DVD At Home Watch Repair Course

People looking to get their groove on repairing clocks, repairing pocket watches and/or repairing wristwatches have another "Watch Repair Course" to chose from. I stumbled across Tascione.com and watched what they covered. He covers a lot while explaining the processes clearly and up close shots of the task.

You don't only get DVDs, you actually get more, but the tools, watch bench and everything in between is on you to purchase.

By the time I was 28 I'd accumulated enough machinery (bridgeports, lathes etc.) to begin a small tool design and fabrication business of my own. But throughout this period my true passion for watches and clocks never diminished. I'd been restoring watches the whole time, studying anything technical I could get my hands on. The brilliant contributions of the great masters Brequet, Harrison etc. dazzeled and humbled me at the same time. I began restoring fusees, repeaters and chronometers during this period. By the time I'd reached 30 I was able to make any parts I needed for watches and clocks and had designed, built and sold several skeleton clocks.

From 1990 on, I began concentrating more on trying to help beginning and intermediate watchmakers get past the most common obstacles encountered while learning watch repair. I realized that the next best thing to having a qualified watchmaker sitting at the same bench with a student was to use videos. That first video became the beginning of the Tascione Watch Repair Course.
quote from Tascione.com

Total of 8 DVDs that include a Course Book (Watches and Why They Work), Trouble Shooting Download, New Online Portion of Watch Course and free shipping. All for $99.95 U.S.

[source tascione.com]

Dievas Watch Company Vintage 3646

Dievas Watch Company is an independent watch manufacturer producing top quality timepieces in limited quantities (all not limited editions).

Since the company’s conception in 2006, Dievas Watch Company has created a reputation for their spectacular good looks, reliability, innovation and exceptional low retail prices. Dievas designers has succeed in molding a timepieces with classic lines, reminiscent of specific historical vintage watches of decades past.

All Dievas watches follow a stringent code of quality control, all hand assembled using the finest materials, blemish-free watch cases, premium sapphire crystals, reputable swiss mechanical and automatic movements, SuperLuminova, high quality watch hands, fully machined solid stainless steel bracelets.

From the case, crystal, crown, dial and hands down to the finest dial. No detail is spared. As historic models are getting more and more scarce, watch enthusiast can now own a piece of history.

Inspired by military watches of yesteryear, the Vintage 3646 was used by the Italian forgmen during the 1930s. The simple 12, 3, 6, 9 dial is clear and straight forward and used by many military timepieces. The dial is a sandwich dial like the original where the lower layer is applied with luminous and a top opaque layer is laser cut with the design to allow the luminous underlying to glow through. The luminous has been given special treatment to give it a warm vintage feel. The gold luminous hands was chosen specifically to be as close to the historic model. The Dievas Vintage 3646 features a Swiss Made Unitas 6497 mechanical movement.

Reference#: Vintage 3646
Case: 46.5mm high polished 316L stainless steel. Contoured sides.
Complications: 42 Hour Power Reserve
Movements: Swiss Unitas 6497 mechanical manually winding movement
Dial: Black sandwich with vintage colored luminova 12,3,6,9 hour markers. Gold hands.
Strap: Thick calf leather strap with vintage knife edge sewn-in buckle
Water Resistance: 30m
Crystal: Domed scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Estimated Price: $650.00

[source Gnomon Watches]

Gents Tungsten and Carbon Fiber Ring

Gents tungsten carbide wedding band has a silver carbon fiber inlay. A superb ring does not have to cost so much. With reasonable budget, you could get a first-class look by wearing this tungsten carbide ring. Moreover, the light sparkling color of the carbon fiber is truly the attention grabber. As tungsten carbide is a tough material, you could wear it anywhere without worrying about the scratches.

[source Titanium Kay]

Grand Seiko Automatic Mecahnical Hi-Beat 36000

The recent requests for the Spring Drive movement have many enthusiasts looking at the hard-to-find Grand Seiko line because of the newly released Hi-Beat SBGH001 and SBGH003 watches with the new 36,000 Beats Per Hour (BPH) 9S85 caliber. The caliber 9S85 is a state of the art mechanical movement, with accuracy of +5/-1 seconds per day, the GS Hi-Beat is arguably the most accurate mechanical wristwatch in production today.

Worried about the typical 36,000 BPH fall backs like increased servicing requirements and a need for a stable power flow through the gear train? It has been addressed by Seiko and improved the mainspring and the design of the escapement wheel.

The mainspring was developed for the Springdrive but tweaked the mainspring dimensions to deliver a more consistent band of power throughout the 9S85’s 55hr power reserve.

