7 ms·

This person's build is amazing! Mostly photos, but still super cool to see how "from scratch" it is - if you're expecting "bought a few components from Swiss co

This person's build is amazing! Mostly photos, but still super cool to see how "from scratch" it is - if you're expecting "bought a few components from Swiss companies" then, yeah, it's not that! I submitted this a week ago and sadly it sank without trace (poor choice of posting time I suspect), so I'm trying again. I have no affiliation with the builder.

lostlogin 2y ago
> Mostly photos Me and maybe a dozen others vastly prefer this. I almost never want video.
- BatFastard 2y ago
  You and a few hundred thousand...
- dcminter 2y ago
  Video never even occurred to me. I meant "not much text" !
randomcarbloke 2y ago
>The jewels, hairspring, mainspring, and the strap These are the things I expected him to have to source and I was correct, even Daniels bought springs.
zvr 2y ago
Thank you for this, it's amazing!
rrr_oh_man 2y ago
> bought a few components from Swiss companies I know what you're referring to and it is exactly what I thought of immediately. Thanks for pointing out that this is not that!
- dcminter 2y ago
  I didn't have anyone specific in mind - but it seemed like a reasonable default assumption. In fact I think I landed on the post originally by thinking "I wonder how hard it would be to assemble a watch from parts?" and some cursory searching around that. I enjoy a channel called "wristwatch revival" that covers servicing and repair of watches of various types - that guy often sends off for parts so it was a natural thing to wonder I think.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
dismalaf 2y ago
Almost everyone that's not already a large company is buying components. The only truly independent watchmaker I've ever heard of machining absolutely every component is Masahiro Kikuno.
- joshvm 2y ago
  I found a good channel called Chronova Engineering who made a few videos about machining the mechanisms by hand. They use a couple of off the shelf parts like tiny ball bearings for the demonstrator (instead of jewels), but almost everything else is hand-turned. https://youtu.be/P7SlhdJp5qE?si=wSsz26SdgOKQqGBW https://youtu.be/P7SlhdJp5qE?si=wSsz26SdgOKQqGBW
- rwmj 2y ago
  Roger Smith (based in the Isle of Man) makes them from scratch. A bit pricey to say the least: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-65903947 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-65903947
  - dismalaf 2y ago
    Very cool. Both his story and that of his master.
- Cthulhu_ 2y ago
  I've seen a documentary (youtube video) about this guy, he spends six months to a year building a single watch from his apartment workshop. Sure, each one will sell for several grand if not millions now that he's more well known, but still, that's some serious dedication to a craft.
- devin 2y ago
  Even the main spring? For some of the components it seems like a significant sacrifice in quality to make it yourself. I appreciate people can make their own, but I also think the obsession some folks have with in house movements is misplaced.
  - 2y ago

lostlogin 2y ago

> Mostly photos Me and maybe a dozen others vastly prefer this. I almost never want video.

BatFastard 2y ago
You and a few hundred thousand...
dcminter 2y ago
Video never even occurred to me. I meant "not much text" !

randomcarbloke 2y ago

>The jewels, hairspring, mainspring, and the strap These are the things I expected him to have to source and I was correct, even Daniels bought springs.

zvr 2y ago

Thank you for this, it's amazing!

rrr_oh_man 2y ago

> bought a few components from Swiss companies I know what you're referring to and it is exactly what I thought of immediately. Thanks for pointing out that this is not that!

dcminter 2y ago
I didn't have anyone specific in mind - but it seemed like a reasonable default assumption. In fact I think I landed on the post originally by thinking "I wonder how hard it would be to assemble a watch from parts?" and some cursory searching around that. I enjoy a channel called "wristwatch revival" that covers servicing and repair of watches of various types - that guy often sends off for parts so it was a natural thing to wonder I think.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]

dismalaf 2y ago

Almost everyone that's not already a large company is buying components. The only truly independent watchmaker I've ever heard of machining absolutely every component is Masahiro Kikuno.

joshvm 2y ago
I found a good channel called Chronova Engineering who made a few videos about machining the mechanisms by hand. They use a couple of off the shelf parts like tiny ball bearings for the demonstrator (instead of jewels), but almost everything else is hand-turned. https://youtu.be/P7SlhdJp5qE?si=wSsz26SdgOKQqGBW https://youtu.be/P7SlhdJp5qE?si=wSsz26SdgOKQqGBW
rwmj 2y ago
Roger Smith (based in the Isle of Man) makes them from scratch. A bit pricey to say the least: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-65903947 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-65903947
- dismalaf 2y ago
  Very cool. Both his story and that of his master.
Cthulhu_ 2y ago
I've seen a documentary (youtube video) about this guy, he spends six months to a year building a single watch from his apartment workshop. Sure, each one will sell for several grand if not millions now that he's more well known, but still, that's some serious dedication to a craft.
devin 2y ago
Even the main spring? For some of the components it seems like a significant sacrifice in quality to make it yourself. I appreciate people can make their own, but I also think the obsession some folks have with in house movements is misplaced.
- 2y ago