Incredible Historic Tools Collection for Watchmaking

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Today we are bringing you a very special report on a man who has been collecting and restoring incredible machines and tools used in watchmaking.
These tool may appear pretty obscure in terms of how they were used, reason why we went along with our good friend Peter Speake-Marin to get some hand on advice on their purpose and how they worked.
We were very privileged to have access to this private collection and very happy of being able to share this with you.
Enjoy the video!

[@robertling9872]

Beautiful watchmakertool collection

[@smitmachinale8281]

I am lost for words, so beautiful.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Quite something for sure 👍👍👍 thanks for the comment

[@krisoluich9119]

Outstanding! If it was two hours long, I would have watched every minute.

[@mrmichaellepp8206]

Agreed.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

In that case we might have to go back!!!! Best to you

[@sky173]

Yes! Please go back!

[@AS-cu2rd]

SAME

[@artharutunyan]

​@@WATCHESTVcom Please go back with longer version !!!!!!!!!!

[@BorisPjanic]

Phantastic video, Marc. Peter was the first person I met and spoke to when I attended Baselworld for the first time. A joy to watch this...

[@robertgoidel]

The creativity and engineering prowess of these early watchmakers are to be respected for their beauty in creating these wonderful tools.

[@kevinwillis6707]

beautiful objects, i know nothing about watchmaking, yet i was fascinated.

[@gmotionedc5412]

Wow!! This gives a whole new level of appreciation

[@xavierolle]

Absolutely masterpieces of machinery art what a stunning collection!! 😱😱😱💯💯💯💯

[@scotth6848]

Incredible! Thankfully, there are people that care about the past as much as the present. These tools being restored and there for all the world to see is wonderful! Thank you for this video!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

So happy you liked it, thanks a lot!!

[@digggert]

I really appreciate your cooperation with Mr. Speak-Marin. His project "Naked Watchmaker" already fascinates me, and your videos with him are the audiovisual icing on the cake with the usual great production value!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That is so nice to hear, thanks so much, makes us truly happy!!!

[@jjudelson]

What a gift to the world demonstrating the history of an era of amazing tool and watchmaking masters. Such and outstanding presentation and we are all indebted to the work of Andre.

[@LARSENBISQUITS]

Traditional watchmaking is in so many ways more interesting than the end product it self. Most of these tools were designed and executed with amazing care and craftsmanship to serve a single purpose. I heard about this collection a few months ago. It is a private exhibition but Peter can arrange public showings on a very small scale. I'd rather see this than the patek museum. Someone should do a beautiful coffee table size book on these with a short synopsis about them. Thank you for sharing this. I would love to see a part 2, part 3 or more. Viva watchmaking!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks so much and we could definitely produce more, there are so many other incredible ones!!!! Best to you

[@Traveler012]

Beautiful and very educational video thax!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Very welcome!

[@danial1635]

A bundle of thanks to everyone involved in making this video, and Mr André Léchot specifically for having such an amazing collection and restoring it all by himself. Collections like these deserve to be preserved and made available for future generations, along with helpful videos like this, to showcase the human ingenuity, passion and brilliant craftsmanship. It is more pertinent now, when our attention spans are decreasing and main sources of human attention are getting restricted to rather silly and uninvolved avenues.

[@TheGtech83]

I appreciate this and you both, thanks for sharing this with us

[@idleofwight1]

So frustrating. I am looking for those machines and they are all right there.

[@tempus_fugit7366]

I'm a machinist by trade and a hobbyist watchmaker. The tools and "machines" here are truly amazing. Pocket watches in most instances were the most expensive and technologically advanced devices a person could own. They could cost nearly a years wages. They were cared for and repaired when necessary because accurate time keeping was so important to daily life. This is why one can, with relative ease, acquire a fully functional pocket watch that is over 200 years old. Getting to see these tools makes me appreciate my hobby even more. I'm very grateful to Andre for his passion and hard work invested in these historic machines and tools. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

You're very welcome and I think so too that pocket watches are fantastic objects for what they represent! Best to you

[@giancarlopanaccio]

Wowowowowowo what a stunning video….. thank you to you and to Peter to explain to us the working behind this lovely machine.. we need to visit this place pleeeease i would really love to go and visit him….. pleeeaseeeeee thank you very much ! All the best

[@MSGBlair]

Excellent video and explanation of watchmaking tools of the past.

