The graceful butterfly

 

It is no mystery why butterflies are so often depicted in the visual arts: what could be more beautiful than the brilliant colour and pleasing symmetry of the wings, or the playful freedom of flight? The butterfly is also a symbol of love. The Greeks thought of them as a representation of mind and soul. Yet this dial is a masterpiece on another level. The dial was made with a technique known as 'Ramolayage'. It consists of removing the material to model the relief, usually done manually on a 'guilloche-style' lathe. Reserved for the most elaborate AP and Vacheron watches, rarely seen in 'common' brands like Omega.  The technique is also known as brocading. Brocade is a decorative shuttle-woven fabric, often made in coloured silks and sometimes with gold and silver threads. The name comes from the Italian broccato meaning "embossed cloth".

Many steps ahead

 

When it comes to trade and commerce, we live in strange times. We are swimming against the tide of fake news, market manipulation, senseless tariffs and global uncertainty. Unchartered, shark infested waters. Good business news with optimistic outlooks are few and far between. Last night, finally, some positivity. Once again, I was invited to the annual SEIKO dealers dinner, a rather low key, almost private event. Seiko's way of saying 'we appreciate your business'. A handful of top performing independent Seiko retailers, from all states, familiar faces, a friendly atmosphere. The core message was delivered in a typical Japanese way: modestly, but to the point. The last financial year was Seiko Australia's best on books. Seiko is not just doing great, but setting new sales records. It feels fantastic being a part of the winning team. More good news; thanks to a decision made by Japanese headquarters, all the profit generated in Australia, stays in Australia. Seiko's plan is to invest in advertising and training. Smart. Yet the detail that impressed me the most: if you are a Seiko employee with 10 years of service, you are still a youngster. Most of their sales executives, sales reps, state managers and technicians have been with Seiko for fifteen, twenty and some even thirty years. In a world where corporate loyalty is measured in months, where climbing the ladder means relentless skips from job to job, Seiko employees are happy to stay, learn, be trained, remain loyal. To us, they come across as being genuinely fulfilled, rewarded and excited. Their contribution is appreciated and valued. What more can someone ask from their employer? The unspoken words of the event were even more powerful. Not once was there a mention of competition, Switzerland, or other brands. True to its core founding value, from the days of Kintaro Hattori - "Always one step ahead of the rest.” Powerful industry leaders lead, fearlessly. The Seiko way, for many decades to come. Nicholas Hacko Watchmaker and Premium Seiko Dealer https://seiko.clockmaker.com.au/

Locked in time

 

