally different beast. It uses an oil filled dial to create the illusion of floating markers. Very tough to pull off but they do brilliantly. It’s a very cool watch that yes, uses the 2824, but includes this module that, IMHO justifies the price.

After a brief search of the web, I found a few websites that proudly offered The Easy Diver and other “Roger Dubuis” counterfeits. I spotted my clients watch immediately. I was astounded at the brazen openness and pride that these counterfeiters displayed and sold these “watches”. Where is the oversight? How do these websites exist with such freedom? Of course, non of them have a real address and the risks of giving money to these guys is so big that who would even try? So desperate to own a fake watch, that people are willing to drop thousands of dollars and get who knows what? It’s wild! I can understand buying a watch in Chinatown in New york city, the watch is right there, it’s 50 bucks, sure…But a “Superclone”? a “AAA replica”? It’s all Fugazi!

Telling a client that their watch is fake is never easy. Every watchmaker has stories of people bringing in fake watches. When I told this guy his watch was most likely a fake, he was indeed shocked. The auction house he went to had verified on their listing that the watch was authenticated by a professional watchmaker. This was not ebay, this was a government funded and run auction house. So his next step was to bring the watch back in hopes of a refund. He told me that they had honoured their mistake and were planning to refund him. Happy ending right? Well, unfortunately later that day they contacting him again to say that they had taken the watch to another “professional watchmaker” who verified it’s authenticity and that they would not be refunding him! This is crazy. I know I live on an island here in Victoria, but am I really that far away from qualified watchmakers who could easily reference many sources on-line or make a couple of inquiring calls? I know he plans to contact Roger Dubuis directly and have them get involved (if they will is yet to be determined). Hopefully, there will be some accountability taken.

The internet may be an ocean of stupidity but it is also an amazing resource to verify real or fake watches. There are so many “experts” out there who love being detective and shining a light on what makes a watch real or not. There are also many websites out there that sell counterfeit watches that are so well executed that they can fool even the most revered expert. The pride is shameful! I believe this will be the cat and mouse game of my future.

Those are some big houses!

So where do the brands fit into this landscape? How much time and energy do they put into stopping or controlling the manufacturing and selling of knock-off products that, I would assume, sully their brand image and detract from their market share? I’ve heard many theories suggesting these brands are in favour of fake products. Does It brings more recognition to their name and is essentially free advertising? Yes, the most sincere form of flattery is imitation, but I’ve also been of the mind that people who buy counterfeit intentionally or otherwise would see the difference over time and connect an items inadequacies with the name on the label. “This Louis Vuitton bag sure didn’t last long, what a crappy company” . I’d suggest that is pretty damaging to a brands reputation. Nevermind the incredibly shady underworld where counterfeit products exist. The dark money, the slave workers, the toxic chemicals and the unregulated free for all. This money directly funds organized crime, sex traffic, child labour. Come on? Is it really worth fooling a few coworkers? Get a real watch. Your kids will thank you! Here’s a list of micro-brands that are funky, solid, reasonably priced and well, not fake.

So what is the future for watchmakers and counterfeit watches? I’m often approached to work on fake watches. I politely decline. I don’t judge (often). I know that many people don’t know the dark side of counterfeit watches. I am in a unique position where I can stop the flow and educate people. My real concern is the future. Like the looming reality of AI, Chat GPT and the like, what will differentiate the real from the fake? To combat the rise of fakes, I predict the large watch companies will tighten up their service requirements and thus, further exclude independent watchmakers from the repair side of the industry. Not allowing access to parts, service documents or case materials will inevitably leave us Independents to choose between working on fakes, or not working…This is sad.

Vancouver Watchmaker Howie Woiwod B and W
The quiet loner

I know that watchmakers aren’t necessarily social justice warriors! We like to work in peace and don’t wanna stir shit up. I can understand those who work for a brand don’t want to cause problems for fear of losing their ticket. I find this interesting because the work-pool for watchmakers is not huge and these companies could be more grateful for the staff they have. One of my favourite “celebrity watchmakers” is Kalle Slapp. He’s a watchmaker from the Netherlands who has a great Youtube channel called Chronoglide. He does not shy away from discourse that is open and yes, sometimes critical, but always relevant to the plight of watchmaking. Especially to the struggles of the independents and the repair limits that big brands put on customers. As far as sources go for information, he is one of the good guys!

