Reply With QuoteThey are fantastic photos. And really interesting to see what goes on in some of these corners of the watch world.
There's a guy in Edinburgh who has a similar cluttered heap behind his counter.
(Miserable so and so he is n'all)
Life has allowed me to enjoy watches and photography to an accomplished level of ignorance. Strange how just speaking to a stranger can lead one down an unexpected path.
A local photographic project involved capturing the BT tower in Birmingham, an iconic structure that I have memories of from a young age. I had an image in mind that involved using my mothers 40's or early 50's mercury Ray Bans.
I spotted a young man walking towards me, thin enough for the glasses to fit, he was enjoying a smoke and I almost didn't intrude. I am very glad I did, as he gave me twenty minutes of his time and I took several images, one of which I submitted to the project.
I
I apologised to him for taking up so much of his time; he was on his way to work in the Jewellery Quarter. He worked with his father as watch and clock repairers to the trade. I have a friend who has a business in the same area as the young man, he knew my subject and gave me a history of the families involvement in the watch and clock trade in the Jewellery Quarter.
A short while later there was another photographic project, this time based on the jewellery Quarter, I immediately thought of this young man and popped in to see him.
After climbing several flights of narrow steps that opened out onto a landing with several businesses off it, I knocked on a door. I was taken aback by what I saw as I entered. I stepped into a very small room, I was separated from the majority of it by a counter which the owner had ducked under and through to his and his fathers work space. There was just enough room for two chairs, a work bench, a massive safe and wall to wall clocks hung everywhere.
It was a real insight into how small cottage industry independants had always worked in the area, I was amazed by the cramped conditions, father and son working side by side.
I have been fortunate to meet them and to see how they work on a daily basis, and have done so for decades. They are well respected and known in the area, and I am very grateful to them for restoring my grandfathers wall clock for my parents. The work was very well done and gratefully received.
Here are a few more images of the son at work.
/
A bit of a long story, but thank you for listening. I hope to inherit my grandfathers clock, now in wonderful working order that never fails to chime when I am on the phone to my folks.
Nigel
They are fantastic photos. And really interesting to see what goes on in some of these corners of the watch world.
There's a guy in Edinburgh who has a similar cluttered heap behind his counter.
(Miserable so and so he is n'all)
Great post, thanks for sharing.
Sent from my E5823 using TZ-UK mobile app
Fantastic post, great images. Skills a plenty.
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Wow I can't believe how little room is left of that work bench... I need a little more than that when I work on a watch. Very nice photos and very nice story as well!
Thanks for sharing the story behind the great photograph. It makes it all the more special.
Fantastic to see, watch and clock repairing and servicing has traditionally been a cottage industry whether here in the UK, the US or Europe. It highlights just how divorced from it’s roots the Swiss industry has become with its restriction of the supply of parts to independents. Thanks for posting.
It was a leap of faith to trust him with my mothers quite valuable sunglasses .A considerably younger man than me, and yet he gave his time happily, was interested in what I was doing and to walk and talk with him was a good moment. To find that we had a close connection and to find out what he battles with on a daily basis and yet work as hard as he does was humbling.
I wish I had made more of the chance to photograph his workplace as it is not easy to see how it will survive.
Yes indeed, he had to fabricate several parts to restore our clock.Originally Posted by Thewatchbloke
Wow, excellent pics and story.....thanks for sharing.
Nice set of pix- did you get one of the gent working amongst the 'clutter'?
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
My father spent some time in the Gun Quarter. I have a lot of respect for anyone who can do this kind of intricate manual work!
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
[QUOTE=Ogdensnut;4559648]Nice set of pix- did you get one of the gent working amongst the 'clutter'?
No unfortunately not, but I did take this at a nearby workshop, equally cluttered!
Great story and pictures, thanks for posting. I admire any photographer who gets to know their subject. I have a pocket watch that my wife bought me 35 years ago from the Jewellery quarter when we lived in Birmingham. I had no idea that workshops like this still existed.
Chapeau for the excellent post! To use the famous quote, may those artisans live long and prosper.