[@raduflorin6154]

This is breath taking !!! I wish in the near future , Mr Speake Marin will use these babies to produce timepieces again !! that would be like the cherry on top , in watchmaking !!

[@billcosgrave6232]

OMG do I love this channel. I have watched this video three times in a row. No kidding!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Hahaha, I love it, thanks a lot!!!!!!!

[@webvideofan]

I could listen to Peter all day. Pure class. It appears he’s wearing a Stoic Pilot... an entry level brand he’s now involved with.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That's right! Thanks for watching

[@ronmccarty7537]

Absolutely mind-blowing

[@leightodd7335]

Great man to collect and restore such wonderful history.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks for this nice comment!

[@brianbrodtke6909]

Thank You Andre for taking the time to save these machines , seeing the workmanship that goes into designing and making of these machines which are not only functional but beautiful is humbling. Thank you Peter for the explanations and the presentation and most of all Mads..you have done it again...a brilliant edition that looks at another aspect of the world of watches...

[@WATCHESTVcom]

So happy to read this nice comment, thanks so much!!!!

[@johnmoorefilm]

Marc, this video demonstrates that you really know your core audience. Utterly fascinating, I wish it was twice as long with close ups and demonstrations!

[@k.c.lejeune6613]

One word. UNBELIEVABLE!

[@FirestormAA]

Another awesome video by Marc... This is the only video online which delicate itself purely on watch making tools. Good job!!!!!!!!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Love showing the broader spectrum of watchmaking!!! Thanks for the comment

[@benjouz]

thank you for this new video, the comments and explanations of Peter are really interesting.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Very welcome and thanks!!

[@dominickcolasanto6582]

Incredible collection and Incredibly important collection without those tools none of the watches we collect and enjoy today would exist!.

[@Karsonbarnes11]

Such an incredible job restorting these tools! I'm so jealous and want all of them!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

He did an astounding job with this; no compromise, no shortcuts taken, everything is mint!!!!! Extraordinary

[@titor8017]

This was a great video. And has added to my appreciation for the craftsmanship from the past. Thank yog

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Makes us truly happy, thanks a lot!!

[@dgb6355]

Superbe mécanique, merci pour cette vidéo.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

De rien et merci de regarder nos vidéos!!

[@thomasont]

Superb watch tools collection review, for our appreciation to commemorate watch making contributions in time keeping history. Well Done.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks for understanding what we try to do, very appreciated! Best to you

[@CaskStrength777]

Go back for 4 hours and I'd pay for that on DVD. This was wonderful, my dream exactly if I won the lottery. I knew what every one of these tools were and how they were used- except for 1- the balance clamping rest for removing balance screws. Even the bow mill I knew. He picked the most common tools that many know...I would love to see him go through the whole collection for 4 hours 🥰 Thank you so much for making this, it brought me such joy to know someone else cared about these as much as me. Is his collection viewable by appointment?

[@golfpark94]

I own three simple topping tools, not as beautiful as these but indeed, a work of art in itself.

[@romanmechetnerful]

Wow, one of the best videos so far. Just one minus, it was too short. I would have liked it to be longer, much longer. Are you gonna make a second video covering more tools in more depth ? That would be awesome. As I'm new to the watch repair, I like the old tools and the work they could do. Modern machines are great, but they miss on the personal level of care when it comes to making a watch. Thank you for another great video.

[@vorticwatchcompany]

That opening just made my jaw drop. That is quite a collection and I'm pretty much speechless. Impressive stuff! IC

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Get your feeling, had the same one when I entered this incredible room for the first time (and the second time!!!). Best to you

[@charlesg1150]

This was beyond wonderful. Tank you for all of your efforts, watchmaking would not be the same without you.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That is so kind of you, thanks so much, means a lot to us!!!

