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.

Celebration Time - Godfather wanted!

We invite you to be a part of the NH2 Timascus project. It's simple: NH2 No. 5 and NH2 No. 6 have been freshly assembled and are now ready to be named. Your suggestions are welcome! If your suggestion receives the most number of likes then we will send you a small thank you gift - A Rebelde carbon fibre ballpoint pen. Give it your best shot, or simply like other's suggestions. To take part in the competition, like or comment on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4lUOssJEeN/

Is this a Seamaster or a Speedmaster?

As humans, we've come a long way. But what is particularly amazing about our journey is how much we have conquered in the last 200 years. From horse and carriages to space travel, from transmitting messages in Morse code to email, from navigating at sea with only the help of a mechanical clock to global positioning systems accurate to the centimetre, all that in just a couple of generations. It is no wonder that we take technological changes for granted. Our ability to record and reproduce voice with high fidelity dates back to the early 60s which is not really that long ago. The credit for hi-fi goes to Yamaha. (Neither of my three youngest assistants knew what hi-fi stood for because they simply don't remember pre hi-fi times). We only achieved the ability to measure and display 1/100th of a second with a wristwatch in 1988. And the credit for this goes to Omega. In 1988, Omega released the legendary Seamaster Polaris. It was powered by quartz movement calibre 1670. The electronic calibre is equipped with a microprocessor integrating 50,000 transistors, allowing for the first time ever the display of 1/ 100th of a second by means of a hand, and with perfect readability. The memory is also able to register up to ten simple, additional, intermediate, final, lap, and total times. It was the perfect watch for timing sporting events at the Olympic Games in 1988, held in Calgary and Seoul. Omega Polaris was the first watch designed for nerds and in a way, the first 'smart watch'. It takes plenty of intuition to familiarise yourself with all of the stopwatch features that Polaris offers. With all due respect, it wasn't a watch for a common man. What was also revolutionary about Polaris was the case and bracelet. Polaris was offered in two versions, stainless steel and gold as well as titanium and gold. And I vividly remember the day when I saw Polaris in the window of Jeweller Wempe on the Koenigstrasse in Stuttgart. If only I could afford it!

Your First Watch

Our last subscriber survey that was conducted a couple of years ago revealed that 40% of you have between 3 and 5 high grade watches. 45% have more than 5, and about 10% of subscribers are yet to buy their first serious watch. If you are a member of the latter group, then this article is specifically for you.

5 Reasons why an Omega Seamaster James Bond Quartz should be your first watch 1. The blue Seamaster James Bond is simply a well-made timepiece. A very accurate quartz mechanism fitted in a 300m well-machined stainless steel case means longevity. It is a watch built to last forever and I really like that. 2. Easy to fix. I'm not exaggerating: Seamaster quartz is the easiest watch to repair. It is actually so easy that I could train any able-bodied person with average eye sight to fix it within two weeks. And yes, easy to fix means affordable low-cost maintenance. 3. Put simply, it is a good looking watch. Blue dial, blue bezel, 41mm case size, a perfect match for any wrist size. A watch that will compliment your smart casual look; a watch for all occasions. 4. Omega is a Swiss brand on the rise. In recent years, Omega is not only filling the market gap voided by Rolex, but Omega watches are now significantly more expensive than some gold diamond studded Rolex watches. Quite frankly, we didn't see this coming. The quality of new Omega watches, especially of inner mechanisms, has already surpassed Rolex. Unless Rolex raises their game, it is just a matter of time before Omega becomes the new Rolex. 5. Fantastic value for money. Yes, paying around $3,000 for a 10 to 15 year old Omega sports watch might sound a lot to a first time buyer. But there is simply no other Swiss watch in this price range that competes with a good old James Bond. If you invest in one, you will have a watch for life that will serve you well and that you will be proud to pass on. I'm not paid by Omega to speak highly of their watches, and yes there are plenty of Omega models that I certainly would not be interested in. But the reasons quoted here are genuine and the result of 20 years dealing in Seamaster James Bond. I am so serious about this recommendation that you can test me. Even if it came down to Omega James Bond vs my own Mark 1, I would still say that your first watch should be James Bond... And then your second watch should be NH Mark 1.

