The BritishWatch &Clock Makers’Guild

TIMEPIECEThe Newsletter of the Guild

NUMB E R 7 8 ● S E P T EM B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 8

Founded 1907

President: Julian Miles Holland OBE

Clockmaking apprenticeshipgathers momentum

Supporting the Industry for more than 100 years TIMEPIECE www.bwcmg.org

A watch used by the great British hero,Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson to orches-trate the Royal Navy’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar sold for £322,000 atSotheby’s recent Treasures sale. Nowmounted in a gilt-brass carriage clockcase, this Emery pocket watch No. 1104was carried by Nelson during his finalbattle.

Daryn Schnipper, Chairman ofSotheby’s International Watch Division,said: ‘The perfect timing of the British assault at the Battle of Trafalgar was keyin the historic victory of the Royal Navyso it was a real privilege to offer thewatch that Nelson probably used to establish the timing for this decisivebattle.’www.sothebys.com

The British Watch and Clock Making Guildis fully behind plans to create a new Clockmaking Apprenticeship Scheme,which will hopefully be supported and financed by the Government.

A working party comprising varioushorological organisations and a representa-tive from the Institute of Apprenticeships,has been set up to help push the schemeforward. It met for the first time in May atthe British Horological Institute’s headquar-ters in Nottinghamshire.

It is thought the scheme will run alongsimilar lines to the new watchmaking apprenticeship scheme which has just gotthe green light from the Government.

The group created a draft standard atits second meeting in July, which it intendsto finalise and submit to the Institute byNovember. If approved, the next step willbe to create an end point assessment. It ishoped that, if successful, the scheme couldgo live by November 2019.

Topics covered by the apprenticeshipwould include basic repair and service ofclocks, health and safety, service and repairof clock movements, customer relations,record keeping and the history and evolu-tion of horology. It is currently planned tobe a two-year course.

Guild Chairman Chris Papworth said:‘We would like all the horological organi-sations to become a part of the scheme,and would ask for involvement from clock-makers and employers willing to take onan apprentice to get in touch.’

Chairman of the Working Group is RossAlcock MBHI, representing the BHI. If anyone would like more information he canbe contacted at: clockapprenticship@hotmail.com [sic]

Turning back time...

A unique collection of scientific objectsfrom ancient astronomical artefacts to mod-ern technological innovations, including ahost of important clocks, will feature in amajor new exhibition at The Science Mu-seum which starts in October and runs un-til May 2019.

A ‘Haagsche Klokje’ (1657-59) bySolomon Coster, one of the oldest pendu-lum clocks is among the collection and sitsalongside Japanese lantern clocks, an Orrery by Raingo Freres and a com-pendium table sun-dial by ChristopherSchissler, with removable plates whichdates to 1566 (see picture right).www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

A rare chronograph with a custom-madesapphire dial and dombed glass case,which started life at the School of Horology in Paris in the late 1800s, hasbeen brought to life by a British watchmaker, inspired by the Swiss. Read more on Page 4.

© Science Group Museum Group Collection

TPSept/OctA2018.qxp_Layout 1 11/08/2018 13:21 Page 1

4

Turning back time A French late 1800s movement gets anew lease of lifeAlex Photi MBHI

Liverpool watchmaker Alex Photi hasquite literally ‘turned back time’ by rebuilding a rare chronograph whichstarted life in the School of Horology, Paris,over one hundred years ago.

After deciding he wanted to work onsomething with a story to tell, he purchased an unfinished vintage move-ment and enamel dial. Now, two yearslater, the watch is complete and the resultis stunning, with a floating, flat sapphireclear dial and custom-made oversized highdome case.

He explains: ‘I had always romancedabout the idea of bringing a watch with avintage complex movement and true heritage back to life, so I was delightedwhen I found this one.’

Alex did some research and found thatthe movement was made, but not fullyfinished, by the school in the late 1800s.

The inspiration for the watch’s designcame from a number of sources.

‘I had always been inspired by threevery exclusive Swiss watch houses,’ he explained. ‘Lange & Söhne use a glassback display to showcase their hand finished decorative movements. I alsogreatly admire an exceptional one-off piecemade by Breguet, the Marie Antoinettetimepiece, which houses a clear sapphiredial showing the large handmade compli-

cated movement in a huge gold case.Bovet’s large movement and pronouncedcase design which has a pocket watch stylefeel was also an inspiration.’

Alex decided that he would incorpo-rate allthree elements in his new watchand also return the focus onto the micromechanics of a watch.

