Government Railway watches: a new twist

Last week I got in touch with an antique dealer from Hobart. Of course, the conversation turned quickly to railway watches - and especially Tasmanian Rail issues. Unfortunately he had none - pointing out the obvious: The Tasmanian Rail network was really a fraction of the size of NSW or WA and he has only come across a few pieces. Then he remembered a 'junk case' which “could be a railroad watch”, with the promise he'll send it my way - if he ever finds it.

A couple days later he said he had found it and I could have it for $50. The railway number was intact, but he skilfully curbed my enthusiasm: the watch is beyond repair. Fine with me.

The watch (or more precisely its remains) turns out to be quite a gem: a 'double signed issue'. It has V R W (Victoria Rail watch) as well as TGR A205 Tasmania Rail number. Clearly, in the 1970’s Tasmania Rail was in need of a watch, and they sourced one (or more?) from Victoria. Which makes perfect sense.

At this stage we have no idea how many 'double signed issues' are out there, but if you do come across a Tasmanian Government Watch snatch it at all costs.

As for the restoration: thanks to what we know about VR watches so far – the original piece was Peerless fitted with AS1900/01 so finding a donor movement is not going to be that difficult! We will keep you posted.

REMEMBER: anything double signed and double issued is rare - therefore worth more, and worth collecting.

When only the best will do: ZENITH for Serbian Railways

Sandwiched between Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire, the Kingdom of Serbia finally regained its independence in 1882 under King Milan I. Under King Peter I from 1903 the Serbian nation - modernised and liberalised – underwent significant economic growth. As a crossroad country between the West and East, the establishment of State Railways was one of the priorities for economic development. The first railway line between the capital Beograd and the town of Nis was completed in 1884. And, around that time, the first railroad pocket watches were imported from Switzerland. The young and progressive Serbia spared no cash - enthusiastically placing its first orders with Zenith. At that time - and well into the 1950’s – Zenith was not just one of a handful of Swiss watchmakers specialising in high grade pocket watches of 'railroad quality', it was also synonymous with railroad timepieces.

Here is a very brief introduction to the Zenith for Serbian Railways, circa 1915. Dial side: ZENITH, then signed "Мих. П Петковић и ко. Београд." Of course, Cyrillic letters are always a bit of a mystery to non-Slavic speakers, but dial writing is easy to decipher.  Mihailo P. Petkovic was appointed watchmaker and jeweller to the King. His shop was located in capital Belgrade, 38 Terazije St. Petkovic was also the official Zenith watch importer and supplier to the Government. In other words, what Dent was for London, Petkovic was for Belgrade and Serbia. Case back: properly signed railway Zenith  The 'crown feature' of the watch is the fancy hand-engraved monogram. Strangely enough, even Slavic speakers can struggle to correctly identify the letters and acronym.  The intertwined letters are С Д Ж  - Српска Државна Железница or Srpska Drzavna Zeleznica in Latin - or Serbian State Railways.  The steam engine engraving depicts one of the first locomotives in service. The quality of engraving is astonishing and does not vary between examples - a mark of true craftsmanship. The movement The mechanism is stem wound, pin set, 15 jewels Zenith.  The escapement is straight lever construction executed in a robust manner.  The bridges are of a typical Swiss frost finish but what makes this calibre particularly unusual is the swan neck regulator with a dial.  The dial is notched disk, protruding outside the parameters of the balance cock, enabling the watch owner to finely regulate his timepiece.  This is a very user-friendly feature, quite popular with Zenith owners.  However, for laymen or railroad men, tuning a watch to keep correct time to a second was a skill in itself. Conclusion Even for the fact that we are completely disconnected with the pocket watch era, it is not hard to imagine how a Serbian Station Master felt about his social status, importance, and his self-respect which the Zenith contributed significantly to.  A railroad watch was far more than just a timepiece.  It was an essential instrument which enabled trains to run on time - the equivalent of the GPS systems that we take for granted today.  What is hard to imagine is that today's Zenith run by LVMH is not interested in their own history.  What an opportunity missed to tell the whole world, and especially young watch enthusiasts, about Zenith's heritage and horological importance.  A full page colour advertisement of a railroad pocket watch like this one would certainly grab attention rather than yet another modern piece which looks like any other Swiss watch with no character.

