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The watch thread: pocket, wrist, sporty, showy? You name it!

PaulMB said:
Do they actually make and sell these, or is it just a one-off engineering exercise?
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Very much a one-off special commission. Vacheron Constantin has a special department, Les Cabinotiers, which executes these pieces:


Patek Philippe also does one-offs. There was a famous competition in the 1920s between banker Henry Graves and car manufacturer James Packard to see who would have the most complicated watch. Graves won with the Graves supercomplication by PP, with 23 complications. For a long time, it was the most expensive watch ever sold at auction ($US24 million, since beaten by, what else, another PP (Grandmaster Chime))
 
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Tony Lockhart said:
So what? It’s not really designed for wearing on your wrist when having a Sunday roast at your local ‘Spoons!
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That much is clear, but part of the brief AFAIAC is that the miraculous engineering has to fit, however approximately, within something that is recognizable as a portable timepiece. If it's the size of an alarm clock, it's missed the brief.
 
stevec67 said:
That much is clear, but part of the brief AFAIAC is that the miraculous engineering has to fit, however approximately, within something that is recognizable as a portable timepiece. If it's the size of an alarm clock, it's missed the brief.
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It's actually rather bigger than your average alarm clock and weighs nearly a kilo. But the man wanted a Chinese perpetual calendar included, and this was a challenge to the VC craftsmen. It's quite simply a technical tour de force.

I confess to have a fascination for nicely-made mechanical objects, and, if I were a wealthy person, I'd buy beautiful watches, just for the sheer pleasure of dragging them out and admiring then - something like an A. Lange & Söhne:

 
tones said:
It's actually rather bigger than your average alarm clock and weighs nearly a kilo. But the man wanted a Chinese perpetual calendar included, and this was a challenge to the VC craftsmen. It's quite simply a technical tour de force.

I confess to have a fascination for nicely-made mechanical objects, and, if I were a wealthy person, I'd buy beautiful watches, just for the sheer pleasure of dragging them out and admiring then - something like an A. Lange & Söhne:

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Absolutely, I accept that it's a mechanical tour de force, but it's the fact that it needs to be so huge that blunts the appeal. It's like building an amazing bike that's the best in the world except that nobody under 7ft tall can reach the pedals.
 
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This is my Jaeger-LeCoultre Ultra Thin Date. Maybe it’s just a boring dress watch, but I love it.
 
Hungry Halibut said:
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This is my Jaeger-LeCoultre Ultra Thin Date. Maybe it’s just a boring dress watch, but I love it.
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Not for nothing is JLC called the watchmaker's watchmaker - JLC has made calibres for all the big guys, such as Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. I believe the big date used by A. Lange & Söhne was originally developed by JLC (both are members of the Richemont luxury goods group).
 
Daft watch question: one or both of the spring bars have ejected themselves from my Casio Duro on a couple of occasions recently. On the second occasion I heard a thump and the watch was on the floor (luckily I'd been kneeling unboxing something so it dropped less than a foot).

I have the spring bars but I'm a bit nervous of just sticking them back in and waiting for them to make a bid for freedom again.

Any suggestions?

The watch is on a nato and quite chunky/weighty.
 
Maybe you just need a new pair of matching spring bars - very, very cheap online.
Also check the pockets in the ears they latch-into are clean & clear full depth - may need a loupe.

ATB
 
That’s unfortunate, one of the benefits of Nato type straps is that the watch will stay on your wrist if a spring bar breaks, but if both bars go at once; what are the odds?!
 
Thanks folks. I did wonder if a new pair of bars would be worth trying. Never had them wear out before but who knows...
I'm already equipped with both a spring bar tool and a loupe!
 
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