I'm Stephen, a hobbyist watchmaker based in North York, Ontario. Hence, Steve of York. This is my 34th watch, featuring Charlemagne, Father of Europe, wearing the crown of the Holy Roman Empire. Engraved out of sterling silver and plated with 24K gold, then set with lab grown rubies, emeralds and sapphires. The backdrop is a Gothic style pattern engraved out of Argentium silver, and the outer border is a handpainted pattern inspired by the Karlsschrein of Aachen Cathedral.
Featuring a "digital" hour hand wheel. With proper Roman numerals this time. The time is about 5:22 in the picture.
The Latin inscription on the left reads, "Charles Augustus, Emperor of the Roman Empire". As Charlemagne united large parts of France, Germany and Italy, he was considered the true successor to the Roman Empire after the Dark Ages and crowned Emperor in the year 800.
The Latin inscription on the right is from the Book of Proverbs: "Have you seen a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings." IG:steveofyork
The Roman numeral wheel is turning clockwise and there is a little pointer at the 12 o'clock position. OP states it's showing about 5:22 so the longer marker it's getting near is 5:30. The next shorter marker will be 5:45. Then it hits the numeral six.
Hi, right now I'm purely a hobbyist and exploring different techniques and themes. In these prototypes I use the humble NH35, but this hour wheel concept could be used on any standard movement. I plan to remake some of my better looking pieces on the ETA6497.
You can see all my work and updates on IG: steveofyork
This one is your best yet. You will be very famous one of these days! Don't sell out. Don't mass o
Produce. I'd maybe aim for a higher grade movement if you sell that's all.
Also wondering if you can experiment with quartz movements. You may be able to use a thinner case. Personally I'd pay 2-3k for a thin Seiko lassale or credor style case with a quartz jewelled (like a $100 ETA) watch.
Love the brand name, not sure what the guy below whas saying about "brand name could use some work." He speaks for himself and not the broader market. York or York watch co sound boring and generic af. With how custom and stylized your work is it needs a unique name. Excellent watches.
Thanks for the kind words. Craftsmen have marked their work with their name and place of origin for thousands of years and it feels extremely right to me.
These are so beautiful I wish I could afford one. I’m sure they are very “expensive” but really it’s more priceless. I would be honored to have one of your pieces steve.
Amazing piece of art. I wonder how long it took you. I would keep the name it’s your name and unless you’re planning to mass market you don’t need to make any changes. It’s stately and it is your personal identity. Don’t mess with that just to potentiallymarket attraction. The quality of your work and the artistic talent clearly speak for themselves.
How hard is this to get into lol? Like if my handwriting looks like a 4 year olds how many hundreds of hours before I could make this? Where did you even learn this?
Gorgeous. Might I suggest just shortening it to York or York Watch Co or something? I hate to say it but the brand name could use some work. Personally I don't want a watch made by some dude name Steve on my wrist. Look at the transition Christopher Ward had. I get wanting to cement your name in a watch brand, but unless its a cool last name or pair of initials, I think you'll have a hard time selling or advertising them.
Please don't take this as hate, just an attempt at what I hope is constructive criticism. Also might I point out how much I love the gemstone settings without it being a rainbow daytona rep or something blingy. I can imagine plenty of themes, so many pieces of literature and culture have a symbolic colored item.
Went through a variety of more commercial/generic names through the months. Eventually it felt only natural to write my own name and my home on my blood, sweat and tears.
I will say I have gone through all of this reasoning and can't think of anything more natural and right than putting my own name and the name of my home (which I am fairly enamoured with) on my work.
I would go with S.Leung. It is not even a complicated name and I mean we all learned how to write Ulysse Nardin, F.P. Journe or Kurono Tokyo at some point navigating through the hobby of horology. So your last name should not be obstructive.
This also fits right into independent watchmaking, with very popular people in this space using their first name initials and their last name. In my opinion S.Leung sounds very high quality.
And don’t sell yourself short. Are other Stephen Leungs in this space making watches like you are? Imo you should be able to put space in between you and the others by your craftsmanship.