Another major victory for the "Manufactured in Australia" Project

Pallet bridge with pallet jewel installed Earlier this week we successfully completed the design, manufacturing and installation of the pallet bridge in NH1 calibre. Meaning - we have replaced yet another Swiss made part with an Australian manufactured component. What is the big deal? The pallet bridge is a complex, very thin part that’s difficult to make. Demand: positional accuracy, very tight tolerances, and multi-component integration.  In addition, the pallet bridge is one of a few 'passive' escapement components directly responsible for accuracy in timekeeping. Development time? It took around two months to develop our own in-house tools and vacuum holding fixtures, and a further couple of weeks of prototyping and fine tuning.  In other words, the challenge was not just in making the bridge itself but in making the multiple tools and holders necessary to allow our machines to hold the material during machining. So who really made the bridge: a watchmaker or a machinist? A machinist, guided by a watchmaker.  CNC horology is a multidisciplinary undertaking. First one in Australia? There is no doubt that we are not the only workshop in Australia capable of micron or even sub-micron machining.  However, we are unaware of any other Australian business having ever endeavoured in the field of horology.  Or any other local business to offer a working watch where the majority of parts are actually made in Australia. Big claim - but what about performance? Reviews of peers are always appreciated. A unique horological project like ours generates a significant amount of interest and it is practically in the public domain. It is followed and reviewed by fellow machinists and watchmakers from Switzerland, Germany, US and Japan, established watch manufacturers, masters of haute horology, and many other individuals working hard to make their own watchmaking claims. For them, we have released a short video showing daily timekeeping, amplitude and beat parameters of an assembled NH1.  Watch it here:  https://www.instagram.com/p/BzZh8J3HvA2/ Which CNC machine are used in pallet bridge construction? The Kern Pyramid Nano 5 axes mill and Makino EDM wire cutting.  Manually jewelled and decorated. Machining time? Just under 3 hours for six bridges. Material? Brass and titanium. The total weight of the pallet bridge? Our prototype bridge was 0.5 grams compared to the weight of the Swiss bridge of 2 grams.  Here is a video of the two bridges being weighed.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BzNQ5sMlM1H/ While this was not really necessary, the final version of the bridge was beefed up for additional structural strength resulting in total weight of 1.1 grams.   Price per part? Taking into account workshop setup costs, the investment in time and dedication to the project, at this stage we are unable to determine how much a single pallet bridge really costs. It is simply still a labour of love. What is in it for me? If you are already a proud owner of a NH1 TiH watch (one of 25 signed 'Manufactured in Australia') then your NH1 will be fitted with the new pallet bridge, making your watch even more special.  You will receive a call from us when your individual pallet bridge is ready.  The part and labour, of course, is absolutely free of charge. What's next? Very exciting times ahead - stay tuned. The inner diameter of the pallet jewel is 75 microns.  Here is a human hair fitted through the jewel hole. The steel component on the left is a Swiss made pallet bridge.  On the right is our Australian made. Are there any NH1 watches available? Yes - one. While the initial batch of 25 pieces were sold out upon release, Number 11/25 has not been collected yet. This piece is now back on the market. Price: $6,600. 45mm titanium cased wrist watch fitted with NH1 movement.  Number 11/25.

Unicorn - a rose by any other name...not really

In order to expand his market beyond Rolex branded timepieces, Hans Wilsdorf took it upon himself to trademark as many names as he could get his hands on.  In fact, he registered a total of 109 trademarks including some oddities like Omigra (somewhat familiar!), Elvira, Lexis, Brex, Lonex, Hofex, Rox, Genex, Rolexis, Irex, and Calix.  Not to mention the true gems like Sousmarine, Wicked, and Lilliputian. Above all, Wilsdorf was obsessed with Marconi, the inventor of radio.  For recognition of his contribution to wireless telegraphy Marconi received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1909.  Jumping on the bandwagon of Marconi's fame and popularity, Wilsdorf registered Marconi Lever as his own brand name on 24 January 1911.

