Many old vintage watches—especially military watches—have gold or white-ish colored paint on their hands or the numbers on their dials. This paint could potentially be made of a phosphorescent compound mixed with radium. This compound would cause the hands/numbers to glow in the dark. This type of mixture was often chosen over others because of the superiority of its glow and longevity. Unlike any other glow-in-the-dark paints, the radium-mixed paint.. Read More

Most individuals within the watch collecting community will associate a ticking seconds hand with a battery powered quartz movement, but there’s also a less common mechanical complication that also ticks – deadbeat seconds. During a five-year period in the 1950s, Rolex actually manufactured a mechanical watch with this ticking seconds hand called the “Tru-Beat.” The complication worked similar to older pendulum clocks that made use of anchor escapements; essentially, the.. Read More

2020 was a great, but different, year at the Watch Shop. I thought to start off the new year, I should go over a few of the highs and the lows that happened in 2020.   I had the opportunity to work on some beautiful watches and also had quite a few “basket cases” show up at the shop. The last year was a good one for my blog posts… Read More

In the watch world, there are many different styles, brands and types of timepieces. This week, we’re going to look at chronograph and chronometers. The chronograph translated literally means “time writer” — a mix of the Greek word “chromos,” meaning time and “graph,” meaning writing. A chronograph is a specific type of watch that is used as stopwatch combined with a display watch. A basic chronograph has an independent sweep second hand. It can be started, stopped and.. Read More

Are Rolex watches anything like Ford pickup trucks? My thinking is simple: People buy a very expensive Rolex (anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000) and then they proceed to wear it swimming, gardening, and just literally “beat the heck” out of it. On the other hand, people buy a very expensive truck that is made as a work vehicle and designed to stand the rigors of off road trails etc, and.. Read More

It was the goal of many people to come out of the nationwide quarantine having learned a new skill or somehow bettering themselves. That’s not unlike what happens to watches when they visit the Watch Doctor. They come in the mail looking less than stellar – but, by the time they leave? Well, just take a look for yourself with some of these before and after photos! Bulova Self-Winding Watch.. Read More

Shock Resistance is a fairly recent term in the world of watches. As more and more people are leading active lifestyles, watch brands are going to great lengths to create timepieces that are resistant to damage when dropped or when subjected to stringent and constant motion The balance wheel is one of the most critical parts of a mechanical watch. The balance and hairspring are the parts that regulate the watch and.. Read More

Last week we talked about the differences between a Hamilton 992 and 992b movement. This week we will show the different case and dial styles available for these models. Below are listed a few of the many case and dial options that were available for these fine watches. Hamilton Cases Dial Lettering Styles Dial Styles Hamilton 992 Enamel Dial on the Left, and The 992B Melamine Dial on the Right.. Read More

The Speidel company dates back more than 115 years.  The company is known for its ratchet-buckle watchbands, scissor-action expansion bands and ladies’ Mignon bands, as well as costume jewelry.  In addition to watchbands, Speidel produces watches, lighters, writing instruments, small jewelry and accessories.  Though Speidel was very famous as an identification bracelet maker, the company is still best known as the manufacturer of the Twist-O-Flex watchband. Introduced  in 1959, the Twist-O-Flex.. Read More