On the subject of unusual and different watches, this week I've been searching around for a stylish but different dress watch. I wanted something not big – and slim & elegant and this one impressed me so much it's now my very latest aquisition.
The Windmills "Threadneedle"
And this really is something different – a “ Made in England ” watch – surely something special?
Certainly the J&T Windmills Threadneedle model 10004/01 mechanical
hand wound 17 jewel adjusted movement watch looks terrific.
In fact I have to say it looks nothing short of stunning with that
special subtle gleam of a Sterling Silver case and those singular
articulated lugs and offset onion crown @ 2.
17 jewels adjusted, hand wound.
The shape of the case itself is both sophisticated and elegantly slim (7mm) with beautifully rounded and polished sides.
The description “sophisticated” suits this timepiece perfectly when one
turns it over to see a rather stylish fully decorated back which
although quite striking, also has that superb British subtlety – in that
it is totally hidden from sight to all but the wearer and owner of this
fine piece.
Decorated back with individual watch number
The original WI "Windmills" Sterling silver hallmark.
The dial is classic pocketwatch or even clock in style, so reflecting the origins of the Company it is honouring.
I particularly like the fact that it is a “wide” face and uses the
whole case width with long and dark fine shaped hour and minute hands
and a fine overhung centre sweep seconds hand. Both the minute and second hands align and meet the first inner curve of the numeral markers perfectly. The hour hand just meets perfectly the iner edge of the roman numerals, thus making a precise reading of the time assured. A simple function that many manufacturers could and should take the trouble to emulate.
Slightly elongated Roman numerals in black and a neat date aperture @6,
which is large enough to give clarity without compromising the elegance
of the whole, complete the frontage of this very stylish watch.
Note the “Made in England” on the bottom edge – something you don't see
too often these days and which I have to say, it's rather nice to see
it.
So is this Made in England indication justified?
A question which could be asked of many a Swiss Made watch and I fancy
the answer to both questions would be much the same if truth be known. To have the numenclature “made in” or “X made” is basically a matter of where, what and how. And importantly how much of the where, what and how is in the Country so defined.
Here in the UK the Trades Description Act requires certain parameters
to have been met – namely “… goods shall be deemed to have been
manufactured or produced in the country in which they last underwent a
treatment or process resulting in a substantial change”. Indeed a judication was actually made a year or so ago and these are some of the facts disclosed.
The J&T here is designed in the United Kingdom – in London. Prototypes are developed in China and subsequent samples are refined in their Essex, England facility.
The movement is sourced from Switzerland as a pure “Chablon” movement –
this is a “raw” movement set where a complete set of the components of a
watch of which all or part of the components are not assembled or
partly assembled (marketed in this form). In the case of this particular mechanical display movement the dial and hands are not included.
The chablon is subsequently engraved, tested, and the watches assembled
and quality controlled by specialist watchmakers at the Essex assembly
facility.
J&T watchmakers decorate the movement with bespoke Windmills
“plates”, which is a manually intensive task, seat the dial on the
movement and fix and set the watch hands in a careful and time consuming
proces.
Deployment engraved "Windmills"
After testing the full “casing up” (assembly) process is undertaken
where watchmakers insert the movement into the case, fit the crown to
the stem and wind the watch fully, and after a further 48-hour testing
process they approve the watch for packaging and despatch.
Also the value of components sourced abroad is only 34% of the ex-works
price, so value-wise the watch can easily be described as “Made in
England” and as I say, there are many, many so called Swiss Mades, that
would struggle to prove their heritage if challenged. So well done J&T.
Indeed the British Horological Federation (BHF) confirmed that the use
of foreign movements was common practice in the watch and clock trade,
and that labour and parts would provide substantial added value to the
final product.
So a British watch promoting British heritage, re-launched if you will
and named in honour of the revered watch and Clock making family J&T
Windmills of the 19th century. A great idea and from what I've seen so far – a very, very well finished and presented watch.
Perfect addition to my collection.
I purchased this watch from the very patriotic sounding http://www.BritishWatchCompany.com and very efficient they were too.
Placed the order and received follow up emails with order acknowledged,
payment confirmed, order process stage 1, then stage 2 confirmed –
posted. All within the space of minutes. Nice web site with a good range of watches at pretty decent prices too.
Couldn't wait to get it “on the wrist” and pleasantly surprised to find
that the strap and deployment buckle were of a sensible length and not
overlong as so many are today and with watch dimensions of 38mm diameter
and an approximately 7.5mm depth (the sapphire crystal is slightly
domed, so 7mm more like). It is therefore very slim to wear and will easily slide under any sleeve.
On the wrist - perfect!
Accuracy –
Had the watch for a little while now and on checking accuracy I
measured a gain of just 3.75 seconds per day, which is pretty darned
good.
And this was not winding it as you should at the same time each day, so
I'm expecting a slight increase in the overall accuracy as time goes
on. I'm used to quartz accuracy but this seems to me to be pretty impressive for a mechanical.
Downsides –
None is the short answer. My only slight issue is with the deployment buckle which I find a little fiddly. But I'm pretty certain this is more me than the buckle as I'm just not used to them.
I can however see the clear justification for this option as they
without doubt save wear and tear on the strap and having this supplied
as standard has to be another plus. And it is very comfortable. So more a personal preference – not a downside at all.
I forgot to mention that the watch also comes supplied with a very nice
presentation box around 12″ long in a burr walnut style with a green
baize padded interior. Large enough and with interior compartments which can easily be used as storage of cuff links and so on.
In fact I've gone and got myself a pair of black onyx and MOP sterling
silver mounted cuff links, just to celebrate and compliment my new
Joseph & Thomas. Finally – a 2 year Guarantee, instruction booklet plus a potted history of Windmills – makes this watch complete.
So it's been a “best of british day” all round….. and as for the J&T ? ….. I'm very pleased and dare I say “proud”. bekijk meer
horloge en
chopard happy sport
Blancpain - opgevat in de vroege jaren 1980 als een merk dat alleen
mechanische horloges zal maken - is al lange tijd inzet voor het
ontwerpen van horloges voor zowel vrouwen als voor mannen.
Nu echter, het merk heeft echt opgevoerd zijn creaties voor vrouwen,
het aanbieden van een prachtige nieuwe reeks van mechanische stukken die
elegantie en verfijning te brengen op de voorgrond. 
De extra bord "drie-hand" watch - aangeboden met een moeder-of-pearl
dial in wit, lichtblauw of andere tinten - beschikt over off-centered
uren en minuten om 12:00 en een retrograde 30-tweede indicatie om 6:00 . De twee-tijdmeting functies zijn van elkaar gezet met een golf van subtiel gesorteerde diamanten voor harmonisch evenwicht.
Nogmaals, de esthetiek onderstreept door mechanische dapperheid van het
merk, zoals het horloge herbergt Blancpain's nieuwe 226-delige
mechanische zelfopwindende beweging Caliber 2663SR, met een hart dat
klopt op 28.800 trillingen per uur. 
