Manufactured in Australia

The first H batch of 25 watches is here.

I have been writing this announcement in my head for the past 12 months - from the moment our small team first realised that one day we will be able to machine and manufacture crucial watch components in Australia, in our own humble workshop. Yet today, after assembling H00/25, the very first watch proudly signed "Manufactured in Australia" I simply feel tired, struggling to even pull myself together to make the announcement. There is no adrenaline, no euphoria, no celebration; no self-congratulation.

As they say: the reward is not the destination but the journey itself.  And while we have reached an important milestone, our journey has really just begun.

Make no mistake: while claiming the right to this prestigious title, we recognise that there are probably dozens or more well-equipped machining workshops in Australia which could have the capabilities of making a wrist watch. Cochlear, Resmed, Rhode, ANCA, scientists from CSIRO - they could all have done it. But they didn't think a watch project was worth the trouble, the investment in time and money. And - above all - unlike us, they didn't have a point to make or a race to run.

Is every component in H made in Australia? Of course not. That was simply not our goal. The main objective of the project was to answer just three questions: What does it take to understand, clone and then genetically modify the watch 'DNA'? Could that be done in total insulation, on a remote island, with limited watchmaking expertise and no watchmaking tradition? And would such a watch be affordable to Australian watch enthusiasts?  The answer to the first two crucial questions is ticking quietly on my workbench. The third question will be answered in coming weeks.

In essence, the H is all about engineering, manufacturing and integration. We proved that our in-house design main plates and bridges, winding stems to dial fasteners, can be perfectly 'synchronised' with Swiss-made components - creating a complex, robust, reliable and accurate timepiece. And I am not just throwing in that adjective 'perfectly' lightly, casually and disrespectfully: on the contrary; reaching sub-micron precision is only something a fellow engineer would understand and appreciate.

To sum it up: H is an engineer's watch, designed for an engineer looking for a timepiece with a unique story and origin.

I bow down to Josh who, in just 12 months, mastered both Kern and R04 and who spent countless nights designing and machining tools, fixtures and finally our parts; and to Andrew, who was a reliable team member responsible for design, drawings and measuring while mastering Makino EDM. Without the two of them I would have no role to play.

And the price is ...?

Impossible to calculate. We tried to base it on investment costs, on the cost of tooling and material, on the cost of labour ranging from an engineer’s hourly rate down to humble workshop labourer's minimum wages - and any price we came up with simply didn't made sense. For the lack of better judgement, my guess is that $5,000 + GST for a priceless watch may not be an accurate reflection of our commitment to you - but at least fair and reasonable, taking into account that our time is yet to come.

Where do we go from here?

Right now, the first H number 00 is ready for your inspection. All components – including dials and hands – are in stock, and we are awaiting gold plating on about half of the bridges. The gold plating is still our biggest nightmare, but the decision has been made to accept whatever result we can get right now, complete the assembly, and make the watch available to the public. We are also developing our own ‘in house’ gold-plating capabilities which will allow us to re-plate (if needed) all components when the watch is due for its first service.

Yes, we are taking your orders now. However, there is no time for fake modesty: to call yourself a proud owner of the first ever ‘Manufactured in Australia’ wristwatch is a privilege. We are looking for partners who appreciate our efforts, supporters who clearly understand the importance of this project, and ambassadors who are proud to be associated with us. If this is you, you are welcome to contact us promptly to secure your watch. Priority will be given to existing orders, and we are also opening the waitlist for the next batch of 25 pieces to be available in July/August.

The H manufactured in Australia mechanism is fitted in Titanium 45mm case with Australian hand-made leather strap.  The photos provided are just quick shots taken with mobile phone camera, with no intention to impress you.  The only way to appreciate the workmanship will be once you inspect the watch in person.  You are welcome to make an appointment.   

                 

Well, I told you so

Recently we got an email from Jim who had just received his three loupes in the mail.  To say that he was happy is an understatement.

He wrote, "My three loupes arrived today. I instantly checked them out and I'm very impressed with the quality.  When I compared them to my Chinese/Indian 4X and 10X the difference was amazing.  Items viewed through all three are clearer (in fact, crystal clear), colours seem to be more vivid, and the field of view is discernibly brighter.  There's also much less vignetting at the periphery compared to the cheapo ones.  Another happy customer.
Cheers,
Jim"

We are really grateful for Jim's feedback but this is hardly a surprise.  I have been using an ASCO loupe for years, as well as all the apprentices, and the reason why we sell them is because we are happy customers too!  Actually our plan is to expand the range with new models to arrive soon.

