Re: [Leica] Leica and Watches.

[Javier Perez <japho@cunyvm.cuny.edu>]

Howdy
As a chronic tinkerer I also get a kick out of fixing old watches.
According to the guys at alt.horology, who know tons more than me,
there are very few swiss  watch companys that still make their own
movements, In fact most are made by one of 2 major swiss movement
companys ETA and Valjoux The old Omega Speedmaster has a Valjoux
I think. The new automatic one has an ETA. (or is it the other
way around?) There are also companys that specialize in cases,
main springs, wheels, hair springs, pallets, dials etcetera. These
are all produced in standard sizes and calibers so chances are
the dial or pallet from your Renis or Oris or whatever can fit on
a  tissot or Urbita. It's kind of disenchanting until you consider that
most of these companys started out making their own movements
50 or 100 years ago and had to consolidate their mfg resources
in order to stay in business. Furthermore, imagine what fixing a watch
would cost if there were 10s of thousands of different types of say
balance wheels. For a watchmaker in Switzerland making watches is
sort of like building PCs Pick your form factor and functions then pick
your movement, have your dial made for you, with your name on it of course.
Now select a standard case style or if you are big, have one of the case companys
make your own custom design. Kinda fun actually. If only cameras were like that
to some extent.
    Hamilton still produces several mechanical watches including a Khaki automatic
and a chronograph The chrono is real neat. But the movement is Swiss. In fact I
think the company is now Swiss owned. According to what I've heard,
Rolex*, Zenith** and Patek are the only major companys that still make their own
movents.
* I think the early Daytonas had Valjoux movements.
** The Zenith Rainbow Chrono is pure art and tremendously undervalued.  Get one
even if it means trading away a Thambar. To see a picture go to the follwing URL

http://www.zenithwatches.ch/r02_4724.htm

whadayathink????

Is this a watch like it oughta be or what?

Keep your Daytonas
Gimme a Zenith.

IMHO: This is what the original speedmaster should have looked like.

One of these days I'll get around to buying one, Yep.

The Zenith goes well with an M4. For the the M3 though I'de prefer something smaller

like an old Seamaster 600. A cartier Tank watch for the IIIa and a Swatch for the
R4, 5, 6 ,7
The R8 requires a huge 70s style Seiko with a zillion functions while the SL-2 does
better with
an old Submariner no-date. Unless it's a 50th anniversary model in which case a date
function
submariner is preferred particularly when German lenses are used or when traveling
outside of Europe.

Why did God give me so many hobbies...............
What am I doing up at this hour?
Bedtime
Javier

Lucian Chis wrote:

> I do agree that Swiss watches are great (my daily wear is an Omega, as is
> my father's, after his Girrard-Perregaux High Frequency crapped out), but
> since you brought this up in the local patriotism spirit, let me tell you
> that for a long time american timepieces were better made, kept better
> time and lasted longer than swiss ones. You may
> recall that for a good many years the swiss were using american made
> assembly lines as well as machinery. Sort of a reversed Bolsey situation.
> You may not admit it, in the arrogant horolegeur suisse style which turns
> the nose up at anything american in their shows, but I invite you to
> attend an american watch show in order that you get an objective opinion
> on things. The thing that most of us agree on is that Rolex is way out of
> proportions overrated in the English speaking world. Mechanics AND style
> included. But all nations have their snobs!
> Unfortunatelly, the great american names haven't put out a mechanical
> watch in ages!
> Now about swiss watches and Leica, let me tell you that the ALPA 10d I
> had reminded me a lot more of swiss watches (maybe clocks) than any Leica,
> but that's another story! Just think of the depth of field indicator on
> the 50/1.8 Kern Macro-Switar! Good lenses too, even though I prefer Leica.
>
> Lucian
>
> NO archive!
>
> On Sat, 12 Jun 1999, Christian Payot wrote:
>
> > IMHO, a swiss mechanical watch like Patek Philippe, Rolex or
> > Jaeger-Lecoultre (and some others) is exactely the same kind of product as a
> > Leica M camera. The object is (at least) as important as the function. There
> > are many watches that are cheaper, more accurate, more confortable, more
> > "up-to-date", more "automatic", but there is no better made watch.
> >
> > Reducing a watch to a jewelry is superficial and not correct. A mechanical
> > watch is much more than just a design or a function and some are marvels of
> > technology. Would you compare your Leica camera with a Cosina ? Nonsense,
> > even if both can take pictures...
> > There is the same difference between a Patek Philippe and a Timex.
> >
> > Regards.
> >
> > Christian Payot
> >
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  ----
> >
> > Bernard a icrit :
> >
> > > Watches are jewelry for men. I wouldn't want to wear the same jewelry for
> > > 45 years, just as I'd like to wear different clothes, 45 years from now.
> > > Accurate time can be had for $5, and designs are fashion-dependent.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >