From George Washington to Herbert Hoover, every US president was known to have carried a pocketwatch. FDR, however, would be the first president to popularize the wristwatch as a valid presidential accessory. President Roosevelt was known for owning both a skeletonized minute repeater pocketwatch as well as a Tiffany & Co. Movado triple calendar watch. Minute Repeater While in Havana, President Roosevelt was given an A. Frankfeld skeletonized minute repeater pocketwatch from Dr. Boldan,.. Read More

Abraham Lincoln was known to have owned a few pocket watches in his time, but there are two in particular that seem noteworthy; a gold pocket watch and a Waltham pocket watch. Before the start of the civil war, Lincoln purchased a nice gold pocket watch from George Chatterton, a Springfield Illinois jeweler.  Though Lincoln was not outwardly vain, the fine gold watch was a symbol of his success as a.. Read More

George Washington owned a few watches in his lifetime but the most famous timepiece was his Jean-Antoine Lépine pocket watch. In a letter to Gouveneur Morris (a Founding Father) in 1788, George Washington described his need of a new watch “well executed in point of Workmanship,” and asked Morris to look for one while he was in Paris on business.  All he asked was for the watch to be gold,.. Read More

Every week I get this same phone call or email.  It goes something like this:  ” I just went swimming, or came out of the shower and now my watch is wet, or has moisture under the crystal.  The customer almost always says that they “have always worn the watch in the pool or shower” and can’t understand why all of a sudden it is wet.  At this point I.. Read More

“Do you use genuine parts during an overhaul?”  This is usually the first question that every Rolex customer asks me.  My normal answer is a bit like this:  During a basic overhaul, I should not need to replace any parts as long as the watch is in decent working condition.  If I do need parts, I try to source genuine parts ,then if they are not available,  I have good.. Read More

In this weeks post, I will compare the crown and case tube between a standard Rolex and an Omega Seamaster.  This is one of the biggest differences between the two watches and why I like the Rolex so much better than the Omega. Rolex Case Tube The Rolex case tube is a simple threaded stainless steel part with an internal gasket installed. It is the essence of simplicity, you unscrew.. Read More

This week’s blog post is going to go into a bit of detail on how I do my business, what watches that I will work on,  and why I don’t work on certain watches. First, please keep in mind that I repair watches full time as a “business”. This is not a hobby.  I graduated from the Bulova School of Watchmaking in 1977 and have worked for the past 38.. Read More

In this weeks post ,we will take a look at the date mechanisn in a  Rolex 3035 and the Omega Co-Axial.    The Omega uses an ETA type date that has been aroud for many years.  It is simple, sturdy and works great.  It is very easy to service, no hidden springs to cause trouble and is one of my favorites to repair.   The Rolex works well, but is.. Read More

In this weeks post, we will examine the differences between the train wheels and mainspring in a Rolex 3135 and an Omega Co-Axial movement. There are quite a few differences in this part of the comparison. Rolex Train Wheels First the train wheels.    On the Rolex, you will notice that the 4 train wheels are rather large and quite sturdy.  The teeth are of normal size, not too big.. Read More