As I type this, in front of me is a Rebelde Titanium watch. A timepiece which represents a significant milestone on the road to independent watchmaking. The first titanium watch was assembled on the 14th of March 2018 and was immediately nicknamed ‘Tito’. I still remember that moment as if it was yesterday: a huge sense of relief that the project was a success, that all the components manufactured by numerous overseas suppliers are not just on my bench, but that they are manufactured to strict tolerances, and they fit perfectly, working together in harmony. TiD was my first attempt to ‘deal’ with titanium. I remember months of correspondence with Japanese titanium case makers, asking dozens and dozens of questions – to which I had no answer. What titanium grade do you require? What finishes? Tolerances? Water resistance of each individual surface; the material properties of Teflon and rubber seals; their expansion properties under pressure and temperature. What type of coating, polish, scratch resistance level? Of course, I knew what I wanted, but I had no technical manufacturing knowledge to communicate my requirements to the Japanese in the way they expected. TiD was not just another white label watch; it was a genuine ‘designed and assembled in Australia’ project, started from scratch. When it comes to the mechanism, Tito took the Rebelde brand to another level. Tanya and I travelled to Switzerland in the search for a movement maker who could offer the highest possible finishes and decoration for the trustworthy Unitas 6497. And we found it, tucked away in an unassuming wooden farm house in the heart of Canton of Bienne, was a movement design studio run by a husband and wife. We clicked instantly. “How many movements do you need”, they asked. “5,000? 10,000?” We needed one hundred. “We can do 100. No problem”. Of course, such a tiny production run came at a significant cost, but Tanya and I replied with ‘no problem’ too. It took the movement maker almost a year to deliver one of the most beautiful honey coloured movements I’ve ever seen, finished with a circular cote de Genève. The solid 18K balance wheel was mesmerizing, perfectly balanced. The kind of movement you find in 1970s Omega watches, built in that very same village 60 years ago. The small production run of only 50 TiD watches cost far more than we ever expected, and definitely more than we could afford, but the sacrifice was well worth it. We were proud to offer a NH watch which was as good as any Swiss watch, at a lower price. Yes, completely designed, assembled and adjusted in Australia. The original release price in 2018 was $3,500. Most of the watches were sold straight away, except for three, which were then priced at $4,000. Since then we’ve moved onto other projects, introducing new models: 45mm was simply too large for many of our customers. The last three watches are firmly locked in time. Today, the production cost of 50 titanium cases would be tens of thousands of dollars. The mechanism of this finish – even more. Actually, the Swiss watch studio which helped us in production is no longer in business. For any small independent makers, life is always on the edge; being exceptionally good means very little in a turbulent world driven by relentless advertising and branding. I am very proud of TiD Tito. I consider myself lucky that it bears my name on the dial. Completing a project of this magnitude in a very short period of time, on a limited budget was only possible thanks to your support; to Australian watch lovers who trusted us and supported our rebellion. If you wish to invest in a watch which upholds all the core values of a true independent brand, then TiD is definitely the way to go. The price is $4,000. If you wish to add a hand made Australian watch box, then please add $275. Delivery is free of charge. Each watch comes with a five year guarantee and a life time of gratitude for your support.

A useless watch review

 

Writing watch reviews is not my thing. For a number of reasons. First – and most obvious – I am in the business of selling watches, so I will only review a watch I intend to sell. There is, and there always will be, a subconscious element of coming across as non-impartial, biased, prejudiced, or even unfair. The second reason; I am not just a dealer but an actual watchmaker. Watchmakers look at watches in a very different way to everyone else. The more you know about watches, the more you see, handle and repair, the less enthusiastic you are about branding, heritage, resale value and the "horological boutiqueness" that makes the world of horology go round. The third reason. At the end of the day, even the best watch review is useless. The most eloquent words and the most artistic photos are not a substitute to holding a watch in your hand, examining it under the light, strapping it on the wrist, wearing it for a year or two, and then - and only then, judging it for what it really is. A masterpiece of engineering, beauty and design - or just another mass produced watch. Sometimes the best review is just a nod with a smile. And this is my review for a Seiko Astron, the limited edition titanium, ceramic, sapphire and rose gold, French navy blue chronograph: a nod of the utmost admiration. If I am to sum it up in just one word: perfection. You are looking at the most perfectly polished, painted, coated, anodized, printed, milled, ground and anglaged surfaces on any watch, which are the result of decades of perfecting the art of watchmaking. You are literally looking at a watch that can not be further refined, improved and perfected. Timekeeping? Beyond perfection. Way beyond the accuracy you’ll ever need, or even want. It’s an Astron. To those who love watches, precision engineering, design and functionality: you are lucky to be around at the exciting time when humans have reached the pinnacle of precision manufacturing and precision timekeeping, embodied in the hundred year old form of a wrist watch, which displays time in a six hundred year old analogue form – with three hands showing hours, minutes and seconds. A format that has proven itself deeply embedded in our own perception of what time is, and what it means to us. Yes, it’s an Astron: a watch for those who care and understand, who appreciate and respect time itself.

