Mechanical Watch (2022) • Hacker News Board

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#11

Post by gilleain » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:23 PM UTC

I recently bought the book 'Watch Repair for Beginners' for reference (a project I slightly unwisely agreed to do).

It has some great diagrams, but obviously nothing on these interactive animations (er, naturally, since it is a book).

However the author (Harold C. Kelley) has descriptions for the diagrams similar to a maths proof - like "Warning lever W is raised in position to engage the pin P ... The unlocking lever U lifts the drop lever D ..." - not easy to follow, but maybe if you have the mechanism in front of you!

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#12

Post by technothrasher » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:26 PM UTC

serious_angel wrote: post #7

technothrasher wrote: post #5

I find there is something indescribably fascinating with mechanical timepieces. I'm more of a clock guy than a watch guy, though I've had plenty of watches apart, and the two disciplines merge in many places. I've learned so many new mechanical skills in my now six year journey to be able to repair these things, and to learn to repair them is to learn to make them, as you need to know how to fabricate every single pi…

Related: https://jacobandco.com/timepieces

Related I guess, but these celebrity "bling" watches are entirely the least interesting part of horology.

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#13

Post by rvz » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:27 PM UTC

(2022)

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#14

Post by kqr » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:31 PM UTC

I also recommend this demonstration from 1949, in that excellent style they used back then with large scale physical models and stop-motion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMW-QWPZEm0

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#15

Post by assimpleaspossi » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:33 PM UTC

timdiggerm wrote: post #4

It's been more than a year since his last post. Anyone know what's up?

Maybe the article is done. He did make a few blog posts since then including seven months ago.

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#16

Post by NiloCK » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:36 PM UTC

On-demand ciechanow.ski caliber articles are a pretty good AGI indicator. All the work on that site is wonderful.

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#17

Post by awongh » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:36 PM UTC

As a teacher I understand how difficult it is to explain complex topics in a simple step by step way.

The site has some really impressive technical aspects, but the educational angle is the most rare and special! The simplicity of the language and explanations disguise how difficult this is to do.

This is the original use of the internet- giving away free knowledge to people, perfectly suited for the medium of a website.

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#18

Post by josh-sematic » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:37 PM UTC

This piece made me kind of fall in love with mechanical watches. The Orient Bambino I’m currently rocking on my wrist probably wouldn’t be there without it!

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#19

Post by StrLght » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:40 PM UTC

alxgsv wrote: post #2

2022 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31261533

I got really excited thinking it was a new post for a second :(

Re: Mechanical Watch (2022)

#20

Post by WillAdams » Tue, Jun 16, 2026, 12:41 PM UTC

technothrasher wrote: post #12

serious_angel wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Related: https://jacobandco.com/timepieces

Related I guess, but these celebrity "bling" watches are entirely the least interesting part of horology.

Yeah, it's always interesting when I run into watch guys --- my father's 27-jewel Seiko is too large for my wrist, and the date wheel is broken (and I can't find anyone willing to fix it w/o a donor watch), so I wear quite modest watches such as a Timex Indiglo, or a Seiko Solar --- folks are understanding and sympathetic and almost always have stories about repairs, or watches which they are hoping to have the chance to buy.