A Touch of Gold: The Allure of A. Lange & Söhne's Screwed Gold Chatons
The intricate world of watchmaking holds a treasure trove of details unseen by the naked eye. Today, we delve into the fascinating realm of A. Lange & Söhne's screwed gold chatons.
**𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲?**
Imagine tiny golden cups holding precious rubies. These are chatons, serving as bushings for the jewels that minimize friction in a watch's movement. Historically, chatons also played a crucial role in adjusting the vertical play of wheels and pinions.
**𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝**
While most watches today use simpler methods, A. Lange & Söhne continues the legacy of screwed gold chatons. This meticulous process involves hand-polishing each chaton and its screws, followed by meticulously heating them to achieve a uniform, mesmerizing blue hue.
**𝐀 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲**
The sheer amount of time and craftsmanship invested in these gold chatons speaks volumes about the dedication to detail and enduring traditions that define A. Lange & Söhne. Finding screwed gold chatons is a telltale sign of a truly exceptional timepiece.
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I have a Waltham Riverside with
chatons, I "think" they are gold. Just did a Google search, seems to be the case.
I have a Waltham Riverside with
chatons, I "think" they are gold. Just did a Google search, seems to be the case.
very nice bro, it's the pocket watch right?
very nice bro, it's the pocket watch right?
Yes
@skydave First of all, I'm impressed by the craftsmanship and intricate detail that goes into ALS's movements. To me, it's a true art form.
Whether it's considered a positive or negative aspect depends entirely on your perspective. As i mentioned, I have a strong preference for traditional, handcrafted techniques, which makes ALS's work particularly appealing to me.
P/s: Yes, English is my 2nd language and i using AI to correct my grammars and ask it to make what i wrote better so... 🙄 (This reply also using AI)
Yes
I love pocket watches too 👍
I love pocket watches too 👍
Beautiful 😍
I'll add a bit of detail:
Back in the day jewel bearings were set into bridges and mainplate like gemstones. Meaning they were in a fixed, unmovable postion and the vertical play of the wheels was adjusted by producing the shafts at a certain length and shortening individually them to fit under the bridge.
Screwed chatons brought some distinct technical advantages:
Setting a gem in gold is easier than in brass because it is softer.
Replacing broken or otherwise damaged stones is easier because you can just replace the entire chaton rather than having to "unset" the stone and set a new one which is always messy.
Vertical play can be adjusted by either manually milling down the step in the bridge on which the chaton rests or grinding down the chaton itself, depending on how it's constructed. Making the adjustment much easier to do.
NNowadays screwed chatons bring really no advantage other than looks since jewels are not set but, due to much higher precision in manufacturing, pressed into the bridges and they can be moved up or down without adding or removing material to adjust vertical play
I'll add a bit of detail:
Back in the day jewel bearings were set into bridges and mainplate like gemstones. Meaning they were in a fixed, unmovable postion and the vertical play of the wheels was adjusted by producing the shafts at a certain length and shortening individually them to fit under the bridge.
Screwed chatons brought some distinct technical advantages:
Setting a gem in gold is easier than in brass because it is softer.
Replacing broken or otherwise damaged stones is easier because you can just replace the entire chaton rather than having to "unset" the stone and set a new one which is always messy.
Vertical play can be adjusted by either manually milling down the step in the bridge on which the chaton rests or grinding down the chaton itself, depending on how it's constructed. Making the adjustment much easier to do.
NNowadays screwed chatons bring really no advantage other than looks since jewels are not set but, due to much higher precision in manufacturing, pressed into the bridges and they can be moved up or down without adding or removing material to adjust vertical play
Awesome, that’s very useful information. Thank you so much for sharing 🙏🙏🙏