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Harrison at Number 11 – Guild host horological event

Harrison at Number 11 – Guild host horological event

The Guild is to host a Harrison H4 event in the State Room at No 11 Downing Street, London, on Thursday 28 November. Planning has been taking place for some time and the original date was due to be 3 July – until the General Election was called for the

Nickel Steel Balance Spring – A major development in watchmaking

Nickel Steel Balance Spring – A major development in watchmaking

Eur Ing David Boettcher CEng MIET FBHI In the article about my grandparents’ watches in the previous issue of TimePiece, I mentioned that my grandfather’s watch has a white alloy balance spring that is most likely a nickel steel alloy of the type invented by Paul Perret and Dr Guillaume

BCU/Guild Award Winner 2024 – Meichel Wright

BCU/Guild Award Winner 2024 – Meichel Wright

The Guild/BCU award winner for 2024 is Meichel Wright, who received a £500 Cousins tool voucher for the highest achievement in clock and watch servicing, final year. He received his prize from Rebecca Van Rooijen at the School of Jewellery’s Presentation Evening on 13 June. Meichel (24), who says he

New Director for Guild Board Colin Andrews FBHI

New Director for Guild Board Colin Andrews FBHI

Meet Colin Andrews FBHI – who was voted onto the Guild’s Board of Directors at May’s Annual General Meeting. Colin, a former Guild Prize winner, was a student at both Birmingham City University (2011-2012) and the British School of Watchmaking (2012-2013). He then worked for a number of watch repair

British Watchmakers’ Day – Andrew Canter, MrWatchMaster

British Watchmakers’ Day – Andrew Canter, MrWatchMaster

Sell out event showcasing the Best of British The Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers, British Watchmakers’ Day, was billed as the first major live event dedicated to British watch and clock brands and took place at Lindley Hall in Westminster on Saturday 9 March. The event was for

Progress in Time – Anne Baker

Progress in Time – Anne Baker

NBSWCM – the trade charity providing financial help for over 200 years As we enter 2024, with the backdrop of world unease and continuing financial difficulties, it is heart-warming to remember that many charities exist to support and assist those who find themselves in difficulty. Volunteers are still willing to offer

Guild Award Winner – Mark Murran

Guild Award Winner – Mark Murran

British School of Watchmaking Presentation Evening The BSOW/Guild 2024 Award winner is Mark Murran, who has just completed the 1800 hour course at the Manchester School. He was presented with his award – a Cousins tool voucher – by Guild Chairman, Shuajb Berisha FBHI, at the Presentation Evening  at the

Horological History and Technique – The Watch Case Museum

Horological History and Technique – The Watch Case Museum

A hidden treasure in the Swiss Jura mountains Maximin Chapuis, a French watchmaker and WOSTEP watchmaking instructor visits Le Musée de la Boite de Montre – The Watch Case Museum Housed in an old workshop that has been completely renovated, the fascinating Musée de la Boite de Montre, in Le

Guild/BHI Prizewinner 2023 – Jurjen van der Eems

Guild/BHI Prizewinner 2023 – Jurjen van der Eems

South African student horologist Jurjen van der Eems has won the Guild/BHI Prize for 2023 and receives a £500 Cousins tool voucher.His success, achieving the best result in the Distance Learning Course (DLC) Level 3 Diploma in Clock and Watch Servicing, was announced at the BHI Awards Day at the end

Meet the new Guild Chairman

Meet the new Guild Chairman

Meet the new Guild Chairman, Shuajb Berisha FBHI, who was elected at the AGM on 18 May 2023. Shuajb takes over from retiring Chairman, Paul Roberson FBHI, who has held the post for four years. Vice Chairman Robert Ball FBHI is succeeded by incoming Vice Chairman, Chris Papworth MBHI. Shuajb,

