Jet Jetski

I hardly ever wear this because I like more contrast, but it's a nice bit of jewellery. Squale were renowned dive-watch case makers, but also offered watches, this was probably around 1995 and Squale are one of the few makers I would trust to make a 200m chrono. The chrono seconds and minutes hands are on the centre post. Some nice engine turning on the dial, couple of desk-diving scars on the buckle but otherwise in great shape. I don't think current Squale watches are connected with the original factories, but happy to be proved wrong. HAGD

If I don't like something straightaway I don't try to convince myself. I know what I like.

Project Co-ordinator. HAGD

It's a bit hot and humid, and the stainless steel back is not my favourite, changed into this - leather on top and sheepskin underneath, very comfortable. NO IT IS NOT 'WOOLLY'! Keep well.

Bulova 'Quantieme' watch - with day and date indicators - modern take on my Lebem. Similar size too. No idea what the red dot under the 12 is for. AM indicator poss. There is a quartz Bulova Astronaut that I think used the same movement, but that dial looks very fussy. (Hence)

Unless, it seems, Hubert Sarton, on p18 of the 1789 document Description Abrégée de Plusieurs Pièces d’Horlogerie, was describing The Leroy Watch (currently in the Patek Phillippe museum), as suggested, and strongly argued may be the case, by Richard Watkins (Auth & Pub) in his book The Origins Of Self-Winding Watches 1773 - 1779 (2013). downloaded here: http://www.antique-horology.org/_Editorial/Watkins-TheOriginsOfSelf-WindingWatches.pdf). Watkins quotes Sarton thus: "Watch with Spontaneous Movement. This watch, which is wound by only the movement that it receives while being carried, was also subjected to the judgment of the Academy of Science of Paris [in 1778] which declared that the author had cured very well the disadvantages and variations caused in other watches of this kind by the winding mechanism;" I have read that one of those 'variations' is due to the force of a swinging winding 'hammer' striking the stops, the vibrations due to which can cause the watch movement to stutter, but which a rotor design overcomes. It's funny, because the next chapter in my Harwood saga (well chapter 1, technically, because the first chapter was an introduction), now well under way, is about who makes watches. And I was thinking (though I am all for the polymath) about who makes an astronomical clock or watch? An astronomer might understand orbits, harmonic motion, springs, the trigonometry of gears even, but that does not make him a watchmaker. And a watchmaker may understand harmonic motion and know how to derive planetary wheels, and knurls, and be able to machine staffs and bearings, and adjust a rate, but it does not make him an astronomer. So I could foresee a situation where a designer might go to a watchmaker to get something made - and pay the watchmaker for the work - but is that the same as 'buying a watch'? Anyway, Watkins, in the same book, p153 is certain that there are probably two possibilities (I worked on that phrase a long time to derive maximum irony): [either] "Before July 1778, Hubert Sarton bought several self-winding watches made and designed by Abram Louys Perrelet. In December he submitted one of these watches to the Paris Académie des Sciences. It was a self-winding watch with rotor, fusee and chain, and verge escapement." [or] "Before July 1778, Hubert Sarton had several self-winding watches made by Abram Louys Perrelet to Sarton’s design. In December he submitted one of these watches to the Paris Académie des Sciences. It was a self-winding watch with rotor, fusee and chain, and verge escapement." There is a drawing of the rotor movement dated 1778 (bi-directional winding even) on p61 of Watkins (ibid) - this drawing did not turn up until 2009. I think the writing on the rotor may say 'contrepoix' which must be counter-weight (I worked that out from all those jars of pickled French oysters I consume with Poids Net on the side - big delicacy in Rochdale, pickled oysters) I don't know how the manuscript was matched to the rest of the report, and I have not dissected Watkins yet, though I am assured the drawing is technically identical to The Leroy Watch, photos of which are on p63. His book does have a great explanation of planetary gears too, for beginners like me, before expanding on the original pen and ink with (his own?) sketches on P70 and 71. You have to get the English version of Chapuis and Jaquet History of The Self-Winding Watch to read more fully about the 1778 Paris Academy report, and mine arrived today so I have not yet indulged. Only an addendum leaf went into the French version between pp 62 and 63. If I had known Chapuis and Jaquet were largely 'sponsored' by Wilsdorf (and a few thousand copies printed by Rolex) I might not have splashed out, since I was mainly interested in the few pages allocated to Harwood at the end. Not read them yet so mustn't pre-judge. As usual, more than happy to have my sources questioned and propositions refuted. My Chapter 2 might even be simply a list of outrageous null hypotheses! HAGD Jetus Jetskietscus. (I am feeling Latin dialled today)

18k Rotary 'Elite' This was not my dad's 'best' watch, but it was his favourite. Because wearing it gave him the chance to tell the story about how he got it from the jewellers for such a steal. Again!