For an unknown reason, he ditched the Marconi brand in 1919, renaming it Unicorn. Yet he ran into a similar problem. With Unicorn being a recognised noun, it could not be registered as a unique brand name, so he had to register his new business under both Unicorn Lever and Unicorn Watch. Rolex Vintage Unicorn Like Marconi, these were ostensibly Rolex watches, just with a cheaper movement, and aimed at those whose budget couldn't quite stretch to the full-blooded originator. And again, like the Marconi, the Unicorn models outsold Rolex models by huge amounts. For all Wilsdorf's attempts to differentiate between the two, the public - still taking its first tentative steps into this new wristwatch phenomenon - wanted the best they could get for the least amount of money.  So why such a long introduction? Around 1930 the Unicorn Lever name was available for trademark renewal and many speculate that it was re-registered by A. Schild (ASSA).  ASSA was a maker of high grade pocket watch movements, and as it happened, a batch of railroad grade pocket watches were supplied to the South Australian Railway.  Based on this historical evidence - as well as the quality of Unicorn Lever movements which speaks for itself - I am convinced that South Australian government issued watches have absolutely nothing to do with neither Rolex, nor Hans Wilsdorf himself.  Which is actually a good thing: the less hype, the better. This week I was lucky to acquire a Unicorn SAR pocket watch number 682. What makes this acquisition special is that the watch comes with repair cards from the date of first service in 1935 to decommission in 1975. This is remarkably important data, helping us to better understand the "working life" of a typical railroad watch used daily as a tool piece. For example, the average repair turnaround  time was 3 weeks. The watch had a new balance staff installed every 10 years or so (a major repair, most likely caused due to the watch being dropped).  Main spring replacement was common as well, but the list of more specific repairs was long - from jewel and gear replacements down to screws and crystal. Each repair is signed, dated, detailing the parts replaced, and the time required to complete the job. Absolutely priceless! As for Wilsdorf's silly trademark game, he finally got it right in 1936 when he renewed his Rolex registration, now expanding it to cover everything from cigarettes to paper and explosives!  Super cool.

Watch collecting on a budget

A couple of subscribers were puzzled by my “new found interest” in pocket watches.  Is this true love or just a phase – and where are we headed with this?  I’m not sure.  Perhaps I am just trying to keep myself busy while awaiting delivery of a crucial piece of equipment from Switzerland which will allow us to continue work on our Made in Australia watch.  So brace yourselves for at least a couple of weeks of pocket watch talk.

Last week Moeris calibre 19A was mentioned and praised for not just robustness but the refinement of the finishing.  As any watchmaker would agree, the silver plated movements, and especially German silver mechanisms, are regarded as a mark of quality.  Nowadays German silver is the material of choice of true watchmakers like Lange.  I suggest that if you are on eBay looking for a Moeris watch then I would strongly recommend calibre 19A. 



This morning the Postman delivered a parcel from Israel containing a
1930’s military Moeris G.S.T.P. pocket watch.  To my surprise, it wasn't a
calibre 19A but 19H.  All complete, yet long overdue for service. The main
plate and bridges were heavily oxidized. Clearly, I got into it straight
away.  Half an hour later the watch was disassembled.  The oxidised bridges
were first hand cleaned and then with all other parts run through the
automatic cleaning machine. A dream job for any watchmaker: you know that
once cleaned, reassembled, lubricated and adjusted, the old Moeris will tick like a rocket.

And it did. However, what is special about the Israeli Moeris is that the watch was issued as a G.S.T.P. military timepiece somewhere in the late 1930’s.  I am not going to pretend that I know about military markings so the rest of the information comes from Google. Pocket watches marked with G.S.T.P. were used as a basic pocket watch issued to British soldiers, with Air Force and Navy watches having different markings.   Many watch manufacturers provided Britain with these timepieces.   The acronym is said to stand for a number of variations including General Service Trade Pattern, General Service Time Piece and General Service Temporary Pattern.  “Trade Pattern” refers to the fact that the movement is a basic commercial design (or off the shelf purchase) rather than an item made for military specifications.  G.S.T.P. was also engraved on non-standard Government issued firearms.  You will find a broad arrow marking in various forms on these timepieces as an indication of British Government ownership. “S” could also appear near the broad arrow indicating “sold out of service” - usually to the soldier. In addition to being provided to those in service, they were also issued to the military of Commonwealth countries.   Usually there would be an additional marker on the watch to indicate the country it was issued to.  For example, a watch issued to India would have an “I” marker above the G.S.T.P.  Swiss made G.S.T.P. timepieces have a 15 jewel movement with a luminous black or white dial.  Black dial pocket watches are considered extremely rare. A word of warning.   The numerals on the dial of most military watches contain a mix of radium and zinc sulphide.  Don’t be fooled by the fact that the watch dial no longer glows in the dark. The radioactive material is as potent now as it was 100 years ago (it is the other component that has deteriorated).  Cleaning of radium dials is not recommended.  Here is a link to a great article about military markings:   https://german242.com/books/military_timepiece_markings.pdf So what is in it for you?  Clearly, it would be hard to find a more attractive and more affordable, well-made pocket watch than Moeris fitted with a calibre 19A or 19H.  Again, go for an example with original dial and hands.  And even if you have to invest in servicing, it will be money well spent.

