I started [watch collecting and restoration] before I worked for [D.L. Evans Bank]. … I worked at a jewelry company doing IT, and one of my best friends was the watchmaker. So, when things in the IT realm were slow, I would just go over and help him work.
The [watch restoration] process is dependent on the state of the watch. Since most of my pieces are older than 1970, with just a couple of exceptions, they are obviously not new and therefore carry with them a lot of history that can be witnessed not just in the age but also in the functioning and appearance.
I love to leave minor cosmetic issues without repair, as they are part of the character of the watch. If the case is in too bad of a condition—usually in base metal-chromed watches—I proceed to polish down the imperfections. Once the surface is back to what I consider satisfactory, I replate the case.
When I’m working on a watch … my mind walks away from IT problems, from anything else that’s going on around the world. I’m just focusing on making sure that every piece is where it needs to be and that every piece is doing what it needs to do.