*** Professional watchmaker's loupes

And not just for watch enthusiasts: a perfect gift for a stamp or coin collector - or anyone interested in fine detail.

It's not too late to get 1, 2 or 3 loupes for yourself or a friend. 
$29 each plus delivery.  (If you buy 3 loupes delivery is free!) 

Visit our online store to place your order

http://shop.clockmaker.com.au/

Daily prayer

Those of you who have been subscribers to our newsletter for years certainly know who I am and what I stand for.  However, if you are still in doubt then let me tell you this.  When I open my eyes in the morning, I don’t pray, “Lord, today allow me to be a shining example of humbleness and modesty.” That’s not me.  Rather, I pray, “Lord, today I need your strength to keep fighting corrupt corporations and big brands so that the smallest watch brand in the world may thrive and prosper for generations to come".  And for that to happen God and I need to work together.  My part in that partnership is to find the absolutely best product for loyal rebelde supporters.

The rebelde carbon fibre Made in Germany iridium nib fountain pen is our flagship writing instrument.  The events that led to getting our name on it can only be described as a miracle - but that is a story for another day.  Let me just say that I am extremely proud of our fountain pen, and I have no doubt that you will be truly impressed as well.

In stock.  $250 with free delivery or collect in person.

Fine nib.  Both catridge and bladder included.

The buckles have landed

Add caption

About six weeks ago, we were happy to report that we were expecting delivery of our stainless steel buckles, machined out of surgical steel.   Good news!  The buckles arrived last week and we have already shipped free samples to the first 20 subscribers who put their hands up last year.  Of course, due to the overwhelming response we could not send a free buckle to all.

However, if you would like to order one, the price is $35.

The buckle is 18mm wide and comes with a slender pin – which means it’s perfect for fine, thin, leather straps like those on Omega and IWC watches.  The photo above shoes the straps for our upcoming Mark 1 automatic watch (both kangaroo leather and Italian cowhide).  The kangaroo leather straps are made by James B. Young in the Northern Territory.  As our buckles can be shipped in a flat envelope we will throw in free delivery on buckle orders.

PS:  Once again, the $35 is the for buckle only and not for the buckle and strap.             

  

Happy Collecting,

Nick     

Anti-reflective coating

***Anti-reflective coating (AR)

A number of subscribers were curious to find out more about 'reflectiveness' of watch crystals and anti-reflective coating solutions.  Before we go any further: I am not an expert in the field of optics. Like yourself, I am just trying to figure out what may work and what could be improved.  In other words, in the same boat as any other watch brand and watch enthusiast.

The core of the problem lies in the geometry of modern sapphire watch crystals: flat glasses are less reflective than domed ones, and double domed are double the trouble.

Traditionally, in the early days of wristwatches, watch glasses were just that - made of polished glass.  Its main and only function was to protect the dial and fragile hands - and clarity, low distortion and reflectiveness were secondary properties.  Also the glasses were much thinner and watches were of smaller diameter.  But in just a decade or so later a novelty kicked in: covers which were made of natural rubber - known in the trade as kautschuk. A watchmaker would simply buy 'cured' see-through sheets and cut and mold his own covers.  By the 1940’s, a synthetic polymer methyl methacrylate (better known under the commercial name plexi glass)  kicked into fashion: it was cheap to produce.  It was almost unbreakable, it never shattered, and was incredibly glare-free.  However, one incredible property of plexi glass was it was a perfect self-sealant to stainless steel cases, and it was thanks to humble plexi glass that waterproof watches were really possible.  An example of 1950’s plexi glass development – probably the two best known are Rolex Submariner 5513 and Omega Speedmaster (yes, hesalite is just a fancy word for plastic).

Plastic only had one negative property which is it is very easy to scratch.  By the early 1970's plastic covers were, once again, out of fashion, being rapidly replaced by modern domed and double dome mineral crystals and later sapphire crystals - a modern attempt to offer customers that elusive 'scratch resistance' experience.

So we got back to where we started: having to, once again, deal with distortion, glare and reflection.

There is no such thing as 'spray on' anti-reflective coating. The applying process itself takes a few hours, as sapphire passes through a number of cleaning/coating/curing steps.