Victoria Rail watch: Peerless SHOCKMASTER

Last week we talked about the little known Queensland Rail Omega Admiralty watch issued to rail workers in the early 1970’s. It was hardly a surprise that this short article generated a fair bit of interest. The most common comment: "Lucky QR employees!"
 
Which unfortunately cannot be said for their Victorian mates. In the mid-1960’s Victorian Rail opted for a very different watch for its officially issued Government timepiece: the Swiss-made Peerless.
 
Comparing Peerless with an Omega is much like comparing a Hyundai with a Mercedes. Peerless was probably the least exciting and least cool Swiss watch you could ever want and, quite frankly, its issue was an insult to Railway Horology, as much as to Victorian Rail workers themselves. Long gone were the days of mighty Longines, Omegas and Walthams!
 
Yet at the same time, the humble Peerless turned out to be an ideal watch for a Government on a budget. It was cheap, easy to repair, light on the wrist, practical - and even reasonably accurate. And, to its credit, it survived to this day as a testimony to the fact that even years of daily wear (and abuse) could not kill it.
 
I guess my main problem with Peerless is the lack of decoration on the Mechanism - the AS1900/01 movement is just boring.  Plus another small detail: the watch dial is lacking even one iota of Railway character! The Peerless SHOCKMASTER looks more like a dress watch than a tool piece - a watch for the Rail Accounting Department rather than locomotive drivers and train masters.  For fanatical, internet-forum, railroad enthusiasts who are desperately looking for at least something to hang onto, here is the heart-crushing truth: no, the Peerless Shockmaster is not 'a younger cousin' of the famous IWC/ Peerless 1930’s watch – the two Peerless models are part of two completely different stories.
 
But Australian rail watch history is like the history of any fragmented, slightly disfunctional family: it is what it is. As much as we 'hate' it, the Peerless Shockmaster is as important as any other Government Rail issued watch issued in the past 140 years.  

For subscribers who will be looking for VR Peerless: beware of fakes!  Pay close attention to the case back engraving.  Letters V, C and W are machine pre-engraved, while individual serial numbers are crudely hand engraved.  What is the fair price to pay for an original example? Whatever you think it's worth to you. Based on my limited research, recent sales vary from $120 to $1000, depending on condition. The good news is that we can repair/service your Shockmaster for around $250.  A small curiosity is the lug width of exactly 19mm which is a perfect match for our James Young kangaroo straps.

If you do have a Victoria Rail Peerless watch in your collection, please get in touch with me at nick@clockmaker.com.au so we can add its number to our database.  Thank you.

Mark 1 - a brief review

A "thank you" card to Gemma by a happy Mark 1 customer.

After almost 2 years of development, the first NH Mark 1 watch was finally assembled, tested and delivered on May 3, 2019 to Gary Miller from Belrose, NSW.  Three months later, we have assembled 116 watches with 67 delivered to our supporters. Three of them - ladies.

In case you are still awaiting delivery of your MK1, there are only a few more sleepless nights.  We are expecting the delivery of leather straps and your watch will be on its way soon. In the meantime, here is some feedback from those who have received their watch: "Advice to watch enthusiasts - add one of these watches to your collection. I have had a number of dealings with Nick and his team, and could not be happier. Rebeldes (and all his watches) arrive on time, perfect working order, and perfect condition. Bought the Mark 1 recently for husband, hubby loves it. Keeps going on about the great quality, "better than an IWC", love the Australian made strap, "even the buckle is cool", etc, etc. Just get one, or one for your husband or partner. Cheers." - S "This is my second purchase of an NH watch and I cannot be happier.  His handmade, locally designed and assembled watches have confined my other watches to the safe. I look forward to reading the daily blog and vicariously living the life of a rebel. Viva Rebelde!" - P "I have just taken delivery of my second Nicholas Hacko watch. I absolutely love my new MK1. Cheers. DC." "My experience in buying a Mark 1 watch has been flawless. The quality of the watch and the service is world class". - John "I took delivery of a new Mark 1 a couple of weeks ago and it's fast becoming my go to watch. Happy to see someone keeping the Australian watch industry going." - Eddie "I've just received delivery of my new MK1 and couldn't be happier with it. This is my second purchase from Nick and the team and won't be the last. Great company to deal with." - Peter "Spectacular watch received. Every bit worth the wait for the "Mark 1".  Congratulations Nick and the team on this work. Satisfied customer. Thanks" - Don

