Timing (Aim for the Zero Delta)

Nothing really new going on this week. We keep doing timing related work, overall trouble shooting to improve timing (the ultimate goal is to achieve delta ZERO). Such as checking hairspring flatness and centering, regulating pins, making dynamic poising and checking balance staff condition (pivot straightness, general condition).

Henrik will have a trip to London next week, hope he has a safe trip and share us more pictures when he is back. :)

Timing data from Sif, something is going on within the hairspring.

Stan refresh the pivot.

Student interview. :P

Henrik is preparing the chronograph course for later.

Visitor From Voutilainen Workshop

Last weekend we had a visitor from Voutilainen. Antti, he is a Finish watchmaker who had been working for Mr. Voutilainen for ten years. He share us how they work in the atelier and how watchmakers collaborate with each other. From his sharing, we can feel how much work and detail they put into their watches. To improve the timing performance when the watch is in vertical position, they formed Grossmann curve around the collet for every watch. We know how delicate the work is, since we just finished our balance exam not long ago. After Antti's visiting, we hope someday we could also have a chance to visit Mr. Voultilainen's workshop one day.







We also share some of our cases which may affect timing result.

Stan finding a big burr swimming in the shock absorber.

CJ find the cap jewel was worn out in the center.

CJ accidentally catch the 4th wheel pinion with its pivot when handling the movement. Oops.

He made a special anvil and pusher to make the pinion straight again. To bend the pinion straight we heat up the anvil before the process. That's why the anvil is so big, it's for containing heat.

Following, please enjoy the beauty of the new movements for the school.










Special watch with thermometer.



School Watch from Le Locle watchmaking school.

Birthday, Visit, and Precision Timing.

This week was very interesting for us, last Saturday we made a trip to Mr. Simonin’s book and watch tool shop http://www.booksimonin.ch/ we were so lucky! he spent the whole day with us, we learned a lot of new things from his lifetime experience and knowledge, truly a living legend! As a bonus Henrik’s former WOSTEP teacher Paul Madden joined us and we got a rare picture of all three former WOSTEP teachers on the same picture.

Now when we have the hairspring exam behind us, we started to study and practice the art of precision timing, it feels we went somehow full circle as it is the final part of the basic program. Lots of analyzing and trial and error to get the most precision out of each calibre. 

Below; spotted at Mr. Simonin's shop, not only books!

A collection of old balance bridges at display.

He also sells old prints and student drawings, very beautiful!

Watchmaking tools!

CJ checking out a staking set.

Yi-Ting checking out some smoothing broaches.

Mr. Simonin also had some nice movements on display also for selling.

Beautiful chronograph movement.

Marine chronometer.

Many depthing tools, now you know where to get one!

Beautiful tourbillon model with detent escapement.

Three generations of former WOSTEP teachers caught in the same picture, Mr. Simonin to the right Who was Paul Maddens teacher (in the middle) who was Henrik's teacher, left.

Yi-Ting had her birthday this week.

Each student have their own ways with recording their timing experiments, this is the notes from CJ. Keeping a record of each adjustment gives a working timing history and the student has less risk of going around in circles trying to find where the problems are.