Watches Corner

Precista 300 metre Automatic Diver

2008-08-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Precista 300 follows the tradition of paying homage to military and military-style wristwatches of the past, in this case it follows and improves on the specification of British Ministry of Defence Standard 66-4, Part 1 Issue 2. This revision is dated 1 January 1971.

This is arguably the most popular military dive watch today and good examples are keenly sought and command a high price.
This edition bearing the Precista name has been faithfully manufactured to the original specification, improving on it where appropriate. The most significant improvement is the addition of an anti-magnetic movement cover, movement holder and soft iron dial giving the watch anti-magnetic resistance to 80,000 A/m (Amp metres), the same as modern day IWC and Sinn watches. This has increased the thickness of the watch by 3mm over the original.

Case
Solid stainless steel case with brushed steel sides, polished top and back. Unidirectional bezel with luminous numbers in the bezel insert sealed with hardened acrylic. Screw back and screw down crown; the crown assembly is identical to that employed in the "Dreadnought" and has been tested to 2000 metres. Domed acrylic crystal in keeping with the original design. The dial is soft iron anti-magnetic and the polished steel sword hands are filled with Super Luminova, as are the indices.
Each watch has its own unique serial number, which also identifies the date of manufacture, engraved on the case back.

Dimensions
40mm diameter across the bezel and 46.6mm to the tip of the signed crown. 47mm lug tip to lug tip and 14.3mm thick tot he top of the domed crystal. Lug spacing is 20mm and the watch head without strap weighs 90 grammes.

Movement
ETA 25 jewel automatic, calibre 2824-2 (standard). Supplied in box with 12 months guarantee and choice of Time Factors Aviator, Rally or Carbon strap. Also supplied with a spare crystal and tube of Polywatch.

for a very good review, check http://www.watcharama.com/prs14.htm

Precista watches available at http://www.timefactors.com/precista.htm

Watch Brands History - Article 12 (Bell & Ross)

2008-08-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

1993 • Bruno Belamich and Carlos A. Rosillo, two boyhood friends, joined forces for one of the most beautiful adventures in watchmaking of the late 20th century. They decided to launch a simple idea: “function shapes form.” Efficiency, legibility, and reliability were the three words that would define the Bell & Ross brand.
Indisputably the most brilliant idea of the two young inventors – when they started out as watchmakers – was, from the start, to closely collaborate with Sinn, a highly reputable manufacture. Sinn specialised in the production of dashboard meters.

Space One and Hydro were the fruit of this collaboration.

The second key idea was to get the adventure off the ground by giving the brand a strong identity as an efficient chronometer, to meet the needs of the most exacting user. Immediately adopted by NATO and the Air Force, Bell and Ross also found takers within the French security service’s bomb disposal squad. To make the point, they created Hydromax, the most reliable watch in the world, for deep underwater work, with the world abyssal record for water resistance to 11,000 meters. They also managed to restore with great success the taste for pilot watches that had flourished in the 50s and 60s, but which had since been forgotten.

1994 • Bell & Ross re-issued the Space 1, the first automatic chronometer to be worn in space, by the German astronaut Reinhart Furrer on the Spacelab mission in 1983.

1996 • Creation of the Bell & Ross Bomb Disposal Type, ordered for use by the bomb disposal unit of the French Security Services. The watch had an anti-magnetic, A-magnetic case, and the legibility, reliability and precision to meet the very special needs and constraints of bomb disposal operations.

1997 • World water resistance record awarded to Bell & Ross for the Hydro Challenger (11,000 meters in Guinness Book of Records).

1998 • The Space 3 chronograph brought together all of Bell & Ross’ know how. It is equipped with a screwed down, telescopic retractable winding crown, known as the T-Crown system, which enabled the winding crown to be fully incorporated within the depth of the case. Chanel Horlogerie took a shareholding in the capital of Bell and Ross.

2000 • Second increase in the Chanel stake, but Bell & Ross retained a majority holding.

2001 • Bell & Ross unveiled the modern multifunction men’s watch Function, combining classic style with the modern movement’s analog and digital display.

2002 • First jumping hour hand watch with power reserve indicator. The Vintage 123 Heure Sautante was the fruit of cooperation between Bell and Ross and the Swiss master watchcraftsman Vincent Calabrese. Equipped with an automatic movement, this grande complication offered an easy, original way to tell the time. End of the collaboration with Sinn and autonomous production at Chatelain in Chaux des Fonds.

2003 • Bell & Ross paid timely homage to the ladies with the Mystery Diamond, that magically concealed the secret mystery of its weightlessness: A diamond floats and turns between the crystal and the dial to show the time.

2005 • Introduction of the BR 01 Instrument, the wristwatch born of an airplane clock.

from http://www.thewatchquote.com/Bell-Ross-History-No_3873.htm

(model on photo: Pilot 10th Anniversary Limited Edition)

Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33

2008-05-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33
Ref TS.186.1998 (PIC 3990.50) produced from 1998 up to 2001 : The fist version of the X-33

Specifications:

Movement: ETA 988.431 devellopped exclusivly for Omega caliber number 1666
Type : Quartz multifunction
Dimensions : 13 1/4 ligne, 30mm
Precision : +/- 0.1 seconds per day
Jewels : 9
Power Reserve : 2 year to 3 yrs depending upon use of alarm and light
Battery : lithium
Light : 8 LUX
Sound intensity : 80 dB minimum (that ought to wake the dead!)
Water resistance : 3 ATM
Shock resistance : 3500 g's maximum

Basic Functions:
Hours, Minutes, Seconds
Day, Date, Month, Year. Perpetual calendar to 2099AD
Alarm
Battery end-of-life indicator (second hand jumps in 5-second intervals)
Countdown Timer
Chronograph - 1/100sec up to 99h59′59″99/100
Special Functions designed for NASA Mission Requirements:
Mission Elapsed Time (MT) - up to 999 days
Mission Elapsed Time Alarm (MA)
Universal Time (UT) - including day number or “Julian” date
Universal Time Alarm (UA) - second alarm for a specific time & date only

X-33 in Space
The X-33 is used by NASA and many space agencies for in-flight mission requirements. It is issued as one of four watch models approved by NASA for mission use. The others are the original Omega Speedmaster Professional, a Casio G-shock, and a Timex Datalink. The original mechanical Speedmaster Professional remains the only watch authorized for use during EVA "spacewalks." The X-33 is most often seen worn on the black kevlar strap, though the titanium bracelet appears sometimes as well. Rarely it can also bee seen worn on a one-piece white velcro strap similar to (or the same as?) that used to fit around the spacesuit. The watch is issued to NASA astronauts and is often worn on the ground as well to build familiarity with the interface and operation of the watch, much like the astronauts of the Apollo program in the 1960’s and ’70s wore their NASA-issued Speedmaster Professionals on the ground.

X-33 Cancellation
In the summer of 2006 Omega announced that the Speedmaster Professional X-33 would be discontinued for regular retail sale, but shortly thereafter it was determined that the X-33 would still remain available to space agencies like NASA and to military aviators under under the Military Pilot Program.
While Omega never provided any definitive reasons for the cancellation, there was much speculation (as always!) among enthusiasts and collectors. Its namesake NASA X-33 program had already been cancelled in awkward embarassment years previously, and unfortunately for Omega it was probably getting increasingly hard to maintain credibility selling a watch bearing the same tainted name. Moreover, despite its aviation and space pedigrees the X-33 was sadly never a blockbuster seller in the retail market, with pricing being perhaps among the biggest reasons. At its price point (MSRP about US$3400) it was relatively expensive for a sport/tool watch when similarly featured models from the competitors like the Casio G-Shock could be had at a fraction of the price. And though technically superior and well-matched to its intended flight/space applications, quartz technology can be a hard to sell at those prices. Though very functional it lacks the prestige and nostalgic tradition of a mechanical movement, something consumers who would spend such a sum on watches still seem to want in a "luxury" watch.

based on info from http://www.lesmala.net/jean-michel/speedmaster/index2.htm and http://watches.ryanrooney.com/X-33/

Watch Brands History - Article 11 (Breitling)

2008-04-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

From Past to Present

1884 · In St. Imier, in the Jura mountains of Switzerland, Leon Breitling opens a workshop specializing in making chronographs and precision counters for scientific and industrial purposes.

1892 · In response to his company's significant growth, Leon Breitling relocates in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the center of Swiss watchmaking in those days.

1914 · On the demise of Leon Breitling, his son Gaston takes over the firm.

1915 · Gaston Breitling creates the first wristwatch chronograph and subsequently provides pilots with their first wrist instruments.

1923 · Breitling develops the first independent chronograph pushpiece. Start and return-to-zero functions had previously been controlled using the winding-crown.

1932 · Gaston's son, Willy Breitling, takes the helm of the family firm.

1934 · Breitling develops the second return-to-zero pushpiece. This invention, making it possible to measure several successive short times with an add function using the first pushpiece, gives the wrist chronograph its definitive form.

1936 · Breitling becomes the official supplier to the Royal Air Force. This marks the start of a longstanding record of cooperation with international aviation.

1942 · Breitling launches the Chronomat, the first chronograph to be fitted with a circular slide rule. In parallel, the company broadens its professional clientele to include the American armed forces.

1952 · Breitling creates the Navitimer, a wrist instrument equipped with the famous "navigation computer" capable of handling all calculations called for by a flight plan. This super chronograph quickly becomes a firm favourite among pilots around the globe. By this stage, Breitling is already supplying the major international airlines with cockpit clocks.

1962 · Astronaut Scott Carpenter wears the Cosmonaute Chronograph on his wrist during his orbital flight aboard the Aurora 7 space capsule.

1969 · Breitling invents the selfwinding chronograph movement, in cooperation with Buren and Heuer-Leonidas. This technical feat represents a major breakthrough for the entire Swiss watch industry.

1979 · Ernest Schneider - a pilot, watch manufacturer and microelectronics specialist - takes over the Breitling brand from the founder's grandson, Willy Breitling.

1984 · Breitling launches the Chronomat, in close cooperation with the Frecce Tricolori elite flight team. With its sturdy case and famous bezel with rider tabs, the Chronomat marks the return of the mechanical chronograph and quickly becomes the best-selling line in the Breitling collection, a position it has held ever since.

1985 · The Aerospace, an innovative multifunction electronic chronograph crafted in titanium immediately appeals to many pilots.

1995 · Breitling presents the Emergency, a multifunction instrument watch with built-in micro-transmitter broadcasting on the 121.5 MHz aircraft emergency frequency.

1999 · The "all-chronometer" challenge: as the crowning touch to a century of watchmaking excellence, Breitling has set itself the ambitious goal of submitting its entire product range to the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute. A world first among major watch brands.

2000 · Breitling inaugurates its new headquarters in Grenchen, Switzerland, made up of an ultra-modern administrative building and a state-of-the-art production unit where Breitling chronometers are assembled in optimal conditions.

2001 · With the introduction of SuperQuartz&tm;, Breitling provides movements ten times more accurate than standard quartz. The brand thereby asserts itself as a benchmark in the field of quartz: its electronic movements are the only ones on the market able to meet the COSC requirements.

2002 · Breitling Chronometrie, a unit specializing in the making of mechanical chronograph movements, is established in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the town where Leon Breitling opened his first chronograph factory 110 years earlier.

from http://www.breitlingsource.com/breitling_timeline_history.shtml

My New Watch: Breitling Aerospace

2008-04-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

for a great link about the Aerospace history and a online user manual, go to
http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=73

The Secret Life of Machines - Quartz Watch

2008-02-13T09:06:00.000-08:00

Check this videos on YouTube. They are worth it! Just do a "copy-past".

The Secret Life of Machines - Quartz Watch part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RKrWwq0Oa8

The Secret Life of Machines - Quartz Watch part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8qoQjwdGtY

The Secret Life of Machines - Quartz Watch part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a__o45b0Vuo

Watch Brands History - Article 10 (IWC)

2007-12-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

An interesting fact you may or may not know: International Watch Company (IWC) is possibly the only major Swiss watch company whose founder was an American! During the 1860's, three manufacturers dominated the American watch industry: Elgin, Howard and Waltham. Combined, these firms produced upwards of 100,000 pocket watches. Times were changing in the industry as pocket watches went from being a status symbol that only the wealthiest individuals could afford, to an everyday item available to the middle class. As a result, production methods had to be improved; for example, most parts for watches were still being made by hand. Costs were also high because the pool of available, qualified watchmakers was relatively small. In Boston, Massachusetts, Florentine Ariosto Jones, who had worked in the American watch industry for a number of years, keenly observed the failure of Aaron Lufkin Dennison, a leader in the watch business, whose efforts to move production to Switzerland to benefit from lower wages and Swiss watchmaking know-how, failed miserably. Undaunted, Jones took over the failed enterprise and soon set up his own company in Switzerland. His plan was to assemble watches in Switzerland and import them into the United States, hence the name International Watch Company.

Fortuitously, Jones made the acquaintance of one Johann Heinrich Moser, a watchmaker whose hometown of Schaffhausen was conveniently located near the Rhine. Following Moser's advice, a dam was built in order to harness the mighty river and generate hydro-power to drive the machines used in manufacturing facilities throughout Schaffhausen. A watch factory was built in Schaffhausen to take advantage of the cheap hydro-power and production commenced in 1868. Despite the company's unique business plan, the enterprise was doomed from the start. For one thing, Jones had trouble selling the watches in America, due to a high tariff on imported finished watches. An even worse problem: Jones was undercapitalized and encountered technical problems with the machines. By 1875, he was scrambling to find new investors, amid allegations by disgruntled stockholders that the company was on the verge of collapse. Inevitably, the company filed for bankruptcy and Jones was forced to relinquish control of his company.

A Swiss consortium acquired IWC's shares and put another American, Frederick Seeland, at its helm. Although the company's fortunes improved somewhat, the improvement was not deemed sufficient enough. As a result, the company was put up for sale again. This time, one of IWC's stockholders, Johannes Raschenbach-Vogel, bought the company at auction for 280,000 francs. Technical achievements and increased sales soon followed with the production of the first pocket watches with digital time indication, as well as development of the famous Calibre 52 movement, which at the time was quite revolutionary in its concept and construction.

Although the company experienced significant growth, following World War I, the company's fortunes again hit rock bottom under the proprietorship of Ernst Homberger-Rauschenbach. Fortunately, a major modernization effort paid off when the advent of World War II resulted in increased military demand. It was thus during World War II that IWC created the first oversize anti-magnetic pilot's watch, followed by the famous Mark X, featuring its new in-house movement, Calibre 83. In 1944, IWC had a close call when the Allies mistakenly bombed Schaffhausen. As luck would have it, the factory narrowly escaped destruction.

In the aftermath of the war, International Watch Company lived up to its name and became a company of international scope. Exports to the United States increased and the brand became best known for its specialty watches, such as the Mark XI and Ingenieur - the first automatic IWC with a soft-iron inner case that protected the movement against magnetic fields - as well as for its elegant dress watches. Needless to say, vintage IWC's from the 1940's and 50's are highly collectible today and in great demand, as they are somewhat under-priced compared to other high-end watch brands of that era.

In closing, the company's philosophy is best summed up by IWC's current CEO, Michael Sarp, who recently stated: "We shall produce watches of the highest quality with unique technical and design characteristics and thus continue to experience the pleasures of innovation." If you should have an opportunity to examine an IWC, you will quickly realize that Mr. Sarp speaks the truth.

from http://www.vintagewatchrestoration.com/history/body.html

History - The Quartz Crisis

2007-11-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

The Quartz Crisis also known as the Swiss Watchmakers’ Crisis of the 1970’s and sometimes, perhaps euphemistically, referred to as the Quartz Revolution, was a period in time in the 1970s and early 1980s which coincided with the advent of quartz oscillator technology watches, a general economic down-turn and, the low point of the Swiss watch industry which chose to remain focused on traditional mechanical watch technology rather than embrace the new quartz watch technology.

Swiss Hegemony
During World War II, Swiss neutrality permitted the watch industry to continue making consumer time keeping apparatus while the major nations of the world shifted timing apparatus production to timing devises for military ordnance. As a result, the Swiss watch Industry enjoyed a well protected monopoly. The industry prospered in the absence of any real competition. Thus, prior to the 1970s, the Swiss watch industry had 90% of the world watch market.

The Fall
But when a new quartz technology was developed by Swiss Nationals and offered to the industry, Swiss manufacturers refused to embrace the technology. Others, outside of Switzerland, however, saw the advantage and developed the technology.
The first mass-produced quartz watches with analog display and integrated circuit were introduced in 1970. By 1978 quartz watches overtook mechanical watches in popularity, plunging the Swiss watch industry into crisis. This period of time was marked by a lack of innovation in Switzerland at the same time that the watch making industries of other nations were taking full advantage of emerging technologies, specifically, quartz watch technology, hence the term Quartz Crisis.
Ironically, the very technology which caused so much of the turmoil in the Swiss watch industry was pioneered by Swiss Nationals but rejected by the more conservative and tradition oriented watch industry. As a result of the economic turmoil that ensued, many once profitable and famous Swiss watch brands became insolvent and/or disappeared. The period of time completely upset the Swiss watch industry both economically and psychologically.
The Swiss lost market share to the less expensive quartz watches produced outside of Switzerland. During the 1970s and early 1980s, technological upheavals i.e. the appearance of the quartz technology, and an otherwise difficult economic situation resulted in a reduction in the size of the Swiss watch industry. The number of employees fell from some 90,000 in 1970 to a little over 30,000 by 1984, while the number of companies decreased from about 1,600 in 1970 to about 600. However, as currently re-established the Swiss watch industry is vastly improved, producing watches in the higher ranges, mostly mechanical watches.

The renaissance & the Swatch
By 1981, crisis reached a critical point. In 1982, the first Swatch prototypes were launched. The Swatch would be instrumental in reviving the Swiss watch industry. Swatch was originally intended to re-capture entry level market share lost by Swiss manufacturers during the aggressive growth of Japanese companies such as Seiko in the 1960s and 1970s, and to re-popularize analog watches at a time when digital watches had achieved wide popularity. The launch of the new Swatch brand in 1983 was marked by bold new styling and design. The quartz watch was redesigned for manufacturing efficiency and fewer parts. This combination of marketing and manufacturing expertise restored Switzerland as a major player in the world wristwatch market. Synthetic materials were used for the watch cases as well as a new ultra-sonic welding process and the assembly technology. The number of components was reduced from some 100 to 51, with no loss of accuracy.
Hayek, merged SSIH and ASUAG, a holding company that controlled manufacturers of movement blanks, assortments and electronic components for the entire Swiss watch industry, and gave a new bill of health to all brands concerned and gave rise to what would become the Swatch Group.

The First Technological Crisis, a background
The Quartz Crisis was introduced as “the Second Technological Crisis” thereby implying that there was a first technological crisis. The Quartz Crisis was, indeed, the second time the Swiss watch making industry fell into crisis.
The first crisis, known as the Technological Crisis, arose in 1876 and coincided with the American Centennial Exhibition held in Philadelphia. At this event, American watchmakers showed off the fruits of their industrialized watch making factories, quite to the dismay of Swiss watchmakers in attendance. Most notable, Jacques David, an engineer and later a Director of the Longines Company was in attendance. He reported on his findings and the disparity of the industrial technology among the U.S. and Switzerland.
David, discovered, the technological advancements made by the fledgling American watch industry. Whereas Swiss manufacture was stammered by its piecemeal production system, which was the most widespread form of production, the American watch producers brought together the entire production of watches under one roof. The American System, as it came to be known, employed standardized, machine-made parts along with improved machines and tools. They thus, could reach a generally higher level of precision. Their chronometers were better than best produced during this nadir of Swiss production.

A Third Crisis Looms on the Horizon? - a prediction
Nicolas Hayek who is viewed as the Savior of the Swiss watch industry (following the Second Technological Crisis), has raised concerns about a Third Crisis. In the context of 2005 proceedings wherein the Swiss Anti-trust Commission investigated allegation of the abuse of the overwhelming market control of his ETA watch movement production company Hayek warned that there could be another crisis in Swiss watch industry unless there is more innovation and investment. Hayek, observed:
"[t]ere was no innovation, no new development, and when I pushed them to start doing new production, everybody started shouting... I said I was not going to deliver any more of my movements unless they try to do their own production...Otherwise the Swiss watch industry will suffer exactly the same problems it had before and it will go down."
This lack of innovation, essentially quartz technology has been at a standstill for approximately 30 years, ensures that the chronometer watch remains a prestigious item, produced only by the more exclusive watch brands. A million such watches are produced each year (most of which are mechanical) and comply to various time keeping regulations imposed by the COSC. The quartz chronometer watches contain 3rd generation quartz ebauches (developed in the 1970's), but this technology is still generally unavailable to the to the average consumer.
No advances have been made towards a 4th or 5th generation quartz watch, thus keeping time a precious (and expensive) commodity.

based on articles from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Watches Under Water

2007-09-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

An abbreviated history of the evolution of the water resistant wristwatch
By Michael Friedberg

As the wristwatch evolved in the 20th century from the pocketwatch, its public acceptance in large part may be attributed to improvements in its durability. The early enemies of the wristwatch included water, dust, shocks and magnetism. It was primarily during the 1920s and ‘30s that engineering advances occurred in the fight against these forces. The wristwatches that we know and wear today are products of this evolution.

Rolex and Omega, which today are leaders in the Swiss watch industry, pioneered the fight against water. While some cases were "well sealed" even before 1920, it was Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex who perceived an opportunity and, with astute marketing, made Rolex a world famous brand.

In the early 1920s, a famous Swiss casemaker, Francis Baumgartner, made cases based on a patent by Borgel. The idea involved sealing the case by taking the middle part and threading it on both sides, rotating in opposite directions. The movement and dial then were fited within a ring that screwed into the caseframe. Several companies then used Baumgartner-made cases in the 1920s, including Omega and Longines. However, the Borgel-based cases did not seal well at the stem opening. To solve that, two Swiss watchmakers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Paul Perregaux and Georges Peret, applied for a Swiss patent in 1925 for a screwed stem system.

Wilsdorf grasped that a hermetically sealed case, together with careful fitting of the crystal and a special stem mechanism, would produce a better wristwatch. He quickly negotiated to have the Perregaux and Peret patent assigned to him. Wilsdorf then obtained a British patent on October 18, 1926.

The Rolex Oyster became a commercial success. In 1927, a stenographer, Mercedes Gleitze, swam the English Channel with the unheard of accompaniment of a wristwatch –the Rolex Oyster— on her wrist for the entire 15 hour, 15 minute, swim.

The ensuing publicity catapulted Rolex to a prominent place in the world of watches. The battle against dust and water had been won. Wilsdorf proclaimed "With this invention, originally made to increase the precision of the Rolex watch, at the same time the first waterproof wristwatch of the world was created. Like an oyster, it could remain in the water a indeterminate time before being damaged."

In 1932, Cartier made a waterproof wristwatch, using a specially screwed crown. The Pasha of Marrakesh said to Louis Cartier " I would like to know the exact time while swimming in my swimming pool." The Pasha achieved his wish and Cartier may have created the first luxury sports watch in the process.

Omega took a radically different approach. In 1932, it debuted the Omega Marine, a watch that basically had one case inside another. In 1936, an underwater researcher, Charles William Beebe, dove to the depth of 14 meters with an Omega Marine strapped to his diving suit. Before the age of scuba gear, Beebe succeeded wearing a huge helmet, weighted boots and tubes leading up to the surface, as well as his Omega Marine.

During World War II, the world's militaries in practice distinguished between special diving watches and those having some water resistance. Divers needed heavily sealed cases and the idea of watches like the Omega Marine did not succeed. Instead, the idea was to have a large watch with a system to seal the crown and stem --the parts of a watch that were especially vulnerable to water. World War II Italian and German Navy divers adopted a different approach, using a well sealed watch that later had a special guard to keep the crown (and stem) flush against the case. Originally, the Panerai watches had unprotected crowns that used the Rolex screw-down mechanism. However, constant winding of these watches caused deterioration of water resistance. Officine Panerai solved the problem by a pressure-lever on the crown; those watches worked at a depth of 30 meters.

Instead, most World War II forces –armies, navies and air forces—used watches that simply had well-sealed cases. The famous "WWW" --wristwatch, waterproof-- of the British forces really just used high quality cases that were well sealed. Many of these even had snap-on backs, rather than tighter screwed backs, like the IWC Mark X. There wasn't a perceived need for great water resistance. Even the legendary Mark XI, which debuted shortly after the war with a screwed back, had British military specifications requiring it to be water resistant to 10 meters.

The ultimate evolution of more water resistant wristwatches may have resulted from clever marketing and a change in civilian lifestyles. In 1954, Rolex debuted its Ref. 6204 Submariner model at the Basel Fair: a dive watch for civilian use. The design was based on Rolex's Ref. 6202 Turn-O-Graph model and over the following decade evolved to look like the watch we know today. The Submariner became an instant success and an instant classic.

The original Submariner, Ref. 6204, did not have Mercedes hands and had many other small differences from the current model. Two years later, in 1956, it was replaced with the Ref. 6538 --the "James Bond" Submariner, which was the first watch rated to a depth of 660 feet. It looked much more like the current model except that it did not have crown guards. Various other evolutionary changes occurred in the Submariner's design over the ensuing decades.

There is some debate regarding whether Rolex produced the first civilian "dive watch" with its Submariner model. Certainly, it debuted a long time after the Omega Marine, but that model was not a great success and perhaps with hindsight can be regarded as a historical anomaly. But in the early 1950s the Submariner had a profound effect on the market. While not unique, the idea of a bezel that could be turned unidirectionally to tell elapsed time became identified with the "dive watch".

There are claims that Blancpain, with its 50 Fathoms model, preceded the Submariner by a few months and was first used in a film made in late 1953. Blancpain successfully marketed its watch with Jacques Cousteau, the famous undersea diver, and later came out with its Aqualung and Bathyscaphe models as well. Blancpain also sold its 50 Fathoms watches for military use, as the German Navy model at right reflects.

The success of these models can be attributed to being right for their times. Professor Picard in September 1953 descended to a depth of 3,150 meters in a bathyscaphe with a watch made by Rolex strapped to the outside of the capsule. Scuba diving was developed and rocketed in popularity in the 1950s.

Omega debuted its first dive model Seamaster, the 300 (which had a water resistance to 200 meters), in 1957 and which used Omega's 20 jewel Cal. 28 SC-501 movement. It redesigned the Seamaster 300 in 1965 and, following that model's success, then introduced many new models -- the Seamaster 120 in 1966, the Seamaster 600 in 1970 and the Seamaster 1000 (with a corresponding 1000 meter water resistance) in 1971.

Even the luxury companies eventually followed suit, at least in their own way. In 1972, Audemars Piguet introduced its Royal Oak model, a luxury sports watch with a nautical theme and porthole design. Patek Philipe soon followed with its Nautilus: again a watch with a nautically-related theme, but certainly not a true dive watch.

Today, water resistance is both taken for granted and perhaps exaggerated in importance. Extraordinary water resistance often is a badge of durability, but in a sense over-engineering arguably may be used as a marketing vehicle. Beginning in the 1970s, some wristwatches had water resistance ratings of 1000 or 2000 meters, yet it is impractical for any human to descend to anything close to such depths.

Dive watches continue to enjoy immense popularity. They are practical, sporty and fun watches. Matching contemporary lifestyles, their popularity is well deserved. Even out of the water, they subtly --perhaps subconsciously-- reinforce the idea of a casual lifestyle.

full article at http://www.worldtempus.com/wt/2/2491

My most recent watch !

2007-09-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

Omega Seamaster Professional "Bond":

See bellow for a review.

Best regards

Omega Seamaster Professional 2531.80 – James Bond's choice

2007-09-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

The Seamaster Professional with reference number 2541.80 (quartz) was introduced in 1993. When the watch appeared in the movie "GoldenEye" on the wrist of James "007" Bond in 1995, it didn't take long for people to call it the Bond or "007" watch. In the following movies ("Tomorrow Never Dies", "The World Is Not Enough" and "Die Another Day",) Bond has used the automatic verson of this watch, the Seamaster Professional Chronometer, reference number 2531.80.

THE CASE:
The case diameter is of 41mm, the thickness is only 10mm (incredible for a watch this size), 47mm from lug to lug and weighs approx. 150 grams. The lugs are slightly polished SS and so are the crown guards, the rest of the case is brushed SS. The signed crown sits deep into the case, but is easily accessed and is of good size. The signed helium release valve is located at 10 o´clock and here is what it's used for: This Omega innovation is indispensable to divers who must spend several days in a diving-bell. A watch without a helium escape valve could explode from too much pressure inside the case when the diver returns to the surface. By unscrewing the crown positioned at 10 o'clock, the pressure is released through the valve without water infiltrating the case. The case back is beautiful, with the traditional sea-horse with the Seamaster wave pattern on the rest of the case, no useless writing like "Sapphire crystal" or "Tested Water-Resistance to 300m" or anything that doesn't need to be said. The serial number is situated under the 7 o´clock lug. Because of it's relative thinness and even balance of weight this watch is incredibly comfortable.

THE DIAL, BEZEL & CRYSTAL:
The dial is fairly large, measuring 31mm. The hour and minute hand are skeleton style, and the sweep second hand is extremely smooth, having a dot of luminous material and the end is painted red, which makes it very eye catching. The dial reads Omega, Seamaster, Professional, Chronometer, 300m/1000ft. The date is at 3 o'clock and is black on white. The dark blue wave pattern on the dial is handsome and changes color at different angles. The bezel is uni-directional, as all dive bezels are. The sapphire crystal is slightly domed and has an anti-reflective coating only on the inside, which eliminates 50% of the glare and the crystal is easy to clean and doesn´t get scratched.

MOVEMENT:
The Seamaster Professional uses an Omega cal.1120 movement, based on the 2892-A2 movement with 23 jewels. The original ETA 2892-A2 has 21 jewels but after Omega modified it, it had 23. The rotor has the Omega cal.1120 engraving and a lot of the parts are nicely finished/polished. The movement is also chronometer certified. Which means that it has a certain accuracy tested by different temperatures and positions. -4 seconds / +6 seconds a day are the maximal deviations. The movement has a power reserve of 44 hours and ticks at 28.800 beats an hour. The date feature is quick-set and changes at midnight within a blink of the eyes. This movement can be found in many other high-end watches such as IWC and Ulysse-Nardin, it is very sturdy and has proven itself time and again.

BRACELET:
The bracelet is consisted of links made of 9 pieces, with polished SS highlights, it is very solid (and equally difficult to adjust). The bracelet comes with 2 half-links, that can be removed to make a perfect fit, since the clasp does not have micro-adjustment capabilities this is essential. As for the signed clasp, it is by far the best out there. It is solid to say the least, closes very well, but you must make sure that the diverís extension is properly closed, which can be tricky.

Based on articles written by Marc Levesque (Time2watch) and Robert Jan Broer
Minor correction by John Rochowicz

Omega Speedmaster Automatic (“Reduced”) vs Omega Speedmaster Professional

2007-09-15T05:44:00.001-07:00

Omega Speedmaster Automatic (“Reduced”)
Reference: 3510.50.00

MOVEMENT
Caliber: Omega 3220
Self-winding chronograph movement with rhodium-plated finish
Power Reserve: 40 hours

CASE & CRYSTAL
Stainless steel case
Hesalite crystal

WATER RESISTANCE
Down to: 30 meters / 100 feet

SIZE
Case Diameter: 39 mm

Omega Speedmaster Professional
Reference: 3570.50.00

MOVEMENT
Caliber: Omega 1861
Famous manual-winding chronograph movement that was worn on the Moon. Rhodium-plated finish
Power Reserve: 48 hours

CASE & CRYSTAL
Stainless steel case
Hesalite crystal

WATER RESISTANCE
Down to: 50 meters / 167 feet

SIZE
Case Diameter: 42 mm

Review of the Omega Speedmaster Automatic

Movement: Technical Info
It is powered by an exclusive decorated, rugged and reliable movement - the Omega 3220 caliber - which is different than the previous versions of this model, since they used to have the 1140 movement that lacks the desirable luxury finish. It has rhodium-plated finish, beautifully decorated with perlage (circular graining) on the plates, and Côtes de Genève (Geneva stripes) on the winding rotor mass and bridges. This movement, exclusive to Omega, is a slim 45-jewel self-winding Chronograph with central hour hand, central minute hand, small seconds at 3 o'clock, 12-hour totalizer at 6 o'clock, 30-minute totalizer at 9 o'clock, and central chronograph hand. The movement is of modular construction, based on the ETA 2892-A2 with the exclusive Dubois-Dépraz 2020 module. Power reserve: 40hours. This movement's dimensions are 30mm diameter by a height of 6.5mm. The high 28,800 beat-per-hour frequency (4Hz) make the small seconds hand at 3 o'clock as well as the central chronograph hand glide smoothly--noticeably smoother than on its big brother the Omega Speedmaster Professional which has a slower frequency of 21,600 beats-per-hour (3 Hz).

Case and Bracelet
This 39mm x 12mm Speedmaster case with its satin-finished sides and gleaming bevelled edges give it the distinguished sporty and desireable, sleek and immaculate appearance. This watch is related to the Speedmaster Professional in design with the same flat bezel style and the same combination of brushed and polished surfaces. It is essentially a reduced Automatic version of the Professional that will not dwarf your wrist, and instead of the hand-wound movement is fitted with a contemporary reliable and exclusive Omega Automatic movement. The Tachymetric bezel gives it the look of a precision instrument that it is. It comes in very handy for sportsmen wanting to measure speeds in miles or kilometers per hour and for entrepreneurs alike, as it can be used to. The back of the watch has the Speedmaster Horse medallion in relief and the intact serial number. The sporty bracelet is the newer type and is composed of 5 parts across, with the middle three being polished and the outer two brushed, providing a nice combination of shiny and matte surfaces that like giving an elegant play of lights. It has solid links and solid end-pieces that will not pinch hairs. The clasp shuts very safely with a crisp click, and is signed with the Omega symbol and the title "Speedmaster." The matte dial has good luminosity at night: The white baton hour markers are coated with luminous material, and the baton hands are lacquered in white with luminous material inserts as well.

Comments - slimmest Speedmaster
The modular architecture of this exclusive movement gives it an unusually low profile by today's standards for automatic chronographs. For this reason the watch has the desirable status of being one of the slimmer chronographs and the slimmest Speedmaster with a profile of < 12mm. The other current Speedmasters are based on the popular Valjoux 7750 and 7751 movements, while the Speedmaster Professional--based on the Lemania movement all have a thickness of ~14.5mm. This watch is an excellent choice for those who want a handsome rugged automatic chronograph that will NOT dwarf their wrists. For that reason, this watch is adequately referred to as the "Speedmaster Reduced" since it has a 39mm diameter and a 12mm profile. This is a great watch!

Notes:
1) Pictures and technical info taken from Omega site

2) Omega website lists the Speedmaster Reduced as having a 35.5mm case size, when it's actually about 39mm. Here is Omega's official explanation: "At the time the Speedmaster Reduced was launched the diameter was measured between 12 and 6 o'clock on the case body (without the bezel/tachymeter scale). This was common practice and we kept the dimension (35.5 mm) even for new Speedmaster Reduced models to avoid any confusion with the former versions." (info from John Rochowicz, at WUS). So, the correct sizes are the ones listed: 39 and 42mm.

3) review based on article at http://www.geocities.com/mtflight/OMEGA/

WEMPE Chronometer Certification

2007-09-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

To earn the right to be called a chronometer, a watch must prove the accuracy of its rate during a standardized testing procedure, and the timepiece’s precision must be certified by an official testing authority. The reason for this elaborate process becomes understandable when one considers the historical background that led to the invention of the chronometer.

As late as the mid-eighteenth century, most mariners were unable to precisely determine their position at sea because they lacked a reliable means of measuring time. This knowledge is essential for the calculation of a ship’s current longitude. Unnecessary detours and seagoing accidents were frequent consequences. This unsatisfactory situation persisted until 1759, when Englishman John Harrison invented the chronometer. Harrison succeeded in constructing a timepiece so accurate that it could be used to calculate the difference between the time at the vessel’s home harbour and the actual time on board, also making it possible to determine longitude. Combined with the known latitude, the two values precisely indicated the vessel’s current position.

Crafting a chronometer requires time and patience. The labour invested by the watchmakers bears fruit in the pleasure these timepieces give their owners. When Wempe decided to establish its own production site for chronometers in Glashütte a few years ago, only one location seemed truly appropriate.

Our production site is situated where the air is cleanest and the heavens most clearly visible: At the observatory that towers high above Glashütte in Saxony. Though this is a comparatively small town containing only 4,500 inhabitants, its name raises the pulse rates of watch aficionados all over the world.

The observatory’s campus now includes a facility where watches are tested in accordance with the German chronometer norm. Wempe collaborates at the restored observatory with the state offices for weights and measurements of Thuringia and Saxony. Some sixty years after Wempe’s first activities in Glashütte, the company is once again helping to make sure that Glashütte remains a synonym for superlative German watchmaking. And the town’s observatory has finally become what it was always intended to be.

All year round, the night sky offers an incredible variety of fascinating views. Visitors can experience this fascination by means of a telescope at the Glashütte observatory.

An increasingly large number of renowned watchmakers began settling in Glashütte during the second half of the nineteenth century. Their trailblazing inventions contributed to the outstanding reputation enjoyed by this Mecca of German watchmaking, and their unconventional timepieces earned praise and recognition beyond Germany’s frontiers.

from http://www.wempe-sternwarte.com/
(if you are interested to know more, check the site)

Inside COSC

2007-09-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

COSC stands for Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres (official Swiss chronometer inspection). Furthermore, in 2001, COSCs three laboratories in Geneva, Biel and Le Locle, individually tested 1,315,752 horological movements, almost all for compliance with international chronometer standard ISO 3156 for mechanical wristwatches, and issued 1,255,515 chronometer certifications worth at least USD4.5 million. This is a 23.3% rise on the previous year.

Out of 77 brands and a handful of watch schools submitting movements for chronometer certification, Rolex is by far the biggest contributor to COSC. It sends almost their entire output of mechanical movements to COSC and in 2001, 761,601 of them were given chronometer certificates — a 20% increase over 2000. "All the mechanical watches Rolex sells are officially certified chronometers," intoned a bimbo in charge of misinformation at the Geneva company headquarters. The Geneva and Biel laboratories are almost entirely devoted to testing Rolex movements. Interestingly, Geneva, where 96% of movements tested are from Rolex, shows the lowest failure rate at 2.2%. It rises to 4.5% in Biel (86% Rolex) and to 5.7% in Le Locle where virtually no Rolex movements are tested.

Top Six COSC Brands in 2001

BRAND - NO. CERTIFICATES - REMARKS

Rolex - 761,601 - All mechanical + 573 quartz mvmts, men's and women's
Omega - 207,879 - All mechanical, men's
Breitling - 142,825 - 40% quartz
Bulgari - 36,380 - All mechanical, men's
Panerai - 27,275 - All mechanical, men's
Tag Heuer - 20,650 - All mechanical, men's

Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lange, IWC, Breguet and Piaget are among the brands absent from COSC.

What Does COSC Measure and How Good is the Test?

In order to satisfy the insatiable apathy of his readers for the most irrelevant details, Watchbore went in person to the COSC laboratory in Geneva to see for himself how the movements are tested. "We test the engine and not the car; that is the responsibility of the brand," says Mr Curchod ushering Watchbore into the dust-free, temperature- and moisture-controlled climate of the laboratory. COSC tests movements at their barest functional level, although brands can enter movements with as many complications as they like. As all the movements are wound by the crown, automatics have to leave their rotors behind because the machine that turns the crown would damage the highly geared winding mechanism. Most of the mechanical watches tested by COSC become automatics. Each movement is fitted with a COSC standard dial, seconds-hand (sweep or small) and winding crown. Every 24 hours, an electronic camera records the state of the seconds-hand to the nearest tenth of a millisecond compared to the atomic reference clock. The camera shoots twice in succession to check whether the movement has stopped. Then the movement is rewound and returned to the appropriate position and temperature for the next 24-hour period. This goes on for 16 consecutive periods. For the first 11 periods, the movements spend at least 48 hours in each of five positions at a constant 23°C. The readings indicate both how accurate and how precise the movement is. Using a shooting analogy, accuracy is how close you are to the target. Precision is a tight grouping of shots, which may be off target. Thus, a watch that gains 15 seconds a day might not be accurate, but if it gains (or loses) exactly the same amount every day, it is extremely precise. High precision can be adjusted to accuracy, but low precision indicates inherent faults such as an inconsistent power supply, probably due to defects in the going train. By analyzing the rate variation between different positions, the COSC test can diagnose a badly poised balance, too much oil, or a need to review the profile and roundness of the pivots. The next three test periods determine how much the rate varies between three different temperatures — 8°, 23° and 38°C. Excessive changes in the rate could show that the balance-spring alloy is not up to standard. For the last two days, the movement resumes its original position and temperature. Comparing the readings here with the first two days’ results shows to what extent the test itself has affected the performance of the movement. Rolex has a special machine to test its vast quantities of movements. These are loaded into magazines like bullets. The machine extracts the movement, reads it, winds it and returns it to the magazine. Non-Rolex movements are placed in recesses on trays. In an adjoining room, large cupboards hold batches of watches in various positions at different temperatures.

CRITERIA

Mean daily rate (during the first 10 days): -4+6 secs/day

Mean rate variation (average of the 5 absolute variations in 5 positions during the first 10 days of test): 2 secs/day

Maximum rate variation (in five positions during the first 10 days of test): 5 secs/day

Maximum difference in rate between vertical and horizontal positions (mean rate of days 1 and 2 minus mean rate of days 9 and 10): -6+8 secs/day

Greatest rate difference (between one of the first 10 daily rates and the average daily rate for the test): 10 secs/day

Rate variation according to temperature (the rate at 38°c minus the rate at 8°c divided by the temperature difference): ±0.6 secs/day °c

Rate resumption (the final rate minus the average rate of the first two days): ±5 secs/day

Why COSC Doesn’t Grade Watches According to Performance

The objective assessment and testing of civilian watches started in the railway age when confidence in the timekeeping qualities of your watch became paramount. Observatories and laboratories in major cities rated timepieces. Manufacturers competed for prizes. Customers paid premiums for high-rated watches. COSC differs in one important respect from all previous watch testing institutions and observatories. It is strictly non-competitive. There are no points awarded or any prizes. There are no degrees of success or honorable mentions. The watches either pass or fail. This was the one condition demanded by the Swiss watch industry when COSC was founded in 1973. Until that time, there were two institutions in Switzerland that issued rating certificates to watches. The observatories rated prepared timepieces, held competitions and awarded prizes. Local testing laboratories in seven watch making towns issued rating certificates to time-of-day watches. These were grouped into an association called ABDO. ABDO rating certificates gave commendations such as "especially good" to deserving movements. Ninety percent of the watches submitted to ABDO laboratories were from three brands — Rolex, Omega and Mido.In 1972, an important delegation of Swiss watch manufacturers went to see Mr René Meylan, then industry minister in the Neuchâtel cantonal government. They demanded the end of the observatory competitions. The reason: the Japanese had swept the board in the last two events. Mr Meylan replied that he thought that the whole point of the competitions was for the best to win. The brands then threatened to boycott the contests. Meylan gave in. The observatory competitions were suspended and never revived. At the same time Rolex, Omega and Mido started to dismember ABDO. By selectively boycotting one or other of the seven testing laboratories they caused each to grant increasing discounts and favors until the organization collapsed. Mr Soguel says COSC does not compile or publish comparative results because there is no demand for it from the brands. He compares the COSC certificate to a university degree. "It certifies that you have reached a certain standard, but it does not guarantee that you can still pass the test 20 years hence. And when you frame your diploma on your office wall, you don’t mention the marks you got." Were COSC to introduce any sort of ranking by test results, Swiss watchmakers would be forced to compete on the intrinsic qualities of their watches and the whole value hierarchy of Swiss watches would be overturned.

Is COSC Really Independent?

COSC rose from the ashes of ABDO in 1973 as an association of the five watch making cantons of Bern, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Solothurn and Vaud. This government membership was intended to give COSC official independence, but the association is controlled by its general assembly of government and industry representatives. Although the governments have a majority of one, the quorum rules enable a majority of the brands if any government delegates fail to attend.Mr Soguel declares that the main aim of COSC is to defend its chronometer certificate as a label of excellence, and that maintaining COSC’s total independence from the watch industry is key to the defense of the chronometer. His strategy is uncompromising integrity in the tests. Since he took over as managing director in 1997, COSC has invested heavily in developing its measuring systems and in complying with standards governing testing procedures and environment. The Swiss Federal Office of Metrology has also accredited the COSC laboratories. "I am aware that COSC is a monopoly and of the danger that implies," says Mr Soguel. "But I cannot endanger the credibility of COSC with any lapse from absolute rigor."An increasing number of manufacturers are submitting their movements for chronometer certificates, mostly minor brands with a handful of pieces. Rolex, which accounted for 80% to 90% of the COSC chronometers, has now seen its share drop to 64%. "Rolex has shown a very strong desire that COSC remains totally independent," observes Mr Soguel.After much consideration, Watchbore must reach the conclusion that COSC is either an independent institution or a marketing tool for Swiss brands, but it cannot be both. Even though COSC is a monopoly, it is unable to raise chronometer standards and thus the standards of Swiss watch making. Even though it is a government association, COSC cannot or will not publish the results of its tests. Three brands provide 90% of its turnover. COSC has to be dependent on their goodwill.

besed on article by Alan Downing, at www.timezone.com
(full article at http://www.timezone.com/library/wbore/wbore631733384647656250)

The Most Expensive Watch

2007-09-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

In December 1999, one of the most complicated watches ever made became the most expensive watch ever sold when it was hammered down for $11 million at Sotheby's.