Guild/BSoW Prize Winners 2023

Guild/BSoW Prize Winners 2023

Two talented students at the British School of Watchmaking have received Guild awards for their outstanding achievements during study. Rafal Chmiel, who studied on the 3,000 hour course (two years) and Alice Neri, who has recently completed the 1800 course (one year) are delighted with the accolade. Rafal received a

BOOK REVIEW – Hidden Histories – Coventry Jewish Watchmakers

BOOK REVIEW – Hidden Histories – Coventry Jewish Watchmakers

Hidden HistoriesCoventry Jewish Watchmakersby Mark JohnsonWith foreword by Professor Emerita Gillian HundtISBN978-1-7393102-0-2 Softback £9.99978-1-7393102-1-9 Hardback £16.99978-1-7393102-2-6 eBook £6.99 or free with Kindle UnlimitedAvailable at: Amazon.com  This book achieves what it sets out to do and that is to review the Coventry watch industry through the eyes of the small, but significant,

BOOK REVIEW – Hands of Time – A Watchmaker’s History of Time

BOOK REVIEW – Hands of Time – A Watchmaker’s History of Time

Title: Hands of TimeA Watchmaker’s History of TimeAuthor: Rebecca StruthersISBN: 9781529339031Publisher: Hodder & StoughtonIllustrations by Craig StruthersPhotographs by Andy PilsburyPrice: £22Available from Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles and all good bookshops. First and foremost, this book is an excellent read. I started three days ago, and I have only reluctantly put it down for essentials

Watch Servicing – A Step-By-Step Guide for Student Watchmakers – The Watch Professional

Watch Servicing – A Step-By-Step Guide for Student Watchmakers – The Watch Professional

In the first of a planned series of articles, I want to explain how I approach every watch I service. There are naturally many differences between each brand and every calibre, vintage or modern, but the overall approach and processes each watch goes through remains the same. My follow up

A Space Odyssey

A Space Odyssey

Planetariums, telluriums and lunariums that are out of this world… Part 2 José Gómez In the last TimePiece we highlighted how José first became interested in planetariums and how his passion has developed over the years into a thriving family business, where he works alongside his wife Iratxe and daughter

Guild/BHI Prize Winners

Guild/BHI Prize Winners

Two students received BWCMG prizes at the BHI Awards Day in November. It was the first time that the event has been held since before Covid, hence the two awards (one for 2021 and one for 2022), both of which were given for the best result in the Diploma in Clock and

QEST – Horological students invited to apply as new year funding round opens

QEST – Horological students invited to apply as new year funding round opens

Horological students are being encouraged to apply for the latest scholarship grants on offer through QEST. The next round will be open 9 January – 13 February 2023  and details of how to apply are available online at qest.org.uk There are two types of funding available. Scholarship funding supports individuals in

BCU student William Oke wins Guild Award

BCU student William Oke wins Guild Award

Birmingham City University horology student William Oke has won the BWCMG Annual Award for the highest achievement in Clock and Watch Servicing. He was presented with a £500 Cousins tool voucher by Chairman, Paul Roberson, at the School of Jewellery’s Awards Evening in June. Third-year student Will has already secured a job

The Few – The Spitfire Watch – Colin Andrews FBHI

The Few – The Spitfire Watch – Colin Andrews FBHI

BWCMG member Colin Andrews has embarked on a very special project – hand-making British watches using parts of an old war-time spitfire. Colin at the Bench Since embarking upon my career as a watchmaker I always had the ambition to be just that – a maker of watches. I was

Traditional Hand Finishing Skills – Bevelling (Part 2)

Traditional Hand Finishing Skills – Bevelling (Part 2)

This is the fifth in a series of six articles, by Maximin Chapuis, a French watchmaker, which takes a look at traditional finishing skills that are all carried out by hand. In the last TP, we saw different bevelling processes, so now I want to look at the most noble

Britain’s Best Kept Horological Secret

Britain’s Best Kept Horological Secret

The Great Clock of Westminster restored in tiny Cumbrian hamlet As the Palace of Wesminster renovations finally draw to an end after five long years and at a cost of many millions of pounds, probably one of the best kept horological secrets has finally been revealed. During the work, the

