Cool! How long have you been operating on watches?

 

I took up watch restoration as a hobby about 3 years back. I am fortunate in that I live close by to one of America's few remaining independent watchmaking schools.
http://www.norwestschoolofhorology.com/index.php

 

Very nice I like the idea of having the computer monitor at the workbench.

 

“THE CRAFTSMAN”. Charles Spencelayh. 1865-1958. A watchmaker’s workbench, circa maybe 1895. Not me, not my workbench. I found this calendar at an auction in about 2005. There was one other bidder. A lady. I was bound and determined I was going home with it! This calendar is from 1940 (the year I was born, and was un-used), and was offered by a local watch material supply house (now, long since). Spencelayh is well represented at the Tate Gallery in London, but they admit that they don’t have this one.

 

very cool!

 

That's really nice, good old fashioned watchmaker and with a pipe on the bench.
Reminds me of an old watchmaker friend of many decades ago.

 

I am constantly amazes at Spencelayh’s eye for detail, and his understanding of the refraction of light. I can stare at that painting time and again, and usually find some detail I had missed, previously.

 

Nice pictures.

 

No so artsy pic of someone's bench (found on line)...



I remember visiting a fellow watchmaker in town years ago who had a bench for sale that I thought I might buy. When I got there it was covered in about 3 inches of various items. Dials jammed in there getting scratched up, movements piled up without regard for damage, and he had one tiny area cleared off to work on. I passed on the bench, but I'll never forget the poor state of it...I wonder how many customer's watches were damaged by being on that bench...

 

All items stacked in alphabetical order?

 

Wow. More than anything else that reminds me of something you would see on some reality TV show about hoarders...

Never mind trying to find a tool under all that, it looks like there are 100+ watches & no labels. If this is someone's business, how would you ever get a finished piece invoiced & returned back the to same customer who brought it in?

 

Another in the "Artsy Workbench" series...

Zodiac cal 52, c.1965. On the small side by today's standard, 10.5''' / 23.7mm, but easy to work on & to regulate.

 

Courtesy of this publication.

 

That’s so he can work on watches without missing out on OF chat.

 

Added a monitor, like @JimInOz !

 

Great photos guys, looking at them one question comes to mind…. Why is the work mat always pale green? Is it easy on the eye? Easy way to find the bits on? Or do they only sell green ones?

 

The material used on watchmaker benches is typically green. Every bench I’ve worked at in school or at brand training has been green. This material is Borco, which is the same material you find on manual drafting tables. I think that material has come in green, and it was just adapted for use on benches for watchmaking.

Personally I use the flip side, which is grey on the roll of Borco that I have. It is much better for photos than the green is.

 

Thanks for the answer Archer