About

Hi Kickstarters, I am a watch designer with a passion for classic cars. I visited a Good Guys car show in Jacksonville, Florida and while l was there l designed the perfect watch to accompany a long drive in a classic ‘50s American car.

When l got back to the UK l gradually turned my drawings intotechnical plans and then set about building the prototype that you see in the photos. I used a Swiss ETA mechanical movement, and a Swiss Sapphire, the rest l made myself, including the dial and leather straps from the finest leathers available.

I printed the Coastliner script logo onto the dial and added my trading style for this project which is Automatic Watch Co. I thought this sounded like a ‘50s industrial brand.

The result is a gorgeous watch which has been well received.

THE PROJECT

I want to make a proper production run of 50 Coastliner watches. To be able to do this production run properly, l really need to have some tooling made and

have the cases turned on a CNC machine. Then l can work my artistry and

finish the watches off by hand.

The watches will have a 1 year guarantee and come in a beautiful presentation box.

SPECIFICATION

- Stainless steel case, mirror polish finish

- Screw down case-back with exhibition window

- Case diameter - 40 mm

- Waterproof to 50 meters ATM

- Sapphire Crystal

- ETA 2824 - 2 self-winding mechanical movement

- Calfskin, light brown leather strap with light green lining

- Stainless steel push-button deployment clasp

- Designed in the USA, Swiss Made

PRODUCING A WATCH

I started out like most people in this industry, by taking apart old watches to see how they work. I have come a long way since then and have recently finished

my own movement design.

My Deuce watch is a good example of my work. It started out as a rough prototype in aluminium and then stainless steel, turned on my old lathe in the

UK. This lathe dates back to the 1960s and was probably designed in the '40s

but it hasn't let me down yet.

Boxford lathe

The dials are chemically milled out of brass sheet. This provides the surface textures and also cuts out the disc while keeping it completely flat. I then use my high speed micro drill (revs to 30,000 rpm) to drill out the tiny holes for the

applied numerals which have two brass pegs behind each number.

micro drill

Next up, l spray the dials to achieve the finished colour. Then l take the whole project to Switzerland. It is only one hour away from Gatwick airport to either Basle or Geneva. The way that the industry works is that most of the famous brands don't actually make all of their watch. they go to a case maker, then a movement maker, then a dial maker and so on. I probably do more work on my watches than most brands do. I have contacts at several case makers and they produce the finished cases to my specifications and plans. My dials are printed

by a specialist printer in Switzerland and then l apply the numerals by hand - a tricky process that l have mastered.

applying the numerals to the dial

I buy the ETA movements ready made. For the Deuce watch l had some straps made in Geneva, but l now make my own straps. All of the parts come together

at my friends offices in Marin-Epagnier, a village just north of Neuchatel.



Laurent's offices in Marin

watch assembly area

I have to pay 4.5% import duty on the watches when l ship them back to my

office in the UK which isn't too bad. I sometimes have watch packaging made in Switzerland and sometimes in the UK. It is price dependent really.



Here is my finished Deuce watch!