Why is the MK1 project so important to you - and to us? There are three reasons worth highlighting. 1. MK1 is a simple, high quality, every day watch, priced accordingly. It is a watch you can wear daily knowing that it is fully repairable (if needed), fully serviceable, and built to last for decades. It represents true value for money. 2. MK1 allows us to grow. With every watch sold, we are getting stronger as a brand and as a team of young and enthusiastic Australian watchmakers. A project like MK1 allows the "transfer of knowledge" - from an overseas-trained watchmaker to young Australian apprentices. Nothing beats the excitement of the in-house assembly process which results in the birth of a brand new watch. With each assembled watch, our young watchmakers are being rewarded with a sense of relevance and their self-confidence grows. Being just a watch technician at a Big Brand, repairing broken watches, is not nearly as 'cool' as being directly involved in the MAKING of an Australian watch brand. 3. Your money stays in Australia.  Each sale contributes in a very direct way to our national well-being from Goods & Services Tax collected, corporate tax paid, to wages, superannuation contributions, down to income tax paid by every employee.  A micro project like ours is vital for the Australian economy.  We are proud to be one of 4.8 million Australians who work in a small business and contribute 35 percent of total industry value added.

Should you wish to place an order for Mark 1 then simply give us a call on (02) 9232-0500.  The price is $2,800.  No payment is required until the watch is assembled and ready for delivery (which is currently around three weeks).  Mark 1 is a 40mm, automatic watch which comes with an Australian hand-made kangaroo leather strap.  Five years guarantee.  

Thank you for your support.

Could this be the most sought after "Queenslander's" Omega?

So what is the big deal?

From 1947 to the late 1970’s, Omega was an official supplier to the Western Australian and Victorian Railway, as well as the NSW Government Rail and Tram Department. This is a well-documented fact and a number of Omega Government pocket watches have survived to this day as a testimony to their quality. The majority of pocket watches were Calibre 38.5 T1-161 with enamel dial and blue hands, and dials were signed according to state/department. However, we now know that Omega also supplied a small number of wrist watches to Queensland Rail from late 1969 to the late 1970’s. Model: Reference 135.015 "Admiralty". Currently, we know of 3 such pieces in private hands, numbered 31, 251 and 345.

About the watch

Omega 135.015 Admiralty for Queensland Rail comes with a typical Military style dial, Arabic numerals. What makes this batch unique is the dark brown 'chocolate' Genève dial and orange sweep hand. The orange anchor on the dial indicates water resistance of 30m. For Omega, the Admiralty project was rather a shy attempt to produce a 'light' sports model in the Geneva range, without interfering too much with the Seamaster line. We don't really know how many Admiralty Omega watches were produced in total, and what were the variations. We do know that some Admiralty timepieces were fitted with a diver's style bezel, others with a plain bezel or none at all, and we are now very certain that perhaps only a few hundred of military style dials were sold to Queensland Rail as official railroad timekeepers. Ref 135.015 was powered by Calibre 601 17 jewel non-chronometer grade movement, adjusted in two positions, 48 hours power reserve and 19800 bph, first introduced in 1962.

Case

The steel case diameter is 35mm not including the crown, or 38mm including. It comes with crown guards, and the crown is signed with the Omega symbol. Plexi glass. The case is signed "Waterproof". At this stage we are unsure if the QR batch was supplied with flix-o-flex spring loaded bracelet or leather strap.

To say that I am excited about my QR Admiralty would be an understatement.  It has been a while since we've had an opportunity to shift our focus on a watch with such a strong and unique Australian pedigree - and a watch worn for decades by an ordinary Aussie bloke doing his daily job, wearing his tool watch.  Knowing that QR251 was manufactured in 1969 - the golden Omega year!- makes it even more special.