Great write up and images Nigel, thanks for sharing.
F.T.F.A.
Marvellous pictures and story - thanks!
What a great story, and good to know such places still operating well. Great images too, the monochrome and low saturation works a treat!
Thanks again for the replies and comments.
Being allowed into some of the premises was a real treat, a bit like stepping into a living museum. The work stations are fashioned from the years of artisans endeavours to create or repair. Often I saw flexible trays attached to the edges of the benches, used to channel all the precious metal shavings, so nothing is lost.
My dear friend, working doing such repairs in his family jewellers, works without such a catchment system. Instead they have a thick rug under the bench which is weighed in and replaced each Christmas, the proceeds go towards the staff bonus.
A small world it is too. We met our friend and his family in France while camping on our return from the Alps. Our girls made friends as three year olds almost a decade ago, we now see them almost every month for a dog walk or holiday.
The small world bit is the fact that they have been making and repairing jewellery for our relatives for over half a century.
Cracking post and great photos!!
mike
Thank you for posting the photo essay; it tells a great story. I was instantly put in mind of the kiosk in Piccadilly Circus that Shaun works out of; it does make me wonder what they do when they lose a spring or a screw. It's a world away from the sterile workshops you see on the Glashütte factory visit.
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
Thanks for taking the time to post that. Interesting to see ‘behind the scenes’ of a UK watch maker.
Do you have a website/Flickr or something? I'd be interested to see your other work.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
[QUOTE=Ogdensnut;4559838]Do you have a website/Flickr or something? I'd be interested to see your other work.
My Flickr link is https://www.flickr.com/photos/75046743@N05/
I think if you click on any of the pics in this thread then you should be taken to my photo stream or album.
Thanks
Nigel
[QUOTE=tempfort;4559984]Brilliant thanks!Do you have a website/Flickr or something? I'd be interested to see your other work.
My Flickr link is https://www.flickr.com/photos/75046743@N05/
I think if you click on any of the pics in this thread then you should be taken to my photo stream or album.
Thanks
Nigel
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Lovely pics Nigel thank you
i have to to ask about that mini, if I may, if I don't someone will.
If you mean this one...Lovely pics Nigel thank you
i have to to ask about that mini, if I may, if I don't someone will.
Downton Sport 40
I will always regret selling it. Originally one of four and now one of three. The only car I have owned where people have chased and followed me, offering good money to buy it.
Haha brilliant!! The being chased with ££££
A really nice story, and some great pictures.
Thank you for posting.
Best post on here in weeks.
Thank You.
Thank you very much for sharing, as many have already said excellent photography and nicely written. Cheers.
Great place the Jewellery Quarter. It's full of buildings like you describe, steep staircase and then lots of little workshops at the top. The brother of one of my friends works out of one as a jeweller.
He made a diamond ring for me a few years back for my wife and as part of the process I went to see him to pick the diamond.
Sitting in his tiny workshop he picks up a very large diamond with some tweezers and asks me if I want to take a look myself. Glancing down at the bare floor boards of the workshop with all their gaps I declined his kind offer! Steady hands is not something I was blessed with.
OP, can you let me know the name of the business? I've got a pocket watch that needs some attention. You can PM me if you prefer.
That's an interesting spread of ISO, f* and shutter speeds you used there Nigel. The K5 handles the higher (to me) ISOs very well.
Adding one more message of thanks for the thread - fascinating that these workshops are still around and great photos!
As a photographer myself I really appreciate your images and can see the element of trust between yourself and subject to capture the atmosphere that is missing from so many set up/ contrived images..
For photographs like yours I really enjoy using my Fuji X100, the fixed 35mm f2.0 combined with a small camera is perfect.
Never thought Jack Sparrow would have been a watch maker though.. Savvy..
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Really enjoyed that
Thanks!
Great story, lovely insight.
Great post and photos Nigel. I was at the classic car show on Sunday, the price of those minis! (Sorry).
Thanks again for all the comments. Hi Maris, hope you enjoyed the show, any pics?
Posting Permissions
