Jump (excuse the pun) to our first second year test exam

This week we had our first second year test exam.; Winding and setting, barrel and gear train exam.  We have nothing too special to report back this Friday due to that we have been practicing the same exercises as last week in order to be fully prepared and more experienced for the real exam next Friday. Yi-Ting also brought an interesting hand wound pocket watch with fly-back retrograde minutes and digital jump hours to show everyone, she plans to restore this piece later in the course.

Yi-Ting's special pocket watch with fly-back retrograde minutes and digital jump hours. 

CJ practicing mainspring installation.

Yi-Ting working on wheels. 

Beginning of the Eyesight testing

This week, we started to practice truing wheels and put the jewels flush with the mainplate. These are the last two parts for our upcoming exam at the end of this month. Truing wheels is much harder than we thought. Our target iss not only make the bended wheels functional but also make them as flat as possible. We even tested our wheels under the microscope. Haha i think this is more about eyesight testing than watchmaking. Installing jewels is a little bit simpler than truing wheels. We just need to choose the right size of anvil and pusher. We dont want to damage the most expensive part of the watch. Next week we will practice more and will be well-prepared for the exam. Ciao.

Getting ready to make wheels flat.

Stan is checking the wheel.

Discussing with each other make us more easier to get the hand of  the skill.

Yi Ting is looking for the bent point.

That's the quality we want for flatness.

Oiling Winding and Setting Mechanism

We worked on assembling and oiling winding and setting mechanism this week and today spent a day and half introducing both theory, manipulating, and oiling about barrel and mainspring. Still, the most important thing is Cleanliness and well Organized.  

We start practice oiling from winding and setting mechanism of 6498 and several ETA caliber such as 2824, 2892, 7750 and so on.

We clean our table everyday when we start working as a habit, and during work also try to organize ourself.

And the rest is keep practicing and make ourself fimiliar with the mechanism in different caliber.

Flatness, Straightness and cleanliness are important in watchmaking. Stan is observing the flatness of the barrel. 

Always see something after oiling. In winding and setting part, we prefer more than less oiling.

This could become our Friday tradition. But we expect ourself lose as less parts as possible in the futrue.