So, what's in this for you?

Fun times ahead! Now that you know what to look for, it's time to start your search. If you do get lucky, snatch it. And as for the price: it's simple - just listen to your heart.

Happy collecting!

Welcome back to NSW, my baby

In the late 1880’s the Australian state of New South Wales was a bit like the Wild West... Mainly - two problems: trains not arriving on time and train robberies.
 
NSW Government Railway was the department in charge of railways from 1855 to 1972. After a major railway incident that occurred in the US, the NSW Government ordered that every train driver and station master be issued with a precision time-keeper - a pocket watch.  Batches of railroad watches were ordered from the American Watch Company - Waltham, Massachusetts. Every issued pocket watch in NSW had its individual number engraved on the case back and some examples also had the owner's name. In addition, train drivers were also issued with a gun, bearing the same number as the one engraved on their watch.
 
Thanks to newly arrived watches, trains eventually got better with timetables, however, the robbery bit was an ongoing issue until the 1950’s. "Robbery from the Mudgee Mail 'Reward of five hundred pounds, with ten per cent on value of money recovered not including cheques'" was just another news story of the day.
 
Since watches remained Government property, they had to be handed over at retirement. Consequently, only a handful of GR pocket watches have managed to find their way into private collections and today they are regarded as some of the most sought after Australian timepieces.
 
GR number 250 dating from 1889 is the earliest numbered NSW Government Rail watch in private collection. It was sold 6 years ago at a Queensland auction, then stored, until it hit the market late Sunday night. Welcome back to NSW, my baby.
 
Now, if we can only find that Government issued gun...

Ebaying at its best (or - how to waste your life searching online)

No, this is not a whinge. Quite the contrary - after wasting a solid ten hours on eBay over three days, for some strange reason, I feel like a winner. Weird!

Bitten by the “Moeris” bug, overcome with the panicking fear of missing out on the 'deal of a lifetime', I ended up winning actually not one but two pocket watches.  The catch arrived promptly, in less than a week, on the same day - one from Adelaide, the other from Lydney, just south of Gloucester.

The English Moeris is a Cairo tramway piece, properly marked with an issue number, meaning that the watch was actually used by a tram driver or station master. You can't ask for more authenticity and character. The dial is absolutely stunning, the movement is in need of service - but it’s complete. However, the hands are a poor replacement which is rather annoying. Bottom line: a very promising restoration project. Total investment so far: $150.

The second Moeris from Adelaide is a different story altogether. The mechanism is complete but showing no sign of life; missing stem and crown, and the case is heavily beaten up. In other words, it would not pass one of my 'pocket watch buying tips' shared with you last week. However, the watch is a G. S. T. P. British War Office military piece fitted with a nicely jewelled 19H calibre. Even as a complete write-off, it would be worth its $50 in spare parts alone.

So the most important question is: what's in it for you?  Words of wisdom.  Clearly, buying a vintage pocket watch without proper inspection is a lottery you'll never win. At best, you are investing in a 'restoration project' which could take months to complete and cost hundreds of dollars. The end result - unknown. On the other hand, investing $50 or $150 on a watch with historic value is money well spent - as long as you don't expect the watch to be complete or keep time.

The most common mistake novice collectors make is this: the expectation that three beaten up watches will produce enough parts to complete one stunning piece. Nothing could be further from truth. Just think of it for a moment: if you invested in three 50 year old ex-taxi Fords with half a million kilometres on the clock, will you be able to turn that pile of junk into a nice, good running family car? Clearly not - all three donors would suffer a similar amount of wear, needing the same crucial parts.

Annoyingly, even if you double, triple or quadruple your budget, there is no guarantee that a more expensive watch will be any better than a junk donor, which is a simple paradox of the 'no inspection, blind luck' game. On the other hand, if you are looking for a very specific maker, model and year, historical reference timepiece, then eBay is a great starting point.

And finally - note this name down: O. Dusonchet, Cairo. I am yet to do my research on him, but it looks like he was a jeweller who supplied all watches to the Cairo Tramway in the early 1900’s.

Workshop notes

This is exciting: we've just added yet another watch part to our arsenal of 'Made in Australia' components. Again, the usual question: do you have an attention to detail?