Seiko Astron GPS - Dual Time Chronograph SSH180J Limited Edition. 1,500 pieces worldwide.  44.1mm case size. Titanium & ceramic case and bracelet. Sapphire crystal. Blue textured dial. Power reserve indicator. Stopwatch measures 12 hours in 1/20th of a second increments. Calendar Automatically Adjusts For Short Months and Leap Years Until February, 2100. Dual time. GPS solar movement. Water resistance 100 metres.  Accuracy: +/-1 second every 100,000 years (with daily automatic time adjustment). Boutique price: $5,200

Repairs and Servicing

 

In the wake of yesterday’s newsletter piece about Vacheron’s newest most complicated watch, we received several emails with enquiries in regards to servicing. To answer all of those questions and any more you may have, it would probably be a good idea to make clear our repair/restoration services. Before we get into the details of who, what, and when, let’s have a quick look at vocabulary. A restoration is required for a watch in a state anywhere between vintage no longer working and near destroyed regardless of age. Generally it is the most amount of work required to generate a good result. Removal of rust and other water ingress type damage, manufacture of replacement components, hand finishing partially/aesthetically damaged components, extensive searching for replacement parts online and through industry connections (this can sometimes take weeks or months depending on the watch). Then any exterior work can begin based upon the customer’s preferences. Here is one recorded example of a restoration undertaken here in our workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8g7tyzRjDc&t=201s&ab_channel=MasterWatchmaker An overhaul is the term generally used for the work required to ‘service’ a watch. Service and overhaul are quite interchangeable terms in this industry. It involves a complete disassembly of the watch down to the very last screw, cleaning, making any adjustments/replacements to worn components, reassembly and re-lubrication, and then any adjustment/testing required to be confident in the watch’s performance for the next several years. On top of that it may involve re-finishing the exterior of the watch if that is what you prefer. It is a pretty serious undertaking even though it is the minimum work we will perform on a watch. Comparable to taking your car in for a service and the mechanic takes it apart down to the piston rings. But what work on your prized possession shouldn’t be this in depth? This video will give you more of an insight into the work that takes place during an overhaul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCmBT3OSKcQ&t=458s&ab_channel=MasterWatchmaker  What we do best… We provide a service tailored to our customers. The restoration or general servicing of a watch with very specific priorities at the forefront of every question asked and decision made. We aim for good working order, whilst retaining as much of the original watch as possible; both in regards to number of parts and aesthetic condition. We cooperate with our customers as much as possible in this way, making suggestions for what work should or could be done. What do we work on? Our main body of work lies in vintage to fairly modern Rolex and Omega. Think from 1940s pieces right up to about the 2010s. The golden age of the humble Rolex and Omega’s power-house manufacture era. Too far past this is where the spare parts restriction becomes an issue. If your watch is too modern i.e. generally 2015 or later, we simply cannot find any spare parts that may be required for the work to be completed to our standards. Hopefully in ten years’ time it will be a different story. We also do some other Swiss models where parts are available. Generally speaking if you have a quartz watch, you are fine to drop it in for a battery. If you are unsure whether your watch is something we can help you with, the best thing to do is send the watch’s details and maybe a photo or two to Gemma at: mail@clockmaker.com.au What don’t we work on? Anything from Richemont group, or micro brand ‘watchmakers’. Parts cannot be purchased directly and finding them online is incredibly rare. Fake watches are an obvious no. Watches half finished by yourself or someone else? Sorry, no. Can you swap the bezel on my… No. How long, how much? We generally quote four weeks once the work actually begins. One to complete the overhaul, two for testing, and the last week as a buffer for awaiting parts if any are ordered. As for price. This is decided upon seeing the watch at our premises, after a quick inspection and rating of the watch’s performance. We can however provide you a rough guide here. For overhaul: Vintage/modern, time or time and date Omega: $750 plus any parts required as a baseline. Vintage/modern, time or time and date Rolex (non-sport models): $900 plus any parts required as a baseline. Omega automatic chronographs: $800 plus any parts required as a baseline. Omega Moonwatch variants: $1,200 plus any parts required as a baseline. Rolex gents’ sports varieties: $1,200 - $1,500 plus any parts required as a baseline. When should you bring your watch in? If you notice a sudden drop in performance regardless of when it was last serviced - timekeeping, or power reserve. If there is fog or water in your watch - ASAP. If you have dropped or bumped your watch. If it has been somewhere between five and seven years after its last service, regardless of issues being present - not too much longer please. We do give all repairs a one year warranty on performance to ensure that the watch continues to run smoothly for years to come. Andrew