The photo on the top shows non-coated crystal on the left and AR coated on the right, both subjected to the same light source. The difference is day and night! The trick is to have just the right amount of coating which will not 'tint' the dial (turning the black to purple or blue) while having the coating layer of sufficient thickness which will 'stick' to perfectly polished crystal for as long as possible.

Based on my experience, Breitling and IWC are trying hard to solve this problem, while Omega has reached a stage where AR coating is as close to perfect as we can expect with available technology. The new Seamaster crystals look just stunning, offering a glare-free view of dial and hands.

In our case, finding the best AR solution means sending our crystals to a few different coating specialists, then comparing the results. Yet another R&D project for the smallest watch brand in the world. Costs? USD$175 per batch of 100 - meaning $175 to coat just one - or 100 crystals.

Exciting project for sure. Will keep you informed.

In case you missed our earlier announcement for Mark 1 orders 40mm automatic), click on the link below. And in case you have put your name down on the waiting list but have not received your confirmation email and your assigned number - please contact us again. 

Mark 1 - Taking Orders Now

More watchmakers' loupes

***Fantastic news!   We have just got a new delivery of the now famous ASCO loupes with four additional models to expand our range.

Let’s start with aluminium What can I say?  An absolute gem.  Anodised aluminium, azure blue body, with colour-coded rim for magnification.  Like the black H1 type, ASCO aluminium comes in seven different magnifications.  The aluminium body means an even more robust loupe for both bench and workshop environments but the reason I really like this loupe is for the fact that “Swiss made” and ASCO brand is prominently visible, This is the kind of loupe you would want to take with you to any Swiss watch brand dealership.  They will be impressed. The second bit which is equally more important and works in your favour: the aluminium loupe is heavier than the standard plastic loupe, so you are not expected to hold it over your eye like a watchmaker.  It’s designed to be held by hand close to your eye.  Not only will you look like a professional but you will handle it like a professional. Price:  $48 only Very limited stock.  You will find more on our shop online.             ***Loupe 1806            This is a 30mm loupe, much larger than the standard watchmaker’s loupe, again designed to be held by hand.  It provides for a larger field of vision and it’s a perfect loupe for a stamp collector, numismatics or really any other purpose than watchmaking. 1806 comes in four different magnifications. Made in Germany. Price: $39 Engravers' loupe This is a massive 40mm loupe, Made in Germany. Large 'flat'field, low distortion, two magnifications (x4 and x5)  Price: $39 ***Finally, we now have in the range an amazing ASCO20 aplanatic blue tinted lens loupe This aplanatic loupe literally turns your eye and brain into a microscope with the focal distance of just 5mm.  The loupe is held almost next to the object and will allow you to see even the finest detail possible with the naked eye. A priceless instrument for inspecting surfaces like guilloche, perlage or Geneve stripes or inclusions in diamonds and precious stones.  The loupe simply shines when used in well-lit and noise-free environments.  Remember, it is your brain that does the image processing.  Aplanatic simply means no distortion to shape or colour and the ASCO 20 aplanatic is one of the best watchmaker’s loupes on the market. Price: $240 All the loupes are now available on our online shop so feel free to check them out.   ***How To Place Your Order: To put it simply, in any way you wish.  Go to our online shop http://shop.clockmaker.com.au/ Create your account Select the items you wish to order Add them to your cart Add a bracelet or two to your order! (see accessories section) Checkout You will receive your order details as well as our bank account details in your email.  Once the payment has been made we will ship the loupes to you. If you would like to pay by credit card still follow all the steps 1-5 and then call to place your order over the phone or provide us with your credit card details via email. If you would like to pay in store come see us Monday to Friday between the hours of 11am-4.30pm.  However, to avoid disappointment it is recommended that you follow steps 1-6 so that we can track your order and ensure that we have the stock available. Please be patient with us while we process orders and work through any glitches along the way :).            Happy Collecting, Nick

Professional Loupes in Stock

*** Good news! Professional watchmaker's LOUPES for just $29 each!

 Sorry for the selfie - but I didn't want you to miss this important announcement.

A loupe is a small magnifying glass used by jewellers and watchmakers. Finally the first delivery of the famous ASCO professional watchmakers loupes has arrived.

ASCO is a Swiss tool supplier and tool maker established in 1833 and a synonym for quality yet very affordable loupes. As a third generation watchmaker I have been using my ASCO loupe for years- there are  3 of them on my bench at any given time: one for general work, one for close inspection, while the third loupe used exclusively for dials and hand assembly.

