If you're aspiring to be an Independent, you need to read this ...

Article front page from QP Magazine.

If you're thinking of taking up a watchmaking education and if you're thinking of being Independent later on, you should read this article at QP Magazine.

http://www.qpmagazine.com/fileopen.axd?aaid=6035

You need to register to read the article but it only takes a few seconds and they don't even need to verify your email address to let you have access to the PDF file.

Anyway, one of the most important points said in the article would surely be this :-

" Today’s environment makes designing and producing components and watches easier and faster than ever. The internet and social media have made communication and marketing easier and cheaper than ever. And there are more and more independent watchmakers launching their own brands and new watches than ever. So where, you may ask, lies the difficulty? Well, being engineers at heart (watchmaking, at its base, is micro- mechanics) independent watchmakers naturally take to new production technologies more easily than new methods of communication – show a watchmaker a new CNC machine and a Facebook page and guess which one excites him the most? That leads to more independents creating their own brand, but lacking the skills to market their watches effectively using the new communication tools available. "

And this couldn't be far from the truth. This is why Henrik decided that an addition of a marketing unit is very important. Well, even if there's demand, but you need to let the buyers know that you exist.

Thank god someone has the gumption to point it out !

Other schools should do the same too ! Do you hear us ?

We're not hear to tell you what to do. We're not here to compete with you. We're here to make sure that watchmaking skills will not be lost in translation or lost to time ! But if all you do is to teach technical and assembly skills, and no one knows a thing about marketing themselves or their creations, then no one is going to sell anything much. If they don't sell enough, they will give up or just join some big manufacturer because they can't survive. End of story.

*Article extract taken from QP magazine at their website http://www.qpmagazine.com. Accessed 5th June 2011 at GMT 17:55 hrs.

The Rolls Royce of all tool kits ...

In the midst of preparing acquisition plans, a Swiss company called PetitPierre came up. Their website is http://www.petitpierre.ch/ . And guess what i found !! This has to be the Rolls Royce of all watchmaker kits. The website is entirely in French but use google translate to see it in English.

Who has 8000 Francs to give ? I want one of these !

Coffret d’outillage horlogers "Tradition" Kit priced at 6,650 CHF.

There is a Nubuck leather carrying case which goes with the kit at an additional 900 CHF.

Another picture of PetitPierre's Coffret d’outillage horlogers "Tradition".

Otherwise, for the rest of us mere mortals, they have a basic kit which rocks as well. From their website, it is priced at 1470 CHF.

PetitPierre's Valise de l’horloger voyageur kit priced at 1470 CHF.

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More picture of the Valise de l’horloger voyageur kit.

* Pictures were taken from PetitPierre's website. Copyright and intellectual property remains with PetitPierre. This blog entry is not for commercial purposes. We are not affiliated to PetitPierre in any way.

Why was it moved one month earlier ?

One of the great things about watchmaking is that of tradeshows. The only other thing in the world that creates as much excitement are cars.

Well, we intend to have some sort of a showing at BaselWorld next year so we had to look into it rather early. Goodness, the show organisers had moved the dates about one month earlier to about 8 March. This leaves us with less than 9 months to prep and think of what we wish to do there.

And Hotels. What a nightmare. We heard that Hotel reservations are a nightmare. So yeah, if you see a few tents outside, thats us ! ha ha ...

It doesn't need to be all about watches ...

We all know this is a watchmaking school blog but it doesn't mean we have to only post stuff about watches. Watchmakers are human too. Some like food ( I.e Henrik ), some like cars and other stuff. And lots of watchmakers like photography too.

Anyway, this is a really interesting time lapse photography project by a famous photographer. The video clip can be found on the link below :-

http://vimeo.com/24456787

Have a look ! The music's nice and the amazing thing is that the footage wasn't taken with a video camera. It was painstakingly taken with 4 cameras, and all the pictures painfully stitched together. Quite an accomplishment. Sounds like the photographer has what it takes to be a watchmaker ! lots of patience and perseverance !

Enjoy !

A new addition to the school ... Our new Mill ...

Its Finally here ! Our Aciera F1 !!

I know some people are obsessed with new cars, boats, houses, birds, dogs and lamps but our obsession is with our equipment. We are going to be doing some really cool things with this in the next few weeks.

Here it comes.

And the F1 is set down. Not the sexiest bum shot but he's not the star here.

Slowly assembling the mill. Alot of TLC goes into the machine at this stage.

Vioula ! Its done !

In all its glory ...

I'm sure we sound like random geeks here but here's the side view.

Some of the toys that goes along with this ...

* Photo credits to Henrik Korpela ( Principal, Teacher, Horologie Extraordinaire, Photography Noob and Food lover )

Tabletop Macro Studio

I think every watchmaker should have one of these. They come in handy to take pictures of customer's watches or just to produce nice looking pictures to advertise yourself.

And this should also be in every Watchmaking School. Its easy to use and encourages students to actively archive and record their work pictorially.

Its not a very expensive piece of equipment and its very easy to use. Just attach any camera with a Macro function onto a tripod or secure to the fasteners on the Lightbox and there you have it !

The one i found on the net is from MK Direct.

Click here for the link to their website.

The basic model is about USD 395 which is approximately 336 Francs excluding shipping. They appear to have more professional models which have user controlled rotating turnstiles in the Lightbox.

Oh well. The next alternative is to have a full time Product photographer in your workshop or school, but you need very deep pockets for that. Otherwise, this seems like the next best thing.

P.S : The really cheap alternative is to email the course teachers in Design and Fine Art schools and ask if you could put an Ad in their school for Freelance work. Students studying fine art and design usually have great photography skills and they are pretty creative. And because they are students and they need money to waste away on a Friday night at the club, they won't ask for much ! Good quality work, quick and very cheap. What more could you ask for ?

Trade Shows

Picture taken from http://eurotecmagazine.wordpress.com/.

Trade shows should be just as important as BaselWorld for watchmakers.

As much as its frowned upon to sell a 60,000 Francs watch as hand-made when its partially CNC produced, but the reality of economics cannot be ignored. Without the help of modern technology such as CNC machines and CAD/CAM systems, there will not be many pieces produced each year by hand. Its sometimes necessary to speed up production with the help of machines but to a limit of course.

Not only do trade shows gives the watchmaker an insight into the latest machining technologies, it also gives the watchmaker an idea of whats new and whats on offer. The need to network is vital in these trade shows as you get to meet suppliers whom you may need to order from in the future.

Anyway, one of this year's most important trade shows, the EPHJ-EPMT/SMT exhibition is now over, but next year, try and make a visit. It will be worth your effort and time.