Seiko x Supercars 2025

 

Seiko 5 Sports Supercars Limited Edition SRPL54K, a striking timepiece that celebrates the brand’s enduring partnership with the Repco Supercars Championship. This new release marks another milestone in a collaboration that began in 2014 and has recently been extended for an additional two years, solidifying Seiko’s commitment to the thrilling world of Australian motorsport. For 2025, Seiko Australia shifts its focus to this essential element of motorsport. The latest Limited Edition Supercars watch is inspired by the relentless energy, technical precision, and unforgiving nature of the track. A place where every twist, turn, climb, and descent pushes both driver and machine to their absolute limits. A challenge where milliseconds define legacies. This exclusive edition is more than just a timepiece - it is a tribute to the unwavering spirit of racing. The 2025 Limited Edition Supercars Seiko 5 is a bold tribute to the intensity of the track, featuring a unique textured dial that mirrors the raw surface of racing asphalt. Every detail is designed for a tactile connection to motorsport, from the grid-inspired bezel markers to the Lumi Brite 12 o’clock marker—a homage to the starting lights that signal the rush of competition. This limited-edition timepiece is presented in a specially designed collector’s box, featuring a detailed track map of the legendary Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst—an unmistakable nod to one of Supercars’ most iconic racetracks. Completing the experience, the box also houses a scaled replica of the pit lane watch tower, with the limited-edition serial number engraved on the case back, ensuring every piece remains an exclusive part of motorsport history. Seiko x Supercars 2025 Limited Edition SRPL54K 42.5mm case size. Stainless steel case and nylon/leather strap. Black dial. Hardlex glass. Automatic movement - calibre 4R36. Water resistance 100 metres. 2,025 pieces made.  Our price: $695

The 53rd state

 

According to the most recently published KPMG report, manufacturing organisations in Australia are "confronting unprecedented challenges in a turbulent and uncertain business environment". There are a number of burning issues for the Australian manufacturing sector. The top one is identified as "ageing capital costly to maintain, slower in output and less efficient". By capital, they mean machinery. We are driving a 1995 Mercedes with 700,000km on the clock. The second issue: "outdated technology impacting growth and response speed". Our Mercedes is not just on its last legs, but it is an ex-rental. And then, there are the usual suspects: shrinking profit margins due to rising energy prices, fluctuating commodity costs and skills shortages across many business areas. KPMG sums it up nicely and politely: the Australian manufacturing sector is facing strong headwinds. Basically, you would be mad to invest in any form of manufacturing in Australia. Here is a graphics presentation of where we are heading - the percentage of manufacturing as a portion of total GDP. Only 5.4% of our national yearly product comes from manufacturing. Actually, out of the top ten contributors to our wealth, manufacturing is the last one on the list!

On the other hand, Manufacturing is essential to national sovereign capability. If we can't make it here, we are vulnerable and dependant. The question is - do we have a national industrial strategy to get us there? Or should we just give up manufacturing altogether, focus on mining and finance - in the hopes that someone else will take care of us, for decades to come?  [to be continued]

