Watch this

I studied, read, and taught myself how to build a wrist watch from manufactured parts.

I only build mechanical movement watches, the wind up kind for those not into watches.

My first watch was a B-Uhr observer, gunner wristwatch copy of a German WW2 

issued watch..it actually looks good and works. It actually keeps excellent time.

I am starting on my 2nd watch build--this will be more of a large, sturdy, dress watch if there can  be such a thing?

Swiss Unitas 6497 manual movement that i got for a really good price.

Flieger pilot case with coin rolled edge, exhibition case back.

Guilloche silver dial face with seconds sub dial.

Breguet blue anodized hands.

Paneri style black leather band with stainless steel buckle.

Today I received the last parts ordered for the next watch and I now have all the parts i need to begin construction.

The next step is to mic everything for size, then test fit the dial to both the movement and the case. 

Once i am assured that everything is with specifications and should fit, I will

mount the hour washer and the dial to the movement.

Then fit the hands to the hour and second posts, and test run using the temporary

stem that come with the movement.

The initial test run is for operation, I know the movement works--but the

initial test is to insure the hands move properly, have clearance from

each other when passing and while in motion.

Regulating the movement for time accuracy will come later once i have

everything installed and working in the case.

As i go through this process i will take the best photo's i can for the blog but 

forgive me if they are mutt quality.

I am worried about installing these Breguet hands. They are extremely

thin and delicate.

Installing hands properly on a watch is tough enough with

diver or military watch type hands but--I bought two sets of these just in case 

of the oops factor and i am glad I did after seeing them.

It will probably be several days before i can actually sit down and begin work 

on this project. I try to make sure that when I work on watches 

there are zero disturbances and I can focus for a couple of hours straight

without interruption.

It does take a bit of concentration.

"Time moves in one direction,

memory in another."

William Gibson

no matter where you go, there you are.

I have a love affair with French design. From the Citroen DS
to my favorite footwear Palladium boots.

First manufactured in post war 1947 France, Palladium boots are lightweight, durable, and
fashion proof. They used to be cheap, are now inexpensive and are never in or out of style. 
I cannot afford a DS sedan but i am never without a pair of Palladium's. 
Usually well worn and black.
Palladium boot site

We have no cable , no regular TV. We don't like people yelling at us
or the indoctrination.
We watch off Netflix streaming and thru the mail DVD's.
We are lately hooked on "The Last Resort", a one season series
centering on a rogue Nuclear Submarine Commander and his crew.
Totally excellent by the way...
a summary of the plot here

Did you ever notice how the stoplights leading to a wal-mart are always rigged in their favor?
They must bribe someone in city government everywhere they build  to set the lights so that turning into wal-mart always has the right of way...
The rest of us passing by have to stop or wait.

Currently:

Our house was built in 1903. 
We love it, but a very old house means there are many, many ongoing projects.
This morning was paint the front steps over the holiday---day, for me.
JoJo picked the colors and it really does look great.

"The purpose of our lives,
is to be happy."
Dalai Lama

Lost and found

I was lost. 

Because? 
Does it really matter how or why you get lost?

Finding your way back is the only thing. 

I was lucky, pure and simple. 

The important thing is that I realize that i have been found, and what i came close to losing.

The important things are important and 

the unimportant -- should not even exist. 

We are going to make it a purpose to spend more time socializing.

This is something we need to do, but we actually need to learn to do.

We are both very private people who enjoy home. We can and have become  very hermit like. 

Out of fear, insecurity,laziness, exhaustion so many reasons to list, all true and all conspired against us to close us into ourselves. We are breaking out of this loop of isolation.  Learning to enjoy people and ourselves again. Not by forcing ourselves. Rather by wanting to do it. Wanting to change. Wanting to share, experience and enjoy others. 

We know that regular people as a whole do not have to make themselves interact, or have to plan to socialize.
It occurs naturally for them. 
We however are like the apes kept for experimentation that have to
be shown how to live with others. 

No one actually builds a complete watch today.
Years ago it was commonplace an integral part of actually being a watchmaker.
The remaining watchmaking schools, the real ones, some do require 
a student in order to graduate they must build a complete watch from scratch.
Me? 
I am definitely 
I design a watch, collect together available parts, fit them, assemble and regulate.

My current watch building project is a dress, Swiss mechanical movement wristwatch.
I have assembled or have in route the required parts----a Swiss Unitas manual movement,
a 45mm Flieger, coin rolled, pilot case with exhibition back,

a B-Uhr Pilot Guilloche silver dial,

and Breguet blue anodized hands

My goal is to have this watch assembled and working by the end of August. 
As i proceed I will do a build report here with photo's. 

The latest Marathon viewing subject is Supernatural. 

We don't have regular TV..not because we're snobs..because we do not like yelled at by 
advertisers.
We get our visuals from streaming Netflix or DVD's from Netflix.
On season 5 of Supernatural to this point.

I was one of those people displaying stickers on their cars indicative of the
positions they hold in life.
Free Tibet, The Church of the Dude...and on and on.
Did this for years..it was fun
I very suddenly got up late one night/early one morning and scraped them all off.
I am still trying to figure the why on that one out?

I suffer from insomnia..as in like right now.
0330hrs in the AM and not even close to sleep.
When insomnia strikes i believe it is because my 
brain is on fast idle..
It really sucks in many ways. Occasionally there may occur a breakthrough 
in thought experiments i have been working on. Occasionally
I may get a ton of creative work done. 
Occasionally absolutely nothing of any consequence happens all night other than 
totally fucking up the next day. 

"Love is composed of a single soul,
inhabiting two bodies."
Aristotle

I blogged for years, i got angry at the world, i had to stop a while ago, but i am back. This time without anger. Just thoughts observations and interests. 

It's hard for us in our area to actually buy furniture..the middle of nowhere New Mexico has both advantages and disadvantages..lack of furniture stores is actually fits both mantra's if you think on it.  We are forced to go sofa shopping on the web. Try buying a sofa without planting an ass cheek on it and see how that turns out---You won't have to tho because I'll  advise how sofa by mail works out...at least we can get a sofa thanks to the net.  We would be sitting on our hands in the desert without it. 

I am am studying watchmaking. I love wristwatches. Mechanical wristwatches. I have been in the process of assembling tools, parts and developing the necessary skills.
I am sure i will drone on endlessly about my watchmaking attempts in future blogs--but for now let it be know that:
I have built one watch to this point. A modern copy of a wristwatch issued by the German Luftwaffe, to their observer/gunners
a B-Uhr.

I could bury you in watchmaker's parts details about the movement, dial, case hands and in the future i will--so be prepared. For now, for the start of this new blog--It actually works perfectly, accurately to the point of a chronograph and leave it at that.

 I will write on watch projects that i have underway and watches i own or obtain. I am, for example, designing a watch for a friend that i do not think has every been made before. Building it to fit his particular personality. As a thank you. I don't know if i can accomplish what i design but i will attempt it.

Simply because i am learning to build wristwatches doesn't mean i don't still desire or collect those produced by real manufacturers.
My wonderful, angelic wife  purchased for me for my recent birthday a German
Stuhrling Mercury Mechanical Chronograph.

Beautiful, double coin rolled case, exhibition back, pure mechanical movement which for a chronograph today is becoming exceedingly rare. Absolutely gorgeous...and i adore her for it. I will wear it, use it and think of her every moment i feel it against my wrist. 

There will be more. I am no longer angry or confused.

"Mistakes are always forgivable,
if one has the courage to admit them."
Bruce Lee