My intention is simple: to stock ASCO loupes and offer them to hobbyists, professionals, watch enthusiasts and watch collectors. Next time you visit our workshop, ask me to show you full range of seven ASCO loupes so you can select one which fits you the best.Price:  only $29 per loupe
which is a few dollars less than buying one from any other online watch tools stockist. Not to mention convenience of immediate pickup.

What a heck - I'll even teach you how to wear one while you here!

It goes without saying that a quality Swiss made loupe will last you for ever. A loupe is fantastic present for a fellow watch enthusiast or a partner, a priceless gift which will be greatly appreciated. A true eye-opener allowing you to appreciate the finest detail of your watch dial, hands, crystal and watch mechanism. A perfect, simple, handy inspection instrument.

If you are unable to select and collect your loupe in person, then I suggest to order size "3" or "3 and a half" which is always a safe choice. If you place an order for 3 loupes or more, I will throw in FREE DELIVERY Australia wide.

TIP: Loupe "1" has the highest magnification, "4" the lowest.

Watchmakers wear only 1 loupe at time, I wore two - just for fun.  

***How To Place Your Order:

To put it simply, in any way you wish. 

1. Go to our online shop http://shop.clockmaker.com.au/
2. Create your account
3. Select the items you wish to order
4. Add them to your cart
5. Add a bracelet or two to your order! (see accessories section)
6. Checkout

You will receive your order details as well as our bank account details in your email.  Once the payment has been made we will ship the loupes to you.

If you would like to pay by credit card still follow all the steps 1-5 and then call to place your order over the phone or provide us with your credit card details via email.

If you would like to pay in store come see us Monday to Friday between the hours of 11am-4.30pm.  However, to avoid disappointment it is recommended that you follow steps 1-6 so that we can track your order and ensure that we have the stock available.

Please be patient with us while we process orders and work through any glitches along the way :).                         

The flying samurai

Not long after the first batch of manual wind rebelde with Swiss movements was assembled, I started toying with the idea of designing a 40mm stainless steel chronograph.  Nothing fancy.  The only requirement was that it would retail for between $2,000 and $2,500.

The obvious choice was a Valjoux 7750 movement, but at about that time Seiko released a new NE88 column wheel chronograph which simply kicked 7750’s bum.  I quickly placed an order for 100 movements but, by the time they arrived, I was already heavily involved in the design of rebelde Titanium, and for the past three years the Japanese Seiko movements were sitting in a safe deposit box.

Of course, our religion is Swiss.  And not just ours; the power of Swiss advertising, the lure of swissness and the arrogance of “no stock for you” makes us wanting that swissness even more.  In other words, we are not victims, we are active participants, and happy cult members.

Last week “with nothing better to do” – encouraged by apprentices’ curiosity – the batch of dormant NE88s was once again the topic of conversation. 
“What are we going to do with them? And when?”
“Probably nothing”, was my reply.  "If anything, ever, we will do a chronograph which will be a tribute to Japanese horology, yet in the style of 1960’s Swiss chronographs".

To my surprise, Michael took this passing comment seriously enough to start preparing some sketches.

So here it is, my subscribers, The Flying Samurai.           

          

Are we going to make one?  Of course not.  A batch of 100 watches is simply not economically viable, and with so many projects already competing with one another for our time, the Flying Samurai is grounded. Unless…

Mark 1 - Taking Orders Now

*** Mark 1: Taking Orders Now!

After almost 2 years in development, we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Not quite yet there, but not too far either.

Yes, I am now ready to take your order - so feel free to put your name down.

Before we go any further: a brief introduction to the project:

MK1 is a 40mm case steel watch on a leather strap. The mechanism is Swiss-made automatic with a central sweep hand and date function. The watch is fully water resistant to 10atm.

The mechanism is a high grade, high accuracy chronometer specs movement with signed, custom made rotor with Geneva stripes.  It is as good as any high grade Swiss movement commonly found in IWC Mark 16/17/18. Accurate, reliable and - most importantly - repairable.

The case is 3 finish 316L steel with transparent screw lock case back and screw lock crown in the style of 1950- 60's wristwatches, but more robust and with a modern twist. Case lugs spacing is 19mm, which is a hallmark of our original, in-house design.

The dial and hands colour scheme closely follows our traditional 'rebelde style': black matte background, cream luminous markers and hands, with a hint of red. Those of you who are following us may remember that we invited suggestions for the dial design. Over 30 proposals were submitted - and we selected two winning designs.  However, due to a number of reasons both proposals proved too much of a challenge for two dial makers. My resources and patience was stretched so thin that after 6 months of pain and stress the decision was made to go back to a simple but proven design. This is in no way to show any disrespect to any of you who kindly tried to help - rather a practical cut which helped get the project back on track.

Leather Strap Choice

We are working on a selection of leather straps (Italian leather, American horween leather, as well as locally made kangaroo and crocodile straps).  There will be no shortage of a suitable strap for Mark1.

Timeline: all components except the dial and hands are now in stock. The delivery of dials is expected in April, allowing me to commence assembly.  Assuming no major hiccups, the first MK1 should be ready for delivery on June 1.

Fine tuning: sapphire crystal! I am not a big fan of anti-reflective coating. AR is a two-edged sword: while it does reduce reflection on the dial surfaces, it introduces a bluish tint. Also, when applied externally, it is relatively easy to scratch. IWC, Omega, Breitling as well as all other high grade watchmakers face the same challenges and no-one has come up with a perfect solution. Right now, I am talking to an AR coating specialist capable of coating crystals 'from underneath '.  Again, this could turn out to be a very minor improvement to minor glaring but any improvement would be beneficial.  The good news is that a new crystal installation should not slow down the overall assembly.

Finally, a clarification:

Mark 1 is not an Australian MADE watch project which is a different chapter altogether. But like with all other rebelde watches, MK1 components are manufactured overseas, as per our design. We deal with 11 part manufacturers who make components from our own design drawings, and MK1 will be completely assembled in our Castlereagh St workshop. Accordingly, the dial is proudly signed "Assembled in Australia" .

The case back is also signed "67 Castlereagh St" - a proud statement of the place your watch was born and took its first breath.  Again, each MK1 will be completely assembled by myself, leaving only minor tasks to assistants (strap and buckle installation, water resistance testing, timekeeping checking, packaging, etc).

First production run: 199 pieces, W1-W200.

Price $2,800

To place your order simply email nick@clockmaker.com.au

To avoid any unnecessary pressure: no deposit is required - a simple email is sufficient to secure your place in line. Once your watch is assembled you will be invoiced for the full amount.  During the following weeks after assembly, the watch will undergo final timekeeping checks and adjustments and then it will be ready for shipping.

Current rebelde owners will have the chance to pick their serial numbers, whenever possible.

The order of delivery: first orders first.

Of course, you are welcome to visit us and try one of two MK1s which are fully assembled and functional.  Please call for an appointment on (02) 9232-0500 to order or view your Nicholas Hacko Mark1 watch.

Need a watchmaker's loupe?  Visit our online shop: - http://shop.clockmaker.com.au/

Zuffenhaussen, pretzels and ordnung

Five hundred years ago Gutenberg started the printing revolution. What a ride that was! If there is one single reason why humans evolved from the dark ages to an era of enlightenment, science and discoveries, then it has to be due to the printed word. But printing is changing - literally as I type this! Nowadays our thoughts translated into words are printed in electronic format in a fast, cheap, powerful way. And when was the last time you've sat next to someone on the bus reading a REAL paper book?

And then yesterday, totally unexpected, the postman delivered a mighty big box from the land of Gutenberg, containing over 4000 pages of the latest PH Horn toolmaker catalogue! I cannot even imagine the number of engineers, graphic designers and specialists who worked on this epic project. Tens of thousands of tools for almost any machining application, drawings, tips - all there ready to be explored, bought and used to machine some super cool watch components. 

The cost of the catalogue? Free, of course. Boy, do I miss Zuffenhaussen, pretzels and ordnung.

The sharp cutter

A few months ago we received a very warm email from a long standing customer of ours - Rob, a rebelde owner.  At the time of writing he was visiting his ailing mother in the UK. She spent a number of days attempting to gift him her life savings of approximately $1,000 and finally - after much resistance - Rob bowed to her wishes and accepted her kind gift.

In his own words he wrote, "I don't want to spend this money on 'nothing' but I want something for the rest of my life to remember her.  Therefore I thought of the Rebelde 50".  Rob kindly requested to have his mother's birthday engraved on the back of the watch movement.  

To say that we were overcome after reading Rob's email is an understatement.  It was a huge compliment to us that someone could think of us so highly.  There was really no greater honour.  The problem was that we were not set up for engraving.  So we took the watch to the best hand engraver in Sydney who was reluctant to even answer the door to Karin and merely said to read the sign, he was not taking any new orders until 2019.  Then Karin did some more walking around town and found the second best hand engraver in Sydney who point blank said he wouldn’t touch it because of the delicacy of the components.

We then tried to solve the problem in a more elegant way by offering engraving on the outside of the case, which would be much easier to do, but Rob politely declined the offer.  We then realised we actually had no choice but to do it ourselves. 

Clearly the first step would be to disassemble the watch.  The second step would be to make the special jig (part holder) so that the bridge could be placed into the Kern milling machine.  The third step was to find the location on the bridge where engraving would be clearly visible, yet fit into the existing pattern.  We decided that the engraving will follow the contours of the centre wheel. The fourth step was to write a CAM program which will turn a 5-axis milling machine into an engraving machine.  The next step was to program the machine to actually do the cutting and do the necessary calibration in relation to the height of the tool and the depth of engraving. 

It was clear that there was no room for mistake, nor was there a second chance.  The rebelde 50 bridge was manufactured in Switzerland and finished as per our specification, plus rose gold plated.  This was a one-off order and ruining a bridge would mean the replacement of an entire mechanism.

Josh and I spent a few evenings just contemplating the challenge.  More than once I suggested that we should really pull out and refund the purchase rather than make the mistake of ruining a perfect mechanism.  To his credit, Josh said, “I’m going to do it”, and he did…all by himself…including the final step of reassembling the watch movement.

 

***The sharp cutter

A few months ago we received a very warm email from a long standing customer of ours - Rob, a rebelde owner.  At the time of writing he was visiting his ailing mother in the UK. She spent a number of days attempting to gift him her life savings of approximately $1,000 and finally - after much resistance - Rob bowed to her wishes and accepted her kind gift.

In his own words he wrote, "I don't want to spend this money on 'nothing' but I want something for the rest of my life to remember her.  Therefore I thought of the Rebelde 50".  Rob kindly requested to have his mother's birthday engraved on the back of the watch movement.  

To say that we were overcome after reading Rob's email is an understatement.  It was a huge compliment to us that someone could think of us so highly.  There was really no greater honour.  The problem was that we were not set up for engraving.  So we took the watch to the best hand engraver in Sydney who was reluctant to even answer the door to Karin and merely said to read the sign, he was not taking any new orders until 2019.  Then Karin did some more walking around town and found the second best hand engraver in Sydney who point blank said he wouldn’t touch it because of the delicacy of the components.

We then tried to solve the problem in a more elegant way by offering engraving on the outside of the case, which would be much easier to do, but Rob politely declined the offer.  We then realised we actually had no choice but to do it ourselves. 

Clearly the first step would be to disassemble the watch.  The second step would be to make the special jig (part holder) so that the bridge could be placed into the Kern milling machine.  The third step was to find the location on the bridge where engraving would be clearly visible, yet fit into the existing pattern.  We decided that the engraving will follow the contours of the centre wheel. The fourth step was to write a CAM program which will turn a 5-axis milling machine into an engraving machine.  The next step was to program the machine to actually do the cutting and do the necessary calibration in relation to the height of the tool and the depth of engraving. 

It was clear that there was no room for mistake, nor was there a second chance.  The rebelde 50 bridge was manufactured in Switzerland and finished as per our specification, plus rose gold plated.  This was a one-off order and ruining a bridge would mean the replacement of an entire mechanism.

Josh and I spent a few evenings just contemplating the challenge.  More than once I suggested that we should really pull out and refund the purchase rather than make the mistake of ruining a perfect mechanism.  To his credit, Josh said, “I’m going to do it”, and he did…all by himself…including the final step of reassembling the watch movement.

So why am I bragging about this? 

Two reasons.  First: if you are loyal to us, we will remain loyal to you.

Second: this is a message to Swiss brands with service centres in Australia. I know for a fact that almost all of you read this newsletter.  I also know that you continue to ridicule Australian independent watchmakers, telling customers that it is in their interest to avoid us because only you can provide adequate service. You arrogantly continue to perpetuate this lie, knowing so well that the reason we cannot repair your brand watch is not lack of skills but your ban on supply of watch parts. You are taking advantage of our Government’s disinterest in forcing you to respect the Australian consumer rights law. But customers are not dumb. They know what you stand for and what we stand for. A few years ago you won a battle but the war hasn't even started. I promise a bloodbath - we are training a new generation of young Australian watchmakers who will kick your bottom so hard that you will never dare to badmouth us again.

Empty words? Well, here is one more example of where we are heading.

