Franz Rivoira

EXTRACT

The Manual From 00:00 to watch-savvy quickly and easily!

From the early steps of time measurement to the latest technical evolutions of timekeeping, this easy and concise book will become your guide. Complete with historical, technical and style notes, The Watch Manual will lead you to know , their fascinating history and how to buy, sell, and wear them. Note

Thie is an extract from The Watch Manual, offering afew sample chapters and extracts from the book so the would-be readers can try before buying.

If you like what you read, you can buy the whole book from: thewatchmanual.com Index of the complete book SECTION 1 - HISTORY OF WATCHMAKING

1.0 - Introduction and history...... pag. 12 1.1 - Measuring time: the beginning...... pag. 15 1.2 - The evolution of time-keeping: days, hours and the first clocks...... pag. 19 1.3 - Peter Henlein and the invention of the first portable clocks...... pag. 24 1.4 - The rise and fall of British watchmaking...... pag. 28 1.5 - Lépine and the revolution of calibers...... pag. 33 1.6 - The genius of Bréguet...... pag. 36 1.7 - Watches and serial production: the rebels of watchmaking...... pag. 39 1.8 - Pocket watches go to the wrist...... pag. 43 1.9 - Louis Cartier and the Santos...... pag. 46 1.10 - The Bauhaus and Max Bill...... pag. 49 1.11 - The Golden Age of horology...... pag. 52 1.12 - Gerald Genta ...... pag. 54 1.13 - The Quartz Crisis...... pag. 58 1.14 - The recovery of the watch market...... pag. 61 1.15 - Horology today: the trends...... pag. 64

SECTION 2 - Technique: how watches work

2.0 - How watches work...... pag. 68 2.1 - How a works...... pag. 70 2.1.1 - The mainspring and barrel...... pag. 73 2.1.2 - The jewels...... pag. 78 2.1.3 - The escapement...... pag. 82 2.1.4 - The balance wheel...... pag. 86 2.1.5 - Shock-absorbing systems...... pag. 90 2.1.6 - Winding: manual and automatic watches....pag. 94 2.2 - Electromechanical watches...... pag. 99 2.3 - How a quartz watch works...... pag. 103 2.4 - Modern evolution in watches...... pag. 107 SECTION 3 - Watch elements

3.0 - Watch elements, techniques and definitions.....pag. 112 3.1 - Dials and hands...... pag. 113 3.2 - Cases and materials...... pag. 120 3.3 - Watch crystals...... pag. 127 3.4 - Wristbands and bracelets...... pag. 131 3.5 - Finishings and decorations...... pag. 142 3.6 - Marks, brands, reference numbers...... pag. 146 3.7 - What does Swiss Made mean...... pag. 154

SECTION 4 -Watch movements

4.0 - Movements and complications...... pag. 158 4.1 - Pocket watches...... pag. 159 4.2 - Dress watches...... pag. 164 4.3 - Marriage watches...... pag. 167 4.4 - Chronometers...... pag. 171 4.5 - Diver watches...... pag. 175 4.6 - Antimagnetic watches...... pag. 179 4.7 - Regulateurs...... pag. 183 4.8 - Pilots watches and Fliegers...... pag. 185 4.9 - Trench and military watches...... pag. 188 4.10 - Complicated watches...... pag. 191 4.10.1 - Calendars...... pag. 195 4.10.2 - Chronographs...... pag. 201 4.10.3 - GMT and World timers...... pag. 205 4.10.4 - Chime repeaters, sonneries and alarm watches...... pag. 208 4.10.5 - Tourbillons, carousels and open-hearts...... pag. 211 4.10.6 - Automates and exotic complications...... pag. 216 4.10.7 - Ultra-Thin watches...... pag. 220 4.10.8 - Skeletonized watches...... pag. 223

SECTION 5 - Style and manners

5.0 - Style and manners: the Seven Phases...... pag. 228 5.1 - The great debate: fashion watches...... pag. 231 5.2 - Ladies’ watches...... pag. 234 5.3 - Watch etiquette...... pag. 238 5.4 - Sizing a watch on the wrist...... pag. 244 5.5 - Is a watch an investment?...... pag. 247 5.6 - The aspiring collector...... pag. 252 5.7 - How to create a collection...... pag. 256 5.8 - The six-watch collection...... pag. 260 5.9 - Ten watches you need to know...... pag. 265

SECTION 6 - Buying. selling, servicing watches

6.0 - Knowing, buying and taking care of watches...pag. 275 6.1 - New watches and the waiting list...... pag. 277 6.2 - Second-wrist, vintage and historical watches...pag. 281 6.3 - Haute horlogerie...... pag. 284 6.4 - The shady world: homages, frankens and replicas...... pag. 288 6.5 - Watch modding...... pag. 295 6.6 - Refurbishing a watch...... pag. 300 6.7 - Servicing a watch...... pag. 308 6.8 - Buying and selling watches...... pag. 314 6.8.1 - Dating the watch...... pag. 318 6.8.2 - Checking a broken watch: the common problems...... pag. 331 6.8.3 - The quick checklist of watch quality...... pag. 337 6.8.4 - Buying a watch online...... pag. 342 6.8.5 - Taking care of your watches...... pag. 347 6.8.6 - Water resistance, dos and don’ts...... pag. 351

SECTION 7 - Making watches

7.0 - Modern watch manufacturing...... pag. 355 7.1 - Creating a new brand: the trends of the industry...... pag. 357 7.2 - Watch manufacturing case histories...... pag. 363 7.3 - Crowdsourcing and its characteristics...... pag. 368 7.4 - The big events in horology...... pag. 373 SECTION 8 - Icons of horology

