Horological Meandering

bernard cheong
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Why so expensive? This wristwatch question is asked, but what about a chair?

Of course, to a minority, they know chairs made of wood, lacquer and leather will out cost most 99% of any watch.

Or even just canvass.

But we are here...for chairs..google "Dragon Chair auction 2009".

Not only the spur of pricing of Ellen Grey's chair, which I was present.

But for other chair makers, the top end 1940 and 1960 chairs will cost more than the highest new wristwatches, which happen to be more rare, and will outlast the chairs, as well as being portable.

Originally this short article was intended to be one of a series that covered why watches will diverge in price into ultra high and ultra low.

 Instead, maybe I can extract parts of my book on the lab and workshops at Ulysse Nardin.

The explanations will be extremely simple.

This is not a technical expose, but a personal guide for sharing..nothing more. Errors will be there, it is perception that gives a hobby passion.

It is my wish to guide the buyers towards the higher end. The higher you go, the more aware of smaller things to look for, and how the procedures were done. I spent some years studying two types of machines…broadly laser guided eye ball cutting micromachines in 1999, and in 1980..AO steel manufactured screw heads. AO means Association Swiss for use on metal to bone orthopeadic interface.

So my understanding is biased. It is of course tempered with many hours at IWC, Lange, Ulysse Nardin and Dufour’s home. That will be the order I learned.

This short essay is meant only to guide buyers of ultra high expensive watches which preserve old techniques, which will I personally feel will diminish as it is not a factor of efficiency or cost, both extremely important, but will loose the “musicality” of a hand made and artistically cut piece of metal.

Having done myself much handwork, I understand the tedious hours. However, the mind battles the boring by infusing the strokes of cutting, filing and so on with musical rhythm, I think you understand...hence my persuasion that finely made watches today, and from 1998 onwards, will be of great interest.

But I digress:

This above is found on many watches.

But I hope not on a Patek.

It is a cheap screw.

Today, screws are made by machines churning them out by hundreds or thousands…nonetheless it still will require an engineer to sit down and spend up to 20 steps to create the software.

Then there is the ultra high end where you know that the screw was hand made or hand finished to the best.

While slot, beveling and all are totally machined from ground zero, some rare watches will have no compromised screws within. These watches, because of the detailing, that goes down to even the screws….will begin at $50,000 usd, for simple movements and case. And…from $500,000 usd for a tourbillon(s).

However, buyers beware of marketing techniques…it is not evil, but at least you got what you wanted…perfection for future investment (yes, I may be wrong) or just joy…both correct.

Here are pictures to illustrate:

For a steel watch.

This is what your watch, if you are paying more than $5,000 USD should have, at least on all movement parts, especially if you have a see thru back.

Now, if you were to go backwards in time, you can see and begin to understand how each watch company was run, and the philosophy behind, whether business or passion. Just by the screw ...I may be wrong. But that's how I did it.

Note that if you wish to buy a watch like the level of the Greubel Forsey, I can’t find another name besides Dufour, and Lange was ok before the 2012 models which I spotted a few screws of the less expensive sort, the slotting of the screw head will require a hand operated flat milling cutter.

This operation often separates the companies which make 100 or less, from the ones that can make 1,000 or more. There are plate finish techniques which further separate makers down to below 100 per annum.

Even Greubel Forsey may not do all slotting by hand, but only for the tiny ones around the tourbillon cage…otherwise the company will spend 9 months just making enough screws.

Anyway, to illustrate the almost mundane task…it is this task, that reveals the soul and the intention of the watchmaker.

First, finding or even making a file to slot the screw head is a task. Often at the tourbillon level, a tool as boring as a file, has to be made! That’s why you can find $50 tourbillons or less, and $100,000 tourbillons (just the cage) or more.

And…that’s why I said that the prices of certain obviously expensive watches were “not costly” for the work put in. It was not marketing, but passion having to be realistic….that although so much work has to be done..say at MB&F or UN, that the piece was priced “low”, at a margin that does not allow budget for a small party even…unless it was paid for by the support of owners and fans, as in the Eastern world where I live.

The screw has to be placed in a lattern chuck of a lathe. Using the file, the watchmaker centers the screw slot by hand pressure! The file has to be lowered thru the head, making sure the slot remains parallel to the underneath surface of the screw head!

Then, for such a beautiful screw…one should bevel it.

The process requires a skill to deliver a uniform edge in width, along the entire circumference.

Variations in hand pressure will ruin all uniformity, and as you are contemplating to buy say..a Laurent Fleurier, Greubel Forsey or Dufour, a few Richard Milles…you should look at the superlative execution you will find only among these and possibly 1 or 2 others.

Diamond paste and further hand polish is absolutely needful.

Of course, one will be able to find completely machined flat head screws with beveling, but they are not the same. How?