The gold pocket watch, which featured 24 complications, was the result of a long-standing competition between two magnates of America's Gilded Age. New York financier Henry Graves Jr. and Ohio automobile engineer James Ward Packard vied with one another to own a timepiece with the greatest possible number of complications. (Complications are mechanical functions of the watch other than the hours, minutes and seconds.) Packard commissioned 13 complicated watches from Patek Philippe between 1900 and 1927. They included a perpetual calendar with phases and age of the moon, indication of sunrise and sunset, and a celestial chart depicting the constellations of stars in the sky over Packard's home in Ohio.

Not to be outdone, Henry Graves Jr. also commissioned a series of complicated watches from Patek Philippe, culminating in a timepiece that took three years to design and five years to produce. When completed in 1933, the watch had a different horological function for each hour of the day and included a chart of the nighttime sky over Graves' home in New York.

Graves died in 1953, and his heirs sold the watch to the Time Museum in Rockford, Ill., in 1968. When the museum closed, the watch was among 80 other pieces from the collection that were deaccessioned and sold at Sotheby's in 1999. All together, they brought $28 million. The Graves watch had a presale estimate of $3 million to $5 million, and sold for $11,003,500 to an anonymous collector.

Forbes Fact: In 1989, Patek Philippe created the world's most complicated timepiece, the Caliber 89, in celebration of the firm's 150th anniversary. A pocket watch like the Graves and the Packard, the Caliber 89 has 33 functions and 1,728 unique parts. Its complications include the date of Easter, sidereal time and a celestial chart with 2,800 stars.

by Anna Rohleder

from http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/28/1128pow.html

Watch Brands History - Article 9 (Casio)

2007-09-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things start out in the most surprising ways. Take the watch company of Casio for example. If you were asked to guess what the first product that was made by Casio, you may think it was the calculator or some other type of electronic product. You would be wrong. The Casio Company was started 1946 by Tadao Kashio. Understand that this was in Japan following World War II. The financial situation was dire in Japan at the time to say the least. When Mr. Kashio began his company, he was a fabrication engineer hoping to catch a big break.

His big break showed up in a very unique way. Tadao Kashio developed a product called the yubiwa pipe. Its design allowed it to be worn on the finger. It was used to hold a cigarette, allowing the smoker to smoke the cigarette to the filter, all while still being able to use both hands. In the impoverished Japan of the times, cigarettes were a hot commodity and the product was an overwhelming success. The yubiwa pipe is a far cry from the calculators and watches that were to follow, but it did start the company down the road to success.

Since it is obvious that Mr. Kashio was an inventive sort of man, it only took a little while for him to decide to explore different products. At the business show in Ginza, Japan in 1949, he discovered electronic calculators. With the proceeds from the sale of the yubiwa pipes, Mr. Kashio and his brothers began to experiment with making their own calculators. At the time, most calculators were run by the use of gears. With diligence and hard work, the Casio Company came out with the first calculator to use solenoids. The new type of calculator went on sale in 1954. This calculator also was the first to have the 10 digit keypad and had only one display window as opposed to the competitors' that had three. In 1957 Casio released the Model 14-A, the world's first all-electric compact calculator, which was based on relay technology. 1957 also marked the establishment of Casio Computer Co. Ltd.

With the launch of its first watch in November 1974, Casio entered the wristwatch market at a time when the watch industry had just discovered digital technology. As a company with cutting-edge electronic technology developed for pocket calculators, Casio entered this field confident that it could develop timepieces that would lead the market.

It is possible that the most well remembered watch produced by this company was the calculator watch. For those of you who don't remember, it featured all of the amazing time keeping capabilities of the regular Casio watches, with an added feature. It had a tiny calculator complete with miniature keypad built into the watch. During its hey day it was the bane of math teachers everywhere and the savior of every math deficient student.

Considering the calculator watch was so much fun, Casio continued to raise the bar. This company was also the first to design and produce a watch that could provide its owner with some interesting details. One such watch could display the time of many different time zones at the touch of a button. Others were equipped to give weather details like the temperature and barometric pressure. Mountain climbers of ages past particularly were fond of the version that came with a gauge to indicate the altitude. While other watch makers were stuck on the same old, same old, Casio consistently offered new and exciting variations on the classic wristwatch.

In 1983, Casio launched the shock-resistant G-SHOCK watch. This product shattered the notion that a watch is a fragile piece of jewelry that needs to be handled with care, and was the result of Casio engineers taking on the challenge of creating the world’s toughest watch. Using a triple-protection design for the parts, module, and case, the G-SHOCK offered a radical new type of watch that was unaffected by strong impacts or shaking. Its practicality was immediately recognized, and its unique look, which embodied its functionality, became wildly popular, resulting in explosive sales in the early 1990s. The G-SHOCK soon adopted various new sensors, solar-powered radio-controlled technology, and new materials for even better durability. By always employing the latest technology, and continuing to transcend conventional thinking about the watch, the G-SHOCK brand has become Casio’s flagship timepiece product.

With the true gadget geeks of the world in mind, Casio came up with a watch just for them. It is the Wave Ceptors line of watches. They really outdid themselves with this one. These watches are equipped to receive radio signals that enable the watch to keep accurate time. They also are able to tell the time in different time zones, the user can set alarms and timers. This line of watches also came with an incredibly extensive user manual to provide all of the necessary instructions to the owner.

From the yubiwa pipe to the finest calculators and watches in the world, the Casio has come a long way from its humble beginnings. They continue to challenge themselves and their competitors to new higher peaks and offer the best products electronics can build.

1957 Casio releases the Model 14-A, the world's first all electric compact calculator
1965 The 001 calculator is released
1974 The Casiotron, a watch that features a fully automatic calendar, including month lengths and leap years, is released.
1983 The first G-Shock watch, the DW-5000C, is released.
2007 The OCW-S1000J, dubbed the Oceanus "Manta", is released being the world's thinest solar-powered chronograph being only approx. 8.9mm in thickness.

based on http://ezinearticles.com/?History-of-Casio-Watches&id=695037 , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio and http://www.gshock.com/history/

Watch Brands History - Article 8 (Fortis)

2007-09-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

1912
The swiss village of Grenchen was the home of FORTIS when the company was founded by Walter Vogt in 1912, and it still is today. Mr. Vogt was a great innovator and pioneer: his original philosophy still forms the basis of today's company's policy. " ..the manufacture of good quality Swiss watches, in innovative designs at affordable prices.."

1924
The most decisive year in the history of FORTIS was in 1924, when Walter Vogt met John Harwood, the British inventor of the automatic wristwatch. Harwood had already been looking for two years to find an industrial partner to massproduce his invention in Switzerland. In the founder of FORTIS, he discovered an enlighted defender of "the automatic wristwatch" concept. Walter Vogt backed the project and provided considerable financial resources to putting this invention into production.

1926
The world's first selfwinding wristwatch in series production the "Harwood Automatic" was presented at the Basle fair and attracted intense interest.

1930
In the 1930's, FORTIS produced two more classic automatic watches which became famous products: First came the "Rolls", a wristwatch, which was to become legendary with a winding system developed by Leon Hatot of Paris. The watches name was derived from the motion of the movement inside the case to wind the movement.

1931
FORTIS produced the Autorist, which used another automatic mechanism invented by John Harwood. The watch was powered by movements of the strap by means of its attachement to the watch.

1937
On the occassion of the company's 25th anniversary FORTIS manufactured their first chronographs which are admired for their precision until today. "Wandfluh", the name of the Jura massive close to Grenchen as name of the FORTIS Chrono became known throughout the world.

1943
The latin wordmeaning of FORTIS is "strong" and with the presentation of the first waterproof watches from Switzerland FORTIS again perfectly meets the market demands with their most successful model "Fortissimo".

1947
Some decades later to its first appearance on the market the alarm wrist watch enjoys renewed popularity thanks to the efforts of FORTIS.

1954
FORTIS takes up the manufacturing of the alarm watch, thus becoming closely associated with the world-wide distribution of the most serviceable timepiece ever marketed.

1956
FORTIS wins the leading chronometer awards conferred by the Swiss Insitute for Official Watch Timekeeping Tests, awarded to their waterproof alarm watches of the "Manager"-series. Every single "FORTIS-Manager" alarm watch tested, obtained the supreme distinction "especially good results".

1957
In Tokyo 600 watchmakers celebrated the so-called "FORTIS day" in Yamaha hall on the 26 th of November. The company invited the Japanese watchmakers to promote the new electrical regulation system "BEP" presented by FORTIS and as thus the good relationship with the members of the Japanese watchmakers society.

1962
The name of FORTIS- synonymous worldwide for reliable automatic watches from Switzerland- continues with their jubilee watch on the occasion of the company's 50th anniversary "Stratoliner" and the "Spacematic", a 25 atmospheres tested absolutely wateresistant anchour watch, high precision automatic, with date indication and chosen by the members of the American astronauts team that year.

1965
With the upcoming quartz watches from Japan FORTIS like all the other Swiss brands had to face a competition on the market, which a lot of them could not stand. The FORTIS answer on this challenge, based on the companies experiences in waterresistant diver watches was the development of the "Flipper" watch. For the American market: the "FORTIS-Cobra", a most striking design which was a real hit and enormous success in those swinging times.

1975
FORTIS set the pace in watch fashion with the "Flipper quartz leader" model, a great success in more than 40 countries the following years. This watch range incorporated the original FORTIS Container System, allowing the movement and bracelet to be interchanged within seconds.

1982
The "Flipper quartz leader" provides besides steel and 18 ct. gold bracelets a wide range of colourful straps and thus made this FORTIS design a hit in the early 80s, worn for example by The Rolling Stones, Roman Polanski, Leonard Bernstein, etc.. The "...aristocrat of the plastic watches"..V. Philibert, Europa Star.

1987
On the occassion of the company's 75th anniversary FORTIS sets a trend by relaunching the automatic wristwatches which had been synonymous for the brand in the glory past. Besides the Original FORTIS Container System with the successful range of the "FORTIS Logo Swiss" collection and the Harwood being the world's first automatic wristwatch in series production, FORTIS relaunched the legendary pilot's watches with their clear functions and easy to read dials in the typical FORTIS design that year and marks the renaissance of mechanical watches, a trend which a lot of Swiss watch companies followed until today.

1992
FORTIS steps into space on board of the first advertising and art painted space craft, a Russian proton rocket. One dial of a limited series of the FORTIS Stratoliner automatic chronograph participates in the first "space museum" in orbit.
Since then a close cooperation between FORTIS and several Russian space institutions lead to the development of the FORTIS OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH, which was tested on the border of modern physics and under spaceflight simulation and proved its reliability on the wrist of the russian cosmonauts even in open space.

1994
After two years of testing and preparation the Yuri Gagarin Russian State Scientific-Research Test Center of Cosmonauts Training in Star City chose the FORTIS OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH to be part of their cosmonauts official equipment.
Developed in intensive cooperation with the experienced experts of the center the FORTIS automatic chronograph received its unique design which meats the cosmonauts needs in every detail of its function.

1994
The space mission EUROMIR I crew was the first to which the FORTIS Official Cosmonauts Chronograph Sets were presented to in October. Since then the FORTIS Sets were presented to all Russian cosmonauts of the Gagarin Center and the FORTIS Chronographs proved their reliability on the wrists of astronauts and cosmonauts in their professional activity and during several extra vehicular activities in open space.

1995
Deeply involved in the world of aviation the FORTIS Chronographs were the timekeeping instruments of the world height record on a MIG 25PU double seater -non experimental- aircraft with a civil passenger, honoured by the guiness book of records.

1996
After a successful launch of the FORTIS Cosmonauts and Pilot's collection in Europe FORTIS started its market approach with a spectacular debut in Asia.

1997
The FORTIS OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH was chosen to be the official watch of the Russian-German space mission MIR 97.
On the occassion of the company's 85th anniversary the world's first automatic chronograph with mechanical alarm was presented at the Basle fair. In close cooperation and as per the demands of the cosmonauts developed, FORTIS exposed this mechanical speciality in a limited anniversary edition of 100 pieces in platinum, to be followed by a steel version later.

1998
The Hungarian Air Force uses the FORTIS Pilot Professional Chronograph Automatic to equip their pilots. The 47th tactical fighter regiment fly with FORTIS.

2000

Millennium Expedition to the South Pole.New Year's Eve 1999-2000: Austrian Ernst Zinnhobler became the first European to make an extreme jump over the South Pole.He jumped from the icy height of 5,000 m, his speed of fall reaching 250 km/h, accompanied by a FORTIS CHRONOGRAPH.

2000

FORTIS SPACEMATIC - The Next Generation. With this collection, FORTIS takes a giant step into the new millennium.

2001

"GTS" Global Transmission Services.The first experiment on board the International Space Station - ISS was to test the global synchronization of wristwatches from space. Deeply involved in the world of aviation and space, FORTIS takes part in the development of a new radiocontrolled signal in cooperation with the European Space Agency ESA, the German Aerospace Center DLR and DaimlerChrysler Research.

2001

"Star of the Blue Planet"FORTIS was presented with this medal of honour from the Russian Space Agency Rosaviakosmos for commitment to the development of mechanical chronographs for space travel.

2001

No. 1 International Watch Award in Japan. The FORTIS OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH won the watch magazine "BEGIN" grand prix in the category for space watches

2002

World height record for helicopters of 12,954 meters, set by French pilot Fred North with his AS 350B helicopter "ECUREUIL". Along for the ride: the FORTIS B-42 PILOT PROFESSIONAL CHRONOGRAPH.

2003

Presentation of the new FORTIS OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH in the striking B-42 design.

2004

Winner of the "1st European Aviation Watch Award": FORTIS FLIEGER CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC.

2004

"Four years, more than 700 days walking through 11,000 km of Arctic Tundra, 10 million footsteps in the snow of four winters…" Gilles Elkaim approached his final 28 km stretch of this unique expedition with excitement. On this wild and unforgiving trekfrom the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, the Frenchman wore the FORTIS OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH.

2005

Exactly 10 years after the first official flight FORTIS remains as the exclusive supplier of manned space missions authorized by the Russian Federal Space Agency. The FORTIS B-42 OFFICIAL COSMONAUT CHRONOGRAPH floating in space on board the ISS, International Space Station.

2006

The high altitude research rocket MAXUS 7 was launched in May for a 13-minutes flight in zero gravity. On board, the FORTIS B-42 OFFICIAL COSMONAUTS CHRONOGRAPH

from http://www.brittons-watches.co.uk/watches_fortis_history.htm and http://www.fortis-watch.com/en/history/frameset.html

Watch Brands History - Article 7 (Seiko)

2007-09-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

Although the Seiko name was adopted in 1924 with the introduction of its first wrist watch, the company was actually founded 43 years earlier by a clockmaker in Tokyo's Ginza District. Applauded for its accuracy and craftsmanship, the Seiko watch became a resounding success and by 1938, demand for the timepieces pushed yearly production to well over one million watches.

Dedicated to technology advancement and precise manufacture, the Seiko Company has repeatedly staked its reputation on performance, acting as the Official Timer of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Sapporo, Barcelona, Lillihammer and Nagano. Seiko's many design innovations include the world's first quartz watch, the world's first LCD quartz watch with six digit display, and the world's first intelligent analog quartz watch with alarm and timer function.

In 1992, with the introduction of the Kinetic design, once again Seiko rewrote the state of the art. The Seiko Kinetic collection is a line of quartz watches that are electrically charged by movement. The Kinetic Auto Relay goes into suspended animation when unworn for three days, thus conserving energy. With a few shakes of the wearer's wrist, it wakes up and resets itself to the exact time. Other trend-setting, multi-functional watches by Seiko include the Perpetual Calendar series which automatically reset their date settings for the next 100 years; the Chronograph collection with dual stopwatch features; the Le Grande Sport series, a classic combination of contemporary European design and functionality; and the Ladies Jewelry collection, an elegant marriage of versatility and style.

Seiko Chronological Timeline:

1881 Establishment by Kintaro Hattori of K. Hattori & Co., Ltd., predecessor of todays's SEIKO Corporation.

1892 Foundation of Seikosha clock supply factory. Production of wall clocks begins.

1895 Production of fob watches begins. Seiko brand watch (1924)

1899 Production of alarm clocks begins.

1902 Production of table clocks and musical clocks begins.

1913 Production of the first wrist watch made in Japan begins.

1917 K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. becomes a public company.

1924 SEIKO brand first used on watches.

1937 Watch production split off as Daini Seikosha Co., Ltd., independent predecessor of today's Seiko Instruments Inc.

1942 Establishment of watch producer, Daiwa Kogyo Ltd., predecessor of today's Seiko Epson Corporation.

1955 Production of the first self-winding wrist watch made in Japan begins. Replica exhibited in the Smithsonian Museum from 1999.

1958 Introduction of quartz clocks for broadcasting use.

1959 Introduction of transistorised table clocks.

1963 Development of portable quartz chronometer.

1964 SEIKO serves as Official Timer of Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan.

1968 Establishment of subsidiary in Hong Kong.

1969 Introduction of Seiko Astron, world's first quartz watch (35SQ).

1970 Establishment of Seiko Time Corporation in USA.

1971 Establishment of Seiko Time (U.K.) Ltd. Seiko Time Corporation in the USA opens its first office in Canada.

1972 Establishment of Seiko Time GmbH in the former Federal Republic of Germany.
SEIKO serves as Official Timer of Sapporo Winter Olympic Games in Japan.

1973 Introduction of world's first LCD quartz watch with six-digit digital display (06LC).

1974 Establishment of Seiko Time Ltd. in Brazil.

1975 Introduction of world's first multi-function digital watch.

1976 Introduction of world's first quartz alarm clock.

1977 Establishment of subsidiary in Australia. Establishment of subsidiary in Panama.

1978 Establishment of subsidiary in Switzerland. SEIKO serves as Official Timer of World Cup Football Championships in Argentina.
Introduction of world's first very-fine adjusted ultra-accurate Twin Quartz watch, with less than five seconds deviation per year.

1979 Establishment of subsidiary in Sweden.
Introduction of Pulsar brand.
Introduction of Alba brand.

1980 Establishment of subsidiary in the Netherlands.

1981 Establishment of representative office in Dubai.
Introduction of Lassale brand.

1982 SEIKO serves as Official Timer of World Cup Football Championships in Spain.
Introduction of world's first TV watch.
Introduction of Lorus brand.

1983 K. Hattori & Co., Ltd. renamed as Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd.
Introduction of world's first watch with sound-recording functions.

1984 Introduction of world's first "talking" clock, the Seiko Pyramid Talk.

1986 SEIKO serves as Official Timer of World Cup Football Championships in Mexico.

1987 SEIKO serves as Official Timer of 2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Italy.

1988 Introduction of quartz watch with sweep second hand.
Introduction of quartz watch powered by the wearer's movement, requiring no batteries.
Introduction of world's first intelligent analogue quartz watch with alarm, chronograph and timer functions controlled by an IC "computer on a chip

1989 Establishment of subsidiary in Thailand.

1990 Major associated companies overseas begin to use the SEIKO name.Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. renamed as SEIKO Corporation.
SEIKO serves as Official Timer of World Cup Football Championships in Italy.
Introduction of the Seiko "The Age of Discovery" collection.Introduction of the Seiko Scubamaster, world's first computerised diver's watch to incorporate a dive table.
Introduction of the Seiko Receptor MessageWatch incorporating a miniaturised FM subcarrier.

1991 Establishment of subsidiary in Finland.Establishment of subsidiary in Taiwan.
SEIKO serves as Official Timer of 3rd IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo, Japan.
Introduction of the Seiko Perpetual Calendar with the world's first "millennium-plus calendar".

1992 SEIKO serves as Official Timer of Barcelona Olympic Games in Spain.

1993 Introduction of the Golf-Club (S-YARD).

1994 Establishment of a representative office in Beijing.
SEIKO serves as Official Timer of Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games in Norway.
Introduction of Seiko KINETIC series.

1995 Introduction of Alba "Spoon" series.

1996 Establishment of SEIKO Optical Products, Inc. Establishment of SEIKO Clock Inc.
Establishment of SEIKO Precision Inc.

1997 Establishment of SEIKO Jewelry Co., Ltd.
Establishment of SEIKO Watch Sales Inc., merger of watch operations and marketing functions.
Change Japanese company name to SEIKO Kabushiki Kaisha.
Introduction of SEIKO KINETIC ARCTURA.

1998 SEIKO serves as Official Timer of Nagano Winter Olympic Games in Japan.
Introduction of Perpetual Calendar watch driven by world's first ultrasonic micromotor.
Introduction of the SEIKO THERMIC, the world's first watch driven by body heat.

1999 Introduction of the SEIKO KINETIC AUTO RELAY watch, which automatically resumes correct indication of current time.
Introduction of hand wound spring-drive watch with quartz accuracy.

2000 Establishment of SEIKO S-YARD Co., Ltd.

from http://www.brittons-watches.co.uk/watches_seiko_history.htm

High Accuracy Timepieces

2007-08-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is a list of model currently available only (2005). This list excludes GPS and radio-controlled watches, which cannot retain their accuracy in an autonomous way. Prices are from manufacturer (except for Mühle). Retail prices could be less. If not otherwise noted, accuracies are from manufacturer specifications. Thanks to Bruce Reding for informations and the way he shares his watch enthusiasm, and to Ppaulusz for informations about ETA movements.

5 s/year :
Citizen Chronomaster "The Citizen" : classical design with perpetual calendar. Caliber A660. 32768 Hz quartz, thermocompensated (?) 1 150 - 4 500 €

10 s/year :
Citizen "The Exceed" : classical design. 940 - 1 550 €
Longines Flagship VHP : classical design with perpetual calendar. Caliber L546 (ETA Thermoline movement 252.611).
Piquot Meridien Octantis : Marine Chronometer certified by the Besançon National Observatory in France. Perpetual calendar. ETA Thermoline movement. 1 185 - 1 738 €
Seiko "Grand Seiko" : classical design. 32768 Hz thermocompensated quartz. 1 150 - 3 700 €
Seiko Dolce & Exceline : women and men assorted watches. Not all models of this line have the 10s/y accuracy. 390 - 900 €

15 s/year :
Breitling SuperQuartz : Aerospace, B-1, and Colt models. As far as I know, no official accuracy claim from Breitling, but their chinese representative gives an accuracy of 15 s/year. This value seems conservative, as these watches use an ETA Thermoline movement, which is said to be rated at +/-0.02 second per day (less than 10 s/year).