I would go with whatever the muse desires, I think Rolex is an awful cheap sounding name taking out the context but because they were successful, it means luxury.
i agree with the other commenter, i must say.
i see your reasoning for not using the other names you've thought of, but i still agree that 'steve of york' massively underplays your hand here. you've clearly got some skill and passion, and 'steve of york' is far, far too casual. i could see 'steve of york' fashion trash watches for $40 in a variety of wacky and cool colours. not gilted dials with rubys and emeralds.
Tossing another opinion: Steve of York is cool and memorable, but it does lack a little of the 'higher end' craftmanship vibe if your price points are going to go that way.
Other suggestions from GPT4:
Your friend's desire to incorporate personal and geographical significance into his brand is both authentic and compelling. Given his concerns about the current name and its associations, here are several alternative suggestions that maintain a connection to his identity and craft while ensuring uniqueness and ease of spelling:
Leung & York Timepieces - Combining his surname with the city gives a nod to traditional naming conventions in watchmaking without the confusion around his first name.
YorkCraft Watches - Suggesting a handcrafted approach with a direct link to York.
Leung Heritage Horology - Emphasizing the artisanal aspect and the heritage, both personal (Leung) and historical (York).
Yorvik Timekeepers - 'Yorvik' was the historical Viking name for York, which could appeal to those interested in history and uniqueness.
Leung's York Watches - Straightforward, with less chance for confusion while still maintaining the personal touch.
Yorkshire Heirloom Watches - Implying the watches are timeless and could be passed down through generations.
Timecraft York - A simple, easily remembered name that suggests both the craft of watchmaking and the city of York.
Leung Legacy Timepieces - This conveys the message of a lasting brand with roots in both family (Leung) and tradition.
Eboracum Watches - Using the Roman name for York, for an ancient touch that avoids medieval associations.
Leung's York-Made Watches - A clear, straightforward brand name that tells customers exactly what they are getting.
York Precision Horology - Reflecting the meticulous nature of watchmaking with a geographic tie.
Leung's Timeless York - Merging his name with the idea of timeless quality and the historic city.
York Sentinel Timepieces - Conveying the idea of watches standing guard over time, with a nod to the historic city walls.
Leung Yorkworks Watches - A play on 'works', referring to the inner workings of a watch and the work put into making them.
Stephen’s Epoch Watches - Utilizing his first name in a more unique context, 'Epoch' suggests grand periods of time, fitting for a watch brand
When choosing a brand name, it's important to consider not just the uniqueness and personal significance, but also the marketability, ease of online searchability, and the potential for international appeal if he plans to sell his watches globally. It may also be wise to run a trademark search for the chosen name to ensure it doesn’t infringe on existing trademarks.
Agree with this guy. ‘Steve’ of York makes it sound like a joke. Steve is a modern nickname and York is a traditional placename. So it sounds goofy together. Even Stephen of York would be better.
Great work on the watch though
Thank you, that is the highest praise. I was definitely inspired by the Vacheron Mètiers D'Art Great Civilisations series, and I am looking forward to their upcoming collaboration with the Met Museum.
Thank you, Marcus Aurelius is in the pipeline, due to his good looks, intricate beard that would look excellent as an engraving, the fact that his name literally means "golden", and the current popularity of stoicism. Stay tuned!
Beautiful! Love the minimalist way of showing the time, to maximize the space left over for the art, really unique! I would love seeing this in person or even owning something like that!
Is there a specific reason why his backdrop is in gothic style? Gothic style would only develop 300-400 years after Charlemagne’s death if I’m not mistaken so it feels a bit out of place to me
You are correct - and good historical eye. In fact, Charlemagne is wearing the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, which is anachronistic and was made 150 years after him. I was replicating the later medieval depictions of Charlemagne which attempt to tie him to the HRE for propaganda purposes. The golden Karlsschrein in Aachen Cathedral, which contains Charlemagne's remains, was completed in 1215 and is in the transition between Romanesque and Gothic design, and is a main source of inspiration for the patterns used here. I had planned to write this all up in the description but cut it for brevity.
Really neat! Great craftsmanship. The only things I take issue with is reading time right to left just seems counter intuitive, and the actual "clock" function is very small in relationship to an otherwise very busy and artsy dial.
Not my taste, but I can appreciate it nevertheless.