[@eliopascucci4825]

Really a great video. Congratulations to M. Léchot for his incredible collection and to Mr. Speake-Marin for the passionate and clear explanation. Thank you theWatchesTV for the nth excellent proposal. Keep on this way.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That's very nice of you, thanks so much!

[@wannabecarguy]

I build tools like this for a company that produces medical products. The mechanisms seem to inspire the people who use them. The end result is everyone is rewarded. I encourage all engineers to design and build in this manner. Clever and artistic.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Indeed a nice combination!

[@johnfox4691]

Wonderful. thank you.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Very happy you liked it!! Thanks for watching

[@dominiklo9010]

Absolutely stunning collection, thank you so much for this video 👍👍

[@WATCHESTVcom]

You are most welcome and thanks for this nice comment!

[@kennethjanczak4900]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video So wonderful to see these old fantastic tools

[@lloydgarth1]

The matchless ingenuity of the Western World and in particular the engineering achievements of European watchmakers and machinists never cease to amaze me. I am very delighted by this video!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

This makes me super happy, thanks so much and so glad you liked it!

[@alexmichael7997]

Top quality and class this channel ! 👍👍👍

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Many many thanks, makes us very happy to hear this!!!

[@chetanpanchal5517]

Superb video efforts made me feel that Adreno is my hero

[@popeyewatch]

Fantastic video! Thank you very much for sharing!

[@doncouls1244]

Outstanding the best show I’ve ever seen. I think the tools are priceless love it.Thank you

[@georgeboaru5935]

Beautifull. This is the reason I work as a toolmaker, this appreciation, and value that I have admired in past generation machinery. Buil for a specification not for a price. Unfortunately, most companies are now driven by accountants and they have little care about engineering finesse. All they see is profit margins and now pride in quality.

[@billcosgrave6232]

Amen. No one cares or appreciates craftsmanship or artistry anymore. We are all loosing because of it.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Doing our share to put this forward ;) All the very best to you and thanks for watching.

[@georgeboaru5935]

@@WATCHESTVcom No, thank you Mark for your efforts to film and edit this, is a real treasure and it inspires more than you think.

[@alexp3752]

Thank you for this marvelous video! It is more than amazing the amount of craftsmanship and passion that were invested in these incredible pieces of handcrafted masterpieces. The fact remains that Swiss and German artisans are the best in the world in fine machinery design, creation, and maintenance. No other people can come close to their precision and workmanship in what I often term "The Culture of Quality". These are crafts passed down from father to son that can never be duplicated elsewhere.

[@k.c.lejeune6613]

Ahhh great to see you again Marc Andre! Been away from KZbin but glad I am back for another extraordinary video from my favourite timepiece connoisseur! Always a pleasure Marc, cheers from Kevin, Louisiana, USA

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks so much and welcome back ;)

[@galja6889]

Great and fascinating video! I cannot imagine the amount of work to restore the tools.

[@ActiveAtom]

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful lifetime of restoration Andra LeShone (sorry about your name spelling sir) you are a very passionate man, you have spent these 40 years doing a job that is priceless. We are in the Untied States and while we have been at this for 15 years to your 40 years we are proud to be made aware of you. Thanks to the expert standing with you Peter who explains these tools well and to TheWatches.tv crew for finding you. While we have many of these machines and tools like you, we just want to share that we to this day utilize many of them daily as well as we restore them along the way add new ones too often (addiction we think). Anyways Mr. LeShone (sorry again for the spelling) we honor your efforts and thank you so much for allowing the outside world in to see your wonderful work and collection.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thank you so much for this super appreciated comment and very happy to have brought this to your attention. And also truly happy to heat that you do the same!!! All the very best

[@markw951]

Very educational video and great content as always. The owner really should consider setting up a museum to publicly display and share these amazing pieces.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

He would love to, but really the entire collection to be put on display, so naturally a bit complicated to organise. Hopefully one day! Best to you

[@alanh8101]

Nice Video Marc Love it👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 Cheers Alan

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks a lot, happy you liked it!