Look for the evidence of polished screw threads! Hand made screws can be hardened and then polished.

A wooden peg is used with diamond paste to press against the thred, as the lathe turns the screw in the opposite direction. By now, a cigarette is required to calm the nerves.

A Degussit stone is used to polish off the entire work to enhance the brilliance of the screw!

This screw above is not used.

But note the flat head and the bevelled edges of the outer head.

The top end makers have bevelled also the slot.

This flange you almost always see in watches.

Now, it becomes important to look at the holes thru which the screws go thru.

They should be bevelled on the best watches.

Polished even.

These are not watch crews.

They are made of nylon.

Inexpensive. Stands up to 230 degrees C of heat!!!

They are incredibly useful, and can even be colored.

Imagine a watch with colored screws by 2015.

Before even one screw is created. The CAD writer spends up to 20 steps writing the precise look of the screw and the machine will make thousands.

Complete with flat heads, bevels and all.

Various companies have to meet to agree on a common arrangement to use these thousands of screws.

This makes it more affordable for you.

Or they can charge more.

You need to know.

A specially made, unique screw is damned costly.

It does not make your watch much more difficult to fix if it goes wrong.

There are ways to replace a screw...but rarely will a screw be broken, except by accidents at the slot, or over tightening.

The JLC movement above.

Can you spot the one cheap screw?

Can you spot that damage has been done probably by repairman, at all the other screws? Either at the slots or at the countersink?

Possibly the cheap rounded screw was added on by repair.

But sadly, I have to say I found many rounded screws showing up. Mostly on friends, not at the shops.

Inexpensive Russian watch. No. Zero. No rounded screws, the communists could have saved millions, because they were consistant with flat screws from 1947 to 2007. They have chutzpa and pride.

Made with no movement changes from 1947 to 2007.

This is one of their worst examples...but even at that, they have very good work.

The bridge work is poor.

The metals are poor.

But it is to me, a correct watch, because watches were then seen as luxury or as indulgence.

If we do not know why a watch is costly, this will be the result.

Case this watch in a fancy gold case, add a tourbillon, and you price it at $400,000 USD. It will be bad.

That is exactly why banks and many conservative investors tell you that watches are bad investments.

It takes training....reading...not my posts, but real books!!!

Anyway, JLC, IWC and Lange make very fine watches.

But to me, they hold the prices due to resales, and not due to workmanship or art.

If this goes on and on....watches will remain bad investments.

After saying this..they will never invite me to anything ever again.

At my age, it is OK.

Please don't post like me. It will spoil your reputation.

Here you see the power unleashed after 1998.

The ability to produce armies of screws of all shapes, sizes and to even add finish, by cnc or other machines.

This technology adds value to watches you buy today.

Buy wisely.

Buy always being aware of the era.

Screws used to command what can or cannot be done.

No more.

Screws made to below 1mm or even 0.3mm length.

The amount of care lavished on each screw allows the potential consumer to understand why this trade, at this level, is under severe threat of extinction.

3D printing may soon replicate this…but it will enhance the value of the watches made before that era is born. Just as photography enhanced the value of the master works of canvass.

When I have time…I hope to share bridge finish and pins.

I hope this helps to develop the market, where not only status operates, but a poorer man as I, will save for a good piece of work.

As I write this today, I wear an Omega Speedmaster made of black ceramic. This is because as industry grows in advanced technology, it adds value to the old world charm as it becomes extremely rare.

Also…the Omega Ceramic speedmaster is a herald of things to come, which have already been created, but not placed into sale.

Finally I wish to add these pictures of Greubel Forsey...again...but this time, I hope you understand me.

Notive the screw setting...this is a setting not needful, but to add value to an already pricey watch.

It is clever, it defines an era, and preserves the possibility that on resale, the watch commands incredible price, and it pulls all other brands who work well up.

A noble task.

I admire both Greubel Forsey and another brand..MB&F for doing so.

Both in differing ways.

Look at the above.

It is for future posts on workmanship by hand.

It may not be mathematically perfect.

But it is 100% on cue in the musicality, slightly off, yet perfect rendition of craft...a craft obviously by hand.

Not possible to induce maths errors into a random but beautiful pattern.

This is seen at the edges, the platinum and gold margins.

The gaps.

Note the imperfect 4 pieces of metal.

You will see the same on Pateks prior to 1990.

These were relevant to the era.

I hope that it is not commercialism that will drive Patek.

Which is why I own a Patek, why on earth do I want to look after a watch?

Unless I feel it carries meaning of me to my children, so I must wear it...not keep it in plastic!

I hope if anything, people take out their Pateks and wear them.

Elsewhere on my posts, you will see I do not look after my Pateks, they look after me...as it should be.

Thanks for the kindness in reading.

Brands..sorry for any negatives...but its me.

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