Except Gucci obvs, at least they bought a watchmaker. Pretend for a second that they guy had at least cleaned his yuk from around the pushers ... Heck, I forgot you don't like chronographs either.

Some solemn duties this afternoon, circle of life and all that. Catch you later. J

Anything over-the top chunky or flash harry. Lots of AP, Hublot, Breitling, unless it was a Christmas party or a kids birthday.

agreed - that is why I got my Tag at 30, all the chaps I knew with Rolexes were old duffers - Breitlings were too in your face - it was a gift anyway and although these 'better' brands are leaps and bounds in terms of price in front now, they were only a comparatively small step up in cost at that time and easily affordable in the context of the Tag 6000 watch I wanted (top of the range at the time), and still like. If I had one watch this would be it, no doubt - I collect watches because I like them, not because I am looking for 'the watch' - this is it for me. I even have a canvas print of it on my wall .... !!! Honestly can't remember when I last changed the battery either, seems like I only changed it once or twice in 25 years! I think I took it to a jeweller, but it seems like 15 years ago. Only left the crown unscrewed once in 25 years (and apparently some people find the resulting patina on the lume appealing), but I suspect little fingers had been at work, so let's blame the kids lol

This is the precursor to the Seiko 'Levante' 24 hr watch, where effectively all the gearing is halved (or doubled) to slow down the motion and make the hour hand go round only once per day, the minute hand only once every two hours, and the second hand once every two minutes. https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=10&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19210721&CC=GB&NR=166405A&KC=A Although the Levante does not have a seconds hand. Disappointingly, the drawing from the patent shows a 12 hr dial, Duh! But the seconds hand is shown as taking 120 seconds to rotate. Maybe he thought we should just have 12 'big' hours in a day, and every minute should become 120 seconds long? I think that would have been a big ask! This is a better dial from 1927, but should mid-day or midnight be at the top? I am going for mid-day at 12 like this patent, because that is when the sun is overhead, and therefore a better analogy, which is what analogue dials are all about. So I am not for starting with Zero at the top either. This is not the first patent to suggest shading the dial in this way - this was from 1906 and also anticipates a 24 hr dial - I guess Seiko wanted north at the top for their solar compass.

That's all very fine, but not going to help you in the zombie apocalypse when you have to take to the hills with only your watch! You may know the time, but I'll be there putting my lipstick on and cooking my sausage. Anyway, what's it for? I can see the normal tourbillon being handy for pocket watches that would otherwise remain vertical and generally 12 at the top, but has this been invented because a normal tourbillon is supernumary to the complications required for wristwatches, which are worn in higgledy-piggledy orientations day and night anyway? I suppose this would be the exact thing for my daughter who would, if possible, spend her whole whole life motionless watching Korean soap operas, but then time has no meaning for her anyway. Here's the precursor to the 'perpetual calendar' watch ... https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=8&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19191027&CC=GB&NR=134279A&KC=A

Pierce in-house Mono-pusher 1938 ish judging by the baguette pusher. HAGD

Have a look on here: ..... https://worldwide.espacenet.com/ My favourites so far are the combined watch and cigarette lighter, The tinder box watch .... good for camping .... and erm, the combined watch and lipstick. Not that I use lipstick. Any more. All that much ... Check a few out and post your favourite! JJ

I have a lovely Art Deco watch with a date window, based on a Schild movement, and in investigating the origins of the date window, I came across Marly's date watch on David Boettcher's blog - their patent having a priority date of - from memory - July 1930, date window at 12, , but I also found a patent for Vertex watches ( Claude Lyons) with a priority date of Jan 1930, for a date window at 3: https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=EPODOC&II=2&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19320804&CC=GB&NR=377953A&KC=A# So Vertex evidently quite the pioneers! HAGD JJ

I have often bartered to get a few miserable pounds deducted from the price of a watch, only to then spend well over the odds on a particular strap that I have decided I must have to go with it. I am looking at a strap now on Etsy that, with the postage, will be more than the watch ....

I didn't check this time but last time I think something was happening. Demolition probably.

Hollingworth, so I guess so. Hollingworth, Oklahoma, obvs Sun came out briefly ...

Not here not yet lol Picnic in the car. If everyone would just stop breathing we could see the lake ....

Crucially it has the MK2 clutch (slip-bridle) to prevent overwinding. Here's an idle pic whilst idling.

Time to break it out and shake it out! A favourite watch and a favourite strap. HAGD

Another French offering today, a Lebem pointer date, with manually adjustable bezel for day of the week. Which I, erm, don't usually adjust ... and I can't see the date either. It's in French anyway, so no-one would notice. And fingers crossed another 'French' watch - actually a Bulova with a day-of-the-week pointer en Francais - will be here to keep his Gallic chums company this time tomorrow. Sois sage. & HAGD

Lorsa Old French diver. Compressor case on a strap that looks like an old Michelin cross-ply. Pron. Meesh-eh-lan. Lorsa Cal. P75 HAGD

I was just joking lol