8.0 - Icons of horology...... pag. 379 8.1 - People...... pag. 381 8.2 - Brands...... pag. 399 8.2.1 - ...... pag. 400 8.2.2 - Baume Mercier...... pag. 402 8.2.3 - Bell & Ross...... pag. 404 8.2.4 - ...... pag. 406 8.2.5 - ...... pag. 408 8.2.6 - Breitling...... pag. 410 8.2.7 - Bulgari...... pag. 412 8.2.8 - ...... pag. 414 8.2.9 - Cartier...... pag. 416 8.2.10 - ...... pag. 418 8.2.11 - Certina...... pag. 420 8.2.12 - Chopard...... pag. 422 8.2.13 - Citizen...... pag. 424 8.2.14 - Corum...... pag. 426 8.2.15 - Doxa...... pag. 428 8.2.16 - Ebel...... pag. 430 8.2.17 - Eberhard...... pag. 432 8.2.18 - Edox...... pag. 434 8.2.19 - Eterna...... pag. 436 8.2.20 - Fortis...... pag. 438 8.2.21 - FP Journe...... pag. 440 8.2.22 - Franck Muller...... pag. 442 8.2.23 - Frederique Constant...... pag. 444 8.2.24 - Girard Perregaux...... pag. 446 8.2.25 - Glycine...... pag. 448 8.2.26 - Hamilton...... pag. 450 8.2.27 - Hublot...... pag. 452 8.2.28 - Invicta...... pag. 454 8.2.29 - IWC...... pag. 456 8.2.30 - Jaeger Le Coultre...... pag. 458 8.2.31 - Jaquet Droz...... pag. 460 8.2.32 - Lange & Sohne...... pag. 462 8.2.33 - ...... pag. 464 8.2.34 - Louis Erard...... pag. 466 8.2.35 - Maurice Lacroix...... pag. 468 8.2.36 - Mido...... pag. 470 8.2.37 - Montblanc...... pag. 472 8.2.38 - Movado...... pag. 474 8.2.39 - Nomos...... pag. 476 8.2.40 - Omega...... pag. 478 8.2.41 - Orient...... pag. 480 8.2.42 - Original Glashutte...... pag. 482 8.2.43 - Oris...... pag. 482 8.2.44 - Panerai...... pag. 486 8.2.45 - Patek Philippe...... pag. 488 8.2.46 - Piaget...... pag. 490 8.2.47 - Rado...... pag. 492 8.2.48 - Raymond Weil...... pag. 494 8.2.49 - Richard Mille...... pag. 496 8.2.50 - Roger Dubuis...... pag. 498 8.2.51 - ...... pag. 500 8.2.52 - ...... pag. 502 8.2.53 - Sinn...... pag. 504 8.2.54 - Squale...... pag. 506 8.2.55 - ...... pag. 508 8.2.56 - Tag Heuer...... pag. 510 8.2.57 - ...... pag. 512 8.2.58 - Tudor...... pag. 514 8.2.59 - ...... pag. 516 8.2.60 - Universal Geneve...... pag. 518 8.2.61 - ...... pag. 520 8.2.62 - Vulcain...... pag. 522 8.2.63 - Wyler Vetta...... pag. 524 8.2.64 - Zenith...... pag. 526 8.2.65 - Zodiac...... pag. 528

SECTION 9 - Resources

9.0 - Practical resources...... pag. 531 9.1 - Notes on watch servicing...... pag. 533 9.2 - Tools and supplies...... pag. 549 9.3 - References and bibliography...... pag. 559 9.4 - Glossary...... pag. 581 9.5 - Test: find your ideal watch...... pag. 607 Salle des pignons, IWC factory - iwc.com

1.7 - Watches and serial production: the rebels of watchmaking

Horology spread throughout the world at the beginning of the 1800s. Still, watches were quite costly. One of the main problems was that the escapement used was still quite complicated to make.

The most diffused was the cylinder escapement, which was less complicated and costly than the verge-fusee that we have already talked about. Still, it had its drawbacks all the same.

The problem was with the escapement wheel. It was very tiny - and still, it had a very complex shape, as the teeth at the end of each “arm” had to be placed in an orthogonal position - that is, with an angle of 90°. You understand by yourself that making such a complicated exploit of micro-mechanics was not a small feat back then.

The result is predictable. And it is that the watches made with this kind of escapement were still quite costly to make and to buy.

The alternative to the cylinder escapement was the lever escapement, which was still costly. It used a two-pronged anchor, which had to be fitted with two jewels so to ensure the best performance. And until the invention of synthetic gemstones in 1902, these jewels were made of real gems, which had to be cut appropriately for the task. So, the escapement mechanism had to be simplified more and made more affordable and robust to render it suitable for mass production.

This feat happened with an almost forgotten , who instead deserves a primary position in the watchmaking Hall of Fame. Along with Breguet and the others who revolutionized the industry.

His name was Georges Frederic Roskopf (1813-1889), the inventor Georges Frederic Roskopf - wikipedia.org Frederic Georges of the pin-lever escapement and the so-called Proletarian Watch.

By splitting the function of the cyl- inder escapement in two more simple elements (an escapement wheel and a pin-pallet), Roskopf rendered them much easier to make and lowered the production costs of movements signifi- cantly.

In 1860 Roskopf began to design such a watch, with just 57 parts instead of the usual 160 parts or more. This timepiece could be manufactured industrially and could be sold for 20 francs (which was about two weeks of wage of the average worker) while remaining simple, robust, and of good quality.

This radical approach was met by hostility, as Roskopf and his democra- tization of time-keeping were consid- detail - wikipedia.org The pin-lever, ered “dangerous” for the status quo. Eventually, he managed to produce his watches in 1867, using ebauches and cases from the Malleray Watch Co., and assembling them in Damprichard, Doubs, France, by M. Chatelain.

Roskopf watches were not fantastically accurate, but they were affordable, and everybody could finally afford to buy one.

