Amazing wrist-worn kinetic sculptures: not your average wristwatches!

Сюжет на японском телеканале NHK

Я и Thomas Prescher

Posted by Valerii Danevych on Tuesday, June 30, 2015

I can't understand much of what is said in this video, but it hardly matters because there are some amazing works of wrist-worn kinetic art. The first half shows what looks to be wristwatches made largely of wood and perhaps bone. The second half focuses on a maker of high-end watches featuring unique uses of the tourbillon. The final products are quite different, but equally amazing.

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This mechanical watch shows the moving of the planets around the sun in miniature

Check out this unbelievable watch -- The magnificent Complication Poétique Midnight Planétarium -- which displays a tiny model of the solar system on your wrist. The watch shows representations of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The version without the diamonds will set you back $274,613 in U.S. dollars. The one with diamond is about $366,101!

An article on the watch may be viewed here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2548017/Forget-smartwatches-wear-150-000-PLANETARIUM-wrist.html#ixzz3VsKzrlM3

To learn more about this fascinating craft, I recommend Watchmaking by George Daniels. The book follows the making of the precision timekeeper, step by step, and is illustrated at each stage with line drawings and brief explanatory captions. The text is easy to follow and to not overly technical.

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Wrist watches made almost exclusively form wood? Done.

So, I've posted recently about a nice wooden wrist watch. In the more distant past I've also posted about a pocket watch with a wooden mechanism. Taking this to the next logical step, here is a wrist watch with wooden wooden works. That's right, those tiny pivots, pinions, wheels, levers, and balance wheel are all made of wood. The only non-wood part are the metal springs needed to power the movement and cause the balance wheel to oscillate. Many of the parts are made from birch and other woods such as juniper and bamboo. Some of these watches will run for a full day and and are accurate to withing five minutes a day.

These remarkable creations are the work of Valerii Danevych -- a talented Ukrainian man with no formal watchmaking experience. Granted, this achievement required a certain genius, but it should still make each us question if that the limits we place on ourselves exist only in our minds.

Here is where you can see the full article, titled Carpenter carves functioning watches entirely from wood.

[ Thanks John! ]

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Sandalwood wrist watch made from 50 hand-cut pieces

Of course, the mechanism within this watch isn't wood as it was in this amazing wood pocket watch that I posted about some time ago. However, hand-cut sandalwood does make up the the band's links, bezel, crown, case, and case back. Nearly everything you can actually see is made of real wood. Despite the fact that you can buy one of these for yourself for $139.95, no two are alike. The final appearance depends on the particular piece of sandalwood harvested from sustainable plantation-based stands grown in East Africa. The watch uses an efficient Miyota quartz movement, which provides reliable time for about two-years on one battery. Six adjustable links allow for a customized fit for a variety of wrist sizes. It also comes in a smaller lady's size.

It may not go with every item in your wardrobe, but I think this thing makes a nice fashion statement. What does it say exactly? I don't know. You tell me. I just know I like it.

Here is where you can get the The Gentleman's Sandalwood Watch.

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Exquisite Jaquet Droz watch features a complex bird automaton

First off all, note the name on this watch. Right, that's the same famous Jaquet-Droz often mentioned on this blog in the context of the amazing writing, drawing, and music-playing automata.

This amazing timepiece is what is known as a "minute repeater", meaning that it audibly chimes the hours and minutes on demand. Very hand in the dark and very complicated to pull off mechanically.

You could stop there, and I for one, would be impressed. But that's not all.

The most notable thing about this watch is that it has proper automaton within. Some automaton watches consist of a simple figure moving with the second hand. Not this one. Rather, this incredible watch features two birds tending their young in the nest. The birds move their hands and one spreads its wings. Meanwhile, the hungry chicks reach for their food and a hatchling emerges from an egg. That's a complicated automaton in any context. This is all done on the inside of a watch!

This watch comes in two varieties and can be yours for a price. It is $472,500 for the 18k red-gold version and $493,500 in 18k white gold and diamonds.

You saw it here first.

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The Watch Seller: hand-carved wood automaton by Tim Donald

Here's a new hand-carved wood automaton by artist Tim Donald. The piece depicts a somewhat suspicious street seller. When the handle is turned, the seller figure looks around to see if the coast is clear, then opens his suitcase to give you a glimpse of the "top brand" watches he's selling for a mysteriously low price. That the seller has his fingers crossed behind his back may indicate that these are not the high quality time pieces they are made out to be.

I love the details on the figure and the suitcase. The choice to put the figure in an enclosure suggests he might be tucked into some urban alleyway.

I wonder if I can get a good deal on a Vacheron Constantin Skeleton Minute Repeater (normally about $623,000 USD) or better yet a watch by Jaquet Droz himself?