20 s/year :
Mühle Marine Chronometer : Desk marine chronometer actually built by Hanseatic Instruments. 4.19 Mhz quartz, temperature stabilized. The manufacturer claims an accuracy of 0.01 s/day (3.65 s/year), but my model loses 16 s/year (+/-1s). Nevertheless it could be adjusted without opening the case with an oscilloscope and a small screwdriver. 2000 €
Omega Constellation Perpetual Calendar : thermocompensated quartz, caliber 1680 (ETA Thermoline movement 252.511).
Seiko Brightz Chronograph : Caliber 7J21. 700 - 900 €
Seiko Spirit : classical design with perpetual calendar. Models SBQLxxx & SBQKxxx. Caliber 8F32 & 8F33, 196 608 Hz quartz
Seiko Brightz SAGM007 & 009. classical design with perpetual calendar. Caliber 8F32. 600 - 780 €
Seiko Diver Scuba 200 m : diver watch with perpetual calendar, from Prospex line (Sport watches). Models SBCMxxx. Caliber 8F35, 196 608 Hz quartz. 200 - 230 €
Seiko Alpinist : perpetual calendar and 24 h hand, from Prospex line. Caliber 8F56, 196 608 Hz quartz. 300 - 350 €

based on article by Alexander Read (http://80calcs.web.ool.fr/Navigation/Astro/Chronometer.html)

Sanity check please!

2007-08-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

Most of you probably know the Otto Frei Shop, one of the main watch tools and parts seller on the internet. What you probably don´t know, is what they have to say about customers questions. Read it and take you own conclusions...

"Email is such a pain and I have great frustration in it. Phone calls are 100% better, faster, real time answers. Now international calls are a problem and sometimes the connection can be bad so I understand email can have its place. However, I have no interest in free email for watch parts nothing in this world is free. The frustration is with email in whole as a drain on resources and the wasted exchanges with no orders. Multiple emails are quite common, then when you get the order is it worth all the time you spent? No, it is not. If you want me to treat you as a professional then you better order like a professional. So if you don't want to pay the phone company to call us 510-832-0355 you can pay for my time spent answering your email. We Do Not Offer Stock Checks On Watch & Clock Movements Parts By Email For Free [written in BIG RED LETTERS]. Go ahead send your request to us. Then, I will send you to this page and will tell you which stock check you need to purchase.

$15.00 A Simple 5 Minute Stock On Watch Parts Via Email
If I can read your email, check stock and with a reply all in five minutes or less of my time the charge is $15.00
My goal is to make $124,800 dollars a year. If I work 8 hours a day, 5 day a week, 52 weeks a year the would be 124,800 minutes worth of working. I would have to be paid $1.00 per minute or $60.00 a hour. In order to be paid $1.00 per minute, I would have to be bring in much more than that per minute. If any of your are business owners or have a mind for busines you know that you are very lucky to make after cost two to ten cents from every dollar you take in. I consider the rate of $3.00 per minute to be more than a fair exchange for my time.

$30.00 A 10 Minute Stock On Watch Parts Via Email
If I can read your email, check stock and with a reply all in ten minutes the charge is $30.00"

Hard to believe?? I know!!! Check it at http://www.ofrei.com/page735.html

My goal is also to make at least 124.800 dollars a year, however, if you are going to charge people for inquiries, I think it is better to move on to another business. I wonder if he realized that this inquiry stuff is bothering all shop owners.. (comment and title by Robert-Jan, fratellowatches, with whom i fully agree!)

Watch Brands History - Article 6 (Patek Philippe)

2007-08-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Company known today as Patek Philippe was founded in Geneva in 1839, by an exiled Polish Nobleman, Count Antoine Norbert de Patek, and his compatriot Francois Czapek. The earliest watches were signed Patek, Czapek & co. until 1845 when Czapek left the partnership. Several years later the company was joined by French watchmaker , Jean Adrien Philippe, who later became the inventor of their famous stem-winding and hand setting mechanism, a modern and reliable concept. From May 1845 to January 1851 the firm was known as Patek & Co; Philippe lent his name to the company in 1851 when he became a full partner.

Among the reasons for their initial success was the high standard of watch making and practicality of Philippe's new stem-winding system. From the middle of the 19th century, Patek Philippe assumed a leading role in the Swiss watchmaking industry by raising the standards of workmanship and time keeping through the introduction of technical improvements (the free mainspring, the sweep seconds hand), in addition to implementing improvements to regulators, chronographs, and perpetual calendar mechanism. As early as 1867 the Paris Exhibition, Patek Philippe displayed watches featuring functions that were to become the standard for complicated watches at the beginning of the 20th century; namely a perpetual calendar, a repeater, and a chronograph with split-seconds.

The two most complicated watches of all time were made by Patek Philippe. The first, made for Henry Graves Jr. New York, was completed at the beginning of the century, and the second, the Caliber 89, the world's most complicated watch, completed in 1989 (hence the name) to mark the firm's 150th anniversary. In 1932, Patek Philippe changed hands, and its new owners became Charles and Jean Stern. Today the third generation of this family still owns and manages the company. Shortly after World War II, Patek Philippe established an electronic division, and in the 1950's the company pioneered quartz technology, filling several patents and winning multiple awards. Today, Patek Philippe SA, Geneva, is still a family company, owned jointly by its president, Mr Henry Stern, and his son and Vice President, Mr Philippe Stern.

Although Patek Philippe is rightly famous of the leading manufacture of mechanical horology, the firm is also the forefront of the industry as producers of industrial and electronic timekeepers, with its highly accurate master-clocks installed in power stations, hospitals, airports, and other public buildings and factories. The firm clientele has included many of the famous figures across history, including royalty such as Queen Victoria, as well as distinguished scientists, artists, authors and musicians, including Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Charlotte Bronte and Tchaikovsky. Today, clearly most of the firm's production consists of wristwatches, but Patek Philippe retains the ability to produce pocket watches,and clocks to order, from highly complicated movements to those decorated with enamelled miniature paintings and engravings. The company continues to patent new inventions and improvements in horology and plays an important role in maintaining the quality, prestige and reputation of the Swiss watchmaking.

from http://www.vintagewatchrestoration.com/history/body.html

The Outsiders Who Saved Omega and the Swiss Watch Industry

2007-08-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

In 1982, there weren’t many vital signs of life remaining in the emaciated body of the Swiss watch industry. In one year alone, the sales of Swiss watches dropped by 25 per cent. The giant of Swiss Watch Manufacturing, Allgemeine Schweizer Uhrenindustrie AG - Société Suisse pour I'Industrie Horlogére (ASUAG-SSIH), owner of a number of memorable Swiss brands including Omega, was hemorrhaging money so badly that its bankers intervened to ensure that at least something remained of their investment.

The somewhat smug and superior Swiss horological establishment was in the depths of an horror-logical nightmare from which it couldn’t awaken. End of Days was in sight, and Switzerland’s rich watchmaking tradition and splendid history of innovation were in danger of being swept aside by some piddling piezoelectric material that vibrated at a particular frequency when captured within an electric field, namely quartz technology.

The Japanese quartz invasion, and, to a lesser extent, the emergence of the American jewel-free, throw-away watch company Timex, delivered a blow of atomic proportions to the Swiss. So many solid and cherished brands were vaporised overnight.

Like many manufacturers at the time, the doyens of ASUAG-SSIH were in a state of suspended shock at the devastation caused by the quartz onslaught. When the bankers stepped in and took control of the conglomerate, one of the first things they did was employ ‘outsiders’ to lead the rescue attempt, believing, with some justification, that the job couldn’t be done by industry insiders. This, as you can imagine, went down about as badly as would serving a plate of squid rings for lunch after a brit milah ceremony!

One of the great champions to right the wrongs of the Swiss watch manufacturing industry was an individual who knew precious little about horology and mass production of timepieces. Nicholas Heyek was engaged to develop a turn-around plan for ASSUAG-SSIH, a plan that ultimately led the Swiss out of the dark winter of despair into the sweetness and light enjoyed by the industry today.

Lebanese-born entrepreneur Hayek was the owner of a business consulting firm - Hayek Engineering Ltd. of Zurich. He carved the moribund conglomerate into three separate divisions covering the manufacture of movements and watch parts, finished timepieces, and manufactured products that leveraged the organisation’s key capabilities.

Another outsider, Pierre Arnold was chosen to head the organisation. Arnold’s only experience of mechanical timepieces was that of wearing one on his wrist. Before he joined the organisation he headed the Federation of Migros Cooperatives, a multi-billion dollar flagship of Swiss retailing.

Perhaps the most galling choice of all was the appointment of a medical doctor to run the watch division of ASSUAG-SIH. Radical surgery was necessary if the patient was indeed going to survive, and, apart from cutting deeper into the fat of the organisation, one of the most significant medicaments Ernst Thomke prescribed was to sell ‘ebauches (watch movements) on the international market. This hitherto unheard of practice was greeted by some of the more conservative insiders as tantamount to treason.

But, by far the most important decision made by this farsighted medico was to wage the horological equivalent of the Battle of Midway against the Japanese to recapture territory owned traditionally by the Swiss. Thomke established five rules of engagement for the coming hostilities. In creating a watch for the lower end of the market he decreed that the watch:
1. must have style
2. must be cheap to make
3. must be priced competitively
4. be durable, and
5. establish a technological lead.

Thomke’s vision lead to the ultimate creation of the Swatch in 1983, a brand that clawed back much of the ground lost to the Japanese. The Swatch was a brilliant fusion of style and technology. It mirrored the fashion preferences of the day and offered a quartz movement under an analogue dial. The number of parts used to produce the watch were reduced to around 60 percent of those employed in similar models. Great economies were achieved by robotics and single assembly lines.

Swatch has been the dominant lower-end brand of the last two decades releasing literally hundreds of designs, creating ersatz exclusivity and collectiblility by producing limited editions, and branching out into merchandising a range of fashion accessories marketed through Swatch stores.

In 1985, ASUAG-SSIH underwent a name change to SMH and Nicholas Hayek was chosen to lead the new entity. His appointment was greeted with the now-customary hauteur by the Swiss horological establishment who couldn’t quite get it into its head that outsiders offered a freshness of vision that was in very short supply within the industry.

Perhaps taking heed of Thomke’s surgical approach, Hayek excised nearly fifty percent of the company’s workforce and rationalised the number of brands produced by SMH. This allowed him to target the organisation’s energies into building up the brand power of important marques like Omega, Rado, Longines, Hamilton, Certina, Tissot, and Mido while milking the Swatch cash cow for all it was worth.

Swatch bankrolled the renaissance of many of SMH’s best known brands including our beloved Omega, and certainly has earned the right of a rename of SMH to the Swatch Group. Hayek’s claim that what rescued the Swiss watch industry was the very un-Swiss concept of the Swatch stands up well to scrutiny. Swatch signalled that functionality and time-telling were no longer the primary selling points in a watch.

Swatch was not so much marketing time-telling as it was fun, fashion and accessories. Heyek said, 'We were convinced that if we could add our fantasy and culture to an emotional product, we could beat anybody. Emotions are something nobody can copy.' Heyek went on to invent the Smart Car for the Mercedes group, known affectionately as the Swatchmobile. The same combination of fantasy, culture and emotion has made the Smart Car ubiquitous in Europe.

What is also indisputable is that without the vision, insight and vigor of three industry outsiders – an engineer, a retailer and a doctor - the mass production of Swiss mechanical timepieces and Switzerland’s role as the somewhat conceited high priestess of horology may have been but a fading memory of the past.

by Desmond Guilfoyle 2006

Watch Brands History - Article 5 (Timex)

2007-08-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

Timex Group B.V. is an American watch company. Timex's U.S. headquarters are located in Connecticut, and it has substantial operations in China, the Philippines and India and full scale sales companies in Canada, the UK, France and Mexico.

The company began in 1854 as Waterbury Clock in Connecticut's Naugatuck Valley, known during the nineteenth century as the "Switzerland of America." Sister company Waterbury Watch manufactured the first inexpensive mechanical pocket watch in 1880. During World War I, Waterbury began making wristwatches, which had only just become popular, and in 1933 it made history by creating the first Mickey Mouse clock under license from Walt Disney, with Mickey's hands pointing the time.

During World War II, Waterbury renamed itself U.S. Time Company. In 1950 the company introduced a wristwatch called the Timex, which revolutionized the time-keeping industry. The wristwatches allowed people to easily tell the time, and were also simply designed, inexpensive, and durable. These improvements played into what was to become one of the most celebrated TV advertising campaigns of all time.

Timex wristwatches first were promoted in print. Such ads depicted the timepieces attached to the bat of baseball legend Mickey Mantle (1931–1995), affixed to a turtle and to a lobster's claw, frozen in an ice cube, and twirling inside a vacuum cleaner. Then in the mid-1950s, John Cameron Swayze (1906–1995), a veteran newscaster, began presiding over a series of television commercials in which the wristwatch was subjected to intricate torture tests. A Timex might be crushed by a jack-hammer, tossed about in a dishwasher, or strapped to a diver who plunged off a cliff. After this mistreatment, Swayze held the still-operating wristwatch up to the camera. He then declared that it "takes a licking and keeps on ticking"—a catch-phrase that entered the pop-culture vocabulary. The success of the ads resulted in Timex wristwatch sales surpassing the five million mark by 1958. By the end of the decade, one in every three wristwatches sold in the United States was a Timex.

Across the decades, thousands of viewers wrote the company, proposing scenarios for future torture tests, like the Air Force sergeant who offered to crash a plane while wearing a Timex. By the end of the 1950s, one out of every three watches bought in the U.S. was a Timex. The ad campaign ended in 1977, with a "failure" that had been planned in advance. In the commercial, an elephant stomped on—and completely crushed—a Timex, at which point Swayze informed the television audience, "It worked in rehearsal."

Timex survived the 1970s and 1980s and came back strongly. The company remains profitable and competitive and the Timex brand continues its dominance. Its primary market remains the United States and Canada, although the Timex brand is sold worldwide due to its ability to capitalize on its strong brand image and reputation for quality. In addition, Timex Group sells many other brands addressing all segments of the watch market, such as Guess, Nautica, Opex and, in a successful foray into the luxury watch market, Versace. In addition to its regular watch lines Timex also manufactures the well received Timex Datalink series of PDA-type watches, and GPS enabled watches, heart rate monitor exercise watches and similar high tech devices.

Today, Timex Group products are manufactured in the Far East and in Switzerland, often based on technology that continues to be developed in the United States and in Germany. To date it has sold over one billion watches.

based on http://www.bookrags.com/research/1950s-commerce-bbbb-03/timex-watches-bbbb-03.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Corporation

France Gets Chronometer Certification

2007-08-26T04:05:00.000-07:00

When COSC decided in 2003 that it would only award ‘chronometer’ certification to watches made in Switzerland, German jeweller Wempe wasted no time in setting-up the German equivalent at a refurbished observatory in Glashütte, Saxony. It even improved on the Swiss ‘ISO 3159’ standard by testing the cased-up, finished watch in five positions, rather than the bare movement.

But what about France? Admittedly, buoyant pockets of haute horlogerie on a par with Glashütte are far harder to come by, but up until the Eighties, the Bensaçon Observatory, founded on the campus of the Franche-Comte University in 1878, was issuing its own certificates to French precision timekeepers. And luckily for some – Bell &Ross perhaps? Michel Herbelin? Chaumet? – service will soon be resumed. A capital spending program by the university aims to set up, by the end of the year, equipment and procedures capable of processing several thousands of watches per annum. And what’s more, it will offer a distinct advantage over COSC, allowing testing not only of the basic movements, but also complications with additional modules, encased movements and even watches attached to their bracelet – all at a cheaper cost per watch, with a quicker turnaround (approx three weeks).

The French certification will carry the abbreviation CCOB (Certificat de chronometrie de l’Observatoire de Besançon), however it is not yet known whether movements that satisfy the –4/+6 sec/day criteria will still be stamped with Besançon’s historic seal of approval, a viper’s head.

from QP Magazine, 22 August 2007

The Remarkable Bulova Accutron

2007-08-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

The very brief technical superiority of the Accutron watch is, perhaps, one of the best known facts about the design. The Accutron improved immensely upon the early "electronic" watch, which replaced the mainspring with a battery but established rate with a convention balance and balance spring. The Accutron was, in turn, quickly supplanted by "quartz" designs, which established rate by applying battery current to a quartz crystal and, using the resulting vibration as a reference, powered the analog gear train with a stepper motor. In the conventional wisdom, the much higher quartz frequency made the tuning fork of the Accutron obsolete. What is overlooked in this explanation is that the Accutron did something that has, to my knowledge, never been done before or since. It took the bold step of actually powering the movement with its own escapement. It was as if the balance wheel of a conventional, mechanical watch were used to power the gear train. This was a remarkable idea.

On first examination, one of the most startling aspects of the Accutron is how much traditional, high grade watchmaking is involved in its design and execution. It uses an extremely well-made, traditional, machined brass ebauche with a highly jeweled gear train.

The electronics
By contemporary standards, the electronics of the Accutron are simple, even primitive. Almost as if acknowledging the basic mechanical nature of the design, all electronics are neatly isolated from the rest of the movement in a pair of plastic "kidneys" joined by a simple pair of wires. The coils to activate the tuning fork are integrated into the kidneys. One kidney serves largely as a battery compartment, and the other kidney contains a discrete transistor, one resistor, a capacitor, and a few hand-soldered connections. How simple!

The tuning fork
The tuning fork is a relatively traditional piece, measuring 25 millimeters in length (right). On its left arm, it carries a small post, and, attached to the post, a tiny, square-jeweled pawl (inset, 1) and return spring (2).

Having hit upon the, then novel, idea of establishing rate with an electronically vibrated tuning fork, the engineers had next to consider translating that reference into--movement of the movement. How would a frequency standard derived from the minuscule vibrations of a tuning fork actually translate into both timing and powering the hands of a watch?
A traditional escapement might alternately arrest and release the power of the mainspring at relatively consistent rates. As with later quartz watches, a frequency stabilized circuit might stop and start a stepping motor. But there was no mainspring in the Accutron. Stepper motors, and the circuitry to drive them were then unavailable at anything approaching prices suitable for a wristwatch. The not so obvious answer was to turn it all around and go direct. . .

Bulova engineers arrived at the remarkable and bold decision to quite literally power the gear train of the watch with the vibrations of the tuning fork. The vibrating arm of the fork would oscillate an attached pawl back and forth and the pawl would advance a micro-toothed wheel--tooth by tooth. A second pawl anchored to the ebauche, would serve as a ratchet to prevent reverse movement of the drive wheel. It is here that the Accutron finds itself unique among timekeepers. The frequency standard itself is also the motive force of the movement.

Conclusions

To this day, the 40 year old Accutron stands as an interesting and important contribution to horology. The aerie smoothness of the seconds hand (those are micro teeth on the drive wheel) and the audible hum of the tuning fork are unique among wristwatches. The Accutron is a much more than decent piece of work in traditional horological terms. Compared to most contemporary quartz-referenced wristwatches, the caliber 214 is magnificently constructed. Available in a variety of case styles--including the most-favored SpaceView model, which reveals the technology through the dial, the Accutron caliber 214 is a worthy addition to any collection of timepieces.

based on article by Walt Odets, at http://www.timezone.com/

Nickel in Watches Causes Allergic Reactions

2007-08-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

In the watchmaking industry nickel is used together with stainless steel. The latter is a material watchmaking companies use to create water-resistant cases. However both nickel and watchmaking have a lot of other tangency points as well.

Nickel Throughout History
An alloy made of nickel, copper and zinc, named "nickel silver," for more than 150 years has been used to crate plates and bridges in some of the most qualitative watches. The nickel silver, which includes about 15 - 20 percent Ni, was the one to replace the brass.
The composition was also the one to be used in the production of cases for inexpensive watches. Before that only silver was used. Over time the watch industry passed on to make watches of stainless steel.
Today pure nickel is used in electroplate watch parts, including bridges and plates that are made of brass. This is done to prevent oxidation of watch parts. Using a thin layer of nickel is all that is needed to protect the parts and maintain their shiny metallic appearance.
Throughout the history nickel was also used to create balance springs and pendulum rods. It is worth mentioning that Charles-Edouard Guillaume (1861-1938) in 1920 was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics. The Swiss International Bureau of Weights and Measures worker was the one to discover anomalies in nickel-steel alloys.
His observation led to the discovery of Invar (ferronickel that comprises about 36% nickel. Invar has a very low coefficient of expansion) and Elinvar (variation of Invar).
The discoveries of the new alloys were of great use mainly in precision pendulum rods, watch balance springs, as well as thermostats, length standards.

What causes allergies to nickel?
If a sensitive skin of a person is in direct contact with a certain object containing nickel, there is a possibility that the allergic reaction occurs. If taking into consideration watches than it is necessary to mention the possible contact of skin with the case or bracelet of the watch.
Another reason for an allergic response of one's skin refers to the fact that nickel is liberated quite easy from its alloy and onto the skin. It liberates in the form of positively or negatively charged particles. Positive ions can be transported by a fluid, which serves as an electrolyte. Very often the electrolyte is sweat, however the particles can be transported by water from the sea or from a swimming pool.
The stainless steel, which is used to make watch cases, is the one that liberates nickel ions in different amounts. The amount of liberated ions depends on the nature of the alloy as well as the proportions of the individual components. Note that stainless steel made for medical purposes practically does not liberate nickel ions.
People that are are allergic to nickel should avoid wearing costume jewelry made of nickel silver. The allergic reaction often shows up in the form of dermatitis.
A very important factor linked with liberation of nickel ions concerns the condition of metal surface that comes in contact with skin. Surfaces that are rough or porous hold back the electrolytic fluid thus turning into active zones where allergenic cations are produced. Afterwards the resulting metal corrosion produces even higher concentrations of the metal ions. When examining the case-back of a chrome-plated watch attacked by sweat, one may notice how much corrosion has taken place. In such a way the wearer of a watch can understand why the skin became sensitive.
Besides stainless steel watches and bracelets, it is also important to take into consideration the bi-color watches, meaning those that are made of gold and steel. These can also cause problems to a sensitive skin. Just like stainless steel, gold has different electric potentials, which is why sweat transports ions faster. Thus, an increase in corrosion represents a great risk of allergy. There is a close connection between the rate of corrosion and the rate of allergies.
Those who are allergic to nickel obviously should avoid wearing watches containing any nickel at all. An alternative for such watches might be some models from Swatch. The company produces watches made of synthetic materials. Another alternative can be luxury watches made of pink or yellow gold. It is worth mentioning that white gold quite often includes nickel the amount of which can cause allergic reaction of skin. Sensitive skin can also be affected by gold-plated watches. However, an allergic reaction may occur when such watches are worn for quite long periods of time. This is because the thin layer of gold wears off, thus exposing the skin to the metal that contains nickel.
Allergic reactions from nickel has raised serious concerns in the European Community, which is why it started drafting a legislation that the goal of which was to control materials such as nickel.
Thus a certain number of countries have started taking measures regarding different objects made of metals that might include nickel. Denmark was the first to sign a legislation in June 27, 1989, which prohibits both import and production of a wide list of products that liberate quantities of nickel higher than 0.5 microgram/cm2 over one week.
The problems linked with applying new standards are not insurmountable, due to the fact that some suitable materials are already in use today. However, the watchmaking industry needs to invest huge sums to use sustainable materials in watches. Despite the difficulties in that watch companies must face they should be aware of newly proposed regulations and get ready for their implementation.

