*** Bloggers and reviewers
Last week I got an email from someone in Adelaide who calls himself a 'watch reviewer'.
He got my details from a Swiss parts supplier , who
thought that rebelde would benefit from a locally written and published review.
It was pointed out that our mate has been successful reviewing both common watches
and high-end pieces worth well over $600,000.
Of course, I was curious to learn more. However it quickly became obvious
that his blog was all about selling advertising banners for $500 per month
so I politely declined any prospect of business.
Then the phone rang - our reviewer form Adelaide wasn't happy.
He was talking fast, trying to point out that
he is not interested in my story nor industry issues.
If he is going to do the review, my input would not be required.
All I need to do is to ship the watch to Adelaide and he will tell the world
his opinion.
At that point, I was really interested to learn more about his credentials.
'Since you are not interested in the project itself, but just the watch,
I would assume you will perform numbers of technical measurements
for the benefit of your blog readers. I guess you do have a precise
and highly sensitive 'path-measuring-system' which continuously monitors
and measures thickness of the watch case exposed to
pressure and vacuum?" - I've asked.
"What?"
"Understand. How about a device to measure daily timekeeping error,
frequency of the oscillator and amplitude?"
"No...but I have been writing about watches far more expensive than yours"
he said, fairly agitated.
"Fine. Do you have a calipers so you can at least measure
case diameter and thickness?"
"No I don't - he was fuming - but I do have a RULER which would certainly do the job"
"Well mate, as far as I am concerned, you can use that ruler to
measure donkeys ears."
What followed after was not for publishing.
Let's just say I am not really good at making friends and that
you won't be reading anything good about rebelde from this guy
any time soon.
I have no problem with anyone trying to make money selling his wares,
but if you want to make your name as a watch reviewer then
at least do your job properly and honestly.
Especially so if your blog proudly states that you've been
a watch critic since 2014.
Any review for the sake of blunt advertising or mere entertainment is really useless.
Criticizing a precise instrument like a watch requires at least
basic understanding of timekeeping, water resistance and micro engineering.
If you want to impress me - and more importantly provide a meaningful
piece of technical information to your readers -
then please review my watch from technical aspect.
For example, find out the amount of case deformation
at 10 bar. That information would tell volumes to those who care about
IMPORTANT stuff - like water resistance.
Or if you want to be cool, then go a step further: measure the speed of deformation.
Take no prisoners: challenge my claims!
Test the water resistance of rebelde with crown pulled out to time setting position.
That would be a great review on any watch, one I would pay money to read.
I understand that a young and enthusiastic reviewer may not have
neither expertise nor equipments to conduct such tests,
in which case I would be more than happy to invite him
to spend an afternoon with me, learning about issues which
are truly important.
I would be more than happy to pull the rebelde apart and talk about
what makes it a watch. To show the finish of the side of sapphire crystal
and how it sits inside Teflon seal. Or the thickness of the
bezel-to-case rubber seal. It would be an exciting exercise
beneficial to everyone involved AND online readers.
Sending a watch to someone for review who by his own
admission is not interested in neither technical aspects nor industry issues is just waste of time.
*** rebelde water resistance testing
No, I don't recommend water related activities - after all, our
watch is pilots, not divers. However for those who need to know:
yes, the watch is fully water resistant to over 10 Bar ("100m WR").
Each piece is tested for pressure and vacuum.
The testing process is fully automated and allows me
to simulate performance under various conditions.
In short, when the air is pumped under pressure,
the watch case deforms elastically. While such deformation is
extremely small, it can be precisely measured.
When the pressure is stabilized and air inside watch cools down, the case will continue to expand.
That additional expansion is indicator of water resistance and it is then measured again.
Typically we are talking about regress of 0.06um
(0.06 thousandth of millimeter).
The sturdier the watch, the smaller the deformation,
and correspondingly the measurement itself is more delicate.
Heaps of fun!