See more automata by Tim Donald on his web site.

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Beginner Watchmaking: build your first watch

Feeling mechanically ambitious? OK! Well then, why not learn how to make you own watch? That should keep you out of trouble for a while. This book is aimed at readers with no prior knowledge. I may have to get this book just to see where one would start in making a watch.

From the book description:

This book will introduce you to the fascinating world of watch making. It is designed for the average person with zero knowledge of watch mechanics, building, or repair. This book will teach you some of the basics on how a watch works. It will also show you where to buy the right watch parts, how to assemble them, and how to regulate the time. Don't buy another $1000 watch when you can build one for $100.

As an added bonus, the book comes with a full color PDF file ebook for smart phone. You can learn watchmaking anywhere!

The book gets very high marks by the reviewers on amazon. See for yourself. Here's the link to the book Beginner Watchmaking: How to Build Your Very First Watch.

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Akribos 'Davinci' mechanical wrist watch

I still don't know all the much about watches. I do know that if you name something after Leonardo, pack in full of miniature gears, and make it move by mechanical means that you will get my attention. Hell, I don't even care if it tells time! (This one does, by the way, the picture is of the back of the watch.)

From the watch description:

Featuring a unique exposed-gear design, the Akribos XXIV Men's 'Davinci' Mechanical Gold Round Watch #AK406YG shows off the perfect marriage of form and function. Its skeleton dial and exhibition caseback combine to reveal engraved, gold-tone gears, which are complemented by the watch's gold-plated stainless steel case and bezel. Bright blue hour and minute hands with luminous-tips add a touch of color to unique design, and a small hand in the nine-o'clock position tracks seconds.

So, here's the other crazy thing about this watch...

List price: $749.00

Amazon's current price: $134.99

_________________________

You save: $614.01

You save 82%? Really?!? I honestly don't know, but that sure sounds good.

Here's where you can see more pictures and info for the Akribos 'Davinci' Mechanical Watch.

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Nostromo watch, inspired by the ship in Alien

We don't travel down the modern-watch road too often here on The Automata / Automaton Blog, but this one recently featured on Engadget is just too mechanically cool to pass by. The watch, called "The Nostromo", is inspired by its namesake -- the ship in the movie Alien. The exposed gears -- and everything else -- are stunning.

Here's Engadget's recent post on the Nostromo Watch.

[ Thanks Tom! ]

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Large-scale all wood "pocket" watch

Back in March of 2007, I posted about a real wooden pocket watch. The one shown here is also made of wood and also a pocket watch. The big difference is that this one isn't at pocket watch scale. It's actually 10-1/2" in diameter and 3" thick. Even so, this is a stunning demonstration of artistry and craftsmanship.

Some details on the watch:

The escape is a double-roller Swiss Lever with a half-second balance wheel. ...The escape has banking pins and a safety roller, so - like a watch - it runs in any position. You can even shake it or bang it around, and she keeps on ticking!

The balance wheel is in Teflon bushings and the escape wheel is on ball bearings. The pins on the balance wheel have small screws inside to adjust the poise. The cherry pallets are adjustable. The anchor for the "hairspring" (actually a very small clock spring) moves with an adjustment lever to regulate the watch. It keeps perfect time.

Here is a link to see more images of the wooden watch.

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Stuhrling men's automatic skeleton watch

I know: there are probably dozens of excellent blogs that talk about nothing but watches. I don't know much about them, really, but I couldn't resist sharing all the shiny miniature mechanical goodness embodied in this one made by Stuhrling.

From the watch description

A skeletonized design displays the mechanical movement, and a series of gold-tone alternating Arabic numerals and indexes bring at-a-glance precision. A deep black crocodile leather band comes equipped with a sturdy buckle-clasp closure. Other details include 41.5-millimeter case and a gold-tone stationary, stainless steel bezel. Characterized by its distinct beauty, this exquisite timepiece sets itself apart. Powered by automatic-self-winding movement, this watch is water resistant up to 165 feet.

Here's a link for more details on this automatic skeleton watch
with an extensive write up of Swiss watchmaker, Stuhrling.

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Gorgeous automaton chronograph pocket watch

Take a look the video showing all the functions of this magnificent pocket watch. Brass case, skeleton back, and animated bell-ringing figures. I am in love.

Details of this Pocket Watch
Movement: Swiss made 1/4 repeater and chronograph movement
Case Material: Brass case
Dial: Brass & Enamel
Size: 58mm round excluding the crown.
Condition: Overall in vintage condition and time keeping time, repeating function working correct.

One of many detailed photographs, this one showing the mechanism in back...