From 1867, when they were presented in the Universal Exhibition in Paris, the Roskopf watches sold like crazy through Europe and the USA. Eventually, pin-pallet watches helped bring down the cost of the high-end timepieces as well, which had to be rendered more affordable through the re- finement of the so-called Swiss anchor escapement: the one we still use today.

The history of Roskopf and his Proletarian Watch matches with another very particular one: the story of an American in Switzerland, who founded a com- pany known as International Watch Company in 1868. He was an Ameri- can engineer and watchmaker called Florentine Ariosto Jones.

And yes, we are talking about the present-day IWC. Florentine Ariosto Jones - iwc.com Florentine He aimed to combine the Swiss watchmaking excellence with the modern techniques of mass-produc- tion, and to export the final products to the USA, which was a vast market which highly regarded the quality of Swiss watches. It was the beginning of the great industrial boom that would take the USA to become a world leader for 150 years. And the booming internal market of the USA offered lots of possibilities for the most adventurous and bold manufacturers.

The plan of Jones was spot-on. Back then, Switzerland was a rather poor coun- try. People carried out their watch-related activities in rather small, family-run labs, and still had little idea about how to industrialize their skills.

Jones’ plan of opening a modern factory in the traditional watchmaking area was revolutionary. So much that it raised the firm opposition of the French- speaking community who lived in the cradle of Swiss horology, the French- speaking region around Le Locle. This was the reason why he would select Illustration of the IWC factory - iwc.com another place for his dream to come true: Schaffhausen, in the German part of the country.

Finally, in 1875, a modern factory was built - a 45-meter long edifice that could accommodate 300 workers under one roof.

Jones introduced the American mass-production concept, defined as the “sequential series of operations carried out on successive special-purpose ma- chines that produced interchangeable parts.”

We need to make it clear that he did not invent this system by himself: Jones - then a young man - went to work for one of the best watchmaking firms in America, E. Howard & Co. He eventually rose to the rank of the superintend- ent of the factory. Still, in 1867 he applied for a passport, and he traveled to Europe, looking for a place to establish a watchmaking business, utilizing the so-called “American System” of watchmaking that he had learned profession- ally when in the USA.

This system derived from the manufacturing methods developed for the Fed- eral armories at Springfield and Harpers Ferry. And the aim was quite similar: high precision, interchangeable parts were needed for assembling weapons – something that made the system perfect for watchmaking.

Jones was more an innovator than a manager: he had to sell his company in two years. Still, his contribution was fundamental to launch a business model that would render Switzerland the powerhouse of watchmaking that it is today. The jewels in an Omega 321 caliber - wikipedia.org

2.1.2 - The jewels When we hear about mechanical watches, we often read about that term like “jewels” or “rubies,” and we often fantasize about the hidden riches inside our watches. There are some fiction stories also related to thieves stealing the jewels of a watch!

Well, the term “ruby” or “jewel” is used to refer to tiny artificial stones (jewel bearings) that are set inside the watch. They are shaped like a torus, are hu- man-made, and I must add, practically worthless - sorry for shattering your dreams of becoming rich in this way.

If you examine a watch movement, you can notice that these rubies are set in particular places (so, they are not ornamental, even if they do have a definite decor effect).

They are usually set in pairs (one above and one below) in correspon- dence of the pivots of the gears, and they are generally drilled through with a tiny hole.

You can see it here (it’s a cross-sec- Drawing of a normal jewel - wikipedia.org tion), on the right, what happens.

The pivots of the gears are set pre cisely through these stones, one up, one down, so they can rotate freely.

And why using jewels instead of plain metal bearings? (mind you, lots of watches use bearings too - especially lower-cost mechanical watches and quartz mechanisms).

The answer is, because of attrition.

A jewel is harder, even if more brittle than its metal counterpart, so the steel pivot rotates inside it more effortlessly and with less grinding on it than it would in a bearing made of metal (usually, brass). The static coefficient of fric- tion of brass-on-steel is 0.35, while that of sapphire-on-steel is 0.10–0.15, so three times less.

It means a smoother and better transmission of movement, less attrition, and extended durability of the watch without constant maintenance.

As you can easily imagine, setting a jewel inside a micro-mechanics element like a bridge of a watch is a complicated issue. This means that jewel setting was reserved for higher-quality (and higher cost) watches.

Jewel bearings were introduced in watches by Nicolas Fatio (or Facio) de Duil- lier and Pierre and Jacob Debaufre around 1702. Still, they did not become widely used as they were very costly. The first jewels were, indeed, shards of real gemstones. Watches often mounted garnet, quartz, or even glass; only the top quality ones mounted sapphire, ruby, or diamond jewels.

In 1902, everything changed, because Auguste Verneuil developed a chemi- cal process to create synthetic jewels. Hence, they became quite cheaper and gained widespread use in watchmaking. Jewels in modern watches are gener- ally rubies or corundum, one of the hardest substances known (apart from diamond).

So, modern watches tend to use jewels on every part that is subject to constant grinding of metal against metal. This includes the pivots of the wheels of a typical wind-up watch (wheel train, escapement wheel, balance wheel), as well as two other critical elements: the pallet fork endings and the single impulse jewel in the center of the balance wheel. Along the more ordinary torus- shaped jewels housing the pinions of the wheel train wheels, we also have some unique jewels called capstones. These jewels are used in wheels where friction is critical, as the balance wheel pinions. They are set so to prevent the shaft of the wheel from touching the surface of the jewel, and also, to create a space called “oil cup” which helps to lubricate the mecha- nism better. Drawing of a normal plus cap jewel - wikipedia.org

More often than not, these capstones are held in place with shock-resisting mechanisms, such as the Incabloc (which we’ll see in another chapter).

Before the introduction of shock-resisting systems (around 1932), the best wind-up mechanical movements without complications mounted 15 jewels. After that, the jewels rose to 17. Automatic and complicated move- ments usually mount more jewels.