Taking Care
Since the directives have not come in force yet, watch lovers should take into consideration several precautions in order to lower the risk of nickel allergies from their favorite watches. The first thing to remember is that is it necessary to remove the watch while preparing for sleep so to lower the time of contact between the watch and the skin.
Then it is important to regularly wipe the case suing a clean, dry cloth. One can use a cloth that is slightly damp in case the watch is water-resistant. In order to prevent the accumulation of irritating nickel ions, cleaning a watch with a damp cloth represents a basic measure of good hygiene.
Most watchmakers are often surprised to find out that a lot of watch owners are do not take the necessary measures when it comes to cleaning a watch that often comes in direct contact with their skin.
The last but not the least it is important to know that after perspiring heavily, any watch model should be removed from the wrist and then carefully washed. Thus the risk of allergies from contact with metals containing nickel will be considerably reduced.

from http://www.tiptop-watches.com

New manufactures: is verticalization on a roll?

2007-08-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

Between 2008 and 2010, ETA will officially begin its progressive diminution of supplies of ébauches or movement blanks to companies outside of the Swatch Group. Having had a few years to prepare for this cataclysmic event, Swiss watch companies are seeking alternatives – the most logical of which is verticalization.

Numerous watch companies in Switzerland and elsewhere purchase movement blanks (a mechanical watch movement without the regulating organs - dial, hands, the balance and the balance spring), add a module of their own creation and/or decorate the movement, assemble the watch with the addition of the regulating organs purchased elsewhere, and voilà, a new watch is ready to be sold under the brand name X.

The balance spring conundrum
There are also a handful of watch companies that are referred to as ‘manufactures’, meaning they don’t purchase parts from specialist suppliers for their watches. Perhaps it would make some sense to clearly define the term ‘manufacture’: in the strictest terms of the definition, a ‘manufacture’ is a watch company that has the capacity to manufacture each and every component used in the production of a mechanical wristwatch – i.e. the case, dial, hands and movement, which includes its most essential and complex element, the heart if you like … the balance spring.
Obviously, a mechanical watch won’t work without a balance spring and, in Switzerland there is only one major supplier. The balance spring is made from a metal alloy Elinvar (elasticité invariable - elastically invariable) that resists magnetic fields and doesn’t react to variations in temperature and there is only one foundry that produces Elinvar and that’s in Germany. The foundry’s production schedule of Elinvar is a major mystery to outsiders because not only is the alloy very rarely manu-factured, but it appears to be totally impromptu, as if every decade or three someone suddenly remembers to make some. When it is made, however, very little is produced because just 3 grams of Elinvar makes 1,000 balance springs … therefore 1 million balance springs requires a mere 3 kilos of this very special alloy.
For many years now, Nivarox-Far, a company within the Swatch Group, has enjoyed a near monopoly on the production of balance springs since it manages to obtain most of the Elinvar available. Which means that even if a watch manufacturer makes their own movement, they are dependent on Nivarox to supply the balance spring. Consequently, when Nicolas G. Hayek decided in 2002 that he was going to give priority of supplies of movements and movement blanks to his own watch companies, non-Swatch Group companies were obliged to put on their thinking hats to find a solution to their supply problem.
Through force of circumstance, for those with sufficient financial clout, becoming a ‘manufacture’ seemed the logical move - albeit it an extremely expensive and demanding one. For those companies without the financial resources to follow the verticalization path, they will remain dependent on whatever supplies they can lay their hands on in the forthcoming years.

Manufactures
Given the extensive costs of machines and the specialized technology and know-how in the production of balance springs, it is also generally accepted that those brands who purchase their balance springs from a specialist producer can still be considered a ‘Manufacture’ if all the other components are produced in-house.
The watch companies of the ‘old school’ referred to as a ‘manufacture’ are Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, A. Lange & Söhne, Patek Philippe, Piaget, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin and Zenith. However, of these only Jaeger-LeCoultre, Rolex, A. Lange & Söhne and Ulysses Nardin are believed to have the capability of producing their own balance springs, although one must doubt whether Rolex can produce sufficient for the 800,000 or so timepieces they manufacture a year.
Of the ‘new boys on the block’ that can be considered a manufacture it is generally accepted that Chopard, Franck Muller, Frédérique Constant, Maurice Lacroix, Parmigiani-Vaucher, Roger Dubuis and François-Paul Journe, who is currently seriously investing in the necessary machinery, and most recently Bovet, can produce at least some, if not all, of their own balance springs and movements.
Much has been written in Europa Star about Chopard, Journe, Franck Muller, Parmigiani-Vaucher and Roger Dubuis and there’s more in this issue from the pen of Pierre Maillard. Consequently, let’s take a look at Bovet, Frédérique Constant and Maurice Lacroix the latest brands to move into the ‘manufacture’ category.

Bovet
With the acquisition of the Château de Môtiers in the Val-de-Travers, Bovet, under the leadership of Pascal Raffy, has moved back to its roots and with the purchase in August of this year of three manufacturing structures, Bovet’s move to becoming a ‘manufacture’ is now no longer a dream.
By acquiring STT Complications SA (ex-Progress Watch, production and development of tourbillons), STT Mechanical Movements SA (calibres), STT SPIR-IT (balance springs) STT Watch U Licence (brevets) as well as Aigat (stamping) and placing them under a single roof in Tramelan under the name Dimier 1738, a name belonging to the Bovet patrimony, Raffy has ensured that his company can now become totally self-sufficient and is, by definition, a ‘manufacture’. Additionally, Bovet is a partner of Aubert Complications based in Le Lieu (VD).
Bovet now has, via the 60 highly skilled employees and the 2000 m2 workshops in Tramelan, the essential know-how of quality workmanship in the manufacturing of haute horlogerie movements at its fingertips. Few watch companies have achieved their objectives in such a short period of time, but given the opportunity for the acquisitions and enough finance for the purchase … miracles can be achieved.
“As a client of these companies since 2004,” Pascal Raffy explains, “I knew the quality of their products and it was a unique opportunity to enter the very close circle of genuine manufactures of Swiss Haute Horlogerie. It was also a way to guarantee our total autonomy in terms of supply of manufactured movements, answering not only the highest criteria, but also guaranteeing a vertical growth of our production, indispensable for an ambitious and prestigious watch company. I will assume the development of manufacturing, focussing on the highest quality of products, but in keeping a limited production in terms of volume. Excellence, exclusivity and respect of delivery terms are for me essential preoccupations.” With Dimier 1738, Bovet is opting for verticalization of its production and has become an instant ‘manufacture’ with the aim of creating an exclusive Bovet movement, a top-of-the-range calibre that will be presented in 2008.

Frédérique Constant
Founded in 1988, Frédérique Constant is another independent watch company that has enjoyed a remarkable growth of between 25-30% annually. With a recent annual production of more than 45,000 watches a year and increasing orders, during the summer the company moved to new premises in Plan-les-Ouates on the outskirts of Geneva. Measuring 3,200 square metres and divided over four floors, the specially designed and constructed building is home to around 70 employees in the sectors of movement component production, calibre assembly, watch assembly, and extensive quality control. Numerically-controlled machines of the latest generation are located in a large atelier in the basement, where all component manufacturing is concentrated. Calibre and watch assembly, as well as state-of-the-art quality control is primarily organized on the first floor. The building is also the brand's international headquarters.
With its slogan ‘Live your passion’, Frédérique Constant will continue with the passionate development and production of exciting new collections and aims to produce and sell over 55,000 pieces this year. Current plans, including the recent acquisition of the Alpina watch brand, seems to have ensured that the company can confidently manage growth now and in the future.
To commemorate the official inauguration of the new Frédérique Constant building, a new limited edition of its classic Heart Beat Manufacture wristwatch, with the brand’s own manufacture movement, has been developed. The Heart Beat Manufacture ‘Plan-les-Ouates’ is in 18 carat white gold and is equipped with the original FC-910 Frédérique Constant manufacture Calibre first unveiled in 2004. The dial of the watch, with classic Roman numerals, is of the same anthracite colour as the new building. The Heart Beat Manufacture ‘Plan-les-Ouates’ is a Limited Edition of just 188 pieces.
“From the start of the company, Frédérique Constant’s mission has been to manufacture classical Swiss watches at sensible prices,” explain Aletta and Peter Stas, COO & CEO of Frédérique Constant. “We position ourselves with a Swiss quality product in the mid-price segment. As a young company, our overheads are considerably lower than most of the competition and the resulting lower costs are passed on to consumers. The new manufacture in Plan-les-Ouates has been developed for maximum efficiency and we expect that the new work-environment will continue to enhance our competitive position.
“In addition to its watches in the middle-price range, Frédérique Constant offers some timepieces in the Haute de Gamme segment. In 1999, we introduced our Highlife Tourbillon in 18 carat gold at 48,000 Swiss francs. While this model was created as a ‘talking piece’, over 100 of them have now been sold. We had a similar experience with the Heart Beat Perpetual, also a timepiece at a substantially higher price than most of the Frédérique Constant collection. Lastly, the Heart Beat Manufacture, the watch that is equipped with our own movement has a retail price ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 depending on the model and is now selling 1,200 pieces a year.
“With new investments in CNC and milling machines, we are increasing our capacity to manufacture small series of rare timepieces. It is important to note that these new high-end timepieces are entirely developed and produced in-house. These timepieces are produced in addition to the regular Frédérique Constant collection in the mid-priced segment, which remains our main focus.”

Maurice Lacroix
Founded in 1975, Maurice Lacroix is one of a small number of genuinely independent Swiss watch manufacturers. Since its beginnings, watches have been produced in its state-of-the-art workshops in Saignelégier, and as the company has developed both nationally and internationally (Maurice Lacroix watches are available in some 3,700 retailers in more than 60 countries), so the workshops have expanded to add to the production capacity.
Although there have been changes within the industry and therefore within the company over the last 30 years, watchmaking tradition, skilled craftsmanship and passion, as well as a devotion to design and perfection have remained at the heart of what has become a highly creative watch company and today, Maurice Lacroix produces more than 150,000 watches a year.
At Baselworld this year, Philippe C. Merk, Maurice Lacroix’ CEO, presented the brand’s first ‘own Manufacture’ Calibre ML 106 hand-winding chronograph movement along with the ‘Masterpiece Le Chronographe’ that houses it. As Merk stated, “This heralds the start of a new, promising era for the brand.” The ML 106 Calibre Chronograph movement is the first one completely designed and developed in-house, which means, using the earlier definition, Maurice Lacroix has joined the ranks of the exclusive club of Swiss ‘manufactures’.
Since the beginning of October, workshops for the manufacture of highly complex watch movement components have been set up under the name La Manufacture des Franches-Montagnes SA in Montfaucon, very close to the Maurice Lacroix watch atelier at Saignelégier in the Swiss Jura Mountains. The production based on the latest CNC technology is primarily intended to encompass low-volume individual parts, thus giving the brand’s timepieces their own unique and detailed styling.
Understandably, Maurice Lacroix will continue to work with external suppliers, but the in-house manufacture makes it possible for the brand to act independently in times of greater demand and to better control its production of complex mechanical watches.
With the establishment of the Manufacture des Franches-Montagnes SA, Maurice Lacroix completes the last logical step in its manufacturing verticalization and as a ‘manufacture’ ensures the development of innovative addit-ional functions and complicated mechanical movements in its Masterpiece Collection.
Verticalization or die? You pays your money and make … your own watch?

By D. Malcolm Lakin
Source: Europa Star December-January 2007 Magazine Issue

The Moon Watch: The History of the Omega Speedmaster Professional

2007-08-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

Few things in American history have generated more interest and pride in our country than our nation's space program. The wrist worn Omega Speedmaster Professional (S.P.) has played an interesting role in America's conquest of space.

Not only did this chronograph become famous for being the first watch worn on the moon, but the story of its selection by NASA to become the wrist timing device of the astronauts is a story of worksmanship,
repeated testing and a study in American politics.

First manufactured in 1959 by Omega Watch company in Biene, Switzerland, the S.P. is a chronograph capable of measuring elapsed time in seconds, minutes and hours. The black anodized multi-dial face with luminous markers is housed in a stainless steel waterproof case. There are 150 separate parts and the chronograph is anti-magnetic and shock protected. There is a tachymeter outer scale used for calculating speeds or unit per hour production.

In the early days of the space program during Project Mercury, wrist timing devices were used for manned space flight as a backup to the on-board timing devices. There was no watch that was "standard issue" during Project Mercury. It was the astronaut's choice to wear/not wear a wrist timing device, and to choose the make/model he thought best. Astronauts Shepard, Grissom and Glenn wore no watch. Scott Carpenter wore a Breitling Navitimer.

The Speedmaster Professional was first flight tested in space by Walter Schirra aboard Sigma 7, October 1962. The Omega ran flawlessly and was used as backup to the on-board clock. On-board timing devices in the Mercury capsule were internal to the spacecraft and wristwatches had not undergone rigorous testing, as the astronaut never left the protected environment of the spacecraft.

On the last Mercury Mission, Gordon Cooper wore both the Omega chronograph and a Bulova Accutron Astronaut in order to compare the accuracy of the manually-wound Omega to the then new electronic Bulova. The Omega was used to time the firing sequence of the retro rockets for re-entry.

However, with the Gemini and Apollo programs, astronauts would also need wrist timing devices to help them with EVA activities, such as spacewalks, photographic timing exposures, and timing fuel cell purges. Such a watch should be able to operate in the vacuum of space where there exists wide variances in temperature and pressure.

The primary requirement for the wrist timing device was to provide the capability to perform short interval timing and backup for the main spacecraft timing device. Initially, a manually wound watch was required, as the "self-winding" watch mechanisms depend upon the action of an inertial pendelum in a gravity environment for performing the winding function. Consequently, these devices would not function in the reduced gravity environment encountered in space flight. [Eds. comment -- this last statement is simply wrong -- automatic watches will work fine in space]

In 1962, NASA began the search for a wristwatch that could be worn by the Gemini and Apollo astronauts. NASA purchased watches from several companies which were then subjected to a number of rigorous tests. The watches were placed in vacuum chambers with conditions closely matching the space environment. Temperatures varied from 200 degrees above 0 F to 0 F. They were exposed to accelerations of 12g's -- twice as much as could be expected in spaceflight, and a vibration table shook the watches violently. The watch was also to be waterproof, shock proof and anti-magnetic. The only watch that survived this testing was the Omega Speedmaster Professional. It is significant to note that this was a standard, production line model which was purchased over-the-counter, incognito at a Houston jewelry store.

In 1965, NASA chose the Omega Speedmaster Professional as the official chronograph for the space program. With the first Gemini flight (GT3) with astronauts Grissom and Young, the Speedmaster Professional became part of the standard equipment issued to the astronauts. The watch was worn on the outside of the pressure suit with the use of a large black velcro band. It was worn during the first walk in space by an American, Edward White, in 1965. Two watches were worn by each Gemini astronaut as a matter of preference for timing different tasks.

Two years before the first lunar landing, a memo by Donald K. (Deke) Slayton, then director of Flight Crew operations at NASA, indicated a need for "a wrist chronograph that would be qualified for use in a hostile environment existing on the lunar surface." He pointed out the difficulties in temperature protection and pressure suit garment interface needed by astronauts on the lunar surface. He once again suggested that in order to measure elapsed time, c chronograph would be best suited forthese purposes.

Due to its performance and reliability, the Speedmaster Professional was selected again as the official chronograph by NASA for project Apollo. Each astronaut wore one chronograph for spaceflight as a standard issue. Most, however, wore two during spaceflight. One watch was set on Mission Elapsed time (MET) and the other was set on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Houston time. The watch became very popluar with the astronauts and was often used in their everyday lives as well as their work in the space flight simulators.

However, the use of Swiss chronographs in the American space program met with political resistance by a number of American watch makers, specifically the Bulova Watch Company. In the early days of the space program, Bulova did not make a chronograph, but nonetheless, it exerted considerable pressure on NASA to use Bulova products. There were various meetings with NASA officials in order to promote the use of their products. In 1964, Senate hearings involved the domestic watch manufacturing industry and their use in space and defense projects. Senator Symington from Missouri, Margaret Chase Smith from Massachusetts, and Senator Stennis from MIssissippi were present at these meetings. The former assistant secretary of defense, Marx Leva, was retained by Bulova as their legal council. James Webb, the administrator of NASA at that time, was aware of these meetings and helped shape NASA's response to them.

As the official chronograph for all Apollo missions, the Speedmaster Professional was worn by Frank Borman and crew on man's first journey to orbit the moon during Christmas of 1968. It was strapped to the outside of the space suit of Buzz Aldrin when he and Neil Armstrong made man's first lunar landing during the historic Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. The two hours and forty minutes that Armstrong and Aldrin were alloted on the surface of the moon, outside the lunar module, were timed by this chronograph.

There has been interesting discussion as to who in fact wore the first watch on the moon. Buzz Aldrin states that shortly after landing, there was a failure of the timer in the lunar module and he was unable to get it restarted. According to his best recollection, Neil Armstrong left his chronograph on board the Lunar Module as a backup. Thus, the first watch worn on the moon was worn by Buzz Aldrin. This watch was later stolen from his personal belongings, and has never been recovered.

During Apollo 13 in April 1970, an on-board explosion of an oxygen tank in the service module left no electrical power in the Command Module (CM) or Service Module (SM) except for emergency re-entry power. This left the on-board computerized timing devices inoperative. The crew had to use the Lunar Module for survival and had to power down everything in the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module was designed to provide approximately two days of electrical power. The crew and NASA had to devise a way to make this last the five days it would take to return to earth. The only electricl equipment turned on in the Lunar Module was a radio receiver, not even a transmitter. This left the crew of Jim Lovell, Fred Haies, and Jack Swigert without the use of on-board computers and their associated timing devices. Commander James Lovell thus had to use his Speedmaster Professional for both the timing and interval of thrust for critical engine burns as they rounded the moon and set a course for home. Thsi contributed not only to saving the lives of the crew, but the vessel as well.

The last manned lunar landing Apollo 17 was scheduled for December 1972. As this date approached, the Bulova Watch Company became increasingly concerned that its products be used for this last manned lunar mission. Letters were sent to the special assistant to the President at the White House from Bulova indicating their displeasure with the use of Swiss chronographs in the American space program.

Thus it was decided by the Administrator on NASA, James Fletcher, that if a suitable Bulova chronograph could be found, it would be used on the last Apollo mission. The astronauts responded by stating that if forced to wear the Bulova time piece, they would also wear the Omega as "insurance." Bulova had insisted that chronographs chosen by NASA follow the policy of the "buy American" regulations estalished by the Senate. Both Omega and Bulova wished to comply with this, however, as of 1972, Bulova did not manufacture a US made chronograph.

In August of 1972, sixteen companies were notified by NASA that the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) planned to establish a Qualified Product List (QPL) for possible future procurement of astronaut watches. This list included: the Breitling Watch Corporation, the Bulova Watch Company, the Elmore Watch Company, the Elgin National Watch Company, the Forbes Company, S. A. Girard-Perregaux Company, The Gruen Watch Company, the Hamilton Watch Company, Heuer Time and Electronic Corporation, the LeJour Watch Company, the Longines-Wittnauer Company, the Omega Watch Company, the American Rolex Company, Seiko Watch Company, and Zodiac Watch Company. Both Bulova and Omega were eager to comply with the "Buy American Act" which meant 51 precent of the products must be made or manufactured in the United States.

In order to comply with this act, Omega had the stainless steel cases for the Speedmaster Professional manufactured in Luddington, Michigan by the Starr Watch Case Company. The crystals were shipped from Switzerland to the Starr Watch Company where they were installed (the Starr Watch Co. is no longer in business). The completed case and crystal were then shipped to the Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for inspection and testing. The case and crystals were then shipped to Switzerland where the movements were installed and the entire watch was subjected to final inspection and environmental testing.

The Bulova Watch Company submitted 16 chronographs for testing at this time. It was later learned that these watches were manufactured in Switzerland and that Bulova had purchased these chronographs through their subsidiary in Switzerland, Universal Geneve. The 16 chronographs were disassembled by Bulova in their research laboratory and a new crystal, a new machine case, specifically manufactured pin, a new crown and stem, a new face and dials and certain gaskets, washers and screws were replaced on each watch. The original movements and the back of each watch were retained.

When confronted with the fact that these watches were, in actuality, Swiss chronographs, Bulova stated that they had invested $23,000 of research and development funds in developing and tooling the process. Thus, by utilizing these R&D costs, the watches were found to qualify under the "Buy American Act."

The testing process was done in two stages. First, there were several general requirements needed to become "Flight Qualified." If a watch met these criteria, it was then subjected to a series of specific and regorous "space flight environmental tests" to determine final suitability for spaceflight. The general requirements were that the watch be a chronograph, anti-magnetic, waterproof, and shock-resistant. The case must be finished for non-reflective characteristics, and the crystal of the chronograph must be anit-reflective so that the dials could be easily read under light levels ranging from three foot-candles to direct, unfiltered sunlight. Accuracy requiremnets both in the face up and face down positions should be plus or minus 6 seconds in a 24 hour period.

The watches were then subjected to the specific environmental tests which included vacuum testing, oxygen atmosphere testing, low temperature, acceleration, random vibration test, electromagnetic induction tests, and a humidity test. The specific test parameters are listed in Table 1.

Table 1.
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1. Vacuum testing
The chronograph shall be subjected to a vacuum of 1x10^-6 Torr or better for a total of 72 hours. During the first 10 hours of testing the temperature of the items shall be increased to 160 (+/-10) degrees F. The temperature shall then be returned to 78 (+/-10) degrees F for the remainder of the test.

