Perpetual Time Reviews: October 2016

Friday 21 October 2016

Tell me the way British watchmaking

The year was 1905 and the month of May. Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) was then aged 26 years and yet to scale the ladder of his yet-to-be-heralded greatest achievements. Walking down the streets he had a Eureka moment (as it transpired later). He imagined sitting in a streetcar and traveling at the speed of light. Within the streetcar, he found that the time on his wristwatch was still ticking. Looking back out of the car, he realised that the time on the clock tower at the end of the street had stopped. The Archimedean moment crystalised into the "Special Theory of Relativity" and the science of space-time was born with the result that Man is proposing to colonize Mars (Elon Musk on Sep 27, 2016 at International Astronautical Congress). Going back in time of Einstein's streetcar imagined tableau the place was Bern, Switzerland and the Clock tower named Zytglogge is still ticking (cared by the Governor of Time Mr. Markus Marti - a retired engineer) and has the distinction of being a landmark icon. This story comes courtesy of the BBC titled The Clock that changed the Meaning of Time.

The BBC along with Britain is now at another crossroad of Time. The approaching countdown trigger of formal exit from the EU (European Union) is ticking. Perhaps the BWCMG (British Watch and Clockmakers Guild) had an inkling of the impending events when they met in a meeting after a gap of 54 years in April 2015; and the meeting's agenda "The way ahead for British Watchmaking".

Watchmakers in Britain already have a stellar reputation of integrity as several Perpetual Time reviews have eloquently posted. Perpetual Time is among several gifted watchmakers in Britain who service world famous brands with quality generic spare parts that are better than the original parts in terms of both caliber and costs. The onset of Brexit is sure to provide the needed impetus for British watchmaking to take the all-important step of British brands.

The time is right, the skills are there and there is no dearth of service technicians with three reputed watchmaking schools such as British School of Watchmaking in Manchester, Birmingham School of Jewellery and West Dean College. The needed investment should not be a cause for concern with the falling pound making it attractive for perceptive investors. Another Perpetual Time review has commented on this aspect when he was concerned at the delay in service by big watch brands.

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Tuesday 18 October 2016

Understanding leap second adjustment

December 31st 2016 will be one second longer as a leap second is added to atomic clocks everywhere in the world. Atomic clocks are derived from a variant of the cesium atom. The metallic element cesium ticks unfailingly at nine billion times a second. The scale of slicing time to that atomic level is incomprehensible. The atomic clock is the UTC (coordinated universal time) which is set by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures located in Paris. The time is set after getting information from about 50 countries and the average computed by consensus.

The need to add a leap second

Time is based on the rotation of the Earth. This rotational time is divided into 86,400 seconds (24 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds = one day). The Earth spins slower each year due to pull of tides and other internal factors, which create the difference between the atomic time and exact or rotational time.

So is one second important?

Yes, in satellite systems one-second difference is too much as navigation systems operate on the measurement of time it takes for a signal to traverse from a receiver and a satellite. Light travels 30 centimetres in one billionth of a second. Cellular networks will be out of sync if this time is not adjusted. So is the case with electricity grids. Ships at sea will get lost

Fortunately our personal timekeeping watches do not have to undergo this exactness unlike the Shepherd 24-hour atomic clock on the gate of Greenwich's Royal Observatory in England. The difference between rotational time and atomic clock is one hour for 1000 years. Just a normal adjustment is required for regular watches. But what is important is regular servicing by watchmakers.. If you happen to own a Patek Philippe or A Lange Sohne watch then checking the Perpetual Time reviews should give you an idea of who and where to approach for reputed servicing.

Perpetual Time reviews on watch forums is the place to refer for knowledgeable advice on watch restoration and service of rare watches.

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Monday 17 October 2016

The legends in British watchmaking

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) the watch guardian of economy all over the world has sounded alarm bells on the impending Article 50 triggering Britain's formal divorce from the European Club. In a recent report (WatchPro) it was stated that retailers in Britain are increasing their cash savings to match the national average of 38% with the aim of building a cash buffer.

The British watchmakers Guild is of the view that it is time for British watch brands to step out of the shadow of big watch brands and establish their place in the watch world. The signs are ominous.

Robert Hooke and John Harrison

Robert Hooke’s (1635 - 1703) inquiring scientific mind resulted in the pendulum as the perfect regulatory mechanism in clocks. He also introduced the balance spring that sparked the revolution of a watch on the wrist (there was heated debate about this claim as Christiaan Huygens had also invented the verge escapement. However, the debate was settled firmly in Robert Hooke’s favour in 2006 when forgotten notes handwritten by Hooke were found in a cupboard). It was his work as part of being a royal commissioner under the aegis of King Charles II in 1674 that led to the establishment of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich that furthered the program of measuring the position of stars accurately which in turn helped the Board of Longitude to establish the Longitude Prize.

This prize along with similar prizes offered by France, Spain, Holland around the same time (1600-1700) is understood to be the greatest scientific endeavour to determine a practical method of calculating the longitude of a ship at sea. It is to the credit of another Englishman born a carpenter named John Harrison from Yorkshire who created the world's first marine chronometer that worked perfectly during sea trials. (Since he did not have Royal patronage he was not given the prize; Harrison fought and eventually was recognised and awarded the Longitude Prize in 1773).