From their introduction, watch man- ufacturers defined the quality of the movements using terms such as “XX Jewels,” where XX was the number of jewels mounted into the watch.

This term diffused itself in product descriptions, becoming a natural equivalence to the public of “more jewels, more quality.”

So much that some companies, be-

Detail of a Laurent-Ferrier movement, with 23 jewels - laurentferrier.ch Detail of a Laurent-Ferrier tween which Waltham and Orient, launched on the market watches featuring 100 jewels move ments. These movements used aesthetically-placed jewels, which had no func- tion whatsoever, except to let the manufacturer say that there were 100 jewels inside the watch.

This example is a practical effect of the fascination that a name like “jewel” can have on someone who does not know the functional aspects of jewels inside a watch.

We should note that this practice, which was deceiving for the customers, was first condemned, and then prohibited.

Today, a manufacturer cannot place jewels inside a movement that have no practical purpose. If it does, he cannot refer to them in its communication. Detail of an Orient 100-jewels movement - orient-watches.com Patek Philippe Calatrava movement - patek.com

3.5 - Finishings and decorations While we know that complications in a watch make the most of its value - and price, let’s not forget the other quality that renders luxury watches genuinely precious. And this is the presence of finishings and decorations, both in the movement and its case.

And we are not talking of the presence of precious metals and gems in their making, but about the human craftsmanship that has been poured into making that particular element, beautiful.

As strange as it may sound, luxury timepieces offer precisely this. Every ele- ment and component of their structure, both the case and the movement, is not just built: it is often polished, carved, decorated somehow. Even where you cannot see. Even on the surfaces that are not exposed.

This refinement is an activity that stays in a middle realm between the func- tional and the decorative aspect.

More often than not, these tiny elements inside a watch are milled, polished, and decorated, so to be exceptional in every way when you happen to look at them.

Initially, these processes, which were entirely made by hand, had a practi- cal purpose, apart from the aesthetic aspect. Watches have always had a huge issue: that is, the effects of dust inside the movements, as cases were not dust and waterproof in the beginnings. Dust tended to accumulate in recess- es: so, clogging up the moving parts, especially the pivots of the wheels, and affecting timekeeping.

So, started to create tex- tured surfaces on the metal surfaces of movements, so to “trap” the dust in excess by making it deposit itself there, and not in the moving parts of the movement.

There are two main finishings of this kind.

Cotes de Geneve stripes on a Vacheron Constantin caliber - vacheron-constantin.com Cotes de Geneve stripes on a Vacheron The first is called “Cotes de Geneve” (stripes of Geneva). It looks like a series of satin stripes practiced over select areas of the movement, mostly, non- moving parts, like bridges.

The second is called “Perlage” (pearl- ing), and also known as circular- graining or stippling. It consists of applying a pattern of overlapping small circles with a rotat- ing abrasive tool.

While the Cotes de Geneve finishing can be automatized, the perlage can- not, especially in the most intricate caliber - eberhard-co-watches.ch Traversetolo Perlage on an Eberhard details, so it requires manual interven- tion. More often than not, a single movement is decorated with both patterns in separate areas.

A second finishing, which cannot be totally automatized, is the so-called “anglage” (angling), also called chamfering.

In anglage, the edges of an element are filed with a 45° angle between the two orthogonal sides. The resulting surface is generally polished differently (it is shiny), and there is a very sharp edge on the corners between the surfaces.

This edge and the polishing cannot be obtained with purely CNC-driven means, so anglage is mostly hand- made, or better, hand-finished.

Black polish is not a decoration, but a way of polishing a surface. When a surface is planar and perfectly smooth, light reflects over it, giving a

Perfect anglage on an Audemars Piguet bridge - audemarspiguet.c om black effect, with the chamfered sides

instead shining bright.

Black polish is made by hand by scrubbing the surface with special diamond pastes, more coarse at the beginning, and progressively thinner at each passage.

As you can understand, it is incredibly time-consuming.

As a final note, sometimes sur-

faces are also engraved, and the best Effects of black polish, Philippe Dufour - monochrome-watches.com engraving is handmade. Usually, the brand of the watch is inscribed on the movement, with some other writings and seals. Other times, bridges and other elements are engraved with dec- orations in bas-relief, making them almost a work-of-art.

More often than not, the writings are Lange’s famous blue screws - alange-soehne.com famous blue screws Lange’s also filled with a particular colored resin. Another critical aspect of decorations in movements is the presence of screws, which are of a different color than other elements. This happens because tradi- tionally, screws were tempered at a high temperature so to render them harder.

The different temperatures used in tempering gave them a different color, one of the hardest being a bright blue. This is the reason why in some luxury watches you see screws of a blue color.

Even if today the blueing can be done through a chemical reaction, high-end manufacturers still use the traditional thermal blueing of screws. Blancpain Villeret Squelette movement - blancpain.com Blancpain Villeret Now consider applying these techniques and finishes to every one of the mechanical pieces composing the 300 of a typical complicated watch (that is, a watch featuring different exotic functions). And we mean the inside of the movement, as well as the outside.

Because cases, bezels, and backs are often polished with different finishes, shiny and satin, and this work cannot be done entirely automatically.

While in some other cases, they are engraved by hand, or set with precious ele- ments like gemstones. Blancpain Fifty Fathoms - blancpain.com

4.5 - Diver watches Diver watches are a very modern obsession, starting in the Fifties with the launch of the Submariner by Rolex and the Fifty Fathoms by Blancpain. But the waterproof watch, which today is known as water-resistant, is the modern heir of another kind of timepiece, which was much acclaimed at the beginning of the century: the dust-proof watch.

People noted that watches subject to extremes in climate, that is, tempera- ture, humidity, and the like, began to behave erratically. Dust was one of the main culprits. It entered into the movements and tended to accumulate in the recesses, namely the settings of the jewels where the pinions of the wheels turned, effectively slowing them down by building friction.

