I need your opinion

 

Over the years, I’ve spent a great deal of time collecting railway pocket watches. The collection contains between 400-500 individual timepieces. Covering mainly Australian and Japanese issued watches, which were in actual use, as official watches by their respective national railways. It all started as some harmless fun, until it become a passion. Eventually, the collection took a life of it’s own, presenting a ‘snapshot of an era’. But as the collection grew, it become obvious that the historical value as a lot exceeded the value of the individual pieces. My original intention was to continue collecting – until the day I would retire, and then write a book with the intention to not just preserve, but to encourage watch collectors to build on it and take the research to the next level. Unfortunately, as the watchmaking and manufacturing sides to the business grow, there is no longer any time for further research and expansion of the existing collection. The question is simple: what should I do? Here are a few options: 1.  To do nothing, put all watches in a container, seal them and let them be discovered one day when I am gone. The collection remains intact, and research / historical data is preserved. 2.  To sell the whole lot, to one person who has a passion to continue the project. 3.  To sell them individually, one by one. Difficult, time consuming, which would require weeks of work. Collection broken up, but proceedings of sale could be invested in advancing NH watchmaking projects. What would you suggest? Is there a fourth option? As with any collection, some pieces are basic, others extremely rare with significant investment potential; some are ready to be worn, others would require a complete overhaul. At this stage, I have absolutely no idea what the total value would be. Not even the final count, so please don’t ask for details. Thank you for your feedback.

Collecting?

 

"Hi Nick, loving the emails you send out. I know you're a busy man, but any chance you can tell us subscribers about your personal watch collection—for example, how many you have? Maybe show some rare ones or ones that have an interesting story behind them ? Cheers, Wade Leaney"

