References for Complications

[NewBernWatchmaker]

Are there any good books that detail complication design and construction? De Carle's is the only thing I know of and it is limited in scope.

Thanks!

 

[Chris Radek]

Definitely Watchmaking, Daniels. It's (barely) before the computer era; he uses the "first get yourself a really big piece of paper" design technique.

 

[gmorse]

Hi NewBernWatchmaker,

Are there any good books that detail complication design and construction?

The best writing I've come across on repeaters is by Richard Watkins in Australia, who publishes his work online without charge. 'A Guide to Complicated Watches' by François Lecoultre is also worth reading if you can find a copy. Watkins has used several of his illustrations in 'The Repeater', (along with some corrections!). 'The Chronograph' by B. Humbert is good on all aspects of that species.

Regards,

Graham

 

[NewBernWatchmaker]

Watkins is actually the only thing I have found; really awesome it is a freely available .pdf. I have heard others reference the Lecoultre book but it does seem to be a rare find. I will find Humbert's book as well. I am mostly interested in repeaters, calendar/astronomical functions. Anyone have details on what Elgin's up/down looks like? I have seen a cross section diagram but some movement pictures would be great!

 

[gmorse]

Hi NewBernWatchmaker,

I have heard others reference the Lecoultre book but it does seem to be a rare find. I will find Humbert's book as well.

Have a look on bookfinder, you should find both books there. Watkins is by far the most understandable and comprehensive book on repeaters.

Regards,

Graham

 

[Dr. Jon]

Yes Steffan Pahlows book on Tourbillons in either German or English. He has also done a lot of You tube videos and he seems a very good guy. He has also written books on case making and his e book on Lorch lathes is great.

 

[Robert Gordon]

New edition of LeCoultre's A Guide to Complicated Watches is due out on August 30, 2020, Simonin catalog # 2777. Booksimonin, Spécialiste en livres d’horlogerie
75 CHF, $82.50 US as of today. Plus Shipping & Handling. You're welcome...just don't buy anything else on my wish list. I fear I have just let the cat out of the bag.

 

[Brunod]

Some bibliography (sorry for the copy and paste format), most in french, then english and a few german :

Complicated watches and their repair, Donald De Carle
automatic watches, chronograph, timers, 24 hour dials, alarm watches, calendar watches, repeaters and clock watches, independant and jumping seconds, more automatic. 1979, 174 Pages

Les montres compliquées, François Lecoultre
257 Pages

Die Reparatur komplizierter Taschenuhren, de Bruno Hillmann
Same french translated :
La réparation des montres compliquées, de Bruno Hillmann et Charles Gros
Other translator
La réparation des montres compliquées, B. Hillmann traduit par GA Berner

Etablissage et Repassage des Montres à Répétition, par John HUGUENIN
(1897). 79 pages

