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.

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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:

Welcome to What Does Your Watch Say?

Moe: What does your watch say?
Shemp: It don't say nothing; you've got to look at it.

And thus is born the What Does Your Watch Say? blog. We, or rather I, will use this blog to present watch related topics; discussions of wrist and pocket watches; independent watchmakers; book reviews, whether about repair, history, biography, catalogs, or magazines; my progress in the repair of movements; interviews with those in watch related fields; and a running cliff notes on the Chicago School of Watchmaking correspondence course and eventually, the British Horological Institutes' Distance Learning Program.

Watches reviewed will be watches from my own collection; collections belonging to friends and foes alike, (the watch of my enemy is my watch ¬_¬) unusual watches; independent makers and watches I have--or will--lust after.

I will write about and, (hopefully,) interview those independent watchmakers who carry on the craft of hand making individual watches. Reviews and photos of the work of people like George Daniels, F. P. Journe and lesser known, but renowned and respected makers like Christian Klings. And not to be left out, all those, such as myself, who are working towards becoming a part of a great heritage of future master builders, will be included and are welcomed.

Book reviews will feature repair titles such as, The Watch Repairers manual by Fried; historical books such as, Watch and Clock Makers Handbook Dictionary and Guide by Britton; biographies such as, All In Good Time by Daniels; catalogs, historical and new from my collection; and reviews of any number of the magazines currently available from the past and present.

I will present an online diary as I learn to assess malfunctions, repair movements, replace and eventually make from scratch, new parts and time watch movements; as well fixing the usual maladies that befall watch glasses and cases.

Interviews will feature those in the watch biz that I've come to know over the years, whether in person, or online. Sales people; store owners; repair persons, collectors and hobbyists will all suffer the lash of my harsh line of in-depth questioning and Hearstian critiques!

http://www.bhi.co.uk/corresp.htm

And lastly, the main feature nee function of this blog will be to follow my study of the Chicago School of Watchmaking correspondence course. As well as my eventual enrollment in the BHI distance learning course. As I learn, you will read--enraptured no doubt--of my progress, quandaries and success. All aided by an intense desire to learn and advice from those experienced souls who provide advice and hints to those just beginning, through their own kindness and compassion.

I look forward to input from readers through comments and emails. Your ideas and suggestions will help to build a blog that will not only hopefully entertain, but enrich our collective knowledge and become a storehouse of information for those seeking either advice, or amusement.

All in all, I hope this blog will provide useful information, interesting takes on the world of watches and a helpful guide for those who seek to either increase their knowledge, or pursue an honourable career centuries old.

And now a word from our Shemp--

Samuel "Shemp" Horwitz
March 17 , 1895 - November 23, 1955

Moe: Hey! Shemp passed out; get him some water!
Shemp: No, champagne...