Hi Wade, Appreciate the question. Let's start with the obvious: watch dealers are pathetic collectors. So are watchmakers. The dealers’ collection consists of unwanted and unsold stock; the watchmakers: of broken, beyond-repair, incomplete and obscure pieces, rarely of any value. Being close to watches and dealing with them daily does not make one a collector. Quite the opposite. Collecting is a meaningful and laser-focused effort which requires time, money, and patience; something that should be enjoyed outside business hours. (I am typing this reply at 6:05 in the morning—why am I not 'collecting'?). Great collections are built by passionate, sophisticated, and wealthy people who have plenty of time to chase that Holy Grail piece to complete their horological jigsaw puzzle. I remember a visit to a private watch and clock museum in Switzerland, where I had the privilege of meeting with a third or fourth-generation collector, who is still building and expanding his family’s collection. A true multi-generational project. The stories about acquisitions, bidding wars, travels and relationships required to obtain those unique pieces were even more fascinating than the watches themselves. Still vividly remembered: a story of a Breguet pocket watch, which started life as a pair. The first was bought by his grandfather, the second one two generations later, reunited at a great cost—“We ended up taking a massive bridging loan, disposing of some pieces in order to complete the transaction”.  Blood, sweat and sacrifices. There are many thousands of passionate collectors out there who have amassed large collections, on almost any horological subject you can think of.  And my personal reward comes from the fact that, in a few cases, I was the one who found and provided that very special piece they were longing for. So, in a way, there is a little of “me” in their life collection, which is kind of cool. At the end of the day, we all have our personal reasons to buy, collect, horde, pile up and amass. My reason is the fear of being judged as stupid. There is no doubt that shortly after I'm gone, someone will open my small deposit box, and curiously and patiently examine its contents. What they find in that box is going to be my final message to the world. Are they going to be amazed to discover two or three sophisticated pieces of real horological value and importance, or will they just find a box full of junk? Will they proclaim, “Wow, what a great find!” or “I can’t believe he sold tens of thousands of watches, but foolishly failed to preserve and pass on a single piece of any beauty, merit or importance.” I am not at all fearful of dying anonymously; I am fearful of dying and then forever being remembered as a fool who wasted his time and missed his opportunity to be someone worth remembering. Am I happy with my current collection? Quite frankly, yes. Of course, I've missed countless opportunities, but I’ve still managed to hide away a piece or two worth preserving and guarding for the next generation. In particular, a certain New Zealand Railway pocket watch, as well as an important ships chronometer by a prominent maker. Both pieces should be held onto, and eventually donated to a museum, not sold. If interested, the story is here: http://nickhacko.blogspot.com/2019/07/sometimes-best-deals-are-those-that.html When it comes to wristwatches, it’s the beauty of the mechanism and the story behind the model that matters. Everything else—condition included—is less relevant. Funnily enough, I am far more tolerant toward imperfections in my own pieces than those offered for sale. In other words, most of my vintage watches are probably a 6/10, but they have plenty of character and stories to tell. Are we running out of stock worth collecting? Not really. Only a couple of weeks ago, there was a spectacular Zenith triple calendar moon on offer here, which was quickly snatched by a collector. I was even able to source one more, identical, for another collector which is rather unusual. I would gladly have kept either—or both—to add to my collection. Those El Primeros are simply superb pieces, which easily outshine any $100K Patek. Beyond the obvious horological value and beauty, there is one important fact that makes them special: for the past 30 years, despite all new releases, and millions invested in marketing, Zenith failed to make a better El Primero than the original one. And they probably never will. If I may—and this is hardly a secret to most subscribers—I have a weak spot for Seiko railway pocket watches. The plan is, to eventually, have one from every manufacturing year, from the 1930s to today. On my last count, there were more than 200 in the collection, a pile in need of classification, labelling, overhaul, and proper storage. I keep a “cheat sheet” on the wall, to remind myself that some years are still missing. 1949-51 were “dry years”, as well as 1971. Yet there is an abundance of stock from the 1950s and 60s. The first quartz model 38RW was only produced for 2 years (1978-1980) and it is an extremely hard one to find. Back in 1978, it sold for over $600 and cost more than a brand-new Rolex Submariner 5513! I am a proud owner of one, which is sealed in a plastic bag prominently marked “DO NOT SELL THIS ONE”. So, my Seiko railway pocket watches are still a work in progress. Again, if I drop dead tomorrow, they should be passed on to a new guardian, rather than a high bidder. Whether orderly, messy, pedantic, sophisticated, obnoxious, public, private, over the top or shy and modest, our watch collection is nothing more or less than our own reflection in a mirror of time.  Happy collecting, Nick Hacko

Watches currently offered for sale can be found here:  http://clockmaker.com.au/wfs1.html

With a half life of 1600 years, radium is here to stay

 

The other day, yet another vintage Rolex came in for repair. The original dial and hands were well preserved with a rather heavy and thick coating of luminous material. A perfect collectors’ example. However, this was a bit worrying as the 1930s luminous material was a mixture of phosphor and radium, and while the phosphor no longer glows, the radium is still as potent as it was 90 years ago. Clearly before we proceeded with disassembly, we needed to measure the radioactivity level, and the ensuing reading was undoubtedly concerning. 4 micro-Sieverts per hour, about 6 times more than the safe level. I called the customer to let him know that while I have no problem repairing the watch, a restoration would make little sense as, if he were to wear the watch for 8 hours a day, he would be exposed to the same levels of radiation as flight attendants or nurses working in a hospital. There are two problems with radium. One is the radiation itself and secondly the creation of radon gas. I am not an expert in this field, but it is the radon gas that is far more harmful than the radiation which comes off the watch dial. A single World War II military watch with a heavy coating of radium can blast 20 µSv/hour or more, which 40 times the safe level. The same goes for military Panerai watches, and if you have a collection of a few stored in a safe deposit box you are protecting yourself from radiation, but not radon gas. According to well documented medical research, radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, with smoking being the first. Radioactive substances are invisible killers and should be taken seriously. If you have a watch with radium dial, and you come in, I would be more than happy to assist. If you wish to dispose of it, call the specialists: https://www.industry.gov.au/strategies-for-the-future/australian-radioactive-waste-agency Here is an interesting article on recent findings of radium in the Swiss watchmaking industry. "Nearly 1,000 watchmaking buildings and workshops in Switzerland could be contaminated by radium, a radioactive element that was used to add luminescence to watch dials and hands until the 1960s." https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/watchmaking-fallout_one-thousand-swiss-buildings-could-be-contaminated-with-radium-/44070300 And here is the photo of the radiation level of the watch we recently restored. Safe to wear! You can find the link to the entire restoration here: https://youtu.be/iJv5vGt2Us0

