Autonomie

To all my readers, I apologize for my laziness in posting.

I don't want to turn this into a "personal" blog, so I'll keep it short. My father had some health issues, which have been clearing up very well. I've been helping my mother to care for him and have been putting out fires around the house; so things like studying and blogging have fallen by the wayside.

Starting next week, I will be making regular postings and updating the Chicago School Of Watchmaking section, as well as all the other sections. I especially hope to have a new Grande Complication interview up sooner, than later.

You've all been very patient and I look forward to interacting with you as much as possible over the next year--and beyond.

Thank you.

Autonomie

Good news for this weeks Autonomie; I had my first comment!

Reader rrwatch pointed out that the Chicago School Of Watchmaking course left out a couple of important setting mechanisms from their course: The key set and pin.

From Christoph Ozdoba's website:

http://www.ozdoba.net/swisswatch/pocket_howto.html

"...the shaft where you insert the key to set the watch is usually directly in the center."

"In the picture above, the red arrow shows the little pusher that you have to operate (best with the nail of your thumb) if you want to set the watch: Push it in, and then turn the crown to set the hands."

The key set featured both front and back setting squares and the pin set--as is found on the Model 1870 Waltham.

I haven't made a new post on the Chicago School Of Watchmaking for several days and I apologize. I haven't had too much time to study, which is not an excuse. I hope to start posting daily, rather than catch as catch can, as I have been doing.

I posted info about my blog on several watch forums to mark the one month anniversary of the What Does Your Watch Say? blog. Response has been good, but I'm still looking for your comments and emails, readers.

Autonomie

Well, this section called Autonomie, was suppose to be a showcase for comments, or emails that I found particularly insightful, or interesting. Unfortunately, I haven't had any comments, or emails. So I've decided to use this first post to talk about how this blog is going.

The three interviews in the Grande Complication section were wonderful. Many thanks to dAz, Frank and Larry for participating and sharing their time and experience. I believe that Grande Complicaton will be one of the more important features of this blog, simply because by using the ideas, wisdom and experience of the people I interview, all new comers to horology will be able to have access to decades of knowledge, the type we would not normally be able to access.

I was hitting them outta the park with dAz, Frank and Larry, but for all my efforts, I have not been able to find an interviewee for this week. if I can't find someone by Thursday, Grande Complication will be a no go this week.

Seconde Morte has been a fun section to work on, since I get to present watches that turn my eye and share some sweet pics of those same watches with all of you. Next week I'll be presenting a watch from my own collection.

Lastly, The Chicago School Of Watchmaking course, the main purpose of this blog, has been fun to present. I think the pics and videos will go a long way to helping newbies like myself see the work, rather than just read about it. I genuinely hope this will be the most popular section of my blog.

That's it for now. I hope the people who have been kind enough to stop by will take a moment and leave a comment and let me know what you think. Share your ideas, thoughts, questions and opinions.

There's Doins'a'Transpirin'

I thought I'd elucidate on what my intentions are with this here blog. Each week I hope to present a set of features and a set content. My hope is that the What Does Your Watch Say? blog will become a comfortable, familiar place for all of us. Like a McDonald's--no good for ya, but ya know what you're gettin' 8^)

Each week, or semi-weekly, I plan to present several topics:

Grande Complication

As we all know, a complication is any function other than the indication of hours, minutes and seconds, no matter if the mechanism is hand-wound or self-winding and irregardless of movement height. However, we also know that many in the watch field can be quite complicated themselves.

So, each week I hope to present an interview with an individual from the watch biz, so that both you the reader and I can get to know these people better and hopefully learn something new about ourselves as well.

I hope that they will impart not only their experience and knowledge, but their advice and history, which may be kept as a record for future watch repairers and makers.

Sécurité de la sonnerie

The "all-or-nothing" piece is a system that prevents an insufficiently wound striking mechanism from striking too few hours. For many watchmakers, entering this field was an all, or nothing endeavor. They will build their own watches completely, no other options will be considered.

I hope to occasionally discuss these individuals, their work, their designs and hopefully, their own words, so that we may all benefit from their courage, ingenuity and drive.

Autonomie

Autonomy is the duration which a timepiece can function between windings. This blog has a small autonomy. It can not go for long without input from you, the reader. Invariably, I will present an email, or comment from a reader that I feel presented a salient point, idea, or suggestion to help improve this blog and make it more enjoyable for all of us.

Seconde Morte

Anyone familiar with Breguet, will be familiar with the idea of a "dead second" or , "seconde d’un coup", where the second hand jumps forward after each elapsed second has passed.

This section will be reserved for those watches that catch my fancy, pique my curiosity, or are so breathtakingly beautiful, time seems to stop for an instant while we admire them.

Watches will come from my own collection and from the collections of this blog's readers. I look forward to this being one of the more eclectic portions of the What Does your Watch Say?, which will match the eclectic tastes of myself and my readers.

Cabinotier

Each week I will present a photo of a watch and invite you the readers to rebuild, remake and redesign that watch in any way you see fit. Each week one entry will be selected by a panel of one and the winner will receive the satisfaction of a job well done and my undying respect. (Paul Raposo's undying respect void where prohibited.)

Butterface Of The Week

Each week I'll present and review a watch that, for all it's outside and internal beauty, the dial configuration leaves something to be desired. Although not meant as a slight towards the maker, designer, or manufacturer, it will be a light hearted look at watches with faces only a collector could love.

Cuvette

Usually a second cover inside a hunter case, which protects the movement from dust and damage. But every so often, I will open les cuvettes of a particular book and review it for my readers. These books will be about repair, biographies, watch magazines and even catalogs and advertisements. Since collecting watch paper has been a hobby of mine for a couple of decades, this is something I look forward to sharing with you periodically.

***

Along with these specialty posts, I will provide a daily, or semi-daily post regarding my studies of the Chicago School of Watchmaking corrspondence course. As well, I will discuss my attempts with the repairing of movements and discuss what I have learned that day.

I hope that as I learn and grow as a watch repairer/maker, that you will not only share your own knowledge, but learn along with me. The only way we can learn to walk, is to first learn how to fall. All my mistakes, success, discoveries and epiphanies will be presented here for all of us to share and learn from.

The comments section is now open and will not be moderated. However, I will remove vulgar, bigoted, homophobic, sexist, or down right stupid comments. And not only will the commentator be banned, but I will drop a house on them. And not a small house either; a McMansion! So let's leave it cleaner than we found it and play safe.

And always remember: