And so I forlornly click on my link for Watchrap 2.0 and it repeats the same depressing message. "Watchrap is closed until further notice." And then, I always click on my saved login details, just in case, in hope....... "No access privilege groups are currently available." I guess only 'The 38' or so of us out there have even noticed or are concerned. I'm sure most have contacted TM, as I have

So what could it be? Well, having already 'done' Polaris and knowing there isn't enough space for three crowns with full compression keys; (half keys were adopted on the chronograph for this reason.)  How about they relaunch the Memovox Deep Sea Alarm? But with two changes:1 Rotating conventional diving bezel - like the current JLC diver.  Good idea.2 Ruin yet another otherwise good looking JLC

Buried down in the comments on the last Polaris article, you will find something I received this morning from 'Yves'.  I assume this to be from JLC France head Yves Meylan but who knows.....Nobody ever discredited your 2004 inspiration; it was simply not the right timing for the watch, for JLC and for the market.Your inspiration was based on a JLC watch that is part of JLC patrimony, so even if

Some of you may be familiar with the JLC watchmaking game, well it's not quite the same but, ETA now offer a fabulous training service with step by steps of taking your favourite ETA movement apart and putting it back together.  Go to ETA.CH and find the Training Centre and hit ETA SWISSL@B2892 Automatic 7750 Chronograph 6497 Manual

There are some great drawings and even a sectional view in the patent document.All looks very close to ideas from 1876 and 1889 though.Not self starting as far as I can tell and I'm still not seeing how part 13 provides shock proofing.

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Say Rolex to a non WIS and they might say Submariner or Daytona.  Say Omega and they might say Moonwatch, Speedmaster or Seamaster.  Breitling - Navitimer and so on. Most companies would kill to get this kind of identification of their brand.  Say Jaeger to most and you'll get a blank look, maybe they might just know Reverso, but that's probably about it.Rightly or wrongly 'Polaris,' at least

Can anybody make it? After many hours in the laboratory, the concept of the required mechanical oscillator is clear. We need to improve the 'Q' factor and yet preferably have a system capable of being tolerant to wrist movement. The answer lies in the form of running a low inertia balance wheel with an ultra high speed escapement. Hitherto impossible, the solution arises from the adoption of

Another year, another SIHH and Basel coming.  Debate of the relative merits and shortcomings of the new watches will rage on forums everywhere.  Watches have gained enough popularity fuelled by the internet that they are brought to people who would never otherwise have been interested.  That's great, that you'll awaken people to it and you'll also get the inevitable attention of the

I'm very pleased the somewhat bizarre symbiotic relationship between auction houses and watch houses I reported two years ago has finally hit the mainstream media. But guess what, newsflash, it's not just Patek Philippe.Speedmaster put me onto this article by the WallStreet Journal which has set alight a fire around many places. Enjoy.A pox on your houses.

Finally after months of speculation after years of lobbying and with the promise remaining unfulfilled by the intriguing new Diver range, JLC have finally announced that Polaris will be reissued for SIHH 2008. Here's hoping it wiil look something like the original.I hope they've been listening and will produce a true homage piece for this cult watch.

Hublot have announced a new watch called the Mag Bang which continues their dull theme of apeing the Royal Oak albeit without nicely aligned bezel screws. It's a big fuss because apparently alloying magnesium and aluminium together is some kind of breakthrough which Hublot have achieved. I'm not going to repeat the tedious hyperbolic press release here.Anyway rather than the fact that it's a

Old news, but I just wanted to make sure I recorded the links to this great piece of work. Tellingly a labour of love, beautiful pictures and animations give you the clearest view yet of the insides of the Speedmaster.This was completed just around the time of Jack's regrettable departure from ThePurists. It was very timely considering the unfortunately botched 50th Anniversary Series of the

Bravo Breitling. I'm not normally a fan of overpriced fashion brands, but Breitling deserve applause for this piece. They've obviously been paying attention and have produced a centre minute chronograph. Not only that, it's combined with a rotating timer bezel and a slide rule in a 200m water resistant package. Could this be the ultimate functional watch?If you want a slide rule with more than

I appreciate the trials of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control 1000 hour testing more than most having been very lucky enough to witness the facilities and meet some of the team who perform it. There is also no doubt that it was an additional influence in my decision to purchase a JLC as the test exceeded mere rate measurement including some shock testing, power reserve test, and most importantly

We've been waiting years for some real changes in watch movements involving new materials and finally, JLC have produced the lubricant free(ish) watch. A Tissot Astrolon for the 21st Century. The Extreme LAB.It is a fantastic development, but perhaps it is not quite there yet. Graphite powder in the main spring barrel seems to betray that achievement, but I am being churlish. The teflon and

But then are not all mechanical watches? Brilliant but pointless.Among the concerns I have about this piece, the main one is the obvious one. Is the claim of better timekeeping under chronograph operation achieved?The barrel and balance wheel package has to be compromised so as to include two barrels and associated chronograph gear train. This leads to a 11.5 mgcm2 balance wheel at 21600 vph (

We've all been sat on the edge of our seats for so long now waiting for a worthy JLC diver, it's hard to believe it's really here. Let's get one thing out of the way first. JLC, can you please brighten up the names a little, let's just keep the past names going shall we? Enough with the unmemorable Master Compressor Diving Pro Geo Extreme Alarm GMT Chrono or whatever, I name this ship the new

Chuck Maddox commented on my rant about Omega's 50th Speedmaster, but wanted to say so much he couldn't fit it all in! So here he is as guest columnist:"A solid gold opportunity squandered , Not that this should be any surprise...It has been clear for some time that Omega is pointing itself in a different direction than it aimed in the past. We've seen this in statements from Omega, Swatch Group

Discussed before and now the final horror is here. How can Omega have so, so, missed this once in a lifetime chance? And quite how Omega think they can put a manual wind converted 33xx in this as a 'tribute' to a spaceflight qualified ancestor is beyond comic ironic belief (version R).And you can forget this being a limited piece. You can guarantee that this movement will become serial faster