Geneva Trip and Bench Test!

 

Week 36 

This week we had another bench tester! Alexander from Israel! 

Here is Alexander working on assembly of a ETA 7001 movement.

 

    Last weekend, we traveled to Geneva Watch Days to visit several brands to get to know the brand and see their new releases during the exhibit at Beau Rivage.

An original Czapek pocket watch which was used as the basis for the design language of the revived brand.

 

The Quai des Bergues, which was Czapek's first model after their revival in 2012. Designed with the DNA of the original pocket watch.

Place Vendome Tourbillon, with GMT across from the tourbillon to mirror the design language of the Quai des Bergues.

Lederer's Central Impulse Chronometer in rose gold. It has 2 gear trains that are regulated by 1 central balance wheel.

Close up of the escapement where you can see the skeletonized escape wheels.

H Moser & Cie's pioneer cylndrical tourbillon. It has a cylindrical hairspring inside the tourbillon.

Close up of the tourbillon in Moser's Endeavor Vanta black. The tourbillon is highlighted against the void of the dial.

Moser's sister brand Hautlence's new creation which tells time by using a retrograde minute and a polished blue sphere that spins to display the next hour.

 

 

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Workshop A

Students:
Amer, Dunham, Daniel, David, Harold, Miguel 

     This week Miguel and David took their practice exams for pivot gauges. It was quite difficult, but their skills are improving!

     Daniel made several practice pivot gauges in preparation for the exam.

    Amer and Dunny are learning how to do poising and timing of the balance and hairspring.

    This week Harold learned about and practiced on the disassembling, cleaning, and lubricating the arbour, barrel, and mainspring, installing the mainspring manually and with a winder and closing the barrel. Adjusting the end shake and side shake were also learned and practiced. Factors that affect isochronism were learned. How to properly use the cutting and smoothing broches was learned and practiced.

GUEST STARRING

Workshop B 

Students:
Dean, Faris, Ivan, Louis, Tetsu, Varun

 

    This week, Dean had an amazing restoration project! He had to repair a Zenith pocket watch which had an off center bushing for the balance wheel.

The tilted balance wheel

Centering the hole of the mainplate and the balance cock in the jig borer.

close up of the holes in the mainplate and balance cock through the centering microscope

Hand drilling the final size of the bushing.

The replacement balance staff in progress.

 

    This week, Ivan and Louis finished some more of their tools. Ivan finished his pointed nose hand vise and Louis finished his polishing tripod.

Ivan's pointed nose hand vise.

Louis' polishing tripod.

His tripod is black rhodium plated and is finished with a cross hatch graining.

 

 

Thank you for reading!

 Hope to see you again next week!