WATCH No.1 A Ladies Platinum And Gold Diamond Wristwatch

 Watch No. 1 made it back into the shop for an overhaul, so I took a few snaps of it. The watch has been in service for 10 years now. 18K yellow gold case with platinum accents and diamond bezel in a ribbon motif and the diamond terminated floral swags on the sides dress bring a classicism to the timepiece. The platinum winding crown set with cabochon Burmese ruby is mirrored on the opposite side  giving the design balance and more of a "jewelry" watch look. The dial was engraved on the 12" Kenlock straight line engine and the chapter ring is applique with gold chapters.  The hands are hardened and blued and handmade. This was the only snap back case I have made to date with exception to the Ringwatch. Watch No. 1 is powered by a vintage Bulova 10BM movement. Since this first watch was made I have moved almost exclusivley to NOS ETA Movements, with the exception of some FF baguette and Unitus movements which are now also ETA. The occasional vintage movement is always fun to work with and I use them as well.

The Making Of Watch No.14 a short film

A Short Film - The Making Of Watch #11

From inception to finished timepiece, this short film covers watch case making, crystal cutting, dial making and more. What is not covered is the hours of measuring, and minutia of the making of a watch case.

A HANDMADE FLY FISHING REEL

   I have been delinquent in posting because of a new project I've been working on. It is a bit off topic, however, a friend said "post it, they will understand it, and appreciate it". I have set out with a partner to make fly fishing reels. The reels are classic skeleton reels made from brass, nickle silver and stainless steel hardware.  The spool plates are hand pierced and engraved and the foot is hand engraved. The counterweight on this reel is set with a red garnet and the knob is turned from buffalo horn.

My vision for our reels is that of the highest quality tackle one would find in an exclusive outfitter of the nineteenth century, perhaps in London or New York.  Each click mechanism is hand tuned for optimum feel and sound. Many hours of bench work and tuning go into every reel we make, making each reel a work of art. Custom design and customer input is welcome and encouraged. We are considering new models as well as some new technical ideas.
   We are P&L Reels and we look forward to exploring this new avenue, and maybe catch a few trout while we do it!
   I can answer any queries regarding price availability and specifications if u contact me at;
philippeck@earthlink.net
Title the email with "Q 4 P&L"

Watch No. 5 ~ A Ladies Diamond Watch

Watch No. 5 was commissioned as an all diamond, 18K white gold ladies wristwatch. The work began with drawings which I was not able to download unfortunately. The movement was an ETA 2660 7-3/4'''  manual/time only , not embellished. A case ring was machined in brass to fit the movement, then cotes de geneve was applied to the surfaces. The case ring was then paladium plated. The dial was engine turned in silver and dial feet applied, which fit into holes in the case ring. The applique chapter ring was made, engraved and filled with black shellac. The case back which is held down with four gold screws is gasketed as well as the crown.  The hands were made from tool steel, filed and polished, then blued. The gold case was fabricated and a mineral glass crystal was ground to fit.  The bracelet was built and set, completing  this fine piece.  In conclusion, the wristwatch was a stunning success and the client was thrilled. The piece had nice weight, a glamorous period look and performed well. 

The Giant Eight Day Wristwatch

Case components with movement

Case back with balance exhibition window

Case with movement

   The giant eight day wristwatch is a piece that I have been wanting to do for many years, and so, it is finally in the works. This watch very well may be the largest wristwatch ever made as well as the heaviest. The overall diameter of the watch is 70 mm and will carry a 28mm strap.







   The Giant is based on a Waltham 22 size, eight day movement. Robust and dependable, these movements were used in many applications from military to automotive as as well as bedside travel clocks.
   The case is made in sterling silver. The crystal bezel is of a screw down type. the case back has an exhibition window to observe the oscillation of the balance wheel, and will be attached with eight blued steel screws. 





   Screws for the back, lugs and the crown will bring the case to completion. The dial will be next, in which I will devote a posting to, as well as the final ornamentation which will be fully hand engraved surfaces. Look for up-coming posts showing  progress on the dial which will be brass with a silver applique' chapter ring as well as subsidiary seconds ring.

THE COLLECTORS LOUPE

The “collectors Loupe” was designed as an object for the adventurous at heart. Presenting itself in the form of an ancient temple or rotunda, the small building conceals a 10X triplet loupe as well as a timepiece in the roof top. At rest this small wonder begs further investigation drawing us in  as a curiosity. Once revealed, the temple becomes a beautiful tool with a wonderful 19C flavor and playfulness.

The loupe is entirely handmade in 18K gold and platinum with hardened and blued steel screws and springs. A cabochon sapphire is set in the crown and just to the right of it is a small diamond push piece to open the roof top, revealing the watch. The loupe measures approximately 45mm wide by 55mm high. steel embossing dies were made for the roof sections which emulate tiles.
   The exploded view shows the 45 components that make up this piece. With an average of two parts per component, that makes a total of roughly 90 parts to be made and assembled.

   The dial is engine turned silver with gold chapter markers. The threads on the barrel for the optics were thread milled, a process which I will discuss in a later posting. The hands are handmade, hardened and blued. All flat surfaces were hand lapped to a final polish, as the polishing wheel cannot impart a "mirror finish".


   This piece has been time well spent at the bench and the rewards were great, from the engineering aspects to the final assembly.
  The Collectors Loupe is yet unclaimed, and available for purchase.