Finally a whole box of railway pocket watches, again well within a safe level. Bottom line is collect railway pocket watches and avoid military.

J Mcgarvie Smith (Sydney) pocket watch - the saga continues

Of course, it was impossible to resist- so yesterday the workbench was cleared to make room for a quick disassembly of the JM Smith. The watch is numbered 7625 on both movement bridge and inside the gold case which means that case and dial started the life together. Of course, each watchmaker had his own numbering style so this relatively high number does not mean 'seventh thousand something' watch made by a particular maker- it really could have been his first and only piece as numbering is concerned. The movement is also signed 'Patent' which is a sign that Smith claimed a patent to either a design, function or innovation of operation related to the watch. And indeed, there are at least two unique features of the watch which makes it special, and different in at least those two details than any other pocket watch I've worked on from the 1870s era. The first feature is that the sweep Chrono hand of the timer is located beneath the minute hand. It is actually sandwiched between hour and minute hands. There is a reason for it - but I'll talk about that some other time. The second feature is a unique winding system. Unlike the other stem wound, pin set pocket watches which employ 'negative keying', which means that once the mechanism is taken out of the case, the winding stem no longer 'works', Smith's solves that problem elegantly with positive keying and a click with click spring and ratchet integrated under the crown wheel, while winding crown and intermediate winding wheel are integrated into the case itself. Practically, a watchmaker could work on the watch and wind it and set the time without the need to insert it back into the case. However, such luxury for a repairman comes with the price: creation of two crown wheels mounted under a rather tricky angle to each other. Quite frankly, to manufacture those wheels and their bridges today would be a challenge- let alone 150 years ago. While  Smith was  trained as a chronometer maker with sufficient knowledge to design and implement complex new systems in his watch, the question which begs the answer to, was who made the gears and bridges - Smith himself, in his Sydney workshop or a skilled maker in London, for him. One thing is certain: a man of McGarvie's 'calibre' would not easily take credit for someone else's work and sign the mechanism with his name and claim a patent if he merely copied or imported the entire mechanism from England. I have contacted NSW library with polite request for any patents issued to J M Smith from Sydney around 1870s so let's keep the fingers crossed. There is just one rather disappointing moment which actually made me bit unhappy: 22 subscribers who replied to survey said that J M Smith 18K gold pocket watch is worth 'less than $1,000'. There are two possibilities for such unkindness and disrespect to an eminent Sydney watchmaker and scientist: total ignorance or sick humour. Neither is appreciated. Luckily, 65% of you generously suggested that Smith's pocket watch be donated to the Museum which is an ultimate sign of sophistication. For those who insist on a dollar value: who in his right mind would commit treason? To swap a one-off piece of Australian history for a mass-produced Rolex watch? If this is the way we think then we clearly don't deserve Smith's watch at all.

Fact or Fiction?

Whether a fictional character wore Rolex or Omega is kind of irrelevant. What remains a relevant undeniable historical fact is that in 1936, Omega, like many other Swiss brands, flirted with some rather strange characters.