2. Oxygen Atmosphere/Temperature Test
The test items shall be placed in atmosphere of 95 +/-5 percent oxygen at a pressure of 5+/-0.1 psia and a temperature of 155 +/-5 degrees F for 72 hours. Gas samples extracted from the chamber area shall be analyzed for organic and CO content per test number 6 of D-NA-0002.

3. Low Temperature
The test items shall be lowered to 0 +/- 5 degrees F. This temperature shall be maintained for 10 +/-0.5 hours. The test items shall be allowed to return to ambient before functional testing.

4. Acceleration
The test items shall be subjected to 20's +/- 2 g's in each direction of the three (3) perpendicular axes.

5. Random Vibration
The test items shall be installed in a fixture and submitted to 7.8 g's RMS for 5 +/-0.1 minutes, as defined in figure 2 in each of 3 axes. The test fixture with the test items shall then be submitted to 3.2 g's for 12 +/-0.1 minutes as defined in figure 1, in each of the 3 axes [Eds. Note: Figures not provided].

6. EMI Test
The test items shall be subjected to all applicable requirements of Mil-STD-461A, if an electromechanical movement is employed.

7. Humidity Testing
The test items shall be submitted to a humidity test per MIL-STD-810B, Method 507, Procedure I, except minimum temperature shall be 68 deg F and maximum temperature shall be 120 deg F.

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These tests were completed by November 1972, and the Deputy Administrator of NASA, George Low, in his letter to the Assistant to the President at the White House, Jonathan C. Rose, stated the results of the spaceflight qualification test. To my knowledge, this information has never before been made public. "The Bulova chronograph stopped three times during the humidity test, and stopped again during the acceleration test. Based on our criteria, the Bulova chronograph therefore, has not been qualified for use on the Apollo 17 mission... We will continue to use the Omega watch in the Apollo program.

The issue was finalized by a letter from Dale Myers, Associate Administrator for manned Space Flight, to Dr. George Low, the deputy director of NASA, on November 13, 1972. "The special Bulova chronographs purchased by MSC for possible application for Apollo 17 and Skylab, have failed their qualification tests both in humidity and acceleration. I have instructed the Manned Spacecraft Center to take no further action with respect to chronograph testing or other companies watches. I consider the Bulova watch issue closed."

Following the lunar landing, the space program continued, and 1975 marked the first handshake in space between the American and Soviet crews during the Apollo and Soyuz mission. The American and Russian crews were BOTH wearing the Speedmaster Professional.
The topic of astronaut timepieces was quiet for several years until 1976 when Bulova became interested in supplying time pieces for the Space Shuttle missions. Bulova had numerous public and private officials contact NASA in order to gain their objectives.

Senator Jacob Javits from New York contacted the Administrator of NASA, Robert Frosch, to lobby on Bulova's behalf. Once again, NASA initiated a competetive solicitation. A new deadline was extended several times so Bulova could participate.

In September 1978, astronaut chronograph watches wishing to be considered for the space shutter program underwent yet another round of prescribed space flight environmental testing. This included vacuum, low temperature, pressure, vibration, acceleration, salt-fog, humidity and shock testing. Responses to the NASA procurement requests were recieved from the Bulova Watch Company and the Omega Watch Company in Bienne, Switzerland. Bulova submitted a proposal offering one type of chronograph, sold to NASA for $1 each. Omega submitted 3 proposals for 3 separate models. The chronograph determined to be in compliance with the environmental requirements, achieving the highest technical score, and offered at the lowest price would be purchased. The technical evaluation team determined that, of the chronographs submitted by Bulova for space flight environmental testing, no single watch was exposed to all environmental tests. Also, one watch failed in salt-fog testing and all 3 watches exposed to vacuum testing failed to sho adequate sealing. Accordingly, the Bulova chronographs were determined to be in non-compliance with the specified environmental requirements.

Once again, the Omega chronograph was superior to the other chronographs tested. The Speedmaster Professional met all environmental requirements, had the highest technical score, and was offered at the lowest price. Therefore, the Omega was accepted for procurement. It is significant to note that this was the identical model which had been submitted in 1962. The watch was offered to NASA at the cost of $0.01 per watch.

In April 1981, STS-1, the first shuttle mission, was launched with Commander John Young wearing the Speedmaster Professional.

Now that the shuttle flights have become operational, there are no longer requirements by NASA for specific watches to be worn during shuttle missions. Withthe exception of extravehicular activity, all astronauts are confined within the pressurized environment of the shuttle. Nonetheless, the S.P. continues to be used by many of the shuttle astronauts.

In 1989, Omega commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing by issuing a limited edition of the Speedmaster Professional. The commemorative watches were limited to 2,000 pieces. In 1989, with the Soviet Union's improved attitude toward the West, the Soviet Union selected Omega as the watch supplied to all cosmonauts.

Through the years, this watch has become a collector's item to some and a momento to others. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin mentions in his book "Return to Earth" that when donating several items to the Smithsonian Institution, his Omega was one fo the few things that was stolen from his personal effects. General Stafford, who has flown 4 space missions, is now the chairman of the board of the Omega Watch Corporation of America. Frank Borman and other Apollo astronauts continue to wear their Speedmaster Professionals for daily use and as a momento of their space accomplishments. Many of the Apollo astronauts were given the gold model of the S.P. by Omega upon return from their missions.

The S.P.'s are on display in several museums, e.g. the Michigan Space Center, Jackson, Michigan (McDevitt's from Gemini), and the Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C. (Tom Stafford's from Apollo 10).

This is then the history of this interesting and historic watch. The manufacture of this chronograph gives meanign to the words quality, craftsmanship and teamwork. It withstood vigorous and repeated testing and surely must be one of the most thoroughly tested watches in history. It was the only watch "Flight Qualified by NASA for all Manned Space Missions" and was used during Projects Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and the Space Shuttle. As the only piece of space equipment available for wear to the public, the Speedmaster Professional provides the opportunity to own a small piece of history.

But perhaps the greatest legacy of the Speedmaster Professional is that it has withstood the test of time. For even now, some 30 years after it was first introduced, it is still the only watch flight-qualified by NASA for extravehicular space activity.

Written by Alan A. Nelson entitled "The Moon Watch: A History of the Omega Speedmaster Professional" - February 1993 issue of the NAWCC Bulletin.

New Criteria for "Swiss Made" Label

2007-08-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) has recently voted by handsome majority for strengthening criteria for the 'Swiss Made' label. According to the secret ballot, there were 52 votes 'for' and 8 'against' reinforcing of the federal law on the 'Swiss Made' label featured by watches.

The brand name is one of the major factors implying the product's quality and prestige in watchmaking, while the 'Swiss Made' label holds the second position by its importance. It is used as a valuable distinction that should not disillusion the customers. 'Swiss Made' indicates the watch's origin and serves as the customer's guidance when he is making his choice.

At the moment, 'Swiss Made' is basically relevant only to watch movements whereas customers acquire a finished timepiece. In fact, in 1992 the watch industry witnessed two amendments to the law specifying that the casing-up and final inspection must be carried out in Switzerland, but it almost did not change the situation.

The reinforcement of the Swiss Made label is expected to cause supply problems. It will require several years and suppliers, the same as watch brands, will have to adapt to the new criteria. The leading watch companies, with their weight within the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry equal to their presence in the watchmaking market, had already supported the idea of stricter criteria.

The provisions voted by the assembly are relevant to both the timekeeping mechanism and the finished watch. The new project has suggested a value criterion for finished watches. So, what are the basic rules for the Swiss-Made mechanical watches to be worth featuring the 'Swiss made' label, according to the new ordinance? Consider the following:
1) the Swiss-Made mechanical watch must have at least 80 percent of its production cost relevant to operations conducted in Switzerland. For electronic watches, the rate makes up 60 percent.
2) the watch's technical construction and prototype development must be fulfilled in Switzerland. Production cost does not include raw materials, gems and batteries.
3) under the old ordinance, 50 percent of the movement's value must be relevant to Swiss-made parts. For the mechanical movements, the FH proposed to increase this proportion to a minimum of 80 percent, and to 60 percent for electronic movements.

Prior to the assembly, the International Watch Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds held a special meeting devoted to the issue. One of the specialists present at the meeting mentioned that it is difficult for customers to tell the difference between Swiss, Made in Switzerland, Swiss Made, and Swiss manufacturers as there was a drift in the terms' usage. For customers, 'Swiss Made' generally implies water-resistance, service and repair provided for a certain period of time. The majority of customers do not know how precisely to determine how much of their timepiece's value is of the Swiss origin.

Another participant of the meeting stressed that there should not be any doubts whether the Swiss production is able to meet the higher demands after reinforcing of Swiss-Made criteria. The industry will make new investments just as some companies that have already done it.

The FH is ready to present its proposals to the federal authorities. It will be followed by negotiations with the European Union. At present time representatives of the watchmaking industry interested in the issue hope that Swiss Made will finally reflect quality worthy of the Swiss name.

from www.tiptop-watches.com

Watch Brands History - Article 4 (Blancpain)

2007-08-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, this House boasts a famous and oft-repeated slogan: "Since 1735, there has never been a quartz Blancpain watch. And there never will be." This bold statement, however, is more than just a slogan; it is a guiding principle of this unique company…a sincere dedication to excellence, which has earned Blancpain numerous accolades over the years.

Although successive generations of the Blancpain family were able to transform what had been a tiny manufacturer into one of the most respected watch companies in the world - witness the company's famous "Fifty Fathoms" model, circa 1953, which featured prominently in Jacques Cousteau's award-winning film, The World of Silence - the influx of inexpensive quartz watches from Japan and China during the early 1970's nearly doomed the company to extinction. It was only thanks to the intervention of Jean-Claude Biver, an Omega executive with a love of fine timepieces, that the company was reborn in 1983 and put on the path to recovery. Biver's strategy was elegantly simple: a return to the production of classic mechanical watches in limited numbers, and an emphasis on creating innovative, and oftentimes highly complicated timepieces.

Biver's strategy was a success. Today, the Blancpain workshop and headquarters retains the charm of a tranquil farmhouse, yet within this unassuming factory are created some of the world's most complicated, desired and expensive watches. Graduates from the finest Swiss watchmaking schools are recruited into the ranks of the House following their apprenticeship to a Master Watchmaker. In keeping with tradition, watchmakers employed by Blancpain do not work in assembly line fashion; rather, each watchmaker will personally build "their" watch from beginning to end.

Production is extremely limited, with fewer than 10,000 watches per year being produced. Needless to say, each watch is individually numbered and recorded in the company's archives. Boxes, straps and buckles are of the highest possible quality, in keeping with the company's strict emphasis on quality. As for the movements, they are designed and crafted completely in-house, and based exclusively on high-quality ebauches that are provided by their sister company, Frederic Piguet. Since Piguet and Blancpain share the same building, it might be said that a Blancpain watch features an in-house movement.

Where the company distinguishes itself the most, however, is in its adamant devotion to the mechanical wristwatch. Since the company's rebirth, only mechanical watches, in round watchcases, are produced. These are not "trendy" watches, but rather, classical in their styling and timeless in their elegance. Among the company's most recognizable products are Ref. 1106, a manual wind wristwatch with 100 hour winding reserve; the Fifty Fathoms, a contemporary version of the company's classic diving watch; an 18K "Half Hunter" wristwatch featuring a hinged sapphire crystal back; and the "1735" which combines the six complications offered by the company into one watch. The "1735" is an automatic chronograph with split-second chronograph, tourbillon, perpetual calendar with phases of the moon, and minute repeater -- a masterpiece that took more than six years to design and build.

It is also a fitting tribute to the company's founder, and an equally appropriate symbol of the company's ongoing mission - to create the very finest timepieces for discriminating collectors.

Watch Brands History - Article 3 (Bulova)

2007-08-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

In 1875 Joseph Bulova, a 23-year-old Czech immigrant, opens a small jewelry shop on Maiden Lane in New York City. By 1911 Bulova begins manufacturing and selling boudoir and table clocks as well as fine pocket watches. These pieces are sold in unprecedented numbers. Bulova sets up its first plant in 1912 dedicated to the production of watch components and their assembly into jeweled movements in Bienne, Switzerland.

During World War I, the convenience of wristwatches (as opposed to pocket watches) is discovered and Bulova introduces the first full line of men's jeweled wristwatches.

In 1923 the name Bulova Watch Company, Inc. is adopted. Bulova perfects a new concept in the watch industry with total standardization of parts. Every part of a Bulova watch is made with such precision (standardized to the ten thousandth part of an inch) that it is interchangeable with the same part in any other Bulova watch. This revolutionizes the servicing of watches in the industry.

In 1926 Bulova produces the nation's first ever radio spot commercial, "At the tone, it's 8 PM, B-U-L-O-V-A Bulova watch time." In honor of Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic solo flight from New York to Paris in 1927, Bulova ships 5,000 Lone Eagle watches, packaged with pictures of Lindbergh. The supply is sold out within three days. During the next few years Bulova sells nearly 50,000 of these commemorative watches. 1927 is also the year Bulova Watch Company goes public on the American Stock Exchange.

Branching out from the wristwatch business, Bulova introduces the world's first clock radio in 1928 and Bulova engineers and patents a new principle in the construction of automobile clocks a year later. Bulova begins manufacturing the first electric clocks via mass production. The collection includes wall and mantel clocks, and clocks for use in stores, windows, office buildings and terminals. In 1931 Bulova conducts the watch industry's first ever million dollar advertising campaign. Throughout the Depression years, Bulova supports retailers by offering Bulova watches to buyers on time-payment plans. Joseph Bulova, founder of Bulova Watch Company, dies in 1935.

In 1941, continuing its tradition of advertising firsts, Bulova airs the first television commercial: a simple picture of a clock and a map of the United States, with a voice-over proclaiming, "America runs on Bulova time." 1941 also marks the year that the Bulova Board of Directors adopts a resolution to manufacture products for national defense at actual cost. Throughout World War II, having perfected the skill of creating precision timepieces, Arde Bulova, Joseph's son, works with the U.S. government to produce military watches, specialized timepieces, aircraft instruments, critical torpedo mechanisms and fuses.

In 1952 Bulova begins developing Accutron, the first breakthrough in timekeeping technology in over 300 years. Accutron, the first fully electronic watch, promises to keep time to within 2 seconds a day. Recognizing a new trend in the watch industry, the self-winding and shock-proof watch, Bulova adds more of this type of watch to its line. Also added this year is the Bulova Wrist-Alarm, an entirely new kind of watch. A few years later, Bulova introduces the "Bulova 23," a self-winding, waterproof , 23-jewel watch with an unbreakable mainspring, made entirely in the United States.

In 1955 an A.C. Neilson Co. Survey reveals that Americans see more national advertising for Bulova products than for any other products, in any other industry, in the world. Bulova completes negotiations to co-sponsor the Jackie Gleason Show, a one-hour live television show airing Saturday nights from eight to nine o'clock. This is the first time in history that any watch or jewelry allied industry has made a sponsorship commitment of such magnitude.

In the 1960s, NASA asks Bulova to incorporate Accutron into its computers for the space program. Bulova timing mechanisms eventually become an integral part of 46 missions of the U.S. Space Program. In 1961, Accutron, the first watch to keep time through electronics, is introduced. It is the most spectacular breakthrough in timekeeping since the invention of the wristwatch. This revolutionary timekeeping concept of a watch without springs or escapement is operated by an electronically activated tuning fork. The Accutron watch goes on to become a presidential gift to world leaders and other dignitaries. President Johnson declares it the White House's official "Gift of State." An Accutron watch movement is part of the equipment placed on the moon by Apollo 11 astronauts, the first men on the moon. A Bulova timer is placed in the moon's "Sea of Tranquility" to control the transmissions of vital data through the years.

In 1970 the Bulova Accuquartz men's calendar wristwatch becomes the first quartz crystal watch sold at retail in the United States. Designed in 18 karat gold, it retailed for $1,325! In 1979 Bulova becomes a subsidiary of Loews Corporation.

from http://www.vintagewatchrestoration.com/history/body.html

A Brief History of Atomic Clocks

2007-08-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

1945 -- Isidor Rabi, a physics professor at Columbia University, suggests a clock could be made from a technique he developed in the 1930's called atomic beam magnetic resonance.

1949 -- Using Rabi’s technique, NIST (then the National Bureau of Standards) announces the world’s first atomic clock using the ammonia molecule as the source of vibrations.

1952 -- NIST announces the first atomic clock using cesium atoms as the vibration source. This clock is named NBS-1.

1954 -- NBS-1 is moved to NIST’s new laboratories in Boulder, Colo.

1955 --The National Physical Laboratory in England builds the first cesium-beam clock used as a calibration source.

1958 -- Commercial cesium clocks become available, costing $20,000 each.

1960 -- NBS-2 is inaugurated in Boulder; it can run for long periods unattended and is used to calibrate secondary standards.

1963 -- The search for a clock with improved accuracy and stability results in NBS-3.

1967 -- The 13th General Conference on Weights and Measures defines the second on the basis of vibrations of the cesium atom; the world’s timekeeping system no longer has an astronomical basis.

1968 -- NBS-4, the world’s most stable cesium clock, is completed. This clock was used into the 1990s as part of the NIST time system.

1972 -- NBS-5, an advanced cesium beam device, is completed and serves as the primary standard.

1975 -- NBS-6 begins operation; an outgrowth of NBS-5, it is one of the world’s most accurate atomic clocks, neither gaining nor losing one second in 300,000 years.

1989 -- The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three researchers -- Norman Ramsey of Harvard University, Hans Dehmelt of the University of Washington and Wolfgang Paul of the University of Bonn -- for their work in the development of atomic clocks. NIST’s work is cited as advancing their earlier research.

1993 -- NIST-7 comes on line; eventually, it achieves an uncertainty of 5 parts in 10 to the 15th power, or 20 times more accurate than NBS-6.

1999 -- NIST-F1 begins operation with an uncertainty of 1.7 parts in 10 to the 15th power, or accuracy to about one second in 20 million years, making it the most accurate clock ever made (a distinction shared with a similar standard in Paris).

from http://www.nist.gov/

Watch Brands History - Article 2 (Rolex)

2007-08-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

In 1908, Rolex was founded by Mr. Hans Wilsdorf, a German National Citizen. Initially the company was named Wilsdorf & Davis as Wilsdorf founded company together with his brother in law. At the time, mostly pocket watches were produced by Swiss watch manufacturers as manufactures still had difficulty to produce accurate and reliable movements in such small size that they would fit in a wristwatch. Wilsdorf was a perfectionist who improved the standards for watch making as he did strive for smaller and more accurate movements that transformed style and fashion from larger pocket watches to smaller more practical wristwatches. Aegler, a small Swiss company agreed to supply Wilsdorf with movements small enough to be worn on the wrist. Wilsdorf's production included a variety of case designs: casual, formal and sporty.

In 1910, Rolex sent their first movement to the School of Horology in Switzerland. It was awarded the world's first wrist watch chronometer rating. Wilsdorf recognized two major requirements for watches: 1) To keep accurate time, and 2) To be reliable. With the Chronometer Award, 'accuracy' of timekeeping was considered to be under control and Wilsdorf started to work on improving the reliability of his watches. One of the main problems at the time was, that dust and moisture would enter in the watch case and progressively damage in movement. To solve, one would need to develop a completely dust and waterproof watch case. Dust and water would enter watch cases via the casebook and via the crown. Wilsdorf developed a screw crown and casebook mechanism that revolutionized the watch industry.

The first waterproof watch was cleverly advertised around the world. At the time, the public was rather skeptical if the watch would be really waterproof. However, after seeing a watch in an aquarium in the shop window, many people were convinced. Around the world one could see windows of watch shops with an aquarium and submerged Rolex watches. This campaign created an enormous brand awareness for Rolex. Since then, Rolex has continued to be at the forefront of the watch making industry. Today, almost every watch manufacturer followed Rolex and offers waterproof watches. The Rolex Prince, developed in 1928 became a best seller with its dual dial and rectangular case. In 1931 Rolex invented the "Rotor" - a semicircular plate of metal that with gravity, would move freely to wind the watch. Thus, the Rolex "Perpetual" (automatic) movement was born. Rolex's star has risen much higher since those days of the First World War. "People want to own a Rolex because it shows that they made it.". It is something to which you aspire and then treat yourself after a successful venture or a windfall.

Industry watchers say that what distinguishes Rolex from other premium timepieces is its signature look--a big, round face paired with a wide metal band--that's become as familiar on a basketball court as at a black-tie reception. Identifiable from across a room, the Rolex look has an unrivaled, near-universal appeal. Sportsmen value its ruggedness, adventurers its reliability and royalty its elegance.

But the best-known Swiss watchmaker has always been something of an outsider in Geneva. Perhaps it's because the company didn't start out Swiss. As mentioned, Rolex was founded in London, in 1905, by the 24-year-old Wilsdorf, a German who became a British citizen after taking an English bride. It was an era when national borders tended to define men's ambitions, but Wilsdorf thought big from the beginning. In 1908, before anyone had uttered the term multinational, Wilsdorf trademarked the word Rolex, a name that's easily pronounced in different languages and short enough to fit on a watch dial. It's said that Wilsdorf dreamed up the word while riding a London bus, having been inspired by the sound a watch makes as it is wound. Rolex didn't leave England until after the First World War, when an import tax hike of 33 percent made receiving its Swiss-made movements prohibitively expensive.

The company's first decade was driven by its founder's relentless obsession with precision. "Wilsdorf wasn't content merely to invent the first wristwatch. He wanted to invent the first truly accurate wristwatch, one that you could actually run your life by." Validation came in 1914, when London's Kew Observatory certified a Rolex wristwatch to be as precise as a marine chronometer. It was the first time that a watch had received "chronometer" status--a classification that, even today, is held by a relative few timepieces.

Still, improved accuracy didn't immediately transform the wristwatch into an essential item in the common man's wardrobe. Dust, heat and moisture had a way of wreaking havoc with a wristwatch's intricate mechanical movements, and the earliest models required too much maintenance to be practical. Rolex's big breakthrough came in 1926, when Wilsdorf developed a case that was impervious and waterproof. The secret was a revolutionary double-locking crown that screwed down on the case like a submarine hatch to create an airtight seal. Recalling his difficulty in prying open an oyster at a dinner party, Wilsdorf christened his creation the Rolex Oyster.

Nearly 70 years later, the Oyster Perpetual has proved undaunted by the worst possible conditions. It has survived the depths of the sea with Jacques Piccard and the summit of Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary's Sherpa. It has retained its accuracy in subzero arctic temperatures, the scorching Sahara and the weightlessness of outer space. It has shrugged off plane crashes, shipwrecks, and speedboat accidents, broken the sound barrier, and been ejected from a fighter jet at 22,000 feet. Some of the most colorful recommendations are the cautionary tales: the Englishman who inadvertently laundered his Oyster in a scalding cycle, then rinsed, spun and tumble-dried it; the Australian skydiver who dropped his from 800 feet above the outback; or the Californian whose wife accidentally baked his in a 500-degree oven. In each case, the recovered Rolex was running perfectly.