We should also note that watch oils used back then were organically-based, subject to natural decay, and gooing. Water had similar issues because it instead provoked the formation of rust inside watch movements.

The first experiments to get rid of dust and water were pretty rudimental, as it was quite challenging to seal away the movement, creating a complete dust- proof and waterproof case. The first companies which tried to eliminate these issues were Rolex and Omega.

Rolex was the first to refine a waterproof case in 1926, patented under the name of Oyster.

Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, presented it with these words: “The oyster is a ‘model’ hostess and will not toler- ate any dust or other impurities. [...] Well, gentlemen, we have borrowed its qualities and its name. Here is an example of the Rolex Oyster, so- called because it lives in water and excludes all impurities”.

To reassure the public about the qualities of its watch, Rolex, in 1927, contacted an English swimmer, The first Rolex Oyster - thejewelleryeditor.com Mercedes Gleitze, and supported her attempt to cross the English Channel by swimming.

The lady had a new Rolex Oyster hanging around her neck, and made it to the other side of the Channel, with the watch correctly working.

The first Oyster featured the elements

Mercedes Gleitze - rolex.com Mercedes that would render it famous, like the screw-in bezel and back, with the two o-rings and the screw-in crown.

The automatic movement, essential to guarantee that the crown remained waterproof, debuted a few years later, in 1931.

Omega instead followed another path: in 1932, it created and patented

a double sliding rectangular case, Omega Marine - omegawatches.com known as “Marine.”

To ensure water resistance, its crown was kept inside the double case. This watch was tested and certified by the Swiss Laboratory for Horology in Neuchâtel to withstand a pressure of 135 meters.

In 1936, another famous diver watch appeared: it was the Panerai Radi- omir, made by the Italian Maison expressly for the needs of the Italian Navy, to equip its force of frogmen. This watch, however, was originally manufactured by Rolex and rebranded A re-edition of the Panerai Radiomir - panerai.com A re-edition by Panerai. The Radiomir saw exten- sive use during WWII, demonstrating its qualities in the field.

With the end of the war and the dif- fusion of leisure scuba diving, diver

watches started their expansion as reliable tools for divers. One of the first models available for public use was the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, launched in France in 1953, which was worn by the underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau during his award- winning documentary “The silent world” of 1956.

The Fifty Fathom (its name de- rives from a nautical measurement of around 1.9 meters, indicating The first Rolex Submariner - thejewelleryeditor.com its maximum water resistance) was created at the request of the French Navy. A specific note was that the watch should have a system to show the remaining immersion time left, giving birth to the now typical rotating bezel.

Rolex, which was working on the same concept, launched its model, the quintessential Submariner in 1954, at the Basel Watch Fair. The model surged to glory when it was used by the most famous fictional secret agent of all time, James Bond, in 1962.

From this appearance of the ref. The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional - omegawatches.com The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional 6538, the Rolex Submariner skyrocketed to glory, bringing the whole brand with it and becoming the style icon that we know today.

The first diver watches were certified water-resistant to 100 meters, like the Fifty Fathoms. Still, technical advancement brought this limit much forward, with many reaching 500 meters and more, down to the present record of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, which has safely reached a depth of 10,928 meters.

One of the other devices used to guarantee the watch worked at high depths was the helium escape valve, so to prevent the watch crystal from being blown off by internal pressure caused by helium.

The use of diver watches today to monitor safe diving has been superseded by diving computers. However, a diver watch is a testament to the more heroic times of undersea exploration - and it looks perfect as well at the wrist. Sizing a watch is fundamental - piqsels.com

5.4 - Sizing a watch on the wrist The perfect size of a wristwatch has always been a controversial issue, and more, subject to the fashion trends.

If we do a brief historical search, we discover that the first wristwatches were very different from the ones that are popular today. Not only for the shape, as most of them were square or rectangular, but also for the dimensions, as they were much smaller. The average diameter was 30-32 mm: this was considered the best size for the gentleman. Ladies’ watches were smaller than this - a sort of miracle in manufacturing.

However, there was also a distinct trend on “oversize” watches. Some of them were a sort of tool watches, that is, not to be used formally. And this situation continued well into the 1970s when everything changed when someone like Gerald Genta launched the first Royal Oak “Jumbo” watch, with its sizable (for the time) dimensions of 39 mm. From then, sizes have continued to grow, reaching the modern-day hysteria of satellite

Old Bulova advertising - intlwatchleague.com dishes of over 50 mm.

Luckily, both for aesthetics and for the health of our wrists, this t6rend is cooling down, and watches are getting back to a wearable dimen- sion of around 40 mm.

But saying 40 mm is only half of the story. That is, it does not consider the effects of the lugs, which are instead extremely important to understand if a watch fits well on your wrist.

We have seen articles about using formulas to calculate the best fit based Sizing your wrist with a digital caliber on the circumference of the wrist. And we respectfully suggest another way. Take a caliber, and measure the width of your wrist while resting it against the desktop surface. Let’s sup- pose it is 58 mm.

Then, the golden rule is that the watch, complete of the lugs, has to fit inside those 58 mm. If it goes over them, then it is a no-no.

Aiming for this visual effect is the only way of accurately establishing if a watch “fits” on your wrist. It would be best if you aimed for a balanced result. The more it comes close to that measurement, the better it looks.

So, the true question is not about the watch diameter (or better, not only, ) but mostly about the dimensions and shape of the lugs.

More, it also implies that you should try the watch on the wrist, because it has to fit you, just like a suit. If it looks too big This Lange is excellent, but too big for this wrist - watchprosite.com or too small, it is not the right watch for you, and you should find something else to get on your wrist.

