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The Watchmaker’s Art

 J.M. Syken

Course Outline

Through the viewing of two archival films produced in 1947 and 1949 (respectively) by the Hamilton Watch Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, we will gain an insight into the maker of “America’s Fine Watch” and the making of a fine watch with a mechanical movement at mid-20th Century by skilled watchmakers.

The first film highlights the origins of watch making and the Hamilton Watch Company. Design, research, development, testing, materials, quality assurance and manufacture of a fine watch are also featured. The second film demonstrates how the mechanism/s of a fine watch operate via demonstrative examples/models.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Intended Audience

This course is intended for architects, engineers and other design professionals.

Benefit to Attendees

The attendee/s will gain an intimate knowledge and insight into the history and technology of fine watch making.

Course Introduction

The course incorporates the viewing of two archival/documentary films broken down as follows;

Part 1 examines the background/history of early watch making and the place of the Hamilton Watch Company in that history at mid-20th Century (1947). Part 2 examines in depth and detail how a fine watch’s mechanical movement is designed and operates with great accuracy.

Course Content

Part 1 – The Making of a Fine Watch;
TITLE: What Makes a Fine Watch Fine? (1947)
LINK: http://archive.org/details/WhatMake1947
DURATION: 20:42
Part 2 – The Mechanism/Operation of a Fine Watch;
TITLE: How a Watch Works  (1949)
LINK:http://archive.org/details/HowaWatc1949
DURATION: 19:18

Course Summary

Fine watch making – as it existed in these United States in the middle of the last century, is a fascinating study of precision design and manufacture in the age before computers. It’s also interesting to see how ingenious was the design of the machine tools used to make the various parts of a watch and the intricate testing apparatus used to ensure the highest quality. It’s no wonder that of all American watches ever produced, an original Hamilton watch with a fine mechanical movement is considered highly desirable by collectors.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmaker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_QsCLYs2mY (Film: How a Mechanical Watch Works - 07:20)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iclecbIgN0 (Film: Japanology: Watches & Clocks - 31:12)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_QsCLYs2mY (Film: How a Mechanical Watch Works - 07:20)

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.