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Beautiful day to construct a watch!
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerHave fun!
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Mad Dog
·Have fun!
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BatDad
·Very good course for the beginner! Instructors were great. Very happy to recommend the course to folks. The bus is a little right back to back - but it’s very workable. I think the team did a great job putting that facility together!
We also had a tour of the Chelsea Clock company. That was fascinating!
Who’d have thought the hardest part was fitting the seconds hand! (YMMV)
The obligatory watch pic :
We also had a tour of the Chelsea Clock company. That was fascinating!
Who’d have thought the hardest part was fitting the seconds hand! (YMMV)
The obligatory watch pic :
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BatDad
·
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AdamS
·Very nice! Was it a one day course?
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BatDad
·Yeah - 9 till 6. Instructors helped with some of the _really_ delicate oiling. And there was no hairspring winding - but there were some absolutely challenging Pieces. It was also great to get a basic explanation of some of the core components as you were installing them.
Very well done.
Very well done.
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Texas Toast
·Thank you for the Chelsea Clock factory pictures. Some of that equipment looks well-used and long-lived. Perhaps parts of this 1943 Mark I deck clock were made on some of the same machine(s).
And congrats on watch build...sounds fun!
And congrats on watch build...sounds fun!
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BatDad
·Very nice indeed! Radium dial?
The Gent that gave us the tour mentioned that the move to the new building was a significant undertaking. But it was a smaller space now. The records they keep on manufactured clocks and recipient are very impressive, dating back to the start of the company!
I hadn’t realized the significance of these clocks until the tour.
The Gent that gave us the tour mentioned that the move to the new building was a significant undertaking. But it was a smaller space now. The records they keep on manufactured clocks and recipient are very impressive, dating back to the start of the company!
I hadn’t realized the significance of these clocks until the tour.
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BatDad
·Also, notice the astronomical clock in the large wall case. We obv didn’t get to see the movement, but you can see the different hand mechanisms driven by differing machinery. Very cool.
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JimInOz
··Melbourne AustraliaI love the "patina" on that hobbing machine. It looks like a hundred years of oil, sweat and dust.
It's like stepping back in time.
A complete contrast to the DMG Mori CNC outfit.
It's like stepping back in time.
A complete contrast to the DMG Mori CNC outfit.
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Texas Toast
·Very nice indeed! Radium dial? <snip> The records they keep on manufactured clocks and recipient are very impressive, dating back to the start of the company!
Great question; never thought about Radium and don’t have a Geiger counter. Doesn’t seem to have any luminescence now but unsure if the markers/hands were ever supposed to be such. Perhaps I should buy a Radon detector as gas decay products suggested as the bigger risk versus Alpha particles 😒. https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/new-report-shows-radium-dials-might-pose-serious-danger
Clock lives in a reasonably well ventilated room (and not on my wrist obviously) so hopefully no big issue but I will contact Chelsea to ask, particularly now that you’ve indicated they have good record-keeping.
To get back on track, hope the newly built watch is running well (and is radiation-free!)
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Texas Toast
·Spoke with helpful gentlemen from Chelsea Clock - he remembered your tour.
Yes, Radium. As of December they are no longer allowed to service radium-bearing clocks (dials) due to lack of approved facilities. They use Geiger counters on all incoming clocks and claimed handling/contact was the main concern. I’ll start a separate ‘radium clock face thread’ if merited after researching more, but FYI for any old Chelsea radium clock owners wanting factory service.
Yes, Radium. As of December they are no longer allowed to service radium-bearing clocks (dials) due to lack of approved facilities. They use Geiger counters on all incoming clocks and claimed handling/contact was the main concern. I’ll start a separate ‘radium clock face thread’ if merited after researching more, but FYI for any old Chelsea radium clock owners wanting factory service.
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