I see more shops asking for paper credentials, but the slickest fix I know was done by a guy with no classes, so are we valuing diplomas over actual skill now?
I climbed up to an old fire lookout tower on my vacation. The way the ranger scanned the horizon made me think about how watch dials need to be readable at a glance. What everyday sights influence your work?
This old watch was running way too fast. I tried adjusting the regulator, but it kept slipping. Then I cleaned the balance cock and gave it another go, and now it's ticking just right. Feels great to fix it myself.
I was reassembling a 1920s lever escapement and used an old staking set that had a slight wobble I didn't notice. The stake slipped, marring the finely finished bridge and requiring a complete re-plating job. Back then, we relied on feel and experience with equipment that had its own quirks, unlike today's CNC precision. That moment of bad luck made me appreciate how modern tool consistency has removed so much latent risk from delicate work.