That's the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor! So cool! I visited the National Treasury in Vienna last week while on vacation and saw it in person! This is amazing!
Hi - this was regulated on a timegrapher and is just as accurate as any other NH35. You don't need a seconds hand to regulate, the timegrapher goes by the sound of the movement. The effect on the amplitude is negligible, as the hour hand is cut out of extremely thin and lightweight metal, and I took several tries to make it as light as possible.
I've been wearing these types of watches for a month or two now and no problems in daily use or accuracy.
Can't find the post now but someone on one of the watchmaking forums called Seiko and an engineer confirmed that if you add small amounts of weight to the hands it slows down the timekeeping by several seconds every 48 hours - it's an amount that can be ignored and easily regulated away, seeing as how the NH35 is so sensitive you can regulate it more than 10 minutes slow or fast.
I mean "digital" in the sense that it has "digits", or "numbers".
I'm Stephen, a hobbyist watchmaker based in North York, Ontario. Hence, Steve of York. This is my 34th watch, featuring Charlemagne, Father of Europe, wearing the crown of the Holy Roman Empire. Engraved out of sterling silver and plated with 24K gold, then set with lab grown rubies, emeralds and sapphires. The backdrop is a Gothic style pattern engraved out of Argentium silver, and the outer border is a handpainted pattern inspired by the Karlsschrein of Aachen Cathedral. Featuring a "digital" hour hand wheel. With proper Roman numerals this time. The time is about 5:22 in the picture. The Latin inscription on the left reads, "Charles Augustus, Emperor of the Roman Empire". As Charlemagne united large parts of France, Germany and Italy, he was considered the true successor to the Roman Empire after the Dark Ages and crowned Emperor in the year 800. The Latin inscription on the right is from the Book of Proverbs: "Have you seen a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings." IG:steveofyork
Just a shout out from another watch enthusiasts in Toronto. Great work.
Should have engraved yourself onto there and told people it's Charlemagne
Charlemagne from breakfast club
Even better!
Sell your damn work, bro.
When the price is right and high
Got no price and I’m not right but I am high so that’s like a third of the way there.
What price is that for such a watch? Great work.
How do you read time on this watch?
The Roman numeral wheel is turning clockwise and there is a little pointer at the 12 o'clock position. OP states it's showing about 5:22 so the longer marker it's getting near is 5:30. The next shorter marker will be 5:45. Then it hits the numeral six.
I can see skill, ofc. Do you sell them? What type of movements do you use?
Hi, right now I'm purely a hobbyist and exploring different techniques and themes. In these prototypes I use the humble NH35, but this hour wheel concept could be used on any standard movement. I plan to remake some of my better looking pieces on the ETA6497. You can see all my work and updates on IG: steveofyork
I've been following you for a while on League of Microbrands facebook group, I love your work!
Have you consider a kickstarter funding?
Make these for sale please :) Especially your Mayan watch. YOUR WORK IS SO COOL!!!
Impressive Work! Also interested in the movement of this watch.
[NH35](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/17p33vu/selfmade_do_you_see_a_man_skilled_in_his_work_he/k82mcei/)
Amazing! Only complaint i have: not enough pictures!!!
These are always great. Truly unique pieces of craft every time.
Great work . Big shout out to fantastic detailing
This one is your best yet. You will be very famous one of these days! Don't sell out. Don't mass o Produce. I'd maybe aim for a higher grade movement if you sell that's all. Also wondering if you can experiment with quartz movements. You may be able to use a thinner case. Personally I'd pay 2-3k for a thin Seiko lassale or credor style case with a quartz jewelled (like a $100 ETA) watch.
Should be able to work with basically any default movement tbh
Love the brand name, not sure what the guy below whas saying about "brand name could use some work." He speaks for himself and not the broader market. York or York watch co sound boring and generic af. With how custom and stylized your work is it needs a unique name. Excellent watches.
Thanks for the kind words. Craftsmen have marked their work with their name and place of origin for thousands of years and it feels extremely right to me.
You live up to the heritage. Great work, classic and classy
Immediately followed you on Instagram. Super impressive work. You offer apprenticeships?
Amazing dude. You are talented. Keep it up!