‘I feel that the watch world has man-aged to lose itself in demanding exquisitehigh cost, high value, precious metal time-pieces, so I wanted to return to the elaborate craftsmanship of the traditionalmechanical movements that first inspiredme when I embarked upon my career inwatchmaking.

With that in mind Alex designed a custom made floating flat sapphire cleardial that celebrates the handmade aesthet-ics of the vintage one-minute chronographmovement.

The clear sapphire caseback, both sapphireglasses have been UV treated to stop moisturecondensation.

The fully completed watch. The lugs contourthe wrist for comfort, which is important dueto the watch’s size and weight distribution.

The movement complete with polished/bluedscrews and temperature compensatingbalance.

The dial side half stripped down to check themovement fits into the case properly and thatthis side setting adjustment for changing thetime is correct.

The centre wheel chrono bridge undergoinga light restoration.

The movement partially stripped down with thescrews being polished/blued.

The barrel complete showing its Geneva(Maltese Cross) stop work.

Just two of the many individual chronographparts being re-finished.

TPSept/OctA2018.qxp_Layout 1 11/08/2018 13:22 Page 4

5

From an early age Alex was always interested in micro mechanicsand fascinated by the elaborate craftsmanship of the traditionalmechanical movements and how precisely parts must work together to measure a passage of time.

His career in watchmaking started in his early twenties whenhe completed the WOSTEP course (Watches of SwitzerlandTraining and Education Programme), later working as an apprentice for Watches of Switzerland, which also includedMappin and Webb, in Manchester.

He earned his MBHI having worked for companies such asTime International in Malta as a Service Workshop Manager, bringing the aftersales workshop into a profit for thefirst time.

Moving back to the UK, he worked as a freelance watch-maker for two years. During this time he was approached by awatch enthusiast to build two watches known as Alenzo StratosAlenzo (Alex & Kenzo) Stratos (Greek for Army) which houseda ETA decorative 6497 movement.

It was this watch which inspired him to start his own busi-ness, Perpetual Time, and to design his own own bespoke watch.

Alex said: ‘It was important to me to provide a personalwatchmaking service where customers receive face to face adviceabout their much-loved and sentimental timepieces.’

The company now has a large following on Instagramwhich shows over 1600 examples of work and over 360 Trust-Pilot reviews with a rating of 5 stars.

In 2014, Alex moved the business to the historic RodneyStreet in Liverpool, known for its picturesque Georgian archi-

tecture, which in turn encouraged him to create a timepiecethat brought together a modern and vintage stance through anoriginal approach.

He added: ‘I always wanted to be self employed so I couldoffer a one-on-one bespoke service to each and every client, of-fering honesty and integrity. I firmly believed that by seeing awatchmaker on an appointment basis would push up sales onservice and also potential sales on new watches. I am now inthe position to offer that service and I couldn’t be happier’Websites and Instagramperpetual-time.comperpetualtimeliverpool.co.uk@perpetual_time_ltd

About Alex

The watch also features Geneva (Maltese Cross) stop work, pin set handsetting; temperature compensating balance;and hand blued screws.

The large three piece case, which wasmade in Germany has a custom-made over-sized high dome front sapphire glass along-side a wafer thin sapphire glass displayback. The case diameter is 50mm from sideto side and the watch measures 60mm fromthe bottom to the top of the crown. Thediameter of the front sapphire glass is44mm and the case, including the domeglass, is 18mm thick.’

Alex added: ‘The watch is very largeand has a very unusual feel and presencebecause of the oversized solid steel caseand the high dome thick sapphire glass

which importantly shows the exposed vintage chronograph movement and thesapphire dial.’

Ditton, the clear sapphire case back dis-plays the full workings of the watch, whichcan be viewed when gently pressing thetop of the crown, starting the one minutechronograph. By pressing the same buttonthe chronograph will stop. Pressing thecrown a third time will bring it back tozero. The winding is very easy and by press-ing the side button plus turning the crownwill set the watch to its hour and minute.An authentic string ray watch strap com-pletes the piece.

Alex added: ‘To know that I havebrought this movement back to life andshowcased it in such an original and exceptional way feels not only important,but like a true gesture to the student whostarted this project all those years ago.’

Alex examines the completed watch.

Two more of the chronograph parts are re-finished. The work required a steady hand.

The completed watch with some of the toolsused in its restoration.

TPSept/OctA2018.qxp_Layout 1 11/08/2018 13:22 Page 5