How many watches do you own ?

Old Salt said:
I have to explain a statement I made earlier on, as to how 2 minutes fast or slow on a watch were accepted as normal. They weren't sold that way. If the master watchmaker determined that they were not within that range they were sent back to assembly. Those within the 2 minute limit were sent to be fine tuned. They all left the factory perfectly tuned, but in those days, watches did not stay accurate all that long!
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Watches, clocks, etc. are amazing pieces of engineering. The automatics are the best these days. No batteries.
I am going to be on the look out for that Tabletop Set!
What was your job there?
 

Sippican said:
Watches, clocks, etc. are amazing pieces of engineering. The automatics are the best these days. No batteries.
I am going to be on the look out for that Tabletop Set!
What was your job there?
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I am afraid I will have to disappoint you @Sippican, but I never made a single watch in my life. I was a clerk apprentice at Hanhart for three years but did a lot of travelling back and forth between office building and the factory just across from where I worked. I had many discussions with the watchmakers, whom I admired greatly.

My grandfather was one of this special breed and really loved his trade. I remember that his and my grandmother's bedroom was full of clocks that he had made, and since they were mostly Cuckoo clocks, they all went off, full force, every hour on the hour. I have no idea how my grandparents managed to sleep with that racket going on. Especially at twelve midnight!
 

Old Salt said:
I am afraid I will have to disappoint you @Sippican, but I never made a single watch in my life. I was a clerk apprentice at Hanhart for three years but did a lot of travelling back and forth between office building and the factory just across from where I worked. I had many discussions with the watchmakers, whom I admired greatly.

My grandfather was one of this special breed and really loved his trade. I remember that his and my grandmother's bedroom was full of clocks that he had made, and since they were mostly Cuckoo clocks, they all went off, full force, every hour on the hour. I have no idea how my grandparents managed to sleep with that racket going on. Especially at twelve midnight!
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I didn't assume you made watches, just being around that environment must have been pretty cool place to be.
 
I have 2, one that runs on a battery which ran down. So, I went got one of those that tells you as much as your iphone does. Blood pressure, steps taken, weather, etc. Just wanted to see if I would like one like that. I like it.
 
I have a mass-produced watch. But I appreciate craft, as I'm sure others here do. There are still a number of watchmaking shops in the world. This English couple practise a very fine craft that nearly faded out of existence in the mass-production era. They combine their aptitudes to design & make watches. This is a short vid. There are longer ones about these people and their work on YouTube, too.

 
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