TECHNICIANS GRADUATION & LAINE WATCH ATELIER VISIT!

 WEEK 179

Team A

Origin: Thailand & USA, 

Name: A, Kate, David & Leilani

Watchmaking class: Technician

Current mood:

I have completed my studies at KHWCC and successfully navigated the final exams! I plan to return to Connecticut and jump right into watch repair and servicing. I will start on watches owned by friends and family and then move onto subcontracting repair work for customer’s watches at local jewelry stores.

I am looking forward to this new challenge and know that I have been MORE than adequately prepared for what lies ahead. I am honored to have learned under Henrik Korpela, a true giant in horological education. Michael Lau is an incredibly talented watchmaker who tolerated my questions and my missteps graciously. Lastly, I would like to thank my wife Donna for her support and understanding in allowing me to chase my passion for watchmaking.

My experience at KHWCC has truly been a dream come true.

David C.

Team B

Origin: Japan/Switzerland & Canada

Name: Tetsu & Dean

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood:

This week, (5-9 September) Tetsu and Dean continued with work on their winding stems, with a heavy emphasis on the heat treatment process.  Dean sourced an abundant supply of powdered boric acid, which they used to coat the freshly turned stems prior to the hardening process.  Boric acid tends to act like a surface coating, allowing the stem to be hardened by heat, without the effect of charring the surface, which can be time-consuming to remove and will probably require removing additional material.

Following the hardening process is tempering.  Tetsu and Dean experimented with a hot plate/brass insulation combination and were able to achieve good results whereby the stems could be slowly heated to the desired blue colour, enabling the tempering of the stems to be uniform throughout; a crucial step to returning plasticity to the formerly hardened and very brittle stem.  The quenching process following hardening usually results in the stem bending to some degree, so the ability to straighten it to a point within tolerance is the desired outcome of the tempering process, in this case.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Tetsu & Dean

Team C

Origin: Switzerland, Norway & USA

Name: Renato, David, Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood:

Hi everyone; this week, I worked on my school project and I’m really excited about it!  It is a really challenging project, which will take some time.  I’ll fill you in on it a bit later on once it’s finished!  Also, Åsmund continued with pivot-gauges; he’s striving to obtain the perfect black burnished shoulder.  Robert practiced for the hour wheel exam.  He’s figuring out some good techniques for keeping the wheel straight during the partying-off process.  Last Wednesday, we had a really nice visit at the Laine watchmaker workshop, which I really enjoyed,

See you next week,

Francesco

 Technician Graduation Week!

Apero before graduation dinner!

Graduation Dinner at Auberge du Charron!

Laine Watch Atelier Visit!

KATE inspecting her PP 24!

Celebration of David Cowin BIRTHDAY!

HENRIK's WORDS:

It was an incredibly busy week as it was the technicians graduation as the main highlight, I truly wish them all the success they deserve as they worked so incredibly hard, I am very proud of all of them and hope to hear back from them in the future! As a bonus everyone got invited to meet with Torsti Laine and see his workshop;    https://www.lainewatches.com/    who also has his workshop not far from the school, I have been very much looking forward to visit him since even before the covid started but got totally stuck with work, as he is nearby I will try to pay him a personal visit soon! The restaurant to celebrate the technicians was incredible and very hot :) David C. also had his birthday which was another fun high light of the week!  It's truly very hard to say goodbye! Have a great weekend everyone!