The Theory of Horology

grsnovi · June 26, 2022

In my quest for written knowledge following becoming interested in watch repair I've asked about and commented on a number of books. As a complete novice my thoughts may not be particularly advanced but at age 68 I can evaluate how well a book is written, who it might be for and how I felt about it. The Theory of Horology is the combined work of The Swiss Federation of Technical Colleges and Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program Neuchâtel (WOSTEP). It is presented as: "...including the latest elements in watchmaking..." and it is suggested that: "...it will quickly become the 'bible' for schools, training centers and even watch specialists."

It was initially available in 2015 and has been revised. The English translation that I just received is Copyright January 2022. It is available in French, German, Italian, Spanish and English translations and the English version runs some 376 pages long. Oddly enough the Table of Contents is on pages 369 - 371. Chapters include:

The Concept of Time
Instruments for Measuring Time
Simple Mechanical Movements
The Driving Force in a Mechanical Watch
The Geared Transmission System
Escapements
Regulating Units
Self-Winding Watches
Calendar Mechanisms
Striking Mechanisms
Chronograph Mechanisms
The External Parts of the Watch
Tribology
Clockmaking
The Electronic Watch

The book is very much about theory. You'll find the math required for calculating almost every aspect of the internals of a watch.

You won't find much practical treatment of watchmaking. It's not clear to me who the primary target is for the Swiss Watchmaking program. Is it the technician who will spend the rest of his (or her) days repairing the watches of others? Is it the individual who hopes to design his (or her) own movement? In either case this book doesn't really target either of these students.

The book is very well illustrated with photographs and clear technical drawings.

As I continue my journey, I suspect there will be occasions when I'll revisit this text looking for something specific however I don't foresee it being a daily reference nor do I see it being something that even somebody having gone through the 3 year Swiss program would "memorize".

Would love to hear comments from members here who have taken one or more of the certified Swiss training programs and your thoughts on how the book was or wasn't used.

nickelsilver · June 26, 2022

I have this book, and it's good. One of my mentors helped with the English translation (I think he was noted but my copy is in French). It's not for self learning so much, more of a textbook to be filled in with class discussion. As a foreigner here, I've found that the kids who had this as a text are often lacking in practical escapement adjustment skill.

It's funny because WOSTEP was quite involved in its genesis, and they teach (taught?) escapement work very well. Got a kid in the shop now that did their full training course and he knows escapements better than graduates from Vallee de Joux or La Chaux-de-Fonds. But a kid (well, now 30) from la Chaux-de-Fonds is hands down the best hairspring guy I've ever seen- but that's pure talent coupled with a desire to read any and everything on hairspring work (loaded him down with some Yank literature haha).

It's a good book as an adjunct to the other older standard texts. Lots of neat stuff in there, but you can see it's scripted for the 16yo crowd.

grsnovi · June 26, 2022

17 minutes ago, nickelsilver said:

it's scripted for the 16yo crowd.

Certainly the first couple of sections are.

Plato · June 26, 2022

There's a lot of printing errors in my edition. However, the illustrations are great.

grsnovi · June 26, 2022

1 hour ago, Plato said:

There's a lot of printing errors in my edition

What language translation do you have and what is the copyright date on the back page?

I noticed that almost every "right-pointing hand" graphic they use to denote a NOTE has a ghost/misprint directly below it however the text of the copy is just fine. Confusing to me as I'm somewhat familiar with publishing.

1 hour ago, Plato said:

the illustrations are great

Yes they are.

@Plato I'm curious how you came to own a copy, did you just decide you wanted one (like me) or had you taken a course where it was required or provided?

Plato · June 26, 2022

I bought the book to help teach myself watch repair. I'd have been better off taking Mark's course first instead.

Here's an example of what I mean about printing error:

grsnovi · June 26, 2022

My copy is also missing 9 and 10 on that figure. I probably would have never noticed...

Here is what I did notice. This ghost double-print appears on most of these icons yet there is no issue with the text of the book. It's almost like they ran the pages through a separate run for characters not in the character set of the main font? Granted, a trivial thing but between the cost of the book and shipping it to the US from Switzerland, I expected the pages to be gold plated...

kd8tzc · May 4, 2023

On 6/25/2022 at 10:17 PM, nickelsilver said:

It's a good book as an adjunct to the other older standard texts.

I realize this is an older post, but I was looking for information on this textbook. @nickelsilver, or anyone for that matter, what are some of the older standard texts?

nickelsilver · May 5, 2023

12 hours ago, kd8tzc said:

I realize this is an older post, but I was looking for information on this textbook. @nickelsilver, or anyone for that matter, what are some of the older standard texts?

For me the two go-tos are Levin Practical Benchwork for Horologists, and Gazeley Watch and Clock Making and Repairing. Those don't teach you how to work on watches, but are packed with useful info on doing the actual work (and a lot of "making"). For really basic instruction, there the Chicago School of Watchmaking course text, which can be found to download, and the Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking course book, which is in print, available here or can be downloaded here (it's nice to have an actual book though).

Edited May 5, 2023 by nickelsilver

JohnR725 · May 5, 2023

14 hours ago, kd8tzc said:

older standard texts

it depends upon where you're located and if you were influenced by any other location. For instance in the USA books by Henry B. Fried. for instance when I was in school the watch repairers manual was something we were required to have. Not sure if we actually used it as a textbook we had all sorts of other hand out some things but it was definitely a book we had. On the other hand some people of Swiss influence don't think for a much of Henry not quite sure why. I tend to be biased slightly because over the years I had met him a couple of times and had conversations with him a interesting person.

https://www.amazon.com/Watch-Repairers-Manual-Henry-Fried/dp/1626549982

On 6/26/2022 at 9:35 AM, grsnovi said:

between the cost of the book and shipping it to the US from Switzerland, I expected the pages to be gold plated...

just think what the gold plating would've done to the shipping cost.

On 6/25/2022 at 5:44 PM, grsnovi said:

it will quickly become the 'bible' for schools, training centers and even watch specialists."

that's an interesting quote I wonder if schools really are using it as the Bible?

there is an interesting book and it is a training manual fortunately watch repair doesn't really necessarily evolve with time so older books are still perfectly valid

https://archive.org/details/TM9-1575

then here's a book I've always liked and for that matter the author is done several other books which are interesting

https://www.booksimonin.ch/en/5856-the-watch-repairers-manual.php#corps