One tooth at a time

"I am a retired mechanical engineer. I worked for 50 years in a university workshop. I'm jealous of you." - Instagram Feedback like this on our latest watch component, designed and machined in Australia, is what keeps up going. There is an enormous amount of satisfaction and pride in being recognised as relevant by very special people: mechanical engineers, machinists and tool makers who make high precision components themselves. Most of them are not involved in the watchmaking industry, so when they see a component scaled down to watch part size, they are genuinely excited.

The ratchet wheel is our first Australian made gear. The inspiration for the spokes' shape comes from the shape of the topping tool, a traditional watchmaker's tool used to cut the profile of the teeth of the wheels. Our ratchet wheel is the largest wheel in the watch, yet it is less than 9 mm in diameter with a module of 0.2. It is made out of surgical grade steel and polished by hand.

The process starts with a hole being drilled into a solid cylinder which is then enlarged and shaped into a square. The next phase is shaping the gear profile which is done on an EDM wire cutting machine using an electrically charged wire to erode the metal.

The cylinder has to be rotated during the operation and re-positioned into the exact spot, which is a challenge in itself. And for that reason, we have to cut the "reverse profile holder" that mesh with the teethed cylinder in a tolerance of a couple microns.

Profile inspection.

After the gear profile is machined, the cylinder is sliced to the thickness of the gear, which is 0.5 mm. The toothed disc is then clamped and undergoes milling and chamfering of the spokes, as well as the milling of the recess for the screw which holds the ratchet wheel on the barrel arbour.

Another under the microscope check of meshing and chamfered finishes.

The final operation on the mill is engraving. AUS JH AB NHW 2019 which simply means fecit.

I wish I could show you the photos of what comes next, but unfortunately the process of turning a dull wheel into a shiny highly polished watch part will have to remain our own little secret. What I can tell you is that the entire process of making a single part takes over three hours and combines the employment of most modern CNC equipment and very traditional hand finishing techniques. So what's in it for you? If you are the proud owner of a Rebelde watch, one of over 700 assembled over the past 5 years, then for the first time since we started the project you too have an opportunity to have a piece of 'Made in Australia' engineering built into your watch. We are very happy to offer you the opportunity to have a ratchet wheel made for your Rebelde watch, our Australian fecit, and engraved with your initials. Yes you will need a loupe to see those initials, but my goodness, wouldn't you have a story to tell and a watch to be proud of. As we say, one gear at a time. Here are the examples of the Rebelde Fifty, Control Tower and Titanium, as well as Timascus, retro-fitted with the new ratchet wheel.

The cost: A handmade, custom engraved ratchet wheel installed in your Rebelde would cost you only $150 with around a 2 week turn around. Up to 3 initials can be engraved in a single position. If you are interstate, you can ship your watch to us, but if you are in Sydney, you can pre-order your gear and have it installed while you wait. PS just received a message from the boys in Brookvale: "Make sure you let subscribers know that we polish each ratchet wheel by hand and they're as good as Patek or Lange. We're ready to receive orders!"  PPS Please do go on Instagram to check the images because the photos in this newsletter are highly compressed and really do no justice: https://www.instagram.com/nicholashackowatch/

Good News

It has been 6 months since we delivered the first Mark 1 NH wristwatch and during this, time we have assembled and delivered just over 100 watches. Mark 1 is a 40mm automatic watch designed and assembled in our workshop and powered up by a Swiss made mechanism. Here is the good news: In the past 6 months, we've only had one case where the watch has been returned to our workshop. It needed a minor adjustment of a single component in the Swiss mechanism, taking only a few minutes to rectify. Super easy! So far the 'under guarantee' return rate is under 1%, way below the industry standard and clearly, we are proud of it. Based on the above, we are now happy to offer 10 years guarantee on Mark 1 watches which also includes the watches sold so far. There is only one condition: You need to reply to this offer simply by saying "Yes, I'll take it"  with your Mark 1 serial number. The 10 years guarantee will include all the parts and labour as well as the first complete overhaul, which will be due in 5 years time. Not a cent to spend! Thanks to your unreserved support we will continue to push the horological boundaries and strive to offer post sale service like no other watch brand.

Mark 1 $2,800. In stock and ready for immediate delivery.