[@ffa5153]

Fascinating, and who better than the Naked Watch Maker to take us on a tour. Simply brilliant.

[@peterhofmann8292]

Marc, Peter & Andre, thank you all for this wonderful "look back in time". As mentioned by other posters if it was longer I would still be watching. It is so fantastic to see the tools restored, and working, and have Peter explain what they were used for. Fascinating stuff!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Many thanks for this, delighted you liked it!! Best to you too

[@moshimoshi52]

Thank you for this video. As a watchmaker it was both educational and enlightening. Peter was an excellent guide and as mentioned, these are true antiques that while still functional, don’t really exist in modern watchmaking.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Very happy you liked this!!! Thanks for the comment

[@xenia5101]

Great tour and wonderful restorations, thanks. The working principles are timeless even if their application to watches is fading.🙂

[@rsitch1]

Amazing! Bob

[@steadyjumps]

I would have loved to see more of this collection. Oddly I found this video whilst searching for instructions on a Vintage watch tool I just purchased. I restore vintage watches and get vintage tools as part of lot purchases. Amazing video thanks you.

[@tommyvictorbuch6960]

Pretty much beautiful works of art in my humble opinion. Outstanding collection.

[@juniortoledo8088]

Absolutely outstanding. Great educational video. I have owned a few vintage tools including a hairspring vibrator.

[@dimitripappas4534]

Thank you so much for this wonderful video, Marc!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

You are very welcome and thanks for watching!

[@ronodowd9760]

An astounding collection of historic tools. I would love to see each one demonstrated.

[@antraciet]

André did a great job. His collection is unique.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Absolutely, fantastic job!!!

[@MelvynPettit]

Marc and Peter: Having just got in watch repairing after retiring for work. The tools used in watch making are fascinating, and this collection is beautiful. Thank you Peter for explaining the use of some of the tools. Thanks to the collector for sharing his passion and to you Marc for another great video. Keep up the excellent work you do on TheWatchesTV.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

This really makes us happy, thanks so much, highly appreciated comment! Best to you

[@AriBCantor]

What an incredible archive of mechanical treasures! Thank you for sharing and explaining. Kudos on the exceptional restoration work. Superb!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks, very appreciated!

[@yvancoissieu7390]

C'est incroyable cette collection. Certainement il a fallu des années pour la constituer et comment aller jetter certains de ces outillages ! Bravo pour les avoir récupéré c'est digne d'un musée. 🤩😍

[@chrislowe5462]

Excellent video , Stunning collection of tools , a real labor of love and Peter's explanation of there function was brilliant .

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks a lot for this

[@moesella3542]

Many thanks for preparing this great program that teaches the history of birth of watchmaking tools, when i wear a watch I give a lot of appreciation much more than just enjoy it, my special thanks to the collector and restorer of those tools " le Monsieu Andre Lechot " merci merci merci bien, je t' apprecie beaucoup. it will be nice if the producer of this program to give him enough time to express himself, he deserve to speak into the microphone even with his french, sadly it wasn't.

[@AS-cu2rd]

Great video!!!

[@bernhardwagner5749]

What a fantastic collection! In must have been an amazing amount of time to restore all this beautiful machines to this condition. On some of them I am working nearly every day, and dispite the fact that some of them are over hundred years old, their accuracy is still absolutley top. Many people who visit my workshop are thinking that I just collect them because they are beautiful to look at, but they are still great to work with!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

I'm sure they are and love the idea of them still being used!! All the very best to you and have a great day

[@sky173]

My dream workshop!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Understand why!!!!!

[@charlesfield9286]

Amazing. Wish I could like this video more than once.

[@Cougarnaut]

I only know most of those tools from my Flume 1906/07 catalog! Thankˋs a lot.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Very welcome, happy you liked it!

[@zetoch]

Encore bravo pour l’originalité et la pertinence de vos contenus.

[@rarts2000]

I'm sure everyone agrees that's why own a nice time piece is so mesmerizing if you appreciate, what is a behind the final product, very interesting video, thanks guys

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That's right, it's the full picture which is important!! Thanks a for watching and the comment

[@jacekdulikowskj1370]

This is totally crazy!