The picture below shows the drawing of the part as well as the part itself. Can you see the part?

Yes, that's it - a speck in the plastic bag in the top left corner. Engineers and machinists have already noticed dimensions and tolerances: 1mm long and 1.1mm in diameter at the widest point.





This watch locating pin is inserted in bridges and the balance cock to ensure proper alignment with the main plate. Previously the locating pin was milled together with the brass bridge.  However, since we are now experimenting with titanium (which is much harder and slower to mill), the new pin arrangement saves us on machining time, tools and materials themselves.

The 1mm locating pin is made on our Citizen R04 CNC lathe with a cycle time of 23 seconds. It comes out of the lathe with almost a mirror finish. Design, tooling, setup, programming and the actual machining - in house.

There is great similarity between collecting pocket watches and submitting your annual tax return

In both cases you can either hire a professional or do it yourself.  The Tax Office doesn't care.  I suggest that you start building your collection by putting aside "play" money.  Let's say a couple thousand dollars.  Go online, do your research, buy the pieces you find attractive and learn from there.  Yes, most of the pieces will be terrible choices, bordering on junk, but this first phase of collecting is not about building collection, it's rather about learning about pocket watches.  In a year or so your success rate will grow.  The second option  is to acquire your pieces from dealers and fellow watch collectors who are knowledgeable and have years of experience.  Not only will the pieces be better but they also come with some kind of guarantee.  Have fun!

Before we go any further

...if you are even remotely interested in pocket watches then you need two things:

(1)  The Book. 
It's called The Complete Price Guide To Watches by Shugart, Engle & Gilbert. Any Edition will do and the cheaper the better.  The book can be bought online for as little as $5 plus shipping.  However, while two-thirds of the book is on wristwatches, it's the first third on pocket watches that is of interest to us.  Bizarrely, according to Amazon, the next edition of the book will be wristwatches only which is another reason to buy one now.



(2)  A pocket watch knife.  
While almost any knife will do, I humbly recommend the one I use which is a Bergeon ref. 7403.

Bergeon is black and AF is blue but they are identical knives.

https://shop.clockmaker.com.au/home/115-bergeon-knife-and-case-opener-ref-7403.html

https://shop.clockmaker.com.au/home/200-af-switzerland-knife-and-case-opener-ref-16884.html



(3)  A loupe.
Absolutely essential.  2.5 to 3.5 is a good size to start with for pocket watches and if you haven't got one yet then:

https://shop.clockmaker.com.au/6-loupes

QR

Never in the history of human kind has data been generated at such an alarming rate.  We record images and sounds, we translate books into digital format. We store terabytes of 'stuff' - from what we had for breakfast to cat pictures - and most of that stuff is random noise. The amount of data we are creating is just enormous.  However, paradoxically, we are losing historical information at an equally unprecedented rate.  It amazes me how easy it is to forget – usually in just a generation or two.  Some of us don’t even remember the full names of our grandparents, let alone great grandparents.  Yet chances are that we lived at the same time as them. Here is what shocked me: according to UNESCO, as many as half of the world's 7000 languages are expected to be extinct by the end of this century! It is estimated that one language dies out every 14 days. As you read this, there are only 5 people left on the planet who speak N|uu, an ancient South African language.  And, bizarrely, the language itself is not even spoken anymore since all five live in different villages. Historical horological information shares the same fate: while there are billions of photos of watch 'enthusiasts' wearing their shiny new Rolexes and Omegas, machinery warehouses in Switzerland are loaded with machines rusting out because no-one knows how to use them. It is actually common to find last century books and catalogues picturing machines and tools we don't even recognise anymore.   The 'battery watch era' which wiped out mechanical watches during the 1970’s and 80’s wiped out at least two generations of machinists and watchmakers who made incredible timepieces. Just 10 years ago, I could pick up the phone and call Doug Minty and Michael Smith - two Sydney watchmakers - and get an answer on almost any horological question - and their output would be faster and far more accurate than Google. Not anymore. Yesterday’s newsletter on Moeris pocket watches for Queensland Rail generated a fair bit of interest with many agreeing we had better do something about it before it’s too late.  If you have a QR pocket watch do keep me posted - photos, serial numbers and calibres, as well as historical and general notes are appreciated.  Send me an email at nick@clockmaker.com.au.  I would love to hear from you!