A Journey in Watchmaking by David Cottrill

A Journey in Watchmaking by David Cottrill

Starting from Scratch, Part 1 Looking back it is hard to remember that eight years ago the idea of making my own pocket watch from scratch was something bordering on the impossible. Back then an article on the BBC website had caught my eye that was to be the start

A message from the Guild President Jools Holland OBE

A message from the Guild President Jools Holland OBE

Well here we are again at the start of another new year – one which will hopefully be kinder to us all as this dreadful virus at last seems to be receding and things are slowly getting back to normal.   Firstly, as always, I would like to wish all

QEST – Funding available

QEST – Funding available

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), which is dedicated to supporting excellence in British craftsmanship, is looking to encourage more watch and clock makers to apply for funding. Since it was founded in 1990, QEST has awarded over £5million to 625 craftspeople working in areas ranging from horology to saddlery,

Apprentice News

Apprentice News

Information in Timepiece helps to keep members of the Guild abreast of apprenticeship opportunities, ideal for filling that gap in the workshop. This edition reports on the latest news about the government ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeship for watchmakers, a new initiative from the Clockmakers’ Company and ‘Kickstart’. 1. At the moment, preparations

ONLY WATCH has released its horological collection for the 2021 biennial charity auction.

ONLY WATCH has released its horological collection for the 2021 biennial charity auction.

This year will be the 9th edition of this internationally-followed event, which has so far raised more than 70 million euros. It will take place on 6 November 2021 in Geneva, and will be conducted by Christie’s. ONLY WATCH was founded by Luc Pettavino, who is President of Association Monégasque

BWCMG – BCU Prize Winner

BWCMG – BCU Prize Winner

Birmingham City University BA horology student Lewis Sorrill has won the BWCMG 2021 Prize for achieving the highest score in watch/clock servicing. Due to coronavirus restrictions the award was presented virtually by Head of Horology, Jeremy Hobbins, on behalf of Guild Chairman Paul Roberson, who joined the ceremony, along with

Traditional Hand Finishing Skills – Polishing countersinks with a bow and a pulley – Maximin Chapuis

Traditional Hand Finishing Skills – Polishing countersinks with a bow and a pulley – Maximin Chapuis

This is the first in a series of six articles, by Maximin Chapuis, a French watchmaker, which takes a look at traditional finishing skills, which are all carried out by hand. Hand finishing is very important work. Not only can it make the movement more attractive but it is also

BWCMG Prize – Double presentation to BSoW students

BWCMG Prize – Double presentation to BSoW students

Two top students at the British School of Watchmaking have won BWCMG  prizes for achieving the highest overall grade on the two courses run by the Manchester-based facility. Naïs Hamelin, received the award for her work on the 3000 hour course. She will recieve a £500 Cousins tool voucher. Krzysztof

Revolutions in Time – The Future of Precision Timekeeping – by Ray Essen

Revolutions in Time – The Future of Precision Timekeeping – by Ray Essen

The unit of time (the ‘second’) can now be measured more accurately than any other physical quantity and there has been a tenfold increase in the accuracy of the measurement of time and frequency in each decade since the end of the Second World War. None of this progress would

Saved by the Bell! – Britain’s last traditional foundry handed a Lottery lifeline

Saved by the Bell! – Britain’s last traditional foundry handed a Lottery lifeline

£5m restoration secures Loughborough Bell Foundry’s future John Taylor & Co  – the  UK’s last traditional bell foundry ­– has embarked on a £5m restoration project, thanks to Lottery funding and donations from other charities and individuals. The Taylor family settled their business in Loughborough in 1839 and moved to a

A Message from the Guild President Jools Holland OBE

A Message from the Guild President Jools Holland OBE

Firstly, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish members of the British Watch and Clock Makers’ Guild a very happy new year. Let’s hope we can put the disaster of 2020 behind us and that things will improve in 2021.  This dreadful virus has had a terrible impact on all

New trade body to support UK’s commercial watch and clock makers – The Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers

New trade body to support UK’s commercial watch and clock makers – The Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers

A new commercial trade organisation which will support and promote the British watch and clock making industry on an international level has recently been launched. A new commercial trade organisation which will support and promote the British watch and clock making industry on an international level has recently been launched.