Here is the full eBay listing with a number of outstanding detail photographs of Brass cased automaton chronograph pocket watch

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John Harrison, his clocks & longitude problem

Here is a 10 minute video segment about one of my heroes -- John Harrison. Harrison was the creator of the marine chronometer which gave sailors the first reliable way to determine their longitude while at sea. People didn't trust watches and clocks as we do now and many scientists of the day sought an astronomical solution to the problem. While possible, this was extremely impractical approach to use on board a tossing ship at sea in all kinds of weather.

Harrison made a total of four marine chronometers (H1, H2, H3 and H4), each more sophisticated that the one before. Prejudice and politics kept him from receiving a large prize for solving this problem. It wasn't until he was an old man and had gotten the attention of the British king that he was officially recognized for his contributions to science, horology, and navigation.

The full story can be found in Dava Sobel's book Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time.

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Pocket watch automaton with flag waving man

This colorful mechanical pocket watch features a street-level view of the Empire State Building. A man at the base of the building holds an American flag and waves it with the rhythm of the watch. The listing doesn't say much about how old the watch is or its maker, though we do know that it is in working order.

The backplate opens to reveal the mechanical interior of the timepiece.

Here is the eBay listing with more photographs of the Pocket watch automaton with flag waving man

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The Enchanting World of Automata, Paul Spooner

Here's a Paul Spooner piece that at first glance seems to depict the most innocent of automata themes. Indeed, simple ballerinas and musicians have long been the subjects of automata.

However, automata also have a long history of more adult themes -- and sometimes in conjunction with the more respectable subjects. For example, there are many pocket watch automata that show a simple, tasteful scene on the watch face. A door on the back of the pocket watch, though, may reveal a more graphic, shall we say..."amorous"...tableaux.

Spooner tips his hat to both of these themes in the piece shown here (NSFW). With tongue firmly in cheek, he has titled it: The Enchanting World of Automata. Paul Spooner's wit is second to none in the world of contemporary automata.

See the full scope of Paul Spooner's automata at Fourteen Balls Toy Company or look into buying a piece at the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre online shop.

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Reuge Musical Alarm Pocket Watch with Automata

Take a look at this beautiful pocket watch by famed music box maker, Reuge.

This entirely mechanical pocket watch features the an alarm that uses an internal music box to play "Oh what a beautiful morning". The face of the watch also features three moving automata.

The man on the horse moves his arm up and down, the horse lowers its head to drink the water and the lady operates the pump. In a very nice bit of detail, the water itself can be seen flowing from the pump into the basin.

The watch comes with its original box and key -- a Breguet ratchet style and is used to wind up the music box. There is also a button on the back that will start and stop the music and automata.

Here is the complete eBay listing with many more nice photographs of the musical alarm pocket watch with automata by Reuge

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Pocket Watch Contains a Functioning Gun Inside

In case you missed this over at BoingBoing.net blog today, follow the link below to find about more.

Here's the post about the Antique railroad pocket watch with hidden gun.

Intriguing 19th Century Automaton Pocket Watch

With an estimated value between $4,000.00 - $6,000.00 USD, this tasteful pocket watch is described as a mid 19th Century quarter-hour automaton repeater pocket watch with male and female bell ringer figures. The listing says that the watch is probably Swiss-made and that it comes with the attached winding key.

If it is Swiss, I am a little confused by the Chinese or Japanese characters on the back side of the key (see second image on eBay). Intriguing.

The watch is being sold on eBay on May 20th, 2008. Here is the listing for the 19th Century Quarter Hour Automaton Pocket Watch.

Automaton Pocket Watch with Animated Figures

Here is a beautiful automaton pocket watch (of unknown make) on eBay:

Here is photo of the watch's skeletonized back. I like the back even better than the front.

From the eBay Listing:
"Quarter hour repeating, automaton pocket watch in the large 17 size! The early 19th century watch, which has a wonderfully skeletonized back and partially skeletonized (open escapement) dial is in a hallmarked, silver case. We have been unable to identify its tiny hallmark. The dial ring is of white porcelain. When activated this amazingly detailed automaton movement strikes 3 different mock bells by three different automated figures on its gorgeously crafted and finely detailed dial."

For you aspiring bidders out there: I'll warn you now...it's not cheap. There are many additional photos on the eBay listing that are worth seeing. I would love to know the maker of this timepiece.

Here is the eBay listing for Automaton Pocket Watch with Figures & Skeletonized Back

Amazing Pocket Watch with Wooden Movement

I have seen many nice all-wood clocks, but this was beyond my imagination...a pocket watch made entirely of wood.

I am not talking about the face or the case, but nearly all of it -- gears, escapement, ratchets.

They were apparently made in Russia around 1900. I wish I knew more about it, especially the size, type of wood, how many were made, and if it still works.

I learned of this amazing bit of artistry via a long series of links. In order of discovery they were:

BoingBoing.net to...

The Watchismo Times blog to...

Odd Watches