Lost and Found

Simone checking out the set up for adjusting the guard pin length

After finishing the theory on escapements Henrik showed the students a bonus lesson on vintage pallet fork guard pins and how they can be adjusted.  Special pushers are needed for this operation which is irreversible.  So don't try this at home!!!

Tomas adjusting the escapement 

Theren cleaning the pallet fork

Shuai started turning on the 8mm lathe this week.  Beginning with the turning of different sized cylinders out of brass, and later in steel.  Shuai also learned how to sharpen gravers by hand.  He also started filing squares in preparation for the winding stem.

Shuai starting on the 8mm lathe and enjoying it

Eddie started turning between centers

Due to massive amounts of assembling and disassembling the escapement for adjustments, the  students sometimes lose parts due to sudden gusts of winds (or maybe blunted tweezer, or just bad luck).  Therefore the students spent some time on the big table this week.

Sweeping the big table looking for a lost pallet fork

Tomas praying to the watchmaking gods to help him find his pallet fork

There's a flu going around in Switzerland and some of the students caught the virus.  It was a tough week all around.

Theren upgraded his screwdrivers with newly added leather grips

Feeling Cheezy

The students browsing books and tools at Mr. Simonin's

The school's new vibrating tool (and a raw piece of ruby)

Last weekend the students made another trip to see Mr. Simonin and his wonderful establishment.  Besides the wonderful book selection, Mr. Simonin also has a wide variety of watchmaking tools.  None of the students left empty handed is all we can say.

Raclette party

We had our first bench tester, Sam, this year coming from Australia to see what watchmaking is all about.  He feels that assembling and disassembling was a lot of fun and the hardest part was the filing.

After having Swiss fondue for three times we decided to mix it up a bit by switching to another traditional Swiss speciality, the Raclette, which is melted cheese poured onto potatoes.  The students enjoyed the food and the movie afterwards.

Shuai working on an extremely decorated tripod

Beautiful brass anvil made by Shuai

Cours d'échappement

Tomas flushing the pallet fork jewels

Simone adjusting the axel of the pallet fork

Theren making correct endshakes on the escapement

Continuing on the escapement course, the students started with the endshakes of the balance and pallet fork and escape wheel, since they are closely interconnected with each other.  It is a very delicate subject where one little adjustment could change everything

Shuai boring the holes for his brass anvil

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After finishing his exam, Shuai continues to work on his tools, starting this week on his brass anvil.  Things get very intense as you can see from the video below.

As many of watch enthusiasts know, this week was also the 2016 SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) where it is an invitation only event.  Eddie was lucky enough to have been invited.  It was a great opportunity to see new products from many of the big brands.

Look at these two studs

A.Lange Sohne movement display

Roger Dubuis' Knights of the Round Table

Getting back in rhythm during a snowy week

Shuai sawing out the pieces for the practice exam

More preparation

Shuai spent the week preparing for his first exam.  Although filing seems like a simple task, Shuai still discovered some new techniques from the practicing.

Unknown movement with a missing winding stem.  New winding stem made by Theren.

Theren did an exercise where he made an unknown winding stem for an unknown pocket watch movement.  He had to use different measuring techniques to figure out the different lengths and diameters of the multiple parts of the winding stem.

Theren tries oiling the geartrain for the first time

Simone checks his oiling in the microscope

Tomas, the wheel straightening expert

Henrik showed the students this week how to oil the geartrain.  Henrik expects the highest quality of oiling, requiring the students to even make a progression of oil amounts.  Also shown this week was how to achieve the correct endshake and division on barrels between the mainplate and bridge.  The students must make sure nothing in the geartrain runs into each other.

Epilame used to prevent smearing and spreading of oil

Henrik also showed the students how to "cheat" in oiling by using a solution called epilame.  Epilame prevents oil from spreading and getting into places it should not be.

Antique style of cannon pinion with a hollowed out center wheel

Method to remove the pin and cannon pinion

Students trying to get used to this

2016

A turning Eddie

Welcome to 2016, we're back and ready to start a whole new year of watchmaking!  We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.  We're excited to be back and working on exciting projects again.