Far too many times, people are wearing humongous watches that look awkward on their wrists (like many Panerai or Richard Mille) - or too small for them. A small watch on a wristlet looks great - vintagewatchstraps.com A small watch on a wristlet looks great If the watch is too small, the best advice would be to buy and wear a watch that complements nicely to your wrist. So, do not buy a watch that looks like it comes from your big brother. It would not render you a good service, even if you like it. It is not right for you.

Search for another model or size, which fits you better. To return to the King of Size, Panerai, the Maison has released some “Baby Panerai” in 38 mm. Maybe you should consider them, and not the bigger references.

Remember also that getting a bigger watch, apart from the visual effect, be- comes dangerous for the watch itself. The bigger it gets, the more awkward it becomes to move it around without hitting something and scratching the case or the glass.

If the watch looks small, maybe a bit too small, there are ways to make it visu- ally bigger. For example, using a large, elaborate wristband that covers the wrist and shows the face of the watch as it happened with the first wristlets could be a fitting solution for it.

But also, remember that in this case, smaller is better, especially if it is a vin- tage timepiece. Vintage watches get a free pass, almost always, as the passion for vintage horology is well-known and accepted by the people who are into watches. Be sure your watch looks its part and that you know something about the timepiece you are wearing since doing this you would stand out, and attire more attention than the usual. The details of a Roger Smith watch - monochrome-watches.com

6.2 - Haute horlogerie When you are interested in horology, you often hear this term. What is, really, “haute horlogerie?”

The best way to describe it is through a similitude.

The modern fashion industry started at the beginning of the 1900s with the first Maisons making their collections. Back then, they were like bespoke tailors - in the best sense of the word - stitching a dress literally on the figure of their clients. This process is known as “haute couture”.

But later, as the market expanded, and more people came into affluence and wanted a garment made by them, they invented the concept of the “pret- a-porter”. Which were ready-to-wear clothes made to fit a particular size.

While most of them expanded into pret-a-

porter, that is, ready-to- Souverain by D Deprez FP Journe Chronometre wear clothes, the original haute couture still remained - and remains. Haute horlogerie is the haute couture of watches.

When you rise high enough and enter into the lofty realms of haute horlogerie, a company like Patek Philippe becomes just one of the competing brands. And for sure, not the all-around champ that it is in the ready-to- A Kari Voutilainen 28 TI watch - gphg.org A Kari Voutilainen wear timepieces.

A company like Patek Philippe today manufactures around 50,000 timepieces per year, which is a very respectable output. But what happens when this number becomes 5,000 - or even 500?

That the exclusivity, quality, and refinement rise exponentially.

Patek Philippe, as excellent as it is, is an industry. And there are still artisans making watches by hand, or in very, very limited quantities. You have to wait years to get one of their watches if you order one (and do not get turned down). These artisans have names that are well-known and respected in the area of haute horlogerie.

Among the others, FP Journe, Kari Vouti- lainen, Rexhep Rexhepi, Philippe Dufour, the McGonigle broth- ers, Christophe Claret, Roger Smith, Tim and Bart Gronefeld… and there are many others.

These watchmakers

sometimes do not even blue dial - professionalwatches.com Remontoire The Gronefeld make 500 watches per year. Nor 50.

They make maybe 25.

They are 20 times more ex- clusive to the average Patek Philippe. And a Patek Philippe is 20 times more exclusive than the typical Rolex if we make a comparison between them. Summing it up together, it means that for one haute horlogerie timepiece, there are

An Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain by Rexhep Rexhepi - acollectedman.com An Akrivia Chronometre around 50,000 Rolex - about all of the average yearly production of Patek Philippe.

There is an anecdote to let you understand a bit about this elusive realm. When the young Roger Smith frequented his first course in watchmaking, he met the legen- dary George Daniels, the inventor of the coaxial escapement, one of the greatest achievements of modern horology.

Smith followed the instructions of Daniel’s book, “Watchmaking,” and he made a in his spare time. Then he went to Daniels to show him. Daniels looked at it and said that he had to start again, as the watch looked “handmade” and not “created.”

Smith spent the next five years perfecting the thirty-two skills required to design and make a watch as expressed in “The Daniels Method”. And then, he returned to Daniels to show his result. Finally, he obtained his approval, and an invitation to go to work with him in his workshop in the Isle of Man.

Upon his death in 2011, Daniels left his entire workshop to Smith. He noted upon receiving it:

“George’s whole studio was geared towards the singular goal of one man being able to design and make a watch from start to finish”.

In Daniels’ studio, there were (and are) still machinery from the 1800s, used to make watches by hand. Pos- sibly his most precious legacy.

This is what haute horlo- gerie is.

Like the big fashion houses, Patek Philippe sells mostly pret-a-porter A Roger Smith Series 2 - deployant.com models, like the Cala- trava and the Nautilus. But there is also, inside its same company struc- ture, a haute-couture branch: the top models made exclusively by hand in few units per year.

Most luxury brands of horology still offer this exclusive service. However, it is mostly veiled from the casual glances of the onlookers who only see the most affordable and visible results of the production. The real beauty is more sheltered.

The small workshops, the best artisans, do not need to sell. They are like bespoke tailors and create a watch exclusively for you and a few others. Maybe the model is similar, but it will have some little difference from another, as each one is truly hand- crafted.

If we want to get very practical, and this would not render true justice to Mr. Smith and watchmakers like him, you might buy an “entry-level” watch of his making, the so-called Series 2, for $150,000 (if you can find one, of course). You can buy the most affordable Patek Philippe Calatrava for around $10,000. Watch elements - ticktickticktick.com Watch

7.2 - Watch manufacturing case histories

Recent developments in crowdfunding platforms have given the budding watchmakers the possibility of launching collections even before having invested in them, so they are quite handy to develop win-win plans. I mean, you make a good-looking watch, secure some suppliers, launch it and become famous, right?

If this was what happened a few years ago, and still does in some instances, it does not mean that the result is going to be good.

So, what is the difference between a half-baked idea and a full-fledged watch brand?