This one comes straight from the Omega Bible: A Journey Through Time, page 233.  '3752. Official Omega of the Axis Agreement, 1936: A Lepine with an enamel dial featuring the portrait of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, who concluded in October 1936 the Axis Agreement between Italy and Germany. Cailbre 38.5 L T1, minute track with 13-24 markings, blued steel Plume hands, gun metal case with a gilt reed bezel. (ref. MA 141 LV)'

Following the liberation of Rome by Allied forces, Mussolini and his mistress, Claretta Petacci, had attempted to escape to Switzerland but were captured by the Italians underground on April 27, 1945. They were executed the following day, and their bodies were hung on display in Milan plaza. "I didn't know that" said Andrew. Now you do.

Its been ages since we spoke about pocket watches...

It's been ages since we've talked about pocket watches - and today is a perfect day to share with you a couple of horological gems. The first find is a recent discovery of two Japanese National Railway pocket watches which come with very exotic 'service papers'. The first watch was manufactured in Showa 31 (1956) and issued to JNR as watch number 1747. Recorded in fine ink are six consecutive services, specifically noting the timekeeping and beat error in the years Showa 38, 39, 40, 44, 47, 55 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1972, 1980). The circular Kanji print instructs the watchmaker to fill in all the fields. Of course, my Japanese is very shaky but it looks like the label comes from Shizuoka service centre.

The second watch is JNR 5279 issued in Showa 30 (1955) with the same label. A reliable service history record of a precision instrument like a railway pocket watch provides priceless historic data and adds significantly to the value of the watch itself. Not to mention the obvious, the trustworthy number 1747 was continually in service for at least 25 years. The second little beauty is this Japanese National Railway watch shipping container.

This one is designed to accommodate two pocket watches while transported around. I have not seen anything like this before! The industrial robustness of the container is clearly evident,  but the box is an art piece in itself showing the impeccable attention to detail of the Japanese. The latch still works perfectly despite at least 50 years of use. If you ever come across one, snatch it in a heartbeat!

Speaking of Shizuoka, this is the view of Mount Fuji from the city edge.

Ligne or Line? It's actually - Lin

Well, that would depend whether you're French or English. Lets stick with the French. Ligne (pronounced 'lin'), is an archaic unit of measurement commonly used in French and Swiss horology dating back to the 1700s. It is a pre-decimal unit of measurement. Basically, 1 ligne is 2.2558mm. Watchmakers made movements in lignes where the average size was around 19 lignes (or just under 43mm in diameter). As continental Europeans moved to the decimal system, Swiss and French watchmakers refused to budge. So even today, measurements in lignes are often quoted in relation to the watch movement diameter. Lignes as a unit of measurement is easily distinguished by metric and imperial units with the number followed by 3 primes (e.g. 18'''). For students of horology: the movement diameter is measured at the outside diameter of the bridges, not at the dial/casing flange. Novice watch enthusiasts sometimes confuse lignes with calibre or what Americans call size. For example, the Omega movement  mentioned yesterday was calibre 19LBN, happens to be exactly 19 lignes in diameter. But this a pure coincidence. American pocket watch movements are referred to by sizes. For example, size 10 is 1.500 inches or 38.10mm or converted in lignes, 16 and 7/8s. Clearly, the relationship between lignes, millimetres, inches and sizes is not 'blindly obvious' and to covert between we need help of tables. To this day, the French and Swiss stick with lignes and Americans with sizes, and neither side is willing to adopt the logical decimal unit of measurement.

Being Australian watchmakers ourselves, we simply state that our NH2 movement is 36.60 mm in diameter.  Which would make it just over 16 lignes and just under size 8.

The most beautiful railway pocket watch case I've seen in my entire life

Made around 1920. Super crisp engraving of 'the railway wings on top of the world' covering the entire case back. The case back is pure nickel, not a soft silver. A true piece of craftsmanship that would make one speechless. Can you guess for which national railway it was made? (If you need time to think, pause here, the answer is further down). Second, perhaps even more important question: who was a creator of this masterpiece?

