New Toys…er….I mean tools
Its always exciting getting new tools. Most of the time, like today, it represents a new stage in Mk II’s development and the watches we build. While I was at Baselworld I ordered these new toys/tools from Bergeon (yes its taken more than 2 months to get them in). The toolmaker actually doesn’t take orders directly from retail customers except for once a year at the industry’s Swiss tradeshow. A few of these items are new and should provide you a hint of the kinds of watches I have in the pipeline.
Here is a pretty basic tool that is used to remove screw-pins found in bracelets and used in place of spring bars on cases. The case or bracelet is placed over the top of the tool and one end of the screw-pin is placed on top of the blade protruding from the tool. With your free hand it is safe then to unscrew the pin from the top with a screwdriver.
This should save me of having to use two screwdrivers, one from each end, and assuming the risk of stabbing myself in each hand simultaneously. This may not sound that bad but these screwdriver blades have to be kept quite sharp so that they do their job well.
This next tool I think is relatively new as I hadn’t seen it offered anywhere until recently. To be honest I am not much of a bracelet person so I haven’t really looked for this kind of tool in the past. It was designed for attaching bracelets to watch cases. By compressing the spring bar from both sides simultaneously it’s much easier to seat the final link into the case without scratching the case lugs. This is especially useful for solid-end-link bracelets that are made to fit at very tight tolerances to the case lug width. I have a plastic version of this tool made by another Swiss company that works reasonable well but never felt quite as stable as this one below should. Both are quite expensive ranging from $60 to $120.
The standard bracelet tool works fine if you own the watch but to keep it looking pristine before shipment the above tool is essential. A larger pic of the same tool:
Here is something bright and shiny…. 
It actually is really quite beautiful, especially if you have seen the previous model which was just made of cast iron painted gray. This isn’t really something that I had to have. It was more of something that I wanted to get to make my life a little easier.
I have been using a smaller tool made by Horotec that did the job very well but required changing and cleaning the tips after setting each hand. The movement also had to be manually positioned under the setter and on the movement holder. On this new tool the movement’s position is fixed precisely under the plunger and for each hand the top half of the hand setter actually swivels into position over the movement. In addition the travel for each plunger can be adjusted to stop at a set height so that hands are not pushed too far down. This particular one has one tip for a GMT hand, hour hand, minute hand and sweep seconds hand.
The next Mk II watch will be announced later this week. I hope the above was of interest.
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New toys, always nice to get.
Tim
Comment by Tim — July 10, 2007 @ 4:56 am
Hmmm. Is there a GMT in the works?
Comment by Mr.Boots — July 10, 2007 @ 5:14 am
I would LOVE to see a MKII GMT watch. Based of the Stingray of course with a 24 hour bezel insert!
Comment by Dennis — July 10, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
I’m sort of a Yao neophyte, but I do have a Seiko 007 and a Blackwater that Bill totally morphed into truly unbelievable works of art. I am also waiting to see the Sea Fighter options and if there is a GMT 2 in the works, well I may as well call my divorce attorney already…just kidding. My wife loves Bill’s work and is very supportive of my Yao obsession. I think it would be cool if we all could interact a little more, do more postings, maybe share photos of our pieces (watches, that is)
, and information. I got the idea for a black second sweep hand from a picture someone posted on this site, don’t remember exactly where… Anyway, just a thought. I just admire Bill and his work so much, and it takes me out of the mundane world of rock and roll, groupies, travel and fame, (yawn)…LOL LOL 
I can be reached through my site or straight to ppl@zahav.net.il. I know you’re going to edit this Bill, hope you don’t mind…Over and out. Ronnie
Comment by Ronnie Peterson — July 10, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
There has been some talking about a man-sized Explorer homage, but I am waiting for a Seamaster 300 homage - with a saphire crystal AND bracelet…
Comment by Pedro Marcos — July 11, 2007 @ 3:38 am