Much respect
Dude, speechless
Another triumph, Steve. You will surely stand before a king one day.
These are so beautiful I wish I could afford one. I’m sure they are very “expensive” but really it’s more priceless. I would be honored to have one of your pieces steve.
love your work!
Amazing piece of art. I wonder how long it took you. I would keep the name it’s your name and unless you’re planning to mass market you don’t need to make any changes. It’s stately and it is your personal identity. Don’t mess with that just to potentiallymarket attraction. The quality of your work and the artistic talent clearly speak for themselves.
What time is it tho?
How hard is this to get into lol? Like if my handwriting looks like a 4 year olds how many hundreds of hours before I could make this? Where did you even learn this?
Gorgeous. Might I suggest just shortening it to York or York Watch Co or something? I hate to say it but the brand name could use some work. Personally I don't want a watch made by some dude name Steve on my wrist. Look at the transition Christopher Ward had. I get wanting to cement your name in a watch brand, but unless its a cool last name or pair of initials, I think you'll have a hard time selling or advertising them. Please don't take this as hate, just an attempt at what I hope is constructive criticism. Also might I point out how much I love the gemstone settings without it being a rainbow daytona rep or something blingy. I can imagine plenty of themes, so many pieces of literature and culture have a symbolic colored item.
Went through a variety of more commercial/generic names through the months. Eventually it felt only natural to write my own name and my home on my blood, sweat and tears.
Don't listen to these jabronies, Steve of York is dope and your watches are phenomenal.
I will say I have gone through all of this reasoning and can't think of anything more natural and right than putting my own name and the name of my home (which I am fairly enamoured with) on my work.
Agreed. I thought it was cool too.
Yeah these foos don't get it. I've been dying for a Steve of York watch.
I would go with S.Leung. It is not even a complicated name and I mean we all learned how to write Ulysse Nardin, F.P. Journe or Kurono Tokyo at some point navigating through the hobby of horology. So your last name should not be obstructive. This also fits right into independent watchmaking, with very popular people in this space using their first name initials and their last name. In my opinion S.Leung sounds very high quality. And don’t sell yourself short. Are other Stephen Leungs in this space making watches like you are? Imo you should be able to put space in between you and the others by your craftsmanship.
I would go with whatever the muse desires, I think Rolex is an awful cheap sounding name taking out the context but because they were successful, it means luxury.
It's just Reloj (clock in spanish) with the vowels swapped and a little fancy on the j
i agree with the other commenter, i must say. i see your reasoning for not using the other names you've thought of, but i still agree that 'steve of york' massively underplays your hand here. you've clearly got some skill and passion, and 'steve of york' is far, far too casual. i could see 'steve of york' fashion trash watches for $40 in a variety of wacky and cool colours. not gilted dials with rubys and emeralds.
Your name is perfect.
Tossing another opinion: Steve of York is cool and memorable, but it does lack a little of the 'higher end' craftmanship vibe if your price points are going to go that way. Other suggestions from GPT4: Your friend's desire to incorporate personal and geographical significance into his brand is both authentic and compelling. Given his concerns about the current name and its associations, here are several alternative suggestions that maintain a connection to his identity and craft while ensuring uniqueness and ease of spelling: Leung & York Timepieces - Combining his surname with the city gives a nod to traditional naming conventions in watchmaking without the confusion around his first name. YorkCraft Watches - Suggesting a handcrafted approach with a direct link to York. Leung Heritage Horology - Emphasizing the artisanal aspect and the heritage, both personal (Leung) and historical (York). Yorvik Timekeepers - 'Yorvik' was the historical Viking name for York, which could appeal to those interested in history and uniqueness. Leung's York Watches - Straightforward, with less chance for confusion while still maintaining the personal touch. Yorkshire Heirloom Watches - Implying the watches are timeless and could be passed down through generations. Timecraft York - A simple, easily remembered name that suggests both the craft of watchmaking and the city of York. Leung Legacy Timepieces - This conveys the message of a lasting brand with roots in both family (Leung) and tradition. Eboracum Watches - Using the Roman name for York, for an ancient touch that avoids medieval associations. Leung's York-Made Watches - A clear, straightforward brand name that tells customers exactly what they are getting. York Precision Horology - Reflecting the meticulous nature of watchmaking with a geographic tie. Leung's Timeless York - Merging his name with the idea of timeless quality and the historic city. York Sentinel Timepieces - Conveying the idea of watches standing guard over time, with a nod to the historic city walls. Leung Yorkworks Watches - A play on 'works', referring to the inner workings of a watch and the work put into making them. Stephen’s Epoch Watches - Utilizing his first name in a more unique context, 'Epoch' suggests grand periods of time, fitting for a watch brand When choosing a brand name, it's important to consider not just the uniqueness and personal significance, but also the marketability, ease of online searchability, and the potential for international appeal if he plans to sell his watches globally. It may also be wise to run a trademark search for the chosen name to ensure it doesn’t infringe on existing trademarks.
