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This is really amazing, watch parts floating around. http://youtu.be/2L0g7zNVWQo Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Shot for Channel 4 in 1991, The Watchmaker, is a 10 minute documentary which glances at the life of Clifford Norman Bowler (1899-1993) a long-standing English watchmaker and definitely someone many of us would have liked to meet. Mr. Bowler belonged to the precise profession for over 70 years until his death at 93. Initially working for others in Manchester after he left the army, he set up his own repair shop at 54 Mill Lane, West Hamsptead, which he acquired for 100 pounds and run for over 67 years. Today there is a plate commemorating him at the entrance of his former premises. In the film he can be seen at his work bench smoking a pipe or inspecting watches with an eye loupe and at the counter taking several orders from customers (cleaning a pocket watch, changing a strap or a pin). He recounts for the camera his beginnings and how he moved to London, as well as remembering relatives. When asked about the secret of his longevity, he confesses this to owe to a contented mind, regular habits and a peaceful life. Sadly he did not leave any followers: 'All the knowledge that I have obtained and learned during over sixty years that I have been here, it all comes to nothing. I can't pass my knowledge on which I'd like to'. His shop, still vacant more than a decade later after his disappearance, symbolises the emptiness left by an irreplaceable man. There is more info about him in this article: http://westhampsteadlife.com/2014/01/15/a-moment-in-time-on-mill-lane/9921 If you ever met this man or heard about him, your comments could help to honour his memory.

I just acquired this Seiko 5 6119 "Sushi Roll " watch . It is a sought after piece for those that collect Seikos . I have missed the winning bid on 2 of these in the past . The seller said it is in VG condition and only wore it to 2 weddings and was stored for the rest of the time he owned it . The first 2 attached pics are the sellers and the 3rd is from the internet .

I love looking and watchmakers bench's and the tools that are used, it seems to say alot about a watchmaker and his work. This is my work bench at the moment. It's a regular computer desk elevated with risers to about 35 inches, just under 3 feet. As I'm just starting out I know my tools will have to gradually change to better quality than the Chinese tools that I mostly have....what's on your bench? Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

One of the things I find amusing with watch accuracy is the difference between what the watch company expects and the owner of the watch expects.. So at one time ETA on the same website that lists their technical guides also had the manufacturing information guides. I'm attaching the one for the 2824-2. The guide has all sorts of interesting information regarding timekeeping technical specifications etc. which are not found in the normal repair guides. Then there's a little more than just putting a watch on the timing machine one time you also need to check it 24 hours later. The PDF found at the link below has all sorts of nifty calculations other stuff you need if you really want to Know if your Watch is keeping perfect time. http://www.witschi.com/assets/files/sheets/Calculation%20of%20the%20values%20X-D-DVH-Di-Im-N.pdf ETA-2824-2-Manufacturing-Info-Fr-Gr-En.pdf

I have the general ressorts mainspring catalog and there is a problem with the size you have.. There are almost no mainsprings with a width of 1.65 mm in the catalog there's only 26 listed versus several pages of the 1.60 with. So in the catalog for the 1.65 a lot of the springs are American which means that ends are going to be possibly different. Then none of them are long enough the longest one in this width is 480 mm. If you go to 1.60 mm with .16 for the thickness there is a 540 mm. Which I believe is the second spring on your list. Then just because the catalog shows something doesn't mean it exists anymore..So looking at the length of 520 and width of 1.60 For each of these thicknesses they did have a spring that existed.. 17 part number 4655, .18 part number 4674 and .19 part number 4688. Then there is always the other little problem in finding mainsprings what makes you think the original is the original spring? What is the size of your watch? So for the width of 1.60 Versus 1.65 that's not going to matter much. Then if it's a blue steel spring the modern springs tend to be stronger so you can sometimes get by with a lighter spring today. Then the Length of the spring determines running time so If it's too short you are going to decrease the running time too long and that also decreases running time as there is no place to wind the spring up if the barrels full.

FWIW, I have watches with Russian movements (6), Chinese movements (1), Japanese movements (2), and Quartz (2). I regulate all my mechanicals to be within +/-2 to 3 seconds per day, adjusted to my wearing patterns. For instance, my one Chinese movement watch has an instantaneous rate that can vary anywhere between about -2s/d and +8s/d depending on how wound it is, and its orientation, but it averages out to very close to zero with my wearing patterns. I wear it about 16h/d on weekdays and 8h/d on weekends, and it has averaged +0.05s/d since November 1st. So I guess you could say I'm a stickler for accuracy. Anything more than about +5s/d or -1s/d and I'll do something about it.

I just checked with a Seiko expert friend of mine about this watch and he told me that it is actually a reissue . The originals are rare and even the reissues go for a good sum . I had checked on this model just before I decided to go for the BIN offer price . With 21 hours to go and the bids at $121 already , I thought that the final bid would be at the BIN price anyway . I'm just pleased to have finally got one at a decent price .

Funny you should say that, Marc. Here's what I'm wearing as an everyday watch at the moment. I wish I'd gotten mine as cheaply as atimegoneby.

Why not :P .As long as it's fun. Looks like it was bought in India ^_^

It's not really my cup of tea Frank, but as long as you had fun doing it and enjoy wearing it, that's all that matters. I'm just an old traditionalist at heart. :)