The ISP changes my IP address from time to time, for no apparent reason and without warning. I have to manually update the DNS servers. I've just done so...
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Elgin Serial Number Lookups
I just found out that the Elgin watch serial number lookup site has been inaccessible for some time.
The ISP changes my IP address from time to time, for no apparent reason and without warning. I have to manually update the DNS servers. I've just done so...
The ISP changes my IP address from time to time, for no apparent reason and without warning. I have to manually update the DNS servers. I've just done so...
Handmade Loupe
This is a handmade loupe, carved out of wood with one lens. It appears to be about 5x magnification.
California Scientists and Horologists Welcome Maker of Free Pendulum Clocks
From Horology magazine, February, 1938
California Scientists and Horologists Welcome Maker of Free Pendulum Clocks
"IF A SOCIETY was formed for the prevention of cruelty to pendulums, Mr. Hope-Jones would be its first and perpetual president." So said Sir Frank Dyson, the former Astronomer Royal of Greenwich when the first of his free pendulum was installed there in 1925. Since then no less than 60 of the world's observatories have been equipped with them and Mr. Hope-Jones has been enjoying a "busman's holiday" in going around to look at them with his hands in his pockets.
Leaving England in September he has visited Ceylon, Colombo, and the capitals of every state in Australia; Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and finally the Commonwealth Observatory at Canberra. As a member of the Rotary Club of London, he was in demand for after-lunch talks at all these places and the radio authorities soon got to hear that he was a witty speaker and had him on the air in many a broadcast talk. Thus, what was intended as a holiday, developed into a lecturing tour and he has been discoursing on the science of precision time measurement in the societies and universities all the way round.
New Zealand heard his voice from the Dominion Observatory at Wellington and so did Fiji, who are not overburdened with distinguished visitors and demanded a show of their own.
Since his arrival at Los Angeles via Samoa and Honolulu he has been much engaged with the astronomers and scientists at Pasadena and it is unfortunate that there was no meeting of the Los Angeles Guild of the Horological Association of California during his short stay. However, before leaving for Mount Hamilton on the 2nd of February, two dozen of the leaders of our profession, hastily called together by the secretary, entertained him at dinner at the Los Angeles Athletic Club under the chairmanship of Mr. J. McAuliffe and were well rewarded by a fund of stories, reminiscences, horological lore and philosophy.
In the East, Mr. Hope-Jones is to be the guest of Mr. John J. Bowman of the Bowman Technical School, Lancaster, Pa. He is billed for a lecture at the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, on the 11th of March, after which we understand that the Horological Society of New York has designs upon him. He returns to England on the Queen Mary, sailing on the 24th of March.
California Scientists and Horologists Welcome Maker of Free Pendulum Clocks
New Zealand heard his voice from the Dominion Observatory at Wellington and so did Fiji, who are not overburdened with distinguished visitors and demanded a show of their own.
Since his arrival at Los Angeles via Samoa and Honolulu he has been much engaged with the astronomers and scientists at Pasadena and it is unfortunate that there was no meeting of the Los Angeles Guild of the Horological Association of California during his short stay. However, before leaving for Mount Hamilton on the 2nd of February, two dozen of the leaders of our profession, hastily called together by the secretary, entertained him at dinner at the Los Angeles Athletic Club under the chairmanship of Mr. J. McAuliffe and were well rewarded by a fund of stories, reminiscences, horological lore and philosophy.
In the East, Mr. Hope-Jones is to be the guest of Mr. John J. Bowman of the Bowman Technical School, Lancaster, Pa. He is billed for a lecture at the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, on the 11th of March, after which we understand that the Horological Society of New York has designs upon him. He returns to England on the Queen Mary, sailing on the 24th of March.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Students Build Timepieces
From Horology magazine, October, 1938
Students Build Timepieces
W. H. Samelius, director of the Elgin Watchmakers College believes that a student of horology should be able to design and make a complete timepiece, since such knowledge is an asset in performing everyday repair work.
Many students take advantage of the mechanical drawing classes which are conducted at the Elgin Watchmakers College to plan and build complete instruments, in addition to the regular course of horological study. A number of other students have used the experience and knowledge gained at the college to make some outstanding pieces long after leaving the school.
Students Build Timepieces
Many students take advantage of the mechanical drawing classes which are conducted at the Elgin Watchmakers College to plan and build complete instruments, in addition to the regular course of horological study. A number of other students have used the experience and knowledge gained at the college to make some outstanding pieces long after leaving the school.
Injunction Against Price Cutter Granted
From Horology magazine, October, 1938
Injunction Against Price Cutter Granted
The Supreme Court of New York State, on September 17th, sustained the charges of the Hamilton Watch Company brought against the Wholesale Watch & Jewelry Company of New York City and granted an injunction restraining the defendants from "offering for sale or selling the product of the Hamilton Watch Company, the plaintiff herein, or any part thereof, either directly or by subterfuge at prices below the minimum fixed by the Hamilton Watch Company, in accordance with the Fair Trade contracts and scheduled prices annexed to the complaint in this action."
The injunction states, "The accepting of articles of nominal value and the giving of a trade-in allowance therefor in excess of the reasonable value thereof as a 'trade-in' is hereby declared to be a subterfuge to escape the provisions of the Law and is hereby enjoined and restrained.