By the advent of the Second World War, the Rolex name had become so prestigious in Britain that pilots in the Royal Air Force rejected inferior government-issued watches and used their paychecks to nearly deplete England's supply of Oyster Perpetuals. The compliment was duly returned: any British prisoner of war whose Rolex was confiscated had only to write to Geneva to receive a replacement. Yankee GIs returned home with a new trinket on their wrists. And so Rolex's romance with America began.

Before leaving Geneva, every Rolex watch must travel through a high-tech obstacle course of quality-control checks. Every dial, bezel and winder will be checked and double-checked for scratches, dust and aesthetic imperfection. The microscopic distance between its hour and minute hands will be painstakingly calibrated to ascertain that they are lying perfectly parallel. An ominous-looking air-pressure chamber will verify that each watch is waterproof to a depth of 330 feet. (The Submariner and Sea-Dweller divers' models are guaranteed to 1,000 and 4,000 feet, respectively.) And every watch will engage in a precision face-off against an atomic-generated "überclock" that loses but two seconds every 100 years. Only after successfully passing dozens of checkpoints does a watch receive the Rolex seal.

Such attention to detail limits Rolex's production to about 650,000 watches a year, based on industry estimates. "That might sound like a lot," insists Lister of Christie's, "but it's very far below market demand." But, as André Heiniger once said, "We've never wanted to be the biggest, but certainly one of the finest in the field."

from http://www.vintagewatchrestoration.com/history/body.html

Watch Brands History - Article 1 (Omega)

2007-08-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Today, seven out of ten people throughout the world are familiar with the Omega watch brand - a truly amazing rate of awareness to which few other watch brands can lay claim. The reason behind this success is said to be the reliably fine quality of every Omega watch. From its modest beginnings in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1848 the assembly workshop created by 23-year-old Louis Brandt gradually gained renown. Louis Brandt assembled key-wound precision pocket watches from parts supplied by local craftsmen.

After Louis Brandt's death in 1879, his two sons Louis-Paul and Cesar took over control of the business. In 1880, the two brothers rented a floor in a Bienne building to set up a modern watch production unit. Among the names they chose for their watches were "Helvetia", "Jura", "Celtic", "Gurzelen", and "Patria". With the introduction of the "Labrador" lever movement in 1885, the watches achieved a precision of within 30 seconds a day. The company's banker, Henri Rieckel, suggested the name "Omega" for the new watch. The overwhelming success of the "Omega" name led to it being adopted as the sole name for all the watches of the company from 1903.

Louis-Paul and César Brandt both died in 1903, leaving one of Switzerland's largest watch companies - with 240,000 watches produced annually and employing 800 people - in the hands of four young people, the oldest of whom was Paul-Emile Brandt. The Omega name made its sports debut at the international ballooning contest for the Gordon Bennet cup in 1909. Britain's Royal Flying Corps decided to choose Omega watches in 1917 as their official timekeepers for its combat units, as did the American army in 1918. Omega had their first victory at the observatory timing competitions in Neuchâtel in 1919 with their chronometers winning the competition. The economic difficulties brought on by the First World War would lead him to work actively from 1925 toward the union of OMEGA and Tissot then to their merger in 1930 within the group SSIH. By the seventies, SSIH had become Switzerland's number one producer of finished watches and number three in the world.

In 1957, the "Omega Speedmaster" was created. After rigorous evaluation and testing, NASA decided to use the "Speedmaster Professional" chronograph wristwatch in 1965 as it's official timekeeper. In 1967, the one millionth chronometer was certified. On 21st July 1969, astronaught Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon. As he made the famous steps quoting "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", he was wearing his Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph. In 1972, Omega received their two-millionth chronometer certificate.

The severe monetary crisis and recession of 1975 to 1980, SSIH was bailed out by the banks in 1981. In 1985 the holding company was taken over by a group of private investors. Immediately renamed SMH, Societe suisse de microelectronique et d'horlogerie, the new group achieved rapid growth and success to become today's top watch producer in the world. Named Swatch Group in 1998, it now includes Blancpain and Breguet. Dynamic and flourishing, OMEGA remains one of its most prestigious flagship brands.

from http://www.vintagewatchrestoration.com/history/body.html

From Ebauches SA to ETA SA: 75 years of Swiss movements

2007-08-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

ETA, which is nowadays part of Swatch Group, is the largest Swiss manufacturer of movements, including the expensive mechanical movements appreciated by the amateurs of high horology. Behind these three rough letters, more romantic denominations like Valjoux, Unitas, and Peseux denote some hidden treasures, one would like to discover.

ETA was not established in one day. The birth of such an industrial concentration actually even required the energetic intervention of the Swiss Confederation itself. Curiously this enthralling history is difficult to reconstitute. Only many partial documents exist (see bibliography), but there is not a single comprehensive account relating its history since the creation of Ebauches S.A. in 1926 until today’s Swatch Group.

Please read the following essay: you will discover there hopes and dramas, splendid successes and treacherous cowardice; a summary of Switzerland’s soul and of life itself.

Chapter 1. Genius’ stroke: establishing of a private limited company (SA):

1921: Clock and watch makers are by nature individualistic: entrenched at their "bench”, at the practice of watch making, each single one tends to keep his individual know-how secret and intends to manage his business by himself. In fact, when a crisis occurs, as now at the beginning of 1921, he shall try and manage individually to market his own products at more or less discounted prices and by more or less legal ways: most criticisable behaviour being the "chablonnage", i.e. the export of all the unassembled parts of a movement, avoiding all federal laws prohibiting the sale of Swiss movements out of the Confederation. Obviously the chablonnage is an unfair competition against the manufacturers of complete watches, the famous "Manufactures", which, at this beginning of the 20th Century, have started marketing in increasing number their own watches under their own brand: Omega, Zenith, Longines, etc, etc.

1924: In a trial to “discipline” the profession, these “Brand” manufacturers create in 1924 the FH Federation of Swiss Watch Manufacturers. The situation is complex, establishing & implementing the right strategy difficult. The movement, the famous Swiss movement, which now the whole world envies, is the basic problem, comprising so many different parts from so many basically different production methods & sources. There are the “Ebauches”, manufactured by large companies with hundreds of employees. There are the lever “assortiments”, the balance wheel, the balance-spring, the various jewels, the mainspring: all these small parts being manufactured by a multitude of micro-companies, sometimes a simple workshop at the corner of a barn.

1926-1927: The solution is to create the “Union of the Annex Branches of the Horological industry “UBAH”, in 1927. The objective is to encourage the self-discipline and to narrowly supervise quality, costs & prices, in order to avoid the self-destructive cycles of price collapse followed by price inflations & vice versa. Step by step, the application of “UBAH’s” philosophy slowly grabs in.

Meanwhile, the “Ebauches” makers’ struggle is complicated by the sheer size of the financial issues. In January 1925, 26 Ebauches manufacturers try to find some unity. That was a waste of time and effort, as one year later one of them unilaterally lowers its prices drastically. At this stage, the Swiss banks’ involvement is necessary (heavily implied in the financing of these large factories they obviously favour market stability). Mandate is given to the Swiss Fiduciary Limited Company of Basle to find a proper solution.

The Swiss banks do not have a reputation of audacity. However they are willing to actively support a stroke of genius: December 27, 1926, in Neuchatel, it is not an association, not a manufacturers’ union, it is a Limited Company of private law. And with the assistance of the banks it is rich, very rich, and hence powerful.

Ebauches S.A. was born out of the willingness for cooperation with the Swiss Banks of the then three biggest manufacturers: AD. MICHEL SA, Grenchen, created in 1898 by Adolphe Michel and Jean Schwarzentrub, A. SCHILD SA, also in Grenchen, created in 1896 by Adolf Schild-Hugi, and FHF “Fabrique d’Horlogerie de Fontainemelon SA”, Fontainemelon, created in 1793 by Isaac and David Benguerel, associated with Julien and François Humbert-Droz. At this stage, these three factories manufacture more than 75 % of the Swiss Ebauches. A. SCHILD SA, for example, employs more than 2100 people.

When Ebauches SA invites to its table of negotiation, it is not for idle talks, it is to speak about mergers, which it can easily finance. One after the other, numerous small manufacturers yield to Ebauches SA’s offers. In 1927, nine companies are bought off: Hora, Sonceboz and Charles Hahn, the manufacturer of the “Landeron” stop watches’ movements. In 1928 ten others follow, amongst which: Felsa, Venus, Root, Bovet, Optima. In 1929, eight more, including Urania and Postala.

As a positive result of this concentration, those & the “Brand Ebauches manufacturers” are able to agree upon and sign in Bern on December 1, 1928 the “convention de chablonnage” which regulates in a drastic way the export of “chablons”.

But that was a bit too early.

The still independent Ebauches manufacturers, called the “dissidents”, feeling unconcerned, do not follow the rules and export “chablons” at an increasing rate, provoking a glut on the market, just at the moment when the 1930 depression entices the United States of America, then first market of export for Swiss watches – otherwise the cantor of liberalism - to increase by 300 to 500 % their customs duties, leading watch making individualism to prevail again.

With the result that, in December 1930, the “convention de chablonnage” is voided.

Chapter 2. From the Holding Company to the Super Holding Company.

1930: at the beginning of the Thirties the situation of the Swiss Watch Industry is dramatic indeed. Bankruptcies follow one another, nearly 20 000 watch makers are unemployed. Watch Industry related Swiss Banks and Associations then decide to take a further calculated gamble, recognising that the strategy, which governed to the creation of Ebauches S.A., was correct. Simply, it had not been carried out fully, i.e. until the complete concentration of the Ebauche manufacturing. Following action plan is accordingly decided:

1. Creation of a Super Holding Company with equal financial participation between the Watch Industry and the related Swiss Banks,
2. Take over of the majority of the shares of Ebauches S.A. by the super holding
3. Financial participation of the Swiss Confederation,
4. Concentration of the other essential movement parts, i.e., lever assortment, balance wheels, balance-springs and acquisition by the super holding of the majority of the shares of all related companies

Thus on August 14, 1931 the Super Holding: the "Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhrenindustrie A.G.", in short "ASUAG", is created - also a Limited Company by Private Law -, and its first President is nominated: Mr. Hermann Obrecht.

The first and urgent task for the ASUAG is to secure the necessary financing: carrying out the foreseen concentrations requires a lot of financial means. The analysts are precise: ASUAG misses 13,5 million (1931) Swiss francs to accomplish its task. Times to activate item three of the above action plan: obtaining the financial participation of the Swiss Confederation.

It is very unusual that a State helps out financially a private law limited company. But the situation is exceptional: there are an impressive number of clock and watchmakers unemployed. Also, the watch industry, in Switzerland, is considered differently as any other industry: it is a National Treasure, which convey in the whole world an image and values, whose repercussions for the country largely exceed the export sales turnover of the Swiss watches alone!

September 11, 1931, upon lengthy negotiations, the Swiss Confederation joins ASUAG as a shareholder with an investment of 6 Mio CHF, granting simultaneously a free loan of Mio 7,5 CHF, refundable per annual instalments of Mio 1 CHF as from 1934.

From now on the ASUAG has the necessary power to reach its goals very quickly.

1932 the sub-holding "Fabrique d'Assortiments Réunies SA" "FAR", uniting all lever assortments' manufacturers, as well as the sub-holding "Fabrique de Balanciers Réunis SA", "FBR", uniting all balance-wheels' manufacturers, are created. The same year Ebauches S.A. takes over Manzoni, Moser, Peseux, Fleurier, ED Kummer S.A. (Atlantic watches) and two mixed factories (movements and complete watches) which deserve a special mention: A. REYMOND S.A. and ETERNA.

Auguste Reymond created his Watch Factory in Tramelan in 1898. The company grows rapidly and establishes itself as a Brand Manufacture in 1906 by manufacturing its own Ebauches firstly in Les Bioux, then later in Tramelan. In 1918 the company is incorporated as A. Reymond S.A. or ARSA. In 1926 it purchases the factory Unitas Watch Co, also in Tramelan. At the time of the merger with Ebauches S.A. in 1932, the company will be divided into two: ARSA for the watches, Unitas for the Ebauches.

A similar procedure is adopted for Eterna. Joseph Girard and Urs Schild had joined in 1856 to manage a factory of Ebauches in Grenchen. In 1870 the company occupied more than 300 people and the Eterna mark started being used as from 1876. Upon Urs Schild's death, Max Schild takes over and the company named Schild Frères Cie in 1891. In 1929 it produces more than 2 million parts and employs more than 800 people. At the time of the affiliation with Ebauches S.A. in 1932, the name Eterna will be reserved for the watches (Eterna SA) and the Ebauches manufacture will become ETA S.A.

1933, in spite of all these considerable efforts, 22 companies remain "dissenting", including nine Ebauches factories. The Swiss Confederation then legislates: in March 15 1934 the Federal Law called "Decrees of the Federal Council tending to protect the Swiss Watch Industry" is published and enacted. Henceforth it is prohibited to start any new watch making company without a licence and it is prohibited to export "chablons" outside of the prevailing legal agreements.

The Swiss Watch Industry is under control as from now on.

The merging of companies into the related holding companies shall continue but at less constant space. Fortunately the economic situation is improving and the demand for watches starts to increase again. There will be all the same, amongst others, the absorption of Champagne in 1938, of Derby, Precimax, Gigantic in 1941, of Glycine in 1942 and Valjoux in 1944. Mythical Valjoux S.A., to which Swiss Chronographs owe so much, was called Reymond Frères at the time of its creation in Bioux, in the Valley of Joux, by John and Charles Reymond, in 1901. Explaining the origins of the initials R engraved on the movements. The company specializes from its start in the creation and the manufacture of the mechanisms of stop watc*hes and manufactures its own Ebauches since 1910. In 1929, John's sons Marius and Arnold take over and incorporate the company as Valjoux S.A. In 1942 the company manufacture at least 60 000 complete Ebauches yearly, before passing under control of Ebauches S.A. in 1944.

Chapter 3. Golden age to the premises of the great crisis

Between 1945 and 1960 the Swiss Watch Industry shall benefit of fifteen years of a trend of continuous growth. The annual production of watches and movements is more than doubled, increasing from 18,8 to 41 million units. The protective measures prohibiting the establishment of new Ebauches factories are extended at the beginning of the years 1950, then softened thereafter and abrogated on January 1st, 1966. But what probably saved the watch making industry in the years of crisis shall now provoke some negative results : the remaining independent “Brand Ebauches Manufacturers” experience the greatest difficulties in competing against the power of the trust Ebauches S.A. They shall start disappearing gradually, starting with the Ebauches Angélus, Excelsior, Universal, Movado...

At the beginning of the 1960s Switzerland will be confronted with a strong push of foreign competition as the watch making industry was rebuilt in the majority of the countries where it had seriously been impaired during WWII. France and Germany regain a strong position in their respective own market. The United States of American as well as Japan are increasingly successful in exporting their watches, thanks to companies of significant size (Timex, Seiko, Citizen, Orient) producing cheap watches per million units. In Switzerland, the watch making industrial fabric is very thinly spread out: there are more than 3000 watch making companies, 80 % of them counting less than 20 employees!

Now has come the time for further concentration on the level of the finished watches. The ASUAG, again with the assistance of the Swiss banks, launches a further concentration campaign

1966 Chronos Holding is created with the buy-out of Cyma in Tavannes and a participation in Gruen. 1968 the Synchron group is created, gathering Ernest Borel, Doxa and Cyma. In 1971 ASUAG creates a new sub-holding, General Watch Co (GWC), in order to manage the newly bought-outs companies and brands: Certina*, Edox, Eterna, Mido, Oris* and Technos. (*which shall abandon their own Ebauches manufacturing facilities). The same year it buys out Longines, already owner of Record and Rotary.

The concentration on the movement manufacturing level also continues: in 1967 Ebauches S.A. buys-out Durowe, Germany and Sefea, in Annemasse, France.

All goes then for best, the production equipments turn to full mode, in 1974 Switzerland shall manufacture and export more than 84 million watches.

However, the future perspectives are dark, very dark indeed. The upsurge of the Quartz is the generally accepted sole reason for the crisis, which will strike head-on the Swiss Watch Industry as from 1975.

But Swiss Quartz was developed relatively early: in 1974, already a good number of the exports were already Swiss Quartz Watches. In fact the Swiss Watch Industrialists probably did not expect the impressive & sudden fall of the average prices, which led to a brutal disaffection for the mechanical watch. Because the nature of the watch business had changed: in fact the speedy rules of the electronics industry prevailed on those, by nature more sedate, of the precision mechanics industry.

But quartz is not alone responsible: in 1973, the first oil crisis provokes the 1974 start of a planetary economic recession. Simultaneously, the Swiss Franc’s value starts increasing considerably against all major world currencies: within a few years it will gain 70 % of its 1973 value.

The situation becomes dramatic: between record-breaking year 1974 and 1983, the number of watches and movements manufactured in Switzerland shall decrease from 84,4 million to a mere 30,2 million: a steep downturn of almost 65 %. Hundreds of companies shall disappear; tens of thousands of jobs are destroyed. The ASUAG can only apply defensive solutions out of despair: in 1978 ETA and Schild merge, the Synchron group is dissolved, Borel, Doxa, Cyma are sold. In 1980 the number of “calibres”, i.e. movement types, manufactured by Ebauches S.A. is drastically reduced from 136 to 40. The same year ASUAG loses more than 44 Mio CHF. In 1982, all Ebauches manufacturing companies owned by ASUAG are merged into ETA SA, Oris is sold back to its previous owners, and the losses exceed Mio 156 Mio CHF.

We are now at the very edge of the precipice and oblivion.

But now I must introduce here a new actor, another giant with clay feet: the “Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère”, shortly called SSIH.

Chapter 4. From alpha to omega

The SSIH was born on February 24, 1930 through the association of “Louis Brandt and Frères S.A., Omega Watch Co” in Biel/Bienne, and of the “Fabrique d'Horlogerie Charles Tissot et Fils Charles” in Le Locle. No need for any further introduction for those well known manufacturers. They merge their assets in this difficult period, in order to rationalize their Ebauches manufacturing and coordinate their marketing and sales policies. However, they both miss a type of movement, which becomes very fashionable at the beginning of the 1930s: the chronograph (stop watch). At this point in time, Marius Meylan managing director of “Lemania Watch Co”, which had been created in 1884 by his father-in-law Alfred Lugrin, located at the Eastern part of the famous “Vallée de Joux”, approaches the SSIH, resulting in the 1932 Lemania buy-out by SSIH.

The SSIH shall quickly become a major player of the Swiss Watch Industry. In 1948, Omega’s Centennial, the SSIH employs 1600 people and has an output of more than 500 000 watches. Within the following years the SSIH shall not cease growing: 3000 staff at the beginning of the years 1960, more than 7000 at the beginning of the years 1970 with an output of more than 10 million parts. This growth is generated in good part by the integration of the following companies: Marc Favre in 1955, Eigeldinger & Cie in 1957, Rayville S.A., manufacturers of the Blancpain watches in Villeret, in 1961. SSIH’s interest in Rayville SA is concentrated on their remarkable ladies’ movements and not the Trade Mark Blancpain, whose marketing is quickly abandoned. In 1961 still, SSIH purchases Cortebert’s the industrial manufacturing capacity, in 1965 occurs the buy-out of Langendorf Watch Company, the manufacturers of “Lanco” watches. In 1969, as a means to try and fight back the worldwide onslaught of Timex and Seiko in the field of economic watches, SSIH takes over Aetos, a sizeable economic lever manufacturer, and two years later the “Economic Swiss Time Holding”, short ESTH (created in 1967), the largest Swiss manufacturer of “Roskopf” pin lever watches, encompassing Agon, Buler, Continental & Ferex. The buy-out of Hamilton in both Switzerland & U.S.A., between 1971 and 1974, shall be considered as the indisputable proof of the supremacy of Swiss Watch industry on its American equivalent.

But for the SSIH, as for the whole Swiss Watch Industry, times have changed radically: in 1975 the sales fall by more than 20 %, in 1976 by more than 30 %. The following year, Tissot has to abandon its own Ebauches manufacture, and in 1979 the sales drop again by more than 20 %. Compared to 1971, this leads to a manpower reduction of 2000 people. And the 1980 results are alarming: a drop of 63,6 %! The Swiss Banks are again complied to intervene: the three most concerned constitute a steering committee and hire a specialized management consulting company: Hayek Engineering AG, owned and managed by a so-called Nicolas Hayek. The suggested solutions are brutal indeed: Rayville/Blancpain is dissolved, Buler, Lanco, ESTH are sold. Even Lemania is yielded to a group of shareholders, including Piaget. In 1982 the Blancpain trademark is sold for only 18,000 CHF to a certain Jean-Claude Biver, who was in charge of the jewellery watches at Omega...

Then, Nicolas Hayek decides to make a take-over move of both agonising Titans...

Chapter 5. Fusion and rebirth

The idea of merging ASUAG and SSIH together had been envisioned since the Swiss Federal Council had 1980 favoured the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two Titans. 1981, SSIH yield its own quartz sector to ETA. Nicolas Hayek’s strategy is based on matter-of-fact marketing logic in form of a pyramid: at the base there are the cheap watches manufactured in very great quantities. To secure an essential base to this level there is ETA, therefore the ASUAG. It is thus ETA and its boss Ernst Thomke who leads the realization of the Swatch concept, as successfully as everybody knows. At the top of the pyramid there are the exclusive & expensive watches, which must correspond to a trademark with strong & long worldwide established notoriety: it will be Omega thus the SSIH.

The merger shall take place between 1983 and 1984. The new group, called ASUAG-SSIH, employs more than 12,000 staff and makes more than 1,5 billion Swiss francs sales turnover. It comprises a "finished products" segment with the trademarks Omega, Longines, Eterna, Rado, Hamilton, Certina, Tissot and Mido. The "movements and components" segment is constituted by ETA, which gathers from now on all the companies of Ebauches SA, and is responsible for the manufacturing of the Swatch and Endura’s “Private Label” watches. In the industrial field, two other segments complement the organization.

In 1984 the situation starts to improve: ASUAG-SSIH makes a small benefit, 26,5 million CHF, compared to 173 million losses one year earlier. However, Omega, expected to be a statue of profitability at the top of the pyramid, is still loosing money. Eterna, ARSA, Atlantic are sold off.