Watch repairing, de F. J. Garrard
CONTENTS
1.-INTRODUCTION, Description of a Watch Movement-Motive Power-The Train --Escapement and Balance-Motion Work.
2. -THE MATERIALS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF WATCHES. Steel, SoRening, Hardening, Tempering-Brass, Softening, Hardening, Tempering-Gold-Silver - German Silver- Platinum - Palladium - Aluminium Bronze - Invar-Red stuff - Diamantine -Diamond Powder -Oilstone Dust- Emery-Water-of-Ayr Stone-Chalk-Benzine-Petrol-Oil -Methylated Spirit - Turpentine - Acids-Mercury-Peg- wood-Pith-Tissue-paper-Shellac
3.-WORKSHOP, TOOLS, G Heating the Workshop - Light - Work-board -Tools - Eyeglasses.
4.-THE USE OF TOOLS Flat Filing-Pin Filing-The Use of Files-Drilling-Broaching -Cutting Screw Threads.
5.-TURNING. Using the Turns-Gravers-Methods of Cutting-Turning for Practice-The Watch Lathe-Its Appliances and Chucks- Methods cff Driving.
6.-MAKING SMALL TOOLS. Drills - Taps - Punches - Screwdrivers - Soft Soldering - Countersinks-Chamfering Tools-Joint Pusher-Oiler- Blueing Slip - Hard Soldering - Brass Tweezers.
7.-CLEANING WATCHES. Why Watches want Cleaning-Key-wind Geneva Watches- , Taking to Pieces-Cleaning-Putting together-Endshakes Oiling-Keyless Watches-Taking out of Cases-English Watches-Verge Watches-English Cylinder and Duplex Watches-Pocket Chronometers-English Keyless Watches -American Keyless Watches-General Remarks on Cleaning Watches.
8.-BARRELS, FUSEES, MAIN- SPRINGS, AND CHAINS. Broken Mainsprings - Barrels, Repairing - New Barrels - Mending Chains - Fusee Clickwork - Stopwork - Safety Pinions-Going-barrel Clickwork.
9.-DEPTHS, TRAIN WHEELS, C. Depths-Correcting Bad Depths-Worn Pivots-Polishing Pivots -Turning Pinions - Turning Pivots - Cement Chucks - Bushing Pivot Holes-Fitting New Wheel Teeth-New Pivots - Jewel Holes - Jewelling - Frames, Screws...
10.-ESCAPEMENTS.
11 Balances and hairsprings, adjusting and timing
12 Motion works, hands and dials
13 Cases
14 Keyless work
15 Causes of stoppage of watches
16 Conversions and alterations in movements
17 Marine chronometer
18 Repeating watches
18 Chronograph, calendars


With the watchmaker at the bench, de Donald De Carle

1946, 244 pages.


Essai sur les Montres à Répétitions, François Crespe.
1804


L'horloger & Tome 2 Sonneries d'horloges et de montres de Charles Poncet
Tome 1
Chapters : Généralités, les anciens appareils mesureurs du temps, principal organe des appareils modernes pour la mesure du temps, quelques notions de mécanique, Compteurs de temps, Horloges à poids moteur et à balancier rectiligne-Horloges à ressort moteur et à balancier rectiligne ou annulaire, La montre, Variétés de barillets, Force des ressorts moteurs, Accessoires de barillets, Encliquetages, Les remontoirs, Les divers systèmes de mise à l'heure

Tome 2 : 300 pages, 133 drawings
Chapters : 1 Les générateurs de sons, 2 Horloges d'appartement sonnant les heures et les demies, 3 Horloges d'appartement sonnant les heures avec répétitions ...4 Horloges d'appartement sonnant les heures et les quarts, 5 Horloges électriques, 6 Horloges d'édifice, 7 Montres à sonnerie, avec analyse des différentes pièces et variétés selon les modèles : surprise, limaçon, tout ou rien, timbres, fréquences, régulateurs...

1938, 238 pages

Traité des Sonneries, Emile James (1899)
99 pages, 59 drawings.

Repairing Repeating Watches, Hazlitt & Walker
, C. T. Etchells (1917) Chicago. 26 pages, 11 drawings.


Complicated Watches, Emanuel Seibel and Orville R. Hagans Ed. (1945)
The first of a series of papers on the repair of so-called complicated watches. First edition. 136 pp. with 152 b&w illustrations. The Roberts Publishing Co., Denver Colorado. 1945.


A History of Repeating Watches, J. H. Francis Wadsworth (1965)
, Offprint from Antiquarian Horology (originally published in parts from September 1965 to June 1966, 16 pages).


IWC Grande Complication, Manfred Fritz (1991)
, Edition Stemmle. 240 pages. Pages 142-176 and 194-201 are about the minute repeater mechanism of the IWC Grande Complication watch.


European Repeaters & Clock Watches, Book 1, Roy Ehrhardt (1993)
, Heart of America Press. ISBN 0-913902-72-1. A compilation of repeaters and clock watches found in auction catalogs over the years. 170 pages. A picture and a description of each watch is given. The watches are sorted by functions and brands.


Edit : I didn't consider Tourbillon, Karrusel nor automat in this listing, neither especially date, automatic or chrono as complication.