Yes, we all love watches. But it helps every watch lover to have a basic idea of what makes a watch tick!

The British Horological Institute (“BHI”) offers this on their one-day taster course, Introduction to Watches, which allows those horologically inclined to get to grips with the different technical aspects of timepieces and provides a hands-on practical experience of how watches work. Thought I'd post in case of interest to fellow OF'ers.



Happy to report it was a really fun day, and I learnt a hell of a lot. For more thoughts and photos have a read here.

Enjoy!

Daniel

 

I’m re-reading “Longitude” by Dava Sobel. If you haven’t read it, you should. Fascinating little book.
Horology, navigation, maritime history... you guys would love it!

 

The movie Longitude likewise is a worthwhile view. Available on DVD. Starring Jeremy Irons as Rupert Gould, and Michael Gambon as John Harrison. Also available on You Tube if you can tolerate the interruption.

 

Love the book and the movie. There's an "illustrated" version of the book as well.

 

The Illustrated version is a collaboration between Dava Sobel and Will Andrewes. It resulted from a ground swell of enthusiasm for the original book, encouraging a more in depth relating of the story. An excellent book.

https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Longitude-Greatest-Scientific-published/dp/B00E6T93HW

 

Does the illustrated version contain all of the original text with additional illustrations? It is it only illustrations?

 

There is no comparison between the two books (I have both) in terms of the length, breadth, and height. The original book is 184 pages, and it is 4 3/4 “ x 7 3/4 “ in size. The Illustrated version is approx. 9.1” x 6.6 “. It is a very much larger book compared to the original. The original book was by Dava Sobel. There was such a ground swell of enthusiasm for that book, that the author concluded a much more in depth story should be told. William Andrewes (spelling is correct) joined her in the writing of the later book. Andrewes leant his considerable background in Horology to the project. It might be helpful to you if you searched William Andrewes to learn about his background and experience. His involvement in the later book opened up many avenues to composing a much more complete story on the topic of Longitude. I haven’t parsed the two books to allow me to be more specific. But, while the later book contains many images from the smaller book, it must have 2 or 3 times the content of illustrations, and I am guessing, maybe 3 times the written content. if you were to buy the original book, you would be ordering the later book for certain. (IMHO)

 

Longitude full movie on YouTube

 

Are you doing this to just pick up more info for yourself? Either way is cool I’m just curious if you are considering it as a career. I’ve known a couple guys who did it for a living. One owned a store in NYC in a rather nice area and dealt with celebrities etc. and ended up losing it all as he had a big nose candy habit but at one time he was known as one of the best in a NYC but he said he let it go to his head and became a pompous ass. The other who is a real nice guy (actually they both are in my eyes) whenever a compliment him on his work he just says, I’m not saving lives it’s only a watch. Either way I’m always impressed, I can rebuild a motor but have yet to tackle a watch.