The watch bears no name on neither dial, case or mechanism itself: it comes from the era when master watchmakers were so proud of their work and had such 'pedigree' that putting the name on the dial was not even necessary. However, thanks to a company stamp on the movement, the maker could be easily identified: "Les Fils de Numa Gagnebin" - or The sons of Numa Gagnebin.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE GAGNEBIN One will never too much tell the scientific and artistic influence, which was illustrated in many domains, that the family Gagnebin have had. From the beginning of the 18th century, some of its members open the first chapter of a new adventure intimately linked to that of watchmaking. In 1718, Sir Gagnebin commits himself – as testified by a document kept in the archives of the Canton of Neuchâtel – to teach the craft of watchmaking to Abraham Favre. His son became himself a watchmaker in 1737 and later, the company was be named Abraham Favre & Fils. The works in physics and mechanics of Daniel Gagnebin, brother of Abraham the naturalist, highly contributes to the progress realized in watchmaking art. His initial medical training will not prevent him from extending his action beyond his first profession : He will invent several very precise machines intended for the manufacturing of pendulums. The history also remembers that he helped Jaquet Droz in the making of his automatons. A FAMILY OF WATCHMAKERS The following generations strive in an even directer way to the evolution of watchmaking. Some are merchants, others study the specific aspects of watchmaking art. Among them, we can especially mention Frédéric-Guillaume Gagnebin, born in 1744, who went to Paris in order to study the theory and manufacturing of spirals for watches and becomes a talented chronometers maker, François-Louis Gagnebin, born in 1820, founder and director of the watchmaking factory Gagnebin & Cie in Saint-Imier and Louis Gagnebin, born in 1847, director of the watch factory Longines in Saint-Imier. The father of the founder of G.Gagnebin & Cie, Numa Gagnebin, also creates a watchmaking factory that he names «Les Fils de Numa Gagnebin». These few examples express the close link between the Gagnebin and watchmaking art. Way more than a simple professional activity, watchmaking has become a real passion for this family, in the heart of which motivation and necessity to advance the traditional art of their region have never been faulted. The family motto « from good to better » thus perfectly corresponds to the conquering state of mind that inhabits, since long, the family Gagnebin. (Source: Gagnebin website http://www.g-gagnebin.ch/about/family/ ) The Numa Gagnebin pocket watch was made for Swiss Federal Railways station masters. Fifteen jewel straight lever escapement with bimetallic balance wheel and Breguet overcoil steel hairspring performing to chronometre specification. Purchased on eBay for AUD $230.

Seiko Japanese Railway Pocket Watches

PRODUCTION HISTORY, MODEL REFERENCE BY YEAR I didn't really plan to talk about this today however a number of subscribers are specifically interested in finding out which Seiko model was produced in which year. Chronologically the entire production can be divided into 9 distinctive periods with almost no overlapping. The first railway Seikosha was issued around 1929 and it is known as Type 19 Size 16. The current production run is SVBR003 introduced in 1999 and has been unchanged for the past 20 years. Here is a visual breakdown:

Omitted form the list are a few special / limited edition models, like SCVR001 silver pocket watch issued in year 2000. as well as 'labelled dial' examples which are essentially  just a cosmetic variation of the same models. Basically, if you are looking for a Seiko railway watch made and issued in a certain year (your birth year for example) then this list will assist you figuring out which model you are after. Early models are all mechanical manual wind, followed by mix of quarts/manual and after they are all quartz. However, the first quartz model 38RW only produced for 2 years (1978-1980) and it is extremely hard one to find. Back in 1978, it sold for over $600 and cost more than a brand new Rolex Submariner 5513! It goes without saying that you absolutely MUST have at least one Seiko Railway pocket watch in your collection. For many decades, Seiko pocket watches were regarded as the most accurate in the world - and this reason alone is worth the investment. Please do not copy/forward/publish any of above because this is still 'research in progress'  with more fine tuning required.