The Proper Names
The dial is not the face and the bow is not that round thingy.
Learn the right names of the fundamental parts of any watch.
Winding and Setting
Learn how to wind your watch and how often, and learn how to set a pendant-set watch, a lever-set watch, and a key-set watch.
How To Open It
Learn how to safely and carefully open watches with threaded and hinged covers, hunting cases, and the dreaded swingcases.
The Different Types
Learn the difference between press-fit and sunk dials, how they were constructed, and who added the characters and how.
The Different Styles
Learn the different materials involved in dial construction, including porcelain, metal, melamine, celluloid, and more.
The Mounting Choices
Learn just how watch dials were fastened to the movement, from set screws to taper pins, and which ones worked the best.
The Basics of Jeweling
Learn what jewels were made from, what they were used for, the different functions, and how and where they were mounted.
The Different Types
Learn what pallet stones and roller jewels are, where they were used, and how they controlled the rate in the escapement.
The Jewel Counts
Learn all the different jeweling arrangements and their totals, and how to determine jewel count simply by looking at a watch.
All Those Parts
Learn about balance wheels, gear train components, movement sizes, plate finishes, and the different types of layout designs.
The Gear Train
Learn about stopworks and the Geneva cross, the different types of mainsprings, hanging and motor barrels, and more.
All About Fusees
Learn about verge escapements, fusee cones, and drive chains, when they were invented, and their problems with accuracy.
Railroad Standards
Learn about isochronism, the number of adjustments on a watch, what the railroad standards were, and gear train speeds.
The Buyer's Guide
Learn where to look for quality examples, which strategies work better than others, and why doing research is so important.
What To Avoid
Learn over a dozen obvious visual tip-offs of inside and outside damage and other things to avoid when buying or trading.
Franken Watches
Learn if your watch has been dropped and the dozens of ways that it can be fixed wrong or if shortcuts have been taken.
Your Money's Worth
Learn the telltales that your family heirloom has been molested by a hobbyist sweating over his kitchen table with his pliers.
Restoration Highlights
One of Illinois's rarest watches was the 23-jewel Washington Lafayette. Only 190 were ever made.