[@Anatheme-]

I see so many tools I wish I had in my workshop. I love that they're restored and preserved I also wish I could put them to use.

[@paulmiller8579]

Absolutely Fabulous......

[@bellsbooks2235]

I have a First Original Set of Watch Making Tools from my grandfather. He worked at one of the houses when he was young.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Where are you from?

[@scottyee707]

love stuff like this

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Cool, thanks a lot!

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

I'm hoping these machines make it to an horological museum eventually. A treasure for sure. ✌

[@cestluixviii7793]

Merci pour cette vidéo 👍 C'est très enrichissant. Dommage qu'on ne puisse pas le visiter.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Merci à vous et peut être que dans le futur ce serait possible, on vous tiendra au courant!

[@brucesims3228]

Fascinating video. A follow-up might be an overview of the external power sources used for such antique gems. Great job!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That's a good idea and I might know just the perfect person for this!!

[@lastwordindicator]

I could watch this kind of video all day long. Then tomorrow I'd like to see them in use with some very good in focus close-ups, because I have a lot of stuff like many of these things, but am not really sure what they all do. Save the watches and tools from the ones' that believe themselves to be (steam punk "artists"), put an end to the senseless, narcissistic destruction of these true works of art.

[@douro20]

Steffen Pahlow, a retired watchmaker from Bad Nauheim in Germany, has a good collection himself and he uses them all the time. He both restores antique timepieces and makes new ones.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Thanks for this info, always makes us happy to know that there are people still using such tools, they work great! Best to you

[@American_Made]

I love tools. I would of loved to watch someone work on parts on each of those.

[@tommyrin5969]

Absolutely fascinating! I find that last tool with the balance wheel particularly incredible. Next episode: Tools that makes watch making tools. Perhaps?

[@WATCHESTVcom]

We listen ;) All the very best to you and thanks

[@tommyrin5969]

@@WATCHESTVcom Thank you. I have come to realise that just about anything related to watch making is a wonderful topic.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

And we still have so many stories to tell and share!!!!!!!

[@joachim9043]

Da schlägt mein Uhrmacherherz höher. Herrlich 👍 👍 👍 👍

[@nicolaelascu2233]

Amaizing 😮

[@dynamicsinesdynamicsines1161]

so good...

[@Kpiotr]

An exceptional video. I'm not a tech geek per se, but Mr Speake Marin must've felt like a kid in a candy shop ;-) My favorite was the tool for pocket watch bows!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

That's totally it!!! Thanks a lot for the comment

[@melchizedekpsj]

Very fascinating!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Happy you liked it!!

[@melchizedekpsj]

@@WATCHESTVcom I did. Great not to forget about the past.

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Highly important to know where we come from!!!

[@melchizedekpsj]

@@WATCHESTVcom Indeed!

[@kolaparadise260]

we like your videos long marc dont worry!

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Ok, got you there ;)

[@josedias4664]

Beautilful machine's .

[@SubTroppo]

.""..between everything and nothing": poetry. Let us hope that this collection gets its just rewards. (By the way: blown away!)

[@WATCHESTVcom]

Fully agree with you 👍👍

[@WATCHESTVcom]

And thanks for the comment

[@tomleahy8603]

What a fantastic collection and video, thanks Peter for your detailed explanations. This collection needs to be preserved for posterity in a public museum, not least as a monument to this man's dedication in preserving these treasures. If ever you are in Waterford go to the new Irish Museum of Time where fantastic private collections of watches and clocks (mainly) are preserved and presented beautifully. How wonderful it would be to actually see these machines in operation. Just a comment on the wheels with fancy serpentine spokes. When wheels are cast it is well known that the spokes often crack as a result of contraction during the cooling process if they are strictly radial---the serpentine shape provides more flexibility and partly at least alleviates the problem. So as well as decorative, the shape may have a very practical function if the wheels were cast. You will find this technique used on cast wheels on even very humble farm machinery.