Left: Rolex
Right: Seagull tourbillion 

JLC Reverso, Cartier tank, and Glashütte Original

Benrus Ultra Deep, Tudor, Leonidas, an unknown antique repeater pocket watch, and a Doxa pocket watch

The students all brought back some watches for servicing and repairing for the next part of the course which requires a certain point value of repairs.  The collection of watches the students brought back contains brands such as:  Rolex, Seagull, Tudor, Omega, Benrus, Doxa, Tag Heuer, Certina, Slava, Wyler, Cartier, Jaeger LeCoultre, and Glashütte Original.  The students are all extremely excited to almost be able to work on real watches owned by themselves or friends' and families'.

Theren adjusting the cannon pinion

Tomas organizing his newly bought staking set

Simone customizing tools for cannon pinion adjustment

To start off the new year, the students learned how to oil and adjust the different types cannon pinions.  They also had to customize tools for the adjustments.
 

Shuai operating the Jig Borer for the first time

Doing the exercises on the jig borer 

Shuai also started with the Jig Borer, the last big machine he will learn in his micromechanics course.  He is now fully prepped to make all his tools!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from KHWCC!

Nicolas cheering on his teammate

Last week we had a bowling night for celebrating the end of the year.  We split into 2 teams and had a friendly match.  It was the first time the students visited the XL Bowling establishment in La Chaux-de-Fonds.  It is a great place to hang out and bowl, play old school arcades, billiards and ping pong.  They also had a great restaurant, which we had dinner at.  For sure the school will be back for more fun.

Tomas muscling away

Double cheeseburgers for all 

On Saturday the students took a trip to Dombresson, the city where Mr. Simonin's bookstore is located.  This is the first time some students visited the store and they were psyched to see so many watchmaking books and tools.  Mr. Simonin even showed the students some of his hidden gems, such as some rare tools and some super rare, first edition, leatherback, ancient, collector's edition books.

The students browsing the wide variety of watchmaking books

Mr. Simonin showing how some tools work

New tools for the school

Le Locle has just become a megacity due to the opening of a brand new supermarket, Aldi.  The new Aldi has opened right beside the school and will most likely be where the students hang out for lunch from now on.  This is the best thing that has happened in Le Locle for some time.  We are super excited for the grand opening.

The new main attraction of Le Locle

Today marks the last day of the calendar year that the students will be attending school.  Tomorrow they start their winter holidays!  Check back on January 4th where we will be back and fully recharged for some more epic watchmaking!

Final push to Xmas...and endshakes

Theren making the correct endshake on the Peseux 7001

Simone checking if the correct endshake is done

Tomas pressing in the jewel on the Horia tool

Continuing on with the last subject before the test next week, the students started on the topic of jeweling.  They learned how to press jewels into the mainplate and bridges using the Horia tool.  Specific heights should be obtained from the pressing to arrive with the correct endshake for the wheels in the gear train.

Simone enlarging the broken thread hole readying it for bushing insertion

Turning the bushing on the 70 lathe

Some movements had damaged threads, therefore, Simone decided to make a new bushing for the mainplate.  Using the jigborer to first enlarge the damaged threads then friction fitting a bushing with the correct threads into the hole.

Nicolas using the milling machine to create curvatures on his pointed nose vise

Testing out the milling attachment for the first time

Nicolas continues to make his tools, learning the milling attachment of the 70 lathe this week.  Soon we will have some very original tools to show off!

Eddie continues to prepare for his upcoming winding stem exam

Happy St. Nicolas' Day! 

We celebrated St. Nicolas day yesterday where Svenja brought the boys holiday treats.  Svenja also explained the story behind St. Nicolas to our wide range of international students.

Because the students won't be here for Christmas, the school decided to have an outing together tonight at the local bowling alley.  We will post pictures of this later!  Have a great weekend everyone! We're off to bowl!