Tourneau Trains Students for Careers in Watchmaking
When the average person thinks watchmaker , they picture an older man in a white lab coat working in the mountains of Switzerland. Watch retailer Tourneau is challenging that image with a program that gives disadvantaged kids in New York City a chance at a watchmaking career. Company executives gathered recently to recognize the program's newest group of graduates.Launched last year, the Tourneau Watchmaker Program was the brainchild of Terry Irby, a soft-spoken watchmaker who manages Tourneau's service center, which is located in Long Island City in the borough of Queens, New York. Facing an ever-increasing number of watches needing service (currently about 600 per week), Irby needed to expand his staff �C not an easy task in the United States, where qualified watchmakers are in high demand.Irby's idea was simple �C partner with the Manhattan Comprehensive Night and Day School, also known as CDI, an institution that helps teens who are no longer in school get back on the right path. CD

Oris Darryl O'Young Limited Edition Watches
Watch companies do this a lot. Make an interesting watch that is closely connected with someone well known - at least well known to some people. I would say that 95% of the time I have never even heard of the person they are making the watch "in honor of." While it is true that I am not a big sports enthusiast, I should have at least heard of the people right? Popular choices for these watches are race car drivers, golfers, soccer players, etcIn the US these people are mostly unknown - at least in pop culture terms. Take for instance Darryl O'Young that this Oris watch is based on. Clearly from the images he is some type of race drive - but aside from the fact that Oris points out he drives a Porsche, I have no idea who he is, and why I should care.So am I the wrong audience for this stuff? Or do watch companies just like to connect with people that are unknown in the US. I mean I assume someone out there knows and cares who this guy is. There are always press releases from watch brand

Enjoy It!
I would first like to thank all of the AP enablers (Thomas, Dalip, Mike, Adam, Dan and the list goes on) for helping me decide to part with my funds for my first AP (all of your pics were killing me). Of course as always, I went to my ��local AD' (DavidSW) to find my new AP. Having owned Rolex for 20 years (lost count of how many have flipped, kept...well you know), last few years I really embraced Panerai (which I love), but something was always missing. I wanted to add something new to the collection, but wasn't sure just what. As usual, headed to TRF and let the madness begin on convincing myself on what I wanted . AP has been on my mind for quite a while and seems to be the next logical step for me. I have always been a believer in you get what you pay for. Thought I would start out with something ��simple', and see where the AP bug takes me . Really amazed by the quality, history and finish of AP. Ladies and gentlemen, now without further delay, I present my AP ROO Diver--(a

Nautilus strap warning
This is for those who want to order straps for Nautiluses but not from Patek, Nautilus straps have a special titanium construction, otherwise a strap without it will fall off, so the strap maker needs to destroy an original Patek strap, 490 euros, to take out the titanium construction and make a new strap with it, I went to see ABP, they told me it's hard to make so 640 euros, didn't do it as 640 plus 490 was a bit too much, will see when one of my straps is dead, but don't make a strap without the titanium piece inside, your watch will fall, a strap maker who is not honest or who has poor knowledge of Patek might say nothing or say it will be ok, I was at ABP and asked Patek and the answer is don't ever put a strap on it without this metal part, you will regret it��Here are a few pics of the straps, you see it's not just leather��P1000835.JPGP1000834.JPGP1000833.JPG

Tudor Black Bay Dark--anyone have them? Thoughts?
I have a beat up old but trusty Nixon that is black that I've worn for years, but now since I have laid eyes on the Black Bay Dark with the black metal bracelet I think I must have one...Anyone have these/thoughts on their durability?Thanks!