It is easier to make a watch than to sell a watch

Proof? Walk down the Sydney watch district: tens of thousands of Omega, JLC, Breitling, Hublot, Cartier, Panerai and Vacheron sitting quietly on display - for months and years, awaiting patiently to be placed on the wrist of a watch enthusiast. 'But what about Rolex' - you ask. What about it? Rolex spends hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising, year after year, decade after decade. And even Rolex has billions of dollars of watches in stock, sitting and waiting to be sold. There are very few products out there that sell themselves. But even brute advertising has only a limited effect on a potential buyer. What works better than a glossy full page advertisement, is a write-up in the form of a 'testimonial' or 'recommendation' or a watch review by a 'trusted watch expert'. Disguised as a non-advert, it is actually nothing more than a fully paid commercial message pushed down your throat, coated with a thin layer of Swissness. This is how it is, this is how luxury works, and there is nothing we can do about it. Branding and resale value counts more than workmanship, performance, horological complexity or even the overall quality of a watch. Quite often, I am approached by newspaper publishers and online influencers who blatantly offer clicks, editorials, favourable reviews, right down to testimonials. "You have such a powerful story, a great Australian made watch - and we are ready to help. Let’s share the excitement with our readers and followers." But I would rather poke both my eyes with the sharpest Dumont tweezers than to allow a self-proclaimed watch expert tell my story. Not because I am blind to see the correlation between money 'invested' in advertising and number of watches sold, but because those brand experts have no clue about watchmaking. They have no idea what it takes to make a watch in a small workshop, in a country with no watchmaking heritage. Those who are interested in Australian watches, and Australian watchmakers would not benefit from hearing that story from a self-proclaimed expert who does not understand it and does not believe it himself. I'd rather not sell a watch than to sell it with the help of Judas. Let me give you just one example. In front of me is a newly completed batch of dials for MK2. This dial is the pinnacle of our in-house manufacturing. Titanium, guilloche, anodized, printed, with in house titanium feathered indices. And it is perfect, in every way, to the smallest detail visible only under a microscope. In the entire history of Australia, no other watchmaker, ever, has produced a watch dial of this complexity and beauty, and especially not in an exotic material like Titanium. This is a fact. I can talk for hours about it, I can show you the processes - from design to final stage of welding the indices - I can show you the machines, and the people who actually made this dial. I can tell you how painful it is to give birth to a watch dial. There are thousands of watchmakers in the world who can make a watch, but only a handful who can make dial like this one. So why in the world would I pay anyone to re-tell my story? For the past ten years, our goal was to make a point. To show the world - and especially Swiss brands - that we can make a watch in Australia. Not any watch - but a watch that would be as good as a Swiss made watch. We are not there yet - but we have already proven that we can do it. The results speak for themselves. How many watches we will make, and how many we will sell is completely irrelevant. I don't care. I could not care less. Sales and money does not matter in the slightest. What I do care about is to make the owner of an NH watch the proudest watch ambassador. Someone who will wear my watch knowing that he wears the best, most unique, most special watch ever manufactured in Australia. That's what I care about. What about you? Mark II "Curl Curl" 40mm case size. Stainless steel case and leather strap. 11mm case thickness. Sapphire crystal. Grade 5 titanium anodised base dial, with guilloche "Curl Curl waves" pattern. Titanium hands and applied numerals. Soprod automatic movement. 40 hours power reserve.   Both blue and orange available for immediate delivery.  Price: $7,900

At a crossroad...

The past two years could be simply summed up as years of exciting discoveries and team building. After setting up the micro machining workshop, we have discovered that the high precision parts we make are highly sought after in space, telecommunications and the medical industries. And it is not just the parts themselves that excite our customers - it is our ability to work closely with them in the field of research and development, allowing them to take their project to next level. Here is just one example of such co-operation. A well established customer has approached us last year with a request for a part that they've been struggling with for quite some time. The part is complex in the sense that it requires not just precision, but extreme consistency, meaning that a part made today will be identical to one made six months ago as to one to be made in a year from now. They have tried to have it made in Germany, Switzerland and the US. The results were good, but not perfect. Consequently, due to the lack of consistency, they were struggling to prove the theoretical concept in a practical way, and then to fine tune it further. They knew that the magic happens in a region where the "junction holes" are between 70 and 75 microns in size, but the parts they were getting were simply too inconsistent, varying from batch to batch. After a few attempts, and for the first time in the life of their project, we were delivering both 70 and 75 micron holes. They were over the moon. Not only have we beaten our competitors, but we are also able to hit even more specific dimensions - we can make perfect parts 'on demand' with holes of 72 and 74 microns in size. We took them to the next level. Why? Because our young team is crazy eager to prove ourselves as makers of parts that others call 'impossible to make'. And the more impossible parts we make, the more customers we have knocking on our door. The problem is, we have no capacity to scale up, to make parts in volume and fully satisfy a customer's demands. Those high precision parts take hours to make. For example, running both Kern mills for 18 hours per day would produce 25 to 30 parts per week. Our customer needs 500. And this is just one project, by one customer, in one industry. Being at the crossroads means at least two options: One, to continue to grow organically, and stay at a prototyping service level. Zero risk, satisfying but painfully slow. Option two, to seize the opportunity to expand; to double our manufacturing capacity. Hard and pricey. Only time will tell...

