Taster course student from Houston

This week we had James from Houston taking one week taster course. He already worked in watch industry for ten years and would like to learn more for future restoration work. During the week, he practices the filing exercise, black polishing, beveling, making yoke. The taster course goes pretty well, and hope to see him in the future.

Last weekend we had watchmakers from Jaeger le Coultre using their free time keep sharpening their techniques and skills at school.

James black polishing screws.

Costya Black polishing screws.

Watchmakers black polishing.

Marino Burnishing the pivot.

Luca hand turning small pivots.

Bunishing Pivot.

Yiting performing precision timing.

Sif use Vissain to cook away the broken stud holder screw in the balance bridge.

CJ is modifying the barrel bridge for the school watch.

CJ make the cutter to cut out the recess for sliding and winding pinion. Trial piece.

Raw shape barrel bridge after modified gears working together.

Automatic mechanism

     This week, we learned some basic knowledge about the automatic watches. Henrik showed us the three different kinds of oscillating weights and explained what are the differences. We also learned how the oscillating weights wind the watches and saw the different reversers. Henrik also showed us a simple way to check whether the rotor were good or not, and this technique is really good to find out which rotor should be replaced or serviced.

    CJ was making the cutters for his bridge this week. There were 2 places where his bridge needed the special cutters to cut the slots for the winding and sliding pinions. However, he could not find the correct cutter on the market. Hence, he decided to make them by himself. He used the school machine to make the cutter, and the cutter looks great. It's always fun to make our own tools by hand when we need them.

  Sliding bolt system for oscillating weight

 Another type of sliding bolt system for oscillating weight

Ball bearing system for oscillating weight, with magic lever for the automatic winding.

 Another ball bearing system for oscillating weight.

 CJ making the cutters

 Hardening and tempering the cutters

The cutter ready for trial.

Introduction to Calendar Watches and a New Project

    This week, we kept working on the seven movements for the precision timing, and we also learned something new. Henrik introduced us to the calendar watches, and it is really interesting to know that and how these parts make the day and date change. However, we only know the basic theory of calendar watches, and there are more knowledge waiting us to be discovered. 

    Stan also got a new project from Henrik this week. There is a vintage alarm watch from Jaeger-LeCoultre needed to be restored. After disassembling the watch, Stan found that there are many parts missing and many parts are broken. It's gonna be a good challenge for Stan to restore this watch.

     Last Friday we had special visitors from WOSTEP. Henrik met his friend and former student Nicholas who is the teacher in WOSTEP and showed them around our school. They are surprised that we could use any machine freely and come to school whenever we want. We had a happy meeting last Friday, and I think soon we will visit WOSTEP too.

One simple calendar movement with date disc display.

The Memovox alarm movement from Jaeger LeCoultre, really cool movement!

 Parts are missing

 Really dirty mainplate

 Not so many parts left

                                                            Visitors from WOSTEP.

Henrik show them our machines.

Fall gateway and London

Last week, Henrik visited BHI and some watch and clock related events held in London. We pick up some pictures to share with you.

Met Alan Burtoft from BHI

One of the watches Henrik got to see in flesh.

BHI Upton Hall

A huge task to service BIG Ben.

Dropping ball from Greenwich.

Nice view from Greenwich. Nice weather.

Science museum

From science museum, some experimental balances for chronometer.

Westminster  Abbey

Finally, some of our daily pictures.

The weather is getting cold in Le Locle.

We try to plot down the trend of rate at different amplitudes to understand isochronism and calculate CTM of the movement we had reconstructed in second year course.

CJ try to note down the steps of defining hole from main plate to a blank material for making bridges.

Trial bridges plate.

Before using lathe to turn the recess, make sure to find the right center.

Turned bridge recess.