I recently serviced a watch with a steep learning curve. I guess I though a quartz watch, was a quartz watch. But, alas, they are not!
The watch was a Piaget Caliber 8P2. I tested the electronics before agreeing to service the watch because I knew that I was unable to order parts [...]
Some of our most popular posts here on the blog have to do with watchmaking schools, of which there are very few left in the world. We have done our best to cover what we do know about watchmaking schools and related courses, but we can’t cover all of the bases. So, if you are [...]
It’s Saturday and I’m in the shop today. I’m normally blessed so that I don’t have to work on weekends (a rarity in the retail watch & jewelry business), but today I’m in the shop. It’s national watch sizing day. Today customers return to the stores where their loved ones purchased their [...]
My boss recently came to me with a very interesting question: He was trying to sell a new Rolex to a gentleman who had a Rolex with a 3035 inside. He wanted to know what improvements had been made in the 3135 movement. That was a tough question.
I often hear people say [...]
If you follow watch blogs on the Internet you probably already know about the Jaeger-LeCoultre iPhone App. It is really pretty fun! Besides showcasing all of their products it also has a watchmaking initiation school with “lessons” about the many professions surrounding the manufacture of watches. It also has a watchmaking dictionary [...]
I’ve talked about them in the past. I’ve talked about special tools for adjusting them, but what is the big deal about end shakes?
End shake refers to the amount of play that a wheel has to move laterally along its axis between the jewels which support it. In modern watches this is typically [...]
Open up your dresser drawer and you probably have some watches that have been in there for 10, 15, or more years. They’re probably broken, or maybe they just need a new battery. But, why do we keep them? I definitely have some of them. That Casio has been broken for at [...]
We’ve talked quite a bit about the movements that run inside of Rolex watches here on the blog, and with good reason. They are among the best engineered mechanical watch movements currently in production. One of the most commonly employed Rolex calibres today is the 3135, and is a prime example of where the evolution [...]
Chandru asked if I could suggest some good books about watch repair and servicing. Unfortunately I haven’t read any. Most of my learning comes from the classroom and from asking questions — which is in my opinion the best way to learn. I have never been one to pick up a book [...]
Clearly, I’m a fan of Rolex watches. If you haven’t figured that out yet you haven’t been reading this blog enough. Most watch enthusiasts will know that Rolex invented the “water-proof” watch. The very first model had a crown inside a two piece case and you had to unscrew the bezel to [...]
