Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)

This video is a must-see for anyone into horology!

There's a lot to enjoy but one of the most fascinating sections of the video explains that the balance wasn't temperature compensated, so it constantly needed to be regulated depending on the current temperature. However, 300 years ago moving a regulator arm by hand would have been too primitive so they (Harrison) automated the process.

Seeing this blew me away. Enjoy!

 

Edited by VWatchie
Typo: "400 years" => "300 years"
  • Like 3
Posted

Derek Pratt made a replica of Harrison's H4 in the last years of his life. The hardest part was making the pallets for the verge escapement, which were in diamond. How Harrison did it is a mystery; Derek told me he spent several years perfecting them, with modern machines and easily bought graded diamond powder at his disposal.

 

He also said that while studying the original, he found that you could remove the upper balance jewels and the watch would continue to run, and the upper pivot would remain centered in the hole. That hairspring looks ultra basic, but Harrison shaped it very specifically.

 

There's a fantastic book on Harrison called Longitude by Dava Sobel, well worth the read.

  • Like 3
Posted

I hadn't heard about Derek Pratt so I made some research:

"Derek Pratt (1938–2009) was a highly respected British horologist known for his exceptional craftsmanship and contributions to precision watchmaking. He was considered one of the finest independent watchmakers of his time, often compared to George Daniels.

Pratt worked closely with Urban Jürgensen & Sønner and was instrumental in developing their detent escapement. He was also known for his intricate engine-turning (guilloché) work and innovative timepieces. Despite being relatively low-profile, his influence on modern horology was profound, and his technical skills were admired by experts in the field."

  • Like 2
Posted

At Derek's memorial service, if someone had dropped a bomb 99% of the best watchmakers in the world would have disappeared. Amazing watchmaker and amazing guy.

  • Like 4
Posted
3 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

I have read it, still have a copy. 

An old book I was reading recently mentions Harrison building his H1 in Barton. I got curious so reasearched him more. Turns out he grew up in Barton not far from me. And tested his first chronometer clock on the river Humber, about 4 miles from my house. I courted my missus on the shores of the Humber estuary, watching the tides come and go 250 years later lol

  • Like 2


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Web sites are cheap. Message board are easy. Hosting both is less than 100 usd a year and small advertising would cover most of that.  In the discord group we did some 15 min poc and threw up a couple of different message boards on a domain i host.   The real value is the data / information / hive mind While I'm a rank amateur in watch repair the information and assistance on this board is invaluable. The members on here are friendly, entertaining and a wealth of knowledge This is what needs to be preserved  --Jeff
    • The post below contains the link. If you don't already have a discord account it will take you to the registration screen.  Registration is free.   https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/31653-mark/?do=findComment&comment=279066
    • HWGIKE#57 Valex FEF 190 15 jewels Swiss lever full service and repair This one was waiting for a balance staff replacement in my cabinet parts and case cleaned up with a new balance staff and a 4th wheel as the original 4th wheel had a broken pivot for the off center second hand. I never attempted a balance staff replacement before however I received a Bergeon Molfres (i was hunting it for about 2 years) and with the help of it I managed to remove the old staff and riveted the new one in. It also received a new MS, crystal and the hole for the MS arbor was also tightened. With the new MS now it has an acceptable performance meaning that the amplitude goes up to 280 fully wound, has an acceptable beat error and I have the two nice lines but only dial up, dial down is not as nice and I could not figure out as why. I have the two lines but the amplitude is dropping to around 230 and the lines are a bit hairy. Both dial up and dial down the lines just go up and down without seemingly any pattern. I cleaned the movement two times, and then a 3rd time pegged out the main plate and train bridge holes but made no change. Both the HS collet and the roller table was too lose on the new staff... I did not count how many times I took the balance cock off to sort out the HS collet, the roller table and the beat error, somebody before me also shortened the HS by pushing it out a bit and it seems every time somebody is messing with the end of the HS the protruding bit is most of the time twisted bent etc. This one was probably one of the most challenging repair and service. I might take the new MS out and clean it lubricate it as I just pushed the new one in to the barrel from the retaining ring. Plus started to re-read the theory of the escapement and how to analyse the graph on the timing machine: Greiner Chronografic Record manual. I am also thinking to put the watch on a 24 hour long run with the eTimer SW it once helped me to figure out what was wrong with a watch. There is an interesting part of the Greiner record manual talking about the pallets and the end shake of the balance and pallet staff. Maybe this is my issue? Who could that possibly identify? After a few years now I am still without a clue how could watchmakers make parts I can only see with my microscope or how could/can they carry out complicated services impossible to do.. real magic..... .... ..... before I sent this post while the pics were uploading I had an idea, i was browsing the possible outcomes on the timing machine I had one for magnetism..... so I demagnetized the movement and it is not hairy now.... two really nice lines 0.2 ms beat error still a bit wavy, but a lot lot better..... argh....  
    • Hi there, welcome here.  
    • yes the advertising revenue should generate money. The question is how much money? Then as far as the cost of the website goes that's relatively easy to determine? all you would have to do to grasp costs and profitability would be to go to the link below and you can actually get a website for free try it out for free I believe you get no advertising initially. They also talk about that they'll help you out they have marketing tools and some sort of paid subscription or something. So I guess were shopping for a whatever just ask them what would a maybe could use this one as an example in other words it's going to look basically identical to this is going to have advertising a paid subscriptions what's it going to cost? After all they want to sell or give us a message board like this they should bill answer the questions as they're the people who did the software for this. Yes they really said you can have a free discussion group at least to start. https://invisioncommunity.com/ I was curious about the monthly supporter thing where exactly do we find that on this message board? A quick search I'm not finding it so obviously I'm not looking in the right place?
×
×
  • Create New...