The attention to detail and the careful research for a specific niche of the mar- ket makes this difference.

These are the two universal elements that transform an idea into a success. While there are evident case histories about brands which instead offer very different models, and have an undeniable, huge success worldwide, we are instead focusing on what is getting constant attention from the vertical market of horology fans and has reached peaks of excellence in the watchmaking field. MING watches

MING is a very interesting company. It is based in Malay- sia but has been formed by six watch enthusiasts from around the world. It gravitates around the figure of its leader, Ming Thein, a photographer, de- signer, business strategist, and The Ming 17-06, winner of the GPHG prize - ming.watch above all, a lover of watches.

The background of the six founders collects more than 80 years of experience in exquisite timepieces. So, the MING watches are made by watch lovers to watch lovers

The goal of MING is, taken straight from their website, “to bring back a sense of excitement and discovery through watches that show considered delib- eration and refinement in every detail while punching far above their price point. We neither pretend to have history, nor are we burdened by it; we make watches as we see fit and would want to have in our own collections”.

In a way, MING watches are a 2020 edition of an etablisseur, which is driven by the research of beauty in timepieces rather than merely a commercial calcu- lation.

All of MING timepieces are limited editions, which are assembled, regu- lated, and tested in Switzerland, with final quality control done in Malaysia.

The attention to detail is what strikes from the MING experience. Not only are the pieces superbly designed, and featuring a “house style,” which renders them unique and distinctive:

every element of them is made by the to be fitted with wristbands - ming.watch A set of Ming watches, ready best suppliers, like Manufacture Schwarz Etienne, for the movements and Jean Rousseau Paris for the wrist- bands.

The watch experts quickly noticed this attention and dedication to their trade. So much that the company has received an award in the 2019 edition of the GPHG (Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève) in the Best Horological Rev- elation category. Not bad at all for a company that was founded in 2017.

Vortic watches

For far too long, the American tradition in watch manufac- turing has been forgotten in favor of the sheer force of numbers.

American companies had an impressive history of achieve-

A view of a Vortic-mounted movement - vorticwatches.com A view of a Vortic-mounted ments in watchmaking, which, unfortunately, for a reason or another, fizzled into nothing- ness. Little is left of the awesomely-made movements beating inside the old Elgin and Waltham pocket watches. Most of them were discarded as scrap metal when their cases in precious gold were melted for cash.

And a company called Vortic saw the opportunity and the market and stepped (rightly) in. It made it by recovering these beautiful old move- ments, and refitting them into new cases, creating watches that show the amazing level of craft achieved in the US from the 1850s onwards, which rivaled with the best Swiss produc- tion.

Vortic takes old movements from dis- Military is a new launch by the company - vorticwatches.com The Vortic carded pocket watches, and “upcycles” them, refitting them into new cases and proposing them as extremely fashion- able wristwatches.

The company offers the option of creating these marriage watches via an online configurator. So you can choose how to make your watch from several components, and include the movement of your choice, perfectly serviced and polished, so to create a modern timepiece with a steampunk-ish mood.

They also offer the option of refitting an old movement that you already have into a new watch of your liking.

And last but not least, their prices are, if not low, very affordable.

The thought of recovering amazing watches that are full of history comes from a very modern, “upcycling” mentality that makes these watches extremely appealing. To revive and restore the old traditions and give them a new shape and scope is both respectful and innovative and renders Vortic a company to be well-aware of.

LIV watches LIV watches, looking sporty and sturdy - watchesyoucanafford.com LIV watches, looking sporty and sturdy LIV is a microbrand based in Miami, FL, which is doing the crowdfunding thing “right.”

They offer both mechanical and quartz-based watches at affordable prices - and more, these watches have a consistent style. They are not just assembled. They are designed.

The LIV style is definitely sporty, and geared towards the casual use (a “life of adventure” as they say) - but it seems that the two founders have a clear image of what their customers want.

The movements are Swiss-made, from Ronda and Sellita, and the assembly of each production run - which is in limited edition - is made in Switzerland as well. The company also offers some nice personalization options, with dif- ferent colors and styles.

But aside from this, LIV takes pride in its unique relationship with its clients.

They claim to stay behind and sup- port every watch they make entirely. And reading from the internet, we The LIV GX automatic diver - livwatches.com have no motivation to doubt about that.

The combination was just right, as the first project they presented for the GX1 Swiss Chrono reached its funding goal in only 11 hours on Kickstarter.

From this first timepiece, the company has launched many others in the same way, that is, through Kickstarter campaigns. The last campaign, “Break- through”, introduced four new models, from pilots to diver watches, and the activity of the company is building a regular fan base that appreciates the qual- ity and design of its timepieces. All photos - audemarspiguet.com

8.2.1 - Audemars Piguet The iconic Maison, one of the few still independent Swiss watchmakers, was founded by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in 1875. However, it took the legacy of the company set up by Jean Louis Ben-

jamin Audemars in 1811. Audemars Piguet Code 11:59

Initially, Audemars followed the technical side of the company, while Piguet the commercial activities. They specialized in high-end, complicated movements, which they manufactured under their name and also sold to other companies.

In 1889 they presented at the World Expo in Paris a “grand complicated” watch, featuring multiple complica- tions (perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and chronograph), and in 1892 they present the world’s smallest minute repeater watch. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Oak Royal Piguet Audemars At the death of the founders, in the Twenties, the company continued to pursue the most complicated techni- cal feats relentlessly, with an innova- tive vision that defies the established rules. This creative spirit has earned Audemars Piguet the appellative of “Young Prince” in the so-called Holy Trinity of Swiss watchmaking. Audemars Piguet Jules This spirit was very much alive when the company commissioned the renowned designer Gerald Genta the first luxury sports watch, in 1972: the Royal Oak.