The young man in the photo is Josh Shapiro, an independent watchmaker from California. He hand makes his own watches using 19th century machines. His speciality is engine turned dial engraving – or as commonly known – guilloche.

A couple of weeks ago, Josh from California contacted Josh in Sydney with a rather strange request.  Shapiro follows our Instagram account and saw what our workshop is capable of. He wanted a tool made for his 100 year old Swiss guilloche machine. He explained the purpose of the part – to provide drawings - and he stated that he is a bit desperate because no-one else in the US could help him.

Our Josh programmed the part on our EDM machine, hardened the steel in our own oven, quenched it, machined the part and had it shipped the next morning.  Unfortunately, I cannot show you that Australian made part – it is a trade secret – but here is the feedback:

“Josh the tool is amazing. It solved the problem I have had for the last 5 years. Image machining with a dull cutter that doesn’t get worse or better, and you learn to make extremely good cuts but it’s a lot of work and takes a lot more time. Then one day someone hands you a sharp cutter.... That’s what this was.” 

Watchmaker Shapiro is now ordering 3 more parts from us, even more complex,  and he says that ‘want us to remain his best kept secret’. 

Yes, our time is yet to come - but the goal is set firmly: we are simply going to be known as ‘one sharp cutter’.

Cool kids

Imagine you were the only kid in the entire suburb with a PlayStation! There would be no quiet moment, no shortage of friends - and every day would be just pure fun.

The word about our machining capabilities is spreading fast and our watchmaking workshop in Brookvale is attracting all sorts of cool kids who want to play with our toys.  Here is just one of a few of the most recent cases: 

Andrew: "A car builder knocked on our door with an aluminium part that he had sub-contracted out to a machine shop all the way down in Campbelltown. An issue occurred during the manufacturing process rendering the part an oversized paperweight. Either the mechanic in question could drive down to Campbelltown and have the machine shop fix the error, then drive back the next day to pick it up, or dip his toe in the waters and ask us if we could help. Sure enough, after a rapid design brief and outline, we set to work designing and programming the solution whilst not changing the structural integrity or important features of the aluminium strut. We asked him "When do you need this done by?" "Yesterday" he replied. "Best I can do is tomorrow" we said. He was ok with that as it did not involve him participating in northern, central, western, and southern Sydney traffic.

The component was promptly modified and finished in the Makino EDM wire cutting machine within three hours. Under promise and over deliver, I always say. The coolest part about the whole experience is knowing that we contributed to their project. A 1960's matte black Mustang body with an Australian made v12 engine squeezed in. An interesting fact, the cast for the engine block is 3D printed, and then the actual cast is made for the molten metal to be poured into. That is cutting edge technology in the performance automotive industry. This car, once finished, will truly be a testament to Australian craftsmanship. Come to think of it, we should have used a 0.1 engraving tool in the Kern to write sneakily beneath the part: Andrew n Josh was 'ere. An opportunity missed but definitely noted for next time."

The second 'can we play with you guys' request came from a silicon extruder with a challenging part geometry. The part is 12mm thick steel disc requiring a perfect slot just 0.75 mm wide, 80m long. The slot is so thin that it would barely accept a paper business card. Yet, the inside walls of the slot would have to be perfectly finished to almost mirror finish. This is a serious challenge and a big ask - drilling the starter 0.5mm x 12mm hole was a nightmare. Again, Makino wire cutter did the rest of the job perfectly, and the part was completed same day. I am not using the term 'perfect' lightly - think of this 'fit' as what you would expect to see on a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso case.  

Clearly, there are many engineering businesses out there who are more than happy to pay handsomely for machining services and machining capabilities provided by a watchmaker. Indeed, one of our challenges in the months to come will be to ignore 'easy money' doing third party services and remain firmly focused on our watch manufacturing project. As we say, you cannot run before you learn how to walk. 

Up, adjust, down

If you're a new subscriber then you will soon learn we are passionate about one thing: Made in Australia. Both our own Aussie made story, and that of other Aussie pioneers.  

One such unsung story is that of a stubborn Queenslander named Llew Ashdown. With a leather goods machine maintenance background, he found himself disillusioned by leather presses on the market.  So he went straight to the drawing board.  He had one goal in mind: to not only build his own press but to make it world class.