Longines 17N pocket watch

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victoria watch repair Longines pocket watch

I’m often asked, What made you want to be a watchmaker? I enjoy being the oddball sometimes. I get to exist in this niche place that raises a few inquisitive eyebrows once in a while. I think it’s pretty obvious why, I mean, look at these toys I get to play with all day. These conversation often continue with an anecdote or two about an old family watch or some reference to some youtube video featuring a watch being taken apart. I do think it’s unique way to connect to people. I could talk all day about it.

Victoria watch repair Longines pocket watch
simple and elegant, function and beauty

I’m excited to write about this incredible Longines Pocket watch. Historically speaking this isn’t the most unique watch or the fanciest. But as a watchmaker and appreciator, this watch enthusiastically checks off all the boxes.

The first thing you may notice on a watch movement is the finishing. Some have a noticeable level of craftsmanship and others just get by. The finishing on this Longines 17L is just fantastic. The bevelled edges on the bridges. The brushed finishing along with the high polished contrasts. The black polish on the screws and balance regulator. Then there’s underneath the dial. Why would anyone finish the dial side of a movment when nobody will ever see it? (except us watchnmakers) This watch, as the example, has perlage finishing under the dial and even the setting mechanism and bridges have high polish and bevelled edges too.

Victoria watch repair Longines pocket watch movement
The barrel and gear train. Each part expertly hand crafted
Victoria watch repair Longines pocket watch dial side
Note the perlage. All done by hand. Nobody but the watchmaker see this!

Then there’s the science behind the movement. The breguet overcoil on the hairspring, and the temperature compensated balance. You can read about why it’s important here. There’s the gold jewel settings and the center wheel jewel. All indicators of a very high quality movement. Servicing this watch was a treat. It’s owner (whom happens to be a close friend’s relative) had kept it in good condition so there was little repair needed. Just a couple of end-shake adjustments and a good cleaning and regulating.

victoria watch repair pocket watch
gorgeous finishing on this bridge.

Longines (of the past), is one of my favourite watch houses. They have an amazing and important horological history and some of their movement contributions are outstanding. I am especially fond of the military chronographs like the 13ZN. I believe they wrote the book on chronograph finishing that companies like A, Lange and Sohne have taken the baton from. These early wrist watch chronographs from the 30s and 40s are very sought after and very expensive. This is where the Longines 17N is different. There are many examples available and at an incredibly reasonable price. I am actually very surprised how affordable they are considering the level of watchmaking that exists within them. Perhaps the demand has yet to catch up or they may be a well kept secret. It could be that Longines was able to manufacture them in large quantities and the supply and demand keeps the price low. In any case, if you are thinking about getting a pocket watch and joining the family of collectors and appreciators, then I would highly recommend getting yourself one of these bad boys.

Victoria watch repair Longines pocket watch movement
Freshly serviced and ready to close. One last look.

Gallet Excel-O-Graph Chronograph (EP 40-68)

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Watch repair Victoria Excel-o-graph

This beauty came across my bench like a celebrity sighting of Scarlett Johansson. As a watchmaker and a watch lover, it’s hard not to get a little flush when in the presence of such a gorgeous watch. The owner of this watch has such an amazing collection of Gallets (among other awesome brands) that I affectionately call him “The Gallet Guy”.

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1975 Seiko Grand Quartz

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watch repair Victoria seiko 4843A grand quartz

When it comes to servicing quartz movements, the most likely and cheapest route taken is to replace the movement. However, sometimes the parts for watches and movements are so rare and tough to find, that servicing is the only option. As was the case for this gorgeous Seiko Grand Quartz from the mid-seventies, the Seiko 4843A movement was not readily available and the need was there to take it apart and service.

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When the Original seems like a Fake!

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Watch repair Victoria Tag Heuer Aquaracer

Now this is a unique story in the world of watch repair. However, I feel that over the next few years, this type of anecdote may not be such a rare occurrence. The world of counterfeit and fake watches is a billion dollar a year industry, and it is positioning itself as a very real competitor for those established and historic watch brands. In some cases, such as this, the established brand shoots itself in the foot by producing a sub-quality product under an assumed standard and the counterfeiters have no choice but to out-perform.

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Which watches does a watchmaker collect? (say that 5 times)

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I often get asked by people, as a watchmaker, what watches do I collect and why. We all love to talk about our watches, so I thought I’d take this as an opportunity to go in depth and talk about the watches in my very own collection. I wanted to talk about these 10 watches, how I chose them and why they’re important to me. So sit back, grab a coffee and have a go. Click on the watch you’d like to read and about, and please, let me know what you think. Happy reading!