Skull and Skeleton

KENTARO x SEIKO x AUSTRALIA "Kentaro Yoshida, an artist originally from a small fishing village in Toyama, Japan, moved to Australia at 18 to embrace a new lifestyle. Drawn to the opportunity to learn English and enjoy the sunny beaches, Kentaro has since made Australia his home, now living and working on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Kentaro’s passion for both traditional and digital media shines through in his pastel-coloured artwork, which often features bold lines, quirky characters, and a light-hearted, beachside humour. He specialises in hand-painted art, creating everything from large-scale murals to intricate watercolour paintings." Seiko 5 Sports x Kentaro Yoshida Limited Edition Collection Created in collaboration with renowned artist, this Seiko 5 Sports series draws inspiration from Kentaro’s artistic journey in Australia, reflecting the landscapes, culture, and lifestyle that have shaped his distinctive vision. Tribute to Time Through Kentaro’s Eyes: “Time Goes by Forever” Kentaro Yoshida was commissioned to create the original artwork, “Time Goes by Forever,” as the foundation for this collaboration with Seiko Australia. The theme embodies the concept of time as an endless cycle, reflecting the continuous motion of life. Drawing from elements of nature—Clouds & Sky, Sun, Moon & Beach, and Wild Plants & Flowers—Kentaro’s artwork captures the essence of growth, change, and the inevitability of time’s passage. The collection’s overarching concept revolves around time’s perpetual cycles: the sun rising and setting, plants blooming and withering, waves continuously rolling in, and clouds drifting across the sky. These motifs remind us that while time moves forward relentlessly, it is up to each of us to decide how to spend it. Each piece in the collection weaves these themes into its design, creating a cohesive narrative that celebrates the duality of time: both relentless and precious. Three Timepieces Inspired by Nature’s Elements

SRPL25K: Clouds & Sky Symbolising fleeting, transient moments, the “Clouds & Sky” timepiece features a sophisticated dark chromatic dial that evokes the depth of the skies. Complemented by a durable black silicone strap, it offers a sleek and timeless aesthetic. SRPL26K: Sun, Moon & Beach Reflecting the rhythm of the ocean and celestial transitions, the “Sun, Moon & Beach” watch shines with a yellow gold stainless steel case and matching bracelet. Its design captures the warmth and brilliance of sunlit beaches and the endless motion of ocean waves. SRPL27K: Wild Plants & Flowers Representing growth and renewal, this model features a vibrant green dial adorned with intricate motifs inspired by wild plants and blooming flowers. A stainless steel case paired with a green nylon strap creates a harmonious, monochromatic design. Symbolism and Craftsmanship Each timepiece incorporates Kentaro’s signature skull and skeleton motifs, seamlessly integrated into the designs. Powered by the reliable Calibre 4R36 movement, they offer a 41-hour power reserve for enduring performance. With a case diameter of 42.5mm and a thickness of 13.4mm, the timepieces provide a bold yet practical design. Water resistance up to 100 metres ensures durability for everyday adventures. A Limited Edition for Collectors Completing the design, each watch features a case back engraved with Kentaro’s signature logo and is presented in a limited edition tin box that complements the artwork’s colour theme. A super rare opportunity for Australian collectors! Price: $695 each