The launch of this timepiece (which defied all the established canons of haute horlogerie, and was subject to severe criticism) marked a turning point in watches. It authorized the use of the ordinary stainless steel in luxury time- pieces.

Still today, the company continues in its drive to break the rules. In 2019, it launched a new line, called Code 11:59, which represents a sort of mid- dle ground between the sporty luxury of the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore and the classic elegance of the Jukes Audemars line. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chrono Offshore Oak Royal Piguet Audemars

The Code 11:59 line features a com- plex case, elegant complications and smaller dimensions of 41 mm, and is touted as a unisex watch. Like the Royal Oak before it, its introduction has raised lots of controversy in the business: but Audemars Piguet is used to this.

Among its most notable feats, Audemars Piguet holds a participation in Rich- ard Mille and a majority stake in the high-end manufacturer, Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi.

www.audemarspiguet.com Watch tools - strapcode.com Watch

9.2 - Tools and supplies To properly equip yourself for the watch-related activities you wish to perform, from the most simple to the most complicated, you need to buy yourself a set of specific tools, which range from the affordable to the very costly.

However, the good news is that the equipment needed depends exclusively on the operations you want to perform. If you don’t want to become a full-fledged watchmaker, limited interventions mean few basic tools.

There is a cardinal rule; however: the quality of the tools you employ deter- mines the outcome of your work.

Avoid all the offers and the lures of cheap toolsets that you find online - they are mostly money going down the drain.

If you want to be a professional, then you need the tools that professionals use. And while there are many reliable manufacturers making tools for the profes- sionals, the two best-known companies you can concentrate on are Bergeon and Horotec.

They are among the most diffused and make quality tools.

As a result, they are costly.

But this fact, in a way, is good, since it will make you plan what tools you want to buy, and proceed step by step. To begin with, watch operations, you won’t need that many tools initially - if you continue to develop your passion, you will need a more complex and costly toolset, but it will come way later in your activity.

1 - Set of loupes

That is, the typical watchmaker’s monocles, with varying magnifications. The most typical are 5X, 7.5X, and 10X. A loupe holder could also be useful, but not necessary if you don’t plan on wearing a loupe for extended periods.

2 - Springbar tool.

It is the tool used to remove the springbars from the lugs. It is a sort of small metal lever with two prongs that you place on the two sides of where the springbar goes into the holes in the lug.

3 - Pop-in back opener.

It looks like a surgical knife with a short steel blade, but it is not sharp, so it does not cut.

4 - Screw-in back opener.

There are several variations of this tool, from the economical two-prongs The Swiss Army knife for watchmakers - esslinger.com one to the costlier three-prongs tool with a set of different points, which can be changed to suit precisely the shape of the recesses on the back of your watch.

There is also another type of back opener: a silicon ball, which should adhere to the back of the watch and could be turned to open it without having to use a metal tool. While the concept is good, in practice, it seldom works.

5 - Swiss Army knife.

The one with the most typical functions is ok, while there is also a specific edi- tion featuring watchmaker’s tools. If you have even a regular one, especially when you are outside your watch lab, it could become very handy to perform some basic tasks, like helping you to open pop-in cases when in a flea market and such.

6 - Screwdriver set

A set of high-end antimagnetic set with base - esslinger.com Screwdriver screwdrivers is essential to perform different operations on watches. So, be sure to buy a set of good ones. They come in varying sizes - a good assort- ment could come from four to six. They usually have a color band, so to distin- guish between them and pick the right one easily. More often than not, screwdriver sets come with a handy rotating base, which is used to support them.

7 - Sharpening stone

To sharpen screwdrivers and other tools, you need to buy a sharpening stone. It is a stone made of carborun- dum, and you use it to sharpen the heads of screwdrivers, chisels, tweez- ers and such. Carborundum sharpening stone - esslinger.com

If you want to obtain perfect angles on the tools, you might also buy a sharpening tool holder.

8 - Tweezers set

High-end antimagnetic tweezers are essential to place, hold, and remove elements reliably.

You need at least two tweezers, but set - esslinger.com Tweezer you might profit from more, especially the ones with different beak shapes (curved, flat, etc.). that many of them are there with only one goal: selling you something. Hence, the difference between the more trustworthy ones and the commercial ones sometimes runs very thin. Still, most of them provide useful pieces of infor- mation for watch lovers everywhere and are kept updated to serve the watch community better and better.

A Blog to Watch

One of the best references in the watchosphere. The blog is well-curat- ed and provides a great overview of

ablogtowatch.com the watch scene.

It has a large and active following, so check the comments to the articles, which are often as interesting as the articles themselves.

Bob’s Watches Rolex Blog

This is the blog of a store specialized in Rolex watches.

It mainly features insightful articles bobswatches.com about the House of the Crown, and a few assorted topics about horology - but if you are a Rolex fan, this is the place to be.

Deployant

A blog made by the collectors for the collectors. So, if you belong to this category of watch-lovers, you would find plenty of inspirations here. deployant.com

The writing style is crisp, rendering it a joy to read. Chronometer

A very precise watch, usually certi- fied by a testing organism. For Swiss watches, it is called COSC (acro- nym for Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres). The standards The COSC logo - cosc.swiss are -4/+6 seconds per day. Superla- tive Chronometers have standards of -2/+2 seconds per day.

Clutch

The clutch is a component used inside the automatic movements and serves to avoid overwinding the mainspring.

Complication

Unique functions that the basic hand-wound watch provides in addition to the indication of hours, minutes, and seconds.

Cotes de Geneve

A decoration of the bridges and plate made in horizontal patterns, resulting in a striped look of the final move-

ment. Cotes de Geneve - fr.worldtempus.com

Crown

An element that allows the winding- up of the watch. To protect the movement from possible water and dust infiltration, it often uses special o-rings. In diving watches, it is usu-

Crown of a Baume Mercier Capeland - baume-et-mercier.com of a Baume Mercier Crown ally screwed in.