"The selection of isolated models of the plaintiff's product and advertising them for sale as 'close-outs' is hereby declared to be a subterfuge to escape the provisions of the Law, and such action is hereby enjoined and restrained." Thus, in a court test New York's Feld-Crawford Fair Trade Law was upheld and the Hamilton Watch Company was successful in its effort to prevent price cutting.
Injunction Against Price Cutter Granted
The injunction states, "The accepting of articles of nominal value and the giving of a trade-in allowance therefor in excess of the reasonable value thereof as a 'trade-in' is hereby declared to be a subterfuge to escape the provisions of the Law and is hereby enjoined and restrained.
"The selection of isolated models of the plaintiff's product and advertising them for sale as 'close-outs' is hereby declared to be a subterfuge to escape the provisions of the Law, and such action is hereby enjoined and restrained." Thus, in a court test New York's Feld-Crawford Fair Trade Law was upheld and the Hamilton Watch Company was successful in its effort to prevent price cutting.
Informing the Public
From Horology magazine, October, 1938
Informing the Public
Editor Horology, Dear Sir:
With all the activities of several states for licensing of watchmakers, I am just wondering why Certified Watchmakers throughout the country don't start some kind of movement to let the public know that there are Certified Watchmakers.
In this country, with no trade restriction, I believe the public will be interested to know there is one organization whose certified members have passed a test and received their certificates by merit, to whom the public can trust its timepieces without any doubt. If we can bring this before the public it will make our certificates really valuable, much more so than asking or waiting for retail jewelers to have their watchmakers certified, when the public will ask the retail jeweler, before leaving the job, "Is your watchmaker a Certified Watchmaker?" This would exercise a certain amount of pressure on the retail jeweler, and he would be anxious to employ a Certified Watchmaker.
Some of your readers may have the acquaintance of or influence with some weekly or monthly periodical or possibly some daily paper which might be glad to print something of the functions of the Horological Institute of America and its Certification work.
Informing the Public
With all the activities of several states for licensing of watchmakers, I am just wondering why Certified Watchmakers throughout the country don't start some kind of movement to let the public know that there are Certified Watchmakers.
In this country, with no trade restriction, I believe the public will be interested to know there is one organization whose certified members have passed a test and received their certificates by merit, to whom the public can trust its timepieces without any doubt. If we can bring this before the public it will make our certificates really valuable, much more so than asking or waiting for retail jewelers to have their watchmakers certified, when the public will ask the retail jeweler, before leaving the job, "Is your watchmaker a Certified Watchmaker?" This would exercise a certain amount of pressure on the retail jeweler, and he would be anxious to employ a Certified Watchmaker.
Some of your readers may have the acquaintance of or influence with some weekly or monthly periodical or possibly some daily paper which might be glad to print something of the functions of the Horological Institute of America and its Certification work.
M. Klein, C. W.
New York
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Seeking Profits
From Horology magazine, October, 1938
Seeking Profits
Some persons still have the notion that modern watches are not made as well as those produced in the "old days." Why anyone should have such an idea is not very clear, unless he clings to the old standards of performance as a basis of comparison. Actually, quite the contrary is true.
We must marvel at the beautiful finish, interchangeability of parts and general perfection of the modern timepiece. Adjustment of an escapement is now seldom necessary unless it has been tampered with, usually by a novice. What a contrast between the nicely fitted pallet stones of the average present day watch and the crudely cemented ones found in the older watches.
Despite the improvement in manufacture, however, too many timepieces are subject to early deterioration. The factory finishes are rarely retained undamaged after a watch gets its first treatment in a repair shop. The damaskeened plates, polished surfaces and screw slots become covered with a mass of nicks and scratches. The responsibility for this may be laid directly to the retail jewelers.
For many years the watch department has been considered non-paying and a necessary evil. Just why, no one seems to know. Modern competition has compelled jewelers to adopt more efficient business methods and they realize that all items carried in their establishments must bring a profit. Thus, they have also proceeded to make their repair departments more profitable. In all too many instances the change has been for the worse and instead of plugging the real holes, such as unreasonable guarantees or service for which a charge should be made but is nevertheless rendered free, they have placed the watch departments on a percentage basis. The repairer gets a percentage of the charge made to the customer, if the job is paid for, and nothing if the store decides to give the job away.
During the last few years this situation has become known to many patrons of jewelry stores and, thinking to get better service by paying the full cost of the repairs direct to the horologists, they have endeavored to trace the shops where the actual work is done. Perhaps this is why many watches purchased in exclusive establishments find their way into irresponsible repair shops.
Seeking Profits
We must marvel at the beautiful finish, interchangeability of parts and general perfection of the modern timepiece. Adjustment of an escapement is now seldom necessary unless it has been tampered with, usually by a novice. What a contrast between the nicely fitted pallet stones of the average present day watch and the crudely cemented ones found in the older watches.
Despite the improvement in manufacture, however, too many timepieces are subject to early deterioration. The factory finishes are rarely retained undamaged after a watch gets its first treatment in a repair shop. The damaskeened plates, polished surfaces and screw slots become covered with a mass of nicks and scratches. The responsibility for this may be laid directly to the retail jewelers.
During the last few years this situation has become known to many patrons of jewelry stores and, thinking to get better service by paying the full cost of the repairs direct to the horologists, they have endeavored to trace the shops where the actual work is done. Perhaps this is why many watches purchased in exclusive establishments find their way into irresponsible repair shops.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Hamilton 924
Elgin Grade 291
Elgin Grade 315
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