Volker Vyskocil Independent Watch Project Update

Gary G provides a crucial update on Volker Vyskocil's independent watchmaking project, focusing on the ongoing challenges and progress in dial development. This report offers a rare glimpse into the intricate and often difficult journey of bringing a new independent timepiece to fruition, emphasizing the patience required from both the watchmaker and early buyers. Gary G's correspondence with Michael Vyskocil sheds light on the dedication and hurdles involved in achieving watchmaking perfection.

...or, more specifically, from his brother, Michael Vyskocil.

Over the past year or so, I have been corresponding with Michael approximately once each two months to check in, provide encouragement, and see what progress has been made.  The last couple of updates have focused primarily on dial development, which has apparently been not without its challenges.  The experiment with enamel dial-making seems to be on hold for now, and as it turns out some of the original dials with that lovely cream color have turned out not to be color-stable, so that specific technique cannot be used.

The most recent dial incarnation is a bit more "modern" in appearance, at least to my eye, and features a knurled look on the majority of the background of the dial.  Two finishes are currently being done: the lighter palladium and darker rhodium, with two marker types: blued steel and white gold.

Michael was kind enough to send two photos -- I have re-touched them a bit to reduce the glare caused by reflections off of the crystals, and present them here:

As you can see, these are still prototypes (among other things the markers are mismatched on the darker dial) but I think they give a good sense of what we might expect the first finished examples to look like.  I was also very interested to see what look like deployant buckles in the background!

If I were getting a white metal watch, I think I'd lean toward the darker dial.  The semi-bad news for me is that when I ordered the watch I specified a YG case (seemed to me that it was very much in keeping with the "classical" look of the piece) and I'm not sure that either of these dials will do the trick.  The original cream/eggshell dial version (which turned out not to be color stable) is pretty much exactly what I would love to have, and the good news is that Volker continues to work on developing a dial in that palette.

In any case (no pun intended), it's good to see something that looks like a cased-up watch with dial and hands!  My hope is that Michael will have further news on movement completion soon, and that some of the patient early buyers will soon be receiving their watches.  I love anticipation as much as the next guy, but for some of the very early folks on the list, it's about time!

All the best,

Gary G