These stories testify to the times and prove the point of original British watchmaking skills are embedded into the English DNA. A Perpetual Time review remarks on this wonderful trait of originality. Perpetual Time is headed by another Englishman Alex Photi who has the genes of Robert Hooke, John Harrison and other English horologists flowing in his blood that augurs well for Britain to regain its rightful place in the world of watchmaking.. In the same report of WatchPro it came to light that leather straps are more in vogue as compared to steel. This is another British tradition befitting the compliments paid in a Perpetual Time Review of the excellent restoration work done by this reputed watchmaking firm.

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Time for British branded watch is now

The speeches are done, the rhetoric spoken and the die is cast as Mrs. Theresa May, British Prime Minister announced that Britain would formally start the process of leaving the EU (European Union) in March 2017. Paraphrasing Mr .Winston Churchill's famous words of "Never in the field of battle has a nation owed so much to so few" it is clear a similar rhetoric should now be said such as " never has British trade owed so much to the collective spirit of a nation that voted OUT".

It is time and it is now for British watchmakers to put their stamp on producing truly British made watches establishing brands worldwide;in the true tradition of George Daniels (1926 - 2011) the legendary watchmaker and considered as among the best in the world. His signature of lubricant-less caliber is a step in the right direction that of concern for the environment.

Britain dominated watchmaking in the 1700's starting with

· Robert Hooke's invention of the balance spring in 1664

· Daniel Quare who put the minute hand on the horological map

· John Harrison winner of the longitude prize and temperature compensation mechanism in 1753

· Thomas Mudge pioneering lever escapement in 1755

· John Whitehurst made the Centre Seconds pointer in 1765

· Thomas Prest patented the keyless winding mechanism in 1820

· John Harwood credited for the automatic winding technology in 1924

· and of course George Daniels who invented the coaxial escapement.

· among others

(dates and names information courtesy of Mr. Colin's article in British Watchmaking, July 2016)

Modern day British watchmakers such as Roger Smith, Robert Loomes, Schofield, Bremont and Meridian among a few others craft entirely British watches in the classic traditional way. There is also no dearth of talented watchmakers who are known in the trade and by watch collectors for their passion and exactness. Many a watch forum has written about the excellent service such as a Perpetual Time review that lauded the attention to detail during a restoration or another Perpetual Time review that alluded to the use of generic spare parts in world famous branded watch at affordable prices.

These facts go to prove that British watchmaking skills are alive and robust. Putting mass production technology and creating high quality watches on the lines of Glasshute is the message of Brexit to the watchmakers of Britain. They owe the denizens of the United Kingdom and the debt can only be repaid with Made in Britain watches to be among the best in the world.

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Thursday 13 October 2016

Horology education is backbone in rise of British watchmaking

The race is on, the tide has turned; just like the minute hand, traversing 360 degrees, has watchmaking come full circle and become important in the United Kingdom. It will not be long before British watch brands sit atop the summit of luxury watches. It is fitting for the British styles are understated with an elegance that only they can craft. There is hardly any ostentatious styling nor is there an outlandish pop cultural signature; British watches speak bespoke, solidity and resilience.

Rosie Kirk is the recent recipient of Trailblazer award from the School of Jewellery located in Birmingham. She may well be a true trailblazer in the real sense of creating a signature lady's watch in the classical British understated style. There is a vacuum in women's wearable fashion as envisaged by Charlotte-Parks Taylor who attests the need for engaging customers with proper information that will boost the purchasing power of luxury watches (courtesy of a well-researched article "The missing link in luxury watch marketing").

Britain has top class institutions devoted to learning the skills of watchmaking such as BHI -British Horology Institute and aforementioned Birmingham's School of Jewellery among a few others. A former alumni of BHI Alex Photti is the CEO of Perpetual Time brings passion to the field of watchmaking that is verified by stellar words of appreciation in Perpetual Time reviews on watch forums.

Education in horology in the UK is on par with legendary institutions such as Finland School of Watchmaking and WOSTEP in Switzerland. In another Perpetual Time review the credentials of WOSTEP certification was lauded due to the excellent service rendered by Perpetual Time (also certified by Guild of Master Craftsman, UK). It augurs well for British Watchmaking as brands such as Accurist, Alfred Dunhill, Backes & Strauss, Benney Watches, Christopher Ward, CWC, Dent London, Graham London, Harold Pinchbeck, J & T Windmills, Meridian, Peter Roberts, Robert Loomes& Co, Roger W Smith, Schofield among others are making a name synonymous with British bespoke style and elegance.

Brexit has now given the opportunity for British Watchmaking to take the next step in the evolution of truly world class watches with mass production technologies. The people of Britain have spoken and so has the Government via British PM, Theresa May’s announcement of Article 50 that will be a defining moment. The future is perfectly poised for boosting British watch brands to the pinnacle of luxury as well as affordable watches.

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