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As you may have noticed, I love the German watches. On a Factory tour to Glashutte Original in East Germany I peered down the street and discovered a small factory producing a beautiful product, Nomos. After further investigation, I have fallen in love with the line and it’s value. I looked at the complete offering in Basel and enthusiastically decided to carry them. This watch oozes value and is a great starter timepiece for anyone training to run with the big dogs. Stay posted for more Nomos news. CTWG

What!!! $150.00 for a battery change!!! It happens daily, people pay absurd prices for a simple and quick procedure. Or is it? Let me demystify what these battery changing folk do when they crack a watch open. A quality watchmaker will perform the following:

1) Remove dust or wrist remnants from your watch back. Why? Because when it is opened particles will drop right into the movement (that’s bad).
2) Use the right tools! Did you ever get your watch back with a big free form carving on the back?
3) Puff (shoot air around threads of the watch back) and check the movement for dust when it is opened. Check the contacts… clean them if necessary (exactly what it sounds like… where the battery touches)
4) Change gaskets and/or lubricate them to seal the watch properly.
5) And finally, a proper water test… using a tank or tube for appropriate depth testing.

That’s it! How much is this worth? Could be priceless! CTWG

What makes that watch glow? Could be Tritium. A rare isotope, it’s most significant use is as a component in the triggering mechanism in thermonuclear (fusion) weapons. It’s secondary use is the illumination of watch faces and hands. Risky business for the people applying it, not to be ingested or inhaled, not such a big deal to the watch wearer. Could be Superluminova®. A photosensitive paste placed on the hands of watches and dials that is very luminous after first contact with light (sun, lamp or police spot light), but fades after some time depending on the mix. It comes in little containers like KoolAid®, but does not taste so sweet and cannot trigger a thermonuclear weapon. In the watch industry we refer to these two glow bugs as a T-dial or L-dial. Old Trit. dials had T-Swiss Made-T on the dial, so you can pick them out of your collection and show people (you might find someone who cares!). Super Ls don’t label too much, but are far less dangerous for the boys at the bench. There are some long-winded debates on what dial is better with what substance and I really don’t take sides on which is a better luminous product. I prefer Superlumis because they are safer for all involved, I am not worried about prolonged hours in the dark and fading, because I sleep, you should too. As for the guys in the military I am all for Tritium gun tips and watch dials if it helps them on the job and keeps them safe. CTWG

John Biggs of The Wrist Watch Review drops the skinny on Glashutte. CTWG

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I had a nice conversation recently with a gentleman passionate about watches. Joe Sadri originally a mechanical engineer for a high-end car firm has taken his passion for watches to the next level. Joe starting making hand made watches in 1998 as a hobby (some of his models will be introduced as early as July 2006) so keep an eye out for a review when CTWG gets one of these rare beauties in hand, more on that later. Joe has started the launch of his limited edition watch, Zinex. A homage to B-Uhren Monster Pilots worn during the 1940′s. Solid guts and a beautiful design should make this product a very nice addition to any collection. Stay posted for more info. CTWG

More Zinex images:
MFG Dial
Split movement
Latcher
Glowing back

photo credit: kjdrill

A Swiss-made watch is world renowned for its quality. Ever wonder how the Swiss started their love affair with all things watches? Well, it began when Jean Calvin, religious leader of his time, banned the wearing of jewelry in a 1541 reform. This sudden edict left all of the fine jewelers jobless. The smart play for these recently unemployed jewelers was to take up watch making (a lesser sin, not frowned upon). Quicker than you can say Riccola, watch making spread through the Geneva region and overflowed into the Jura mountains. Now, not everyone possessed the skill to be a master watch maker so some took to producing the smaller components, each adding their important part to the process. Farmers and offseason laborers also added their time to the production of these components. Once manufactured, they were inspected and presented to the master watchmaker upon the spring thaw. Presto, a cottage industry was born. Le Loche, Geneve, La Chaux de Fond even the German Glashutte region enjoyed an industry born of necessity. They prospered by working together. To this day, most Swiss watches are made in a group effort, some produce dials, others hands, another might produce fourth wheels. The cottage industry has certanily grown but the spirit remains. CTWG

photo credit: alex itin

Buyer’s remorse! I should hold a seminar on the effects of a high-end watch purchase on the psyche. Often, customers will purchase a high-end watch and several days later exchange it for another or even return it. Fear not, I understand this phenomenon, a sort of Tank Abbott body blow that makes our purchase seem not as substantial, not a “good buy” to our conscience. CTWG has a solution if you fall into these four catorgories. What type of buyer are you? 1) A Flipper, usually male, that purchases high-end watches, but only keeps them for a month or so and then trades them. 2) High-Complication Customer, willing to pay huge dollar amounts for a watch of high complications and rarity, very knowledgeable, but he will shelve the watch forever never letting the prize see daylight. 3) Monty-Haller, must have the best deal all the time, service, reputation, or where the watch is purchased mean nothing! 4) Super-Collector, similar to Beanie Baby hunters of past years, watches that are hard to get are must haves. If you fall into one of these catogories Cognitive Dissonance may strike at any time, but there is help. First, always purchase a watch that is easy to move on second hand market i.e. Rolex, Patek, Vacheron, Audemars. 2) Never wear the watch untill the CD passes, it makes it very hard to return or exchange with weekend scratches. 3) Pick your niche, no matter how much money one has it is impossible to have everything, find what really makes you tick, the style that you find yourself wearing the most, what, you only wear your Submariner and your Breitling! Good, sell the rest, don’t waste your time.(every pun intended) CTWG