Watchmaker Breaks Down Swiss vs Japanese Made Watches - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 30, 2019, 01:28:58 pm
content: Just had to share this, it's great

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2019, 05:31:24 pm
content: Amazing. I fashioned my workbench in the style of a watchmaker' bench once electronic components are becoming as small as the parts you find in wristwatches. I even use a watchmaker' lupe exactly as he does as I find microscopes really cumbersome. The only problem is obviously soldering with an iron, since the lupe, depending on its magnification factor, puts your face at a distance of 5 to 15 cm from the board.Another related trade that is becoming a lost art is galvanometer repair. Galvanometers also have hairsprings, jewel bearings and pointers (or needles). Their maintenance involve several adjustments and cleaning, since its strong magnet attracts all kinds of ferromagnetic dirt, especially filings, which are pretty much common in any shop. 50 AWG (0.00049mm²) gauge wires are not uncommonly found on their coils.Where I live I found three guys that build and repair galvos. All of them are retired, over 70 years old, working from home (they can't afford to have a shop) and say they can't interest any younger technician in the trade.Sad.

author: noidea
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 31, 2019, 04:08:13 pm
content: Very cool, thanks

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2019, 09:45:20 am
content: I love watching this sort of stuff because there's no way I could do this myself, I don't have the dexterity. Even with modern quartz watches there must be something for the traditional watchmaker to do because the watch on my wrist has three hands and a date wheel, no spring balance wheel though.If you get the chance have a look around the watch department at Harrods department store in London. I explained to the sales guy that there was no way I could afford any of the watches there (but I was fascinated by the technology) and he was then quite willing to show me some of the more interesting pieces. This included a wrist watch in a glass body that had half a dozen dials including indicators for the tides and the direction of the sun and the moon. The price? Two million GBP.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 02, 2019, 10:00:12 am
content: I had no idea that a watch service included a complete teardown and replacement of the spring, but it makes sense.

author: chris_leyson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2019, 02:54:10 pm
content: Thanks Dave that was a really cool teardown. It's good to see that mechanical watches are coming back into fashion and a well built watch or clock will last several generations. A good craftsman, or woman for that matter, will build something to last. Check out independant watchmakers and Masahiro Kikuno who built a temporal hour watch.

author: rbm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2019, 04:23:38 pm
content: Thanks for sharing.There are so many parallels you can draw between working with mechanical watches and modern electronics, in so far as the working techniques and tools are concerned. I have both as hobbies.One of the most amazing watchmakers on YT isSteffen Pahlow. The restoration work he does on antique movements and complications is amazing, not least of which when you realize that he's doing this with part of a finger missing.