The lubrication issue also was addressed by a newly developed micro machining method, which improved polishing and hardening of the escape wheel teeth, and a honeycomb-like design within the wheel which improves long term stability in the escapement.

The traditional Grand Seiko design includes the dauphine hands, solid oyster divers bracelet and a traditionally designed 40mm case. Both satin and bright finishes are carried throughout the case and bracelet.

Reference#: SBGH001 and SBGH003
Case: 40mm Stainless Steel with brushed finish and bright finishes
Complications: High Beat, 55 Hour Power Reserve
Movements: Seiko Caliber 9S85 self-winding automatic high beat movement
Dial: White with hand applied sticks or Green with applied sticks
Bracelet: Stainless Steel Oyster Divers bracelet
Water Resistance: 10m
Crystal: Anti-reflective Sapphire
Estimated Price: $5,500.00

[source SeiyaJapan.com]

True Blood Jewelry for us Humans

HBO is giving their True Blood fans something to sink their own teeth into, and it is totally legal. The network today launched a jewelry line that has been designed in collaboration with designer renown designer Udi Behr.

Udi Behr designed the collection of rings, necklaces and earrings using the TV show's themes as inspiration. The collection incorporates sterling silver, stainless steel, leather and rubies and mixes them with the shows Gothic philosophy. The collection includes rings, bracelets, neck chains all with little attributes like fang clasp closures and warm leather cuff bracelets with ruby accents.

Prices ranges from $59 to $1,295.

As Seen in the Picture:
True Blood Stainless Steel Necklace with Long Front Extension with Ruby
SKU ID #109333
Price: $875.00
Made from stainless steel and connects around the neck then extends down 16.5” to the 30” adjustable belt. Featuring a ruby inspired by the blood seen throughout the series.

[source HBO]

Ouch! What? I Can't Afford This Repair!

"Ouch! What? I Can't Afford This Repair!" and/or "Why is this repair so expensive?" are similar phrases I hear all the time from clients who own mechanical chronograph wristwatches. Unfortunately these people purchased these watches from other so-called jewelers who don't know what they are talking about during the sale and therefore pass their lack of knowledge and bull sh@t onto their customer.

A chronograph watch is a stop watch inside a wristwatch. They typical chronograph is made of two "movements"... one a time-keeper-stop-watch which measures time and one a standard wrist watch that displays the time of the day.

Why are mechanical chronograph repairs or chronograph maintenance cost more than a typical non-chronograph wristwatch? Simply answered in basic terms... more parts, more complex the movement is all creating the more chances it has to be handled by a "senior" watchmaker with more than 10 years experience. A mechanical watchmaker with less than 10 years but more than 2-3 years will work on basic day/date, hour/minute/seconds and hour/minute/seconds/date movements. Typically an apprentice watchmaker is a technician that works on quartz movements or basic mechanical movements until they can build the confidence and accuracy to move up to more complex movements... like your chronograph

So that was pretty obvious right? But there is also another factor... YOUR CHRONOGRAPH is not designed to run 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It's a time-keeper for a specific task at hand that usually last around 12 hours. The center sweep second hand is not part of the time keeping of the watch, it's part of the chronograph. The second hand that is for "real time" or "daily time" for a typical chronograph watch is usually located at 9 o'clock or 6 o'clock. Keeping the chronograph center sweep second hand running 24/7/52 (hours/days/weeks) will actually wear parts down faster... because... they are NOT designed to continually run 24/7/52.

So think before you buy. Are you really going to use the chronograph or are you buying it because it's "cool"? Because the "cool" factor is going to charge you every 3-5 years upwards of $700.00 compared to $300 for a basic mechanical wristwatch. Your money. You chose.

German Made Mesh Bracelets

Are you looking for the REAL German made stainless steel mesh bracelets? Maybe you are looking for custom made mesh watch bracelet? These are the real closed link mesh bracelets, not the typical open-hair-pulling mesh bracelets! Say no to open link and yes to comfortable closed link stainless steel mesh bracelet.

They are available in 18 , 20 ,22 or 24 mm with stainless steel divers deployment buckles. All bracelets feature an adjustable by spring bar in the clasp for quick tightening or quick loosening.

All sizes are available in polished, satin or sand blasted and run approximately $109.00 for 2.8mm thick or $259.00 for 4mm thick. (2.8 is the average thickness for the average watch while 4mm is for thicker cases and/or divers watches)

They will need the exact bracelet length in millimeters only. Your wrist size and the bracelet length is without your watch from spring bar to spring bar (with clasp closed).

(1 inch is about 25.4 mm)

[source Jürgen's, USA]