After plenty of experimenting and hard work, exactly 25 years ago he boldly stepped on a plane and took his Aussie press straight to Geneva.  Llew exhibited at a Trade Fair with just one product - his Aussie made hand press. The press was simple, yet it provided an elegant solution.  The press won the Fair prize, and interested distributors, from the US and Europe were lining up to sign him up as supplier.  But Llew had only one condition: no consignment.  If you want to do business with Llew you have to come up with the cash. Distributors walked away, wishing him good luck.  All except one; a Canadian who placed an order for 12 presses and happily paid up front.  

In 25 years Llew's business has grown in sales and volume, but quite remarkably the business still employs just one person - its only employee is Llew himself; a man who is stubbornly doing it 'his own way'.  Today, this one man leather press shop is exporting Aussie-made presses to Canada, USA, UK, Germany, France, South Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand. The Queensland clickers sell exceptionally well in Japan for one reason: they do the job better.

My Lucris press arrived last week.  I'm yet to cut my first piece of leather with it but I'm already impressed.  I spoke with Llew, thanked him for being in business for so many decades and congratulated him on his stubbornness.

Designed, assembled and manufactured in Australia?  Yes, of course.

The "hair" milling tool

This one is for fellow machinists and engineers: a newly arrived Dixi 0.1mm end mill. The cutting blade is 100 x 100 microns or as thick as human hair.

To put it in perspective, I took a photo of it next to the finest Japanese 0.25mm pen tip, with regular ballpoint pen above them.

But this is not the scary bit: due to its size, our endmill will have to spin at 50,000 RPM at the bottom of a 700 kg spindle column travelling at the speed of 1G with sub-micron positional accuracy and to start, stop and reverse instantaneously.  That spindle movement action draws 60 Amp of peak current per phase. 

The equivalent of your car going from 0 to 100kms in 2.47 seconds.

A simple message

Once again - this December-  we are going out in public ready to spread the 'good news': a full page advert in Company Director followed by Qantas in-flight Magazine in January.

A print ad is a major project for any small business: we've spent 2 months in preparation, stretching our resources to the limit. Today, the ad is ready for print and we can finally relax. Our message is simple: we design and assemble watches in Sydney; out of 649 sold, every single watch is fully functional; and, for the first time in the history of our country,  complex watch parts are manufactured in Australia. Investing in a NH watch is an investment in the future of a small independent Aussie watchmaker.

While the advert features our flagship model 'the fifty', it will be for watch enthusiasts to discover the story about this piece by themselves. Sophisticated readers will love it - it is a simple yet powerful story about ordinary people trying hard. 

To all of our supporters: thank you. We wish you a happy 5th rebellious anniversary. 

This could be you

A. Borriero, 24

Joined us on January 3 as a watchmaker apprentice and machinist. In less than a year he has become:

- proficient in CAM and CAD software
- trained to independently operate EDM at micron level
- undergoing training on Kern CNC Pyramid Nano world class 5 axis mill
- capable of assembling/disassembling mechanical manual wind watch movement, including jewelling
- proficient in hand finishing/perlage
- directly involved in manufacturing of the first Australian watch
- will this month attend JIMTOF Tokyo machining fair, and tour the Makino factory, Japan
- wears a rebelde watch
- will receive a pay rise of $13,000 as of January next year

This could have been you. This still could be you if you have Andrew's determination and attention to detail.

We are interested in smart, hard-working, loyal and driven people to join our small team. We will train you and we will reward your efforts.

Email nick@clockmaker.com.au today to get ready for a new start in 2019.

Nick

Put your sunscreen on Australia

As Master George Daniels famously said, watchmaking is all about finishes. Even in his case, this statement is more a cry of desperation than proclamation of victory. Attractive and artistic metal finishes are simply hard to master, which is why you will never see a Rolex with a transparent case back, and why you should respect every bit of a new Omega movement.

Last night we dipped our toes into the murky waters of engraving. We began by creating sunburst patterns, and some well-hidden text on the reverse side of the main plate, underneath the watch dial. We are even contemplating signing our watch in a hidden location where only fellow watchmakers can find it. It's probably a catastrophic marketing move, but it's also a clever way of saying 'we don't care'.  The sunburst is here to stay, and maybe the stars of Southern Cross. Only time will tell.

So far, consider this another small victory for the smallest watch brand in the world.

Machined in Australia

Watch main plates, bridges and balance cocks slowly coming out of 'production line' with first movements being completely assembled and adjusted. The plan is to assemble 20 prototype-batch mechanisms, test them for a few months, then pull them apart, decorate, engrave and gold plate.

Nick