Then, in 1985, all of a sudden the drama reaches its peak: Nicolas Hayek, heading a group of investors, repurchases 51 % of the capital of ASUAG-SSIH, incorporates it into the “Société Suisse de Micro-électronique et d’Horlogerie SA”, in short SMH, and becomes its Chairman.

The new company shall become the formidable success story, known to everyone. Sales turnover and benefit increase regularly; in 1992 Blancpain is repurchased together with its affiliated Ebauches Manufacture Frederic Piguet SA. In 1997 Calvin Klein Watches are created and the SMH becomes Swatch Group SA.

And Swatch Group grows bigger.
And the large majority of the Ebauches now bear the trademark ETA.

Don’t you wonder if some people soon should start feeling aggravated?

by Claude Girardin, in NAWCC Internet Horology Chapter 185

History of Watch Making

2007-08-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

Now a days, when you say "fine watches", the Swiss immediately come to mind. This hasn't always been the case, both the English and the Americans were once considered leaders in the watch field. The development of the American watch industry was one of the symbols of America's emergence from an agricultural country to an industrial power.

Watches before 1850: The English and Swiss Rule Supreme
Although the English aren't famous for watchmaking now, from around 1650 until around 1850 they made the highest quality, most accurate watches in the world. The English watches tended to be bulky and not very fashionable, but the plain style matched the "puritan" ethic of England. The Swiss, on the other hand, had a flair for the fashions that were desired by the rest of Europe and the world. The Swiss made a very wide range of watches, from cheap junk to very high quality complicated watches, although few were as accurate as the English. Both of these two major watch centers made watches in small batches by small companies with a lot of hand work. Both of these countries dumped their cheapest junk onto the American market.

1850s: The Founding of the American Watch Industry
Starting around 1850, the Americans pioneered the use of automated machines to mass produced high quality watches with interchangeable parts. This became known as the "American System of Manufacturing." By the 1860s-1870s the American watch companies had proved that this system could make watches that were every bit as good as all but the best watches that were made by hand. They were also able to make watches that were cheaper than all but the cheapest hand made watches.

1870s: American Watch Companies Are The State Of The Art
By the mid 1870s, the Swiss noticed a significant drop off in sales to the American market. To find out why, they sent a representative to the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. There, the Swiss saw Waltham's automated screw making machine and were shocked by what it could do. A spool of wire was fed into one end of the completely automated machine, and a steady stream of perfectly formed screws the size of pin heads were delivered out the other end. Similar quality watch screws simply could not be made by the hand controlled machines the Swiss used.
It wasn't just screw making that the American's had perfected. Almost every part of a watch had a specially designed machine that could make parts faster, more accurately and with less labor than anything the Swiss or English could do.
By the early 1880s, the Swiss and English were pretty much run out of the American market. The English just kind of folded up shop and stuck to the high end ship chronometers needed by the many ships of the huge British Empire. They also made over priced junk that could only be sold at home. The English reacted to both the growing Swiss and American watch industries by lobbying the parliament for higher tariffs and restricting imports. The Swiss, on the other hand, reacted by adapting to the new market.

1880s: The Swiss Respond
Before the 1880s, the Swiss watch industry was made up of cottages in little villages where only a few parts of a watch movement or watch case were made. Those parts would then be assembled in other small shops. Each watch had to be hand tweaked to account for the differences between the parts. A difference in one part would often require that the other parts that it touched to have to be adapted.
After seeing the American System of Manufacturing, the Swiss reorganized into centralized factories, with a fair amount of automation. These factories were very small compared to American companies and they still weren't as automated. They did, however, make enough improvements that they could make knock offs of American watches ("Swiss Fakes") and also to keep from losing the rest of the world's markets.
One drawback to the American System of Manufacturing is that each part required a machine to make it, so complicated watches such as minute repeaters, chronographs and very high end watches were not practical to make. Sometimes American companies would "cheat" and simply make these watches with semi-automated means similar to the Swiss, but the quantity was limited and by the 1890s, most American watch companies had stopped making them. The American watches were very high quality, but also very simple.

1900s: The Power of Competitive Markets
While the American companies had dabbled in foreign markets in the 1870's and 1880's, for the most part, they were quite happy to limit themselves to the US and Canadian markets. Americans, in general, were quite isolationist, and Elgin and Waltham were generally selling everything their factories could produce.
By around 1900, the Swiss technology had pretty much caught up with the Americans. One big difference was that the Swiss had many companies involved in the making of a watch. There were a bunch of companies that would make "movements in the gray" (ebauche), and these movements would be sold to other companies that would finish them off and sell them. Other companies would specialize in things like chronograph attachments, watch dials, mainsprings or tools. With so many Swiss companies each doing only a part of the manufacture, as a whole, the Swiss were able to produce everything from very cheap watches, to watches of the highest quality.
The American market, in contrast, was effectively a duopoly of Waltham and Elgin, with several smaller companies trying to survive in niche markets. All of these companies produced everything but the watch case. A factory that builds everything has certain advantages, such as it is easier to coordinate, but having one factory that did everything from making jewels, to making dials, to sales and promotion also had draw backs. If a Swiss company was having problems with the quality or quantity of, say, the dials, they would change suppliers. If an American company couldn't make dials, they were stuck. A new Swiss company could enter the market fairly easily, but the American "watch trust" made distributors and Jewelers leery of accepting a new brand of watch and risk loosing their supply of Elgins and Walthams.

1920s: The Return of the Swiss
The Swiss were early adopters of the wrist watch, and after WWI, they made significant inroads into the US market. Of the American watch companies, only Elgin, Hamilton and the company was to become Timex really successfully made the switch to wrist watches. Waltham held on, but due to poor management, they failed to invest in the newer equipment that was needed to make the smaller watches. The dozen or so other American watch companies either merged, were bought out and moved to other countries or shut down.
After the market crash of 1929, watches became a luxury that most people could put off buying. All the watch companies suffered, but those that hadn't switched to wrist watch production couldn't recover. During the 1930s, watch companies all over the world just kind of hung on.
During WWII, the American watch companies sunk a great deal of their remaining capital into converting to war production. Bomb "fuses" (timers), specialized navigation timers, and ship chronographs were all new designs which required new equipment. The Swiss, being "neutral", were allowed back into the American market in a big way and when the war ended, the American watch companies were in a world of hurt. They had lost a large chunk of their home market, they had no foreign markets, and they needed time to retool back to watch production. The American public, on the other hand, was flush with money that they couldn't spend while the war was on, and the Swiss were all too willing to supply them with watches.

1950s: The Swiss Take Charge
By the 1950s, the Swiss had perfected machine made complicated wrist watches such as chronographs, automatic winding watches, and day-date watches. The Americans had never produced these kinds of watches (in any real numbers), they weren't making much money and they had exhausted their reserves. None of them were able to make the transition from simple watches to the complicated ones that were in demand in the late 1950s and 1960s.
Like the English, the American watch companies reacted to the growing Swiss market share by lobbying congress for higher tariffs and restricting imports. They also tried to get more military contracts, but even the Korean war didn't help much. I have a wonderful article from Elgin whining to congress about how there "needs to be a parity of price at the borders" and "We need a tariff on Swiss watches and a subsidized export market." And to think, Elgin was in much better shape than most.
The only American watch company that survived was Timex, which made cheap, "disposable" watches. While they were looked down on by the elite watch makers, they were at least turning a profit. By making the watches "disposable", Timex was able to do things like completely seal the watch case. This meant that it couldn't be opened to be repaired, but it also wouldn't let dust in. The Timex also lacked any jewels, which meant that it would wear out after a while, but it was also more rugged that way. A sharp knock would often break the jewels in an expensive watch, but a Timex could "Take a Licking, And Keep On Ticking!"
The other American company of note was Bulova, which up until the 1950s had imported their movements from Switzerland. In the 1960s, they created the revolutionary electronic "Accutron" watch. This watch used a tuning fork to keep time instead of a rotating balance wheel, and the result was an incredibly accurate watch. The Accutron became the high end watch from the early 1960s until the early 1970s when the quartz watch took over.

1970s: The Quartz Age
In the 1970s, the Swiss took another shock when the Japanese perfected the quartz watch, but like the shock from the "American System of Manufacturing", they adapted and recovered.
Today, you can still buy watches with the great American names of Waltham, Elgin, and Hamilton, but none of these watches are made in the USA. Many watch companies license these names, and little attention is paid to their quality. They probably aren't any worse than many other brand names that you can pick up at Target or Wallmart, but they have nothing to do with their once great past.

from http://elginwatches.org/history/short_history.html

The First Watch in Space

2007-08-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

On April 12, 06:07 GMT, 1961 Juri Gagarin, at the controls of Vostok One, ushered in a new era, one of manned space flight, and the world was forever changed. The technology that put this man in space and brought him safely home, was some of the newest and most modern equipment available. Ironically, on his wrist was a technology that was already centuries old-- watch making. It may seem odd to us now in this time of extremely accurate quartz watches, but at the time, the mechanical wrist watch was an important piece of gear, and it’s accuracy and reliability were of paramount concern. In light of these concerns, the choice of watch Gagarin took with him would not have been a decision made in haste.

The STURMANSKIE, (or ШТУРМАНСКИЕ in Cyrillic,) which had been issued to new graduates of the prestigious Orenberg Flight School along with their diplomas since the late 1940’s, was a logical choice, due to the high quality of the movement and inherent accuracy of the watch. Gagarin would have been supplied with such a 1st Moscow Watch Factory Sturmanskie opon graduation from Orenberg as well, but it is doubtful that he would have received the Sturmanskie he wore into space at that time. Most likely, he would have been awarded a 15 jewel watch, very similar to the one he wore in space but lacking some of the newer features that were unavailable at that time.

Based on an earlier French design, the Lip R26, from which the Soviets purchased the machinery to produce the watch. The Soviet’s had updated the design by adding a central seconds complication and a hacking feature that allowed the watch to be precisely stopped and synchronized with a given time signal. A critical detail on any military watch, but especially so on a Navigator’s watch, where often location would be ascertained by correctly estimating where the aircraft was by accurately measuring time to distance.

The Sturmanskie Gagarin wore into space had a highly finished (including Geneva striping!) 17 jewel, shock protected movement. The movement was housed in a chrome plated, two-piece case measuring 33 mm across, 12 mm high, with a 16 mm lug size and had a stainless steel screw back. Unlike the earlier watch’s stainless steel snap back, the new watch was fully gasketed providing better water resistance.

As a matter of fact, the Sturmanskie’s movement and case, were virtually identical to the civilian Sportivnie (Спортивные). Only the dial separated the two watches visually from each other. After his world famous flight, the watch Gagarin wore was donated to what was soon to become ПОЛЕТ or Poljot, meaning flight, in honor of Gagarin’s groundbreaking mission. Where it currently resides as part of their present day collection.

from http://www.netgrafik.ch/russian_space_watches.htm

What You Need To Know About Watch Repair

2007-08-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

Which watches can be repaired?
In theory, any watch can be repaired, but in practice many watches can not be repaired for less than the cost of replacing them. This is most often true for low cost watches and quartz watches, but it is also true for badly damaged watches such as ones that have rusted. It can also hard or expensive to find certain replacement parts. A watch may still be worth repairing even if the repair costs exceed the replacement costs if the watch has some sentimental value to you, such as your grandmother's watch. Watches used to be heirlooms traditionally handed down when a child became an adult as new watches were too expensive for them to buy. I highly recommend keeping your watch even if you aren't that interested in it right now.
Be aware that many watchmakers only work on antique watches and may not be able to help with the newer ones, such as quartz watches. It might surprise you that there are lots of people who can repair watches from the 1930's, but not watches from the 1990's. The reason is that the ones from the 1930's, for the most part, were designed to be repaired while the ones from the 1990's, for the most part, weren't.
Also, many watchmakers do not handle certain things like replacement watch bands, replacement links to watch bands, replacing diamonds and other jewels on a watch case and other similar "jewelry" aspects of a watch.

Where can I get my watch repaired?
The quality of work and the price charged by watchmakers varies widely. While there are many great watchmakers, there are also some "botchmakers" out there. In my opinion, it is MUCH more important to find a good watchmaker than a close one. Don't count people out because they live 3000 miles away, since they are really just as close as your mailbox.
When looking for a watchmaker, here are some questions you should consider asking:
What kinds of watches do they work on?
Some watchmakers only work on pocket watches, others on Rolexes and high end watches, many will not work on electronic watches of any kind.
Does it cost to get an estimate?
Figuring out what is wrong with your watch can take quite a bit of time. Some watchmakers will charge for estimates, often this charge will be waved if you go ahead with the repairs.
Guarantees
Most watchmakers will offer a guarantee that the watch will function correctly for some time after you get the watch back. The length of this guarantee varies from weeks to months. This guarantee will not cover the watch being dropped, nor to keep perfect time.
How long will it take?
Most good watchmakers have a backlog, but some watchmakers are just slow. Long delays is one of the most frequent complaints about watchmakers.
How are the watches cleaned?
As discussed in the repair cost section, the quality of a cleaning can vary. I recommend making sure the watchmaker fully disassmebles the watch and hand oils the watch.
Just like you should do with all your valuables, it is a good idea to take pictures of your watch, both the outside and the watch movement (where the gears are). You should also record all serial numbers and markings on the watch. Good watchmakers will help you with this, if you have problems.
About the only thing I would recommend against doing is taking it to a random jewelry store. Once upon a time, almost all jewelry stores had a good watchmaker on staff, much like all gas stations had a mechanic. Mechanical watches have become rare and watch repair is very specialized work. Just like few gas stations have mechanics anymore, most watchmakers no longer work in jewelry stores. Many jewelers will claim they still repair watches, but actually send them to someone else, or have some guy who is past retirement who used to be good but now repairs only couple of watches a year, or worst of all, some new guy who doesn't know much of anything. I'm sure there are some really good watch makers that are still work in jewelry stores, but chances are, you are either going to pay more for having a middle man or get really bad results. Of course, it is different if you know your jeweler well and know that they have a good watchmaker. Don't take your car to the 7-11 or gas-n-stop to get it fixed, and don't take your watch to a random jeweler.

How often should I get my watch serviced?
If you are going to use the vintage watch on a daily basis, you should get your watch serviced when you first get it and every couple of years there after. Water resistant watches can usually go 3-5 years, but if want to count on it being water resistant, you should have the seals checked every year. You shouldn't wait for your watch to stop working before servicing it any more than you would wait for your car to stop working before changing its oil.
If you aren't going to use the vintage watch, you should have it inspected to make sure that what you got was what you thought you were going to get. There are pros and cons involved with having a watch in your collection cleaned. Every time a watch is worked on, there is a certain risk that something will be broken or lost. Many cleanings will also dull the finish on the parts, and this is especially true for damaskeened and two-tone finishes. Cleaning will often also clean off some of the paint in the lettering on the movement. And, of course, there is the added expense of having a watch cleaned.
On the other hand, a cleaned and oiled watch is less likely to rust or have corrosion from gunk on the metal. They aren't making any new replacement parts for antique watches, so If your watch needs parts now, you are more likely to get it fixed now than in the future.
You should also immediately get your watch cleaned if the insides (movement) ever gets wet, or even if you just see moisture forming on the inside of the crystal. Don't trust the "water proofing" on vintage wrist watches, treat them like pocket watches and non-water resistant wrist watches. Water resistant watches can actually be worse because the gaskets and seals wear out and end up trapping water inside instead of keeping it out.
Watches need to be cleaned whenever the oil has broken down or when there is too much dust and dirt on the gears. It used to be said that watches should be cleaned every year, but the quality of the oil has improved and most people don't live in as dirty an environment as they did when people used horses to get around town and heated their homes with coal.
Dust will act as an abrasive and grinds away the metal. This increases friction, both by making the surfaces rough and also by changing the shape and position of the gears. The gears are designed so that the teeth roll on each other, instead of sliding. Once the right shape is worn away, they will never be as good. In general, the older the watch, the poorer the job the case will do in keeping the dust out. Water resistant watches, even when the seals no longer keep out water, tend to do a good job of keeping out dust.

How much should a servicing cost?
The amount of work that a watchmaker does for a "cleaning" can vary widely, as can the price. Higher prices don't always mean a better job, but considering the amount of skilled labor involved, I can't see how anyone charging less than $30-$40 can be doing a reasonable job and still make enough to live on. Reasonable prices seem to be in the $50-$150 range for cleaning a simple pocket or wrist watch, although I have heard of quotes ranging from $20 to $500.
For $25 or so, some watchmakers will run the entire movement through an automatic cleaning machine, and maybe throw some oil in key spots. This will often make a watch that was too dirty or is gummed up with old oil to at least "run". This lets dealers sell the watch at a much higher price because it is "running and recently serviced" rather than "not running".
For a "real" servicing, the watch needs to be completely taken a part. All parts need to be inspected for damage and wear. Any broken, worn or missing parts need to be fixed. The parts need to be cleaned, usually with an automatic cleaning machine, and then inspected to make sure the parts really got clean. The watch must be reassembled, and checked to make sure it is running well in all positions. If the watch isn't running well in all positions, the problems must be diagnosed, fixed, and possibly the watch will need to be re-cleaned and re-oiled. Finally, most watchmakers let the watch run for at least 24-48 hours to make sure everything is working right.
Some botchmakers also use "automatic cleaning and oiling solutions" which deposits an oily goo all over the watch and eats away the finish. A "real" cleaning requires hand oiling, in the right amounts and in the right spots. Too much oil can be worse than not enough.
There are some watchmakers who will charge more to people who contact them directly than they do when they work for a jeweler. This is especially common if they think you have only one watch that is a family heirloom and this is their only chance to get money from you. These watchmakers may well be willing to negotiate on their price. Others watchmakers charge everyone the same price and won't be flexible at all. They may even be slightly put off if you ask.
Complicated watches such as chronographs, repeaters, fusee, and such will cost more, as will brands that have hard to find or expensive parts such has the high end Swiss watches. Watches from Switzerland, England or other non-American watches made before around 1910 can be very hard to find parts for, often the parts have to be custom made by hand.
Remember, the price quoted as $50-$150 is for just a cleaning, you should expect that any other work your watch requires will cost more accordingly. Old watches were put away in a drawer for a reason, often because they were broken or unreliable.
Most watchmakers won't try to make a watch run more accurately than when they were originally manufactured, so when I say "check the timing in each position", on an unadjusted 7 jewel movement, they probably will just make sure that it is keeping time within 10-60 seconds/day. A high grade railroad watch, on the other hand, will probably be made to run to within 10 seconds/day in every position, with the goal of having some positions cancel the errors of the others. Railroad watches were designed to keep time, while in rough use, to 30 seconds/week and most can be made that accurate even today.
The point here is that a quote of "$25" to repair a watch probably isn't a bargain, but $150 (or more) may be very reasonable for a given watch. On the other hand, the $150 quote might be no better than $25.

What does it mean if I was told I "over wound" my watch?
You really can't "over wind" a watch, at least not without taking out a pair of pliers and really cranking on the winding crown well past the point of it being hard to turn. If you have been told that your watch is "over wound", it means one of two things:
The person who told you that the watch is over wound doesn't know what they are talking and isn't honest enough to admit it.
The person who told you that the watch is over wound either doesn't want to try and fix it, or can't fix it and isn't honest enough to admit it. They are also willing to make it sound like it is your fault by saying that "you over wound it."
Either way, you can take it as a sign that you should never try to have a watch repaired by them and that you should always go somewhere else.
Watchmakers who blame problems on a watch being over wound are like car mechanics who blame problems on gas tanks being over filled. Most people would laugh if they were told their car's flat tire was caused by over filling their gas tank, but they accept a broken roller jewel as being caused by over winding. There are many reasons why a watch won't run, just like there are many reasons why a car won't run. Neither a car with an empty gas tank nor a watch that is wound down will run. If cars didn't have fuel gauges, I suppose that most people would at least try filling the gas tank first, just like most people try winding the watch first. Being the last person to fill the gas tank doesn't mean you broke the car, nor does being the last person to wind the watch.

What does it mean if I was told that you can't get parts?
Unlike being told you over wound your watch, being told that "you can't get parts for your watch anymore" may be the truth. However, if your watch is of good quality, made within the last 150 years and reasonably common, parts are usually still around if you look hard enough for them. Most of the time, when a watchmaker says "you can't get parts", they really mean "I'm either not interested in working on your watch, or I don't know how to work on your watch."
Even if parts can't be found, a good watchmaker can often make those parts. If the part is simple to make, say, a winding stem, or if another part can be easily modified, this may not be too expensive and most watchmakers should be able to fix the watch. Difficult parts such as a new escape wheel, can still be made by expert watchmakers, but this can be very expensive.
Don't accept the first claim that "you can't get parts", go find a better watchmaker.

What does it mean if I was told that my watch can't be fixed?
Like being told you can't get parts for a what, sometimes people are told an old watch can't be fixed when the watchmaker really means "I'm either not interested in working on your watch, or I don't know how to work on your watch." Unless your watch is badly rusted, a good watchmaker can usually fix it. See the above section on "you can´t get parts".

Can I repair my own watch?
Short answer: NO! Don't even try!

Longer answer:
Yes, of course you can learn to repair your own watch. You can also learn to fly your own plane and overhaul your own car engine. It will take a certain level of mechanical skill, the right education, a lot of practice, and a bunch of money for the right tools.
It is tempting to think that all a watch needs is a little oil, but most of the time, the real problem is the dirt. You can oil many watches with a single drop of oil, and if you use too much oil, the watch won't work. Oiling a watch without cleaning it just doesn't work. To remove the dirt, you must disassemble and clean the watch.
Once a watch has been taken apart the parts are easily broken (even a bend of 1/100 of an inch can be irreparable). You won't be able to moved the parts without breaking or losing things. So, never take apart a watch unless you are certain you can put it back together. Taking a watch apart without breaking anything isn't too hard, although there are many small parts that are easily lost and springs that will literally jump out of the watch and disappear. Getting the watch cleaned and put back together without breaking things, however, is much harder. Just checking to see if the watch is working correctly once it is back together requires either a lot of time (days) or expensive equipment. If the watch isn't running well, and it likely won't be, diagnosing problems and repairing a watch can be very frustrating and requires a great deal of skill and knowledge.
Unless you have a dozen watches per year to fix and don't count your time as money, it is very unlikely that you will save money over having a watchmaker fix your watch. If you enjoy working on tiny machines and consider watch repair to be an extension of watch collecting, you might consider taking it up as a hobby.

from http://elginwatches.org/help/watch_repair.html

My collection

2007-08-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

First Post

2007-08-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody! My name is Rui, and i´m from Portugal. Today, i created my blog. It´s all about one of my passions: watches. I intend to use it to post all kind of info about watches (new releases, technical info, collections, repair, links, and lots more). For it to work, i need your sugestions and comments.

Thank you!