The clockmaker apprenticeship – your trade needs you

The clockmaker apprenticeship – your trade needs you

So much has happened since I last sat down to write an update on the Clockmaker Apprenticeship ­– no-one could have predicted Coronavirus and the devasting effects it has brought. Work on the Apprenticeship has been stagnant for some months whilst, as a business, world events and lockdowns have been

The watchmaker apprenticeship – why you should employ an apprentice now

The watchmaker apprenticeship – why you should employ an apprentice now

The second cohort of apprentices will start learning at the Watchmaker Apprentice Training School (WATS) in January 2021.  From a successful start, the apprenticeship programme is beginning again after lockdown in March.  Despite the challenges of coronavirus, the apprentices were able to continue their studies of the core theory for

An epicyclic clock adventure

An epicyclic clock adventure

Part 1 – Making the Annulus Wheel I have recently graduated from Birmingham City University with a first class honours degree in Horology. I came to the course with no prior experience, but a keen interest in all things mechanical. It was an exhibition featuring George Daniels at the Science

Adding a date complication

Adding a date complication

I am a student on the BSOW traditional 3000 hour watchmaking course, class of 2018-2020, which entails the more traditional aspects of watchmaking, that aren’t as commonly taught these days. Alongside six other students, I learn micro mechanics, hand turning winding stems and balance staffs, timing hairsprings using the Luthy

CNC milling for watch and clock makers

CNC milling for watch and clock makers

In this month’s TimePiece, Frank Boswell describes how to refurbish an automatic device complete for a Rolex cal 1030. Any part reference numbers are taken from the Ebauches SA Technological Dictionary. He writes… On inspection there are three parts that require replacement. I thought the first challenge was making the

Researching the Guilds history

Researching the Guilds history

The Guild is to fund a small research project into its formation and history after it was found there was little to no information pre-1930s. Although it is known that our organisation was established by Bahne Bonniksen, of Coventry, little more has been recorded about the early days. At the

Anordain – enamelling – old crafts in new hands

Anordain – enamelling – old crafts in new hands

anOrdain, a vibrant ‘new’ Glasgow-based watchmaking business, which specialises in making enamel dials in time-honoured tradition, has just received a £60,000 grant to help them expand even further. Founder Lewis Heath opened the Scottish studio five years ago with the plan to make enamel watch dials – little did he

IWC Calibre Jones

IWC Calibre Jones

Calibre Jones watches were the first watches made by the International Watch Company (IWC) and are now around 150 years old, Figure 1. These early models were designed and produced by IWC founder, Florentine Ariosto Jones, a young American who crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Schaffhausen in 1868. Unusually this medieval

Making the VFR timer

Making the VFR timer

A functional hand-made military style chronograph – Part 1 Introduction Making watches has long been my main interest in horology and although the repair and restoration of watches has been the backbone of my workshop over  three decades, it is the creation of timepieces which has captured my interest and

A message from the Guild president Jools Holland OBE

A message from the Guild president Jools Holland OBE

Enjoy yourself … it’s later than you think! Well another year has flown by with lightening speed and, as we look forward to 2020, I would like to take this opportunity of wishing all Guild members, new and old, a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Hong Kong watch clock fair celebrates a first

Hong Kong watch clock fair celebrates a first

Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) join exhibitors at the September fair. The 38th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair (HKW&CF) opened from 3 – 7 September, 2019 in the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre on the edge of beautiful Victoria Harbour. As the biggest timepiece exhibitor in the

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