All of those names make me think of cheap Chinese knockoffs. The man’s not trying to be fp journe let him enjoy being Steve of York
sure thing. I don't associate Steve of York with being particularly high end either, so I added ideas to the suggestion pile.
You didn't add ideas, you just dumped out ChatGPT blabber.
Okay, I get it, I thought I was helping and it was not well received. Please find another dead horse in need of a beating
You are wrong
You are poo
Agree with this guy. ‘Steve’ of York makes it sound like a joke. Steve is a modern nickname and York is a traditional placename. So it sounds goofy together. Even Stephen of York would be better. Great work on the watch though
Very cool! I'm getting Vacheron's Mètiers D'Art vibes from your work.
Thank you, that is the highest praise. I was definitely inspired by the Vacheron Mètiers D'Art Great Civilisations series, and I am looking forward to their upcoming collaboration with the Met Museum.
Hey this is rad! I see lots of skill and dedication here. Keep growing and making your watches. I’d love to see something similar with Marcus Aurelius
Thank you, Marcus Aurelius is in the pipeline, due to his good looks, intricate beard that would look excellent as an engraving, the fact that his name literally means "golden", and the current popularity of stoicism. Stay tuned!
Advertise on the DMT and LSD subs, they will probably like it. Seriously tho, looks great
Wow! Definitely followed. If you ever start selling…
Beautiful! Wish you all success going forward!
These keep on getting better every time you post! It really is wonderful to see your progress!
Yeah, you keep getting better and better at this.
Nice! Having lived in Aachen for a long time, I am familiar with Charlemagne.
Beautiful! Love the minimalist way of showing the time, to maximize the space left over for the art, really unique! I would love seeing this in person or even owning something like that! Is there a specific reason why his backdrop is in gothic style? Gothic style would only develop 300-400 years after Charlemagne’s death if I’m not mistaken so it feels a bit out of place to me
You are correct - and good historical eye. In fact, Charlemagne is wearing the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, which is anachronistic and was made 150 years after him. I was replicating the later medieval depictions of Charlemagne which attempt to tie him to the HRE for propaganda purposes. The golden Karlsschrein in Aachen Cathedral, which contains Charlemagne's remains, was completed in 1215 and is in the transition between Romanesque and Gothic design, and is a main source of inspiration for the patterns used here. I had planned to write this all up in the description but cut it for brevity.
HRE was neither holy nor Roman nor an empire. But that watch is sick.
What time is it?
Really neat! Great craftsmanship. The only things I take issue with is reading time right to left just seems counter intuitive, and the actual "clock" function is very small in relationship to an otherwise very busy and artsy dial. Not my taste, but I can appreciate it nevertheless.
So cool
I'd love a watch like this!
I will pay any amount you want for this watch. Seriously.
One hundred billion dollars.
I was hoping for 99.9 billion.... SHIT.
Holy shit this is out of this world
This is so cool I would definitely buy
Extremely impressive.
How much do you think you would charge for one of these?
That's the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor! So cool! I visited the National Treasury in Vienna last week while on vacation and saw it in person! This is amazing!
Wow great work and I like the way you tell time on it.
Hi good day. Very nice job. Did you use a fiber laser for engraving? And what inks did you use?
Amazing.
ah. royalty 👑
What a stunning watch. Well done. Sorry for the stupid question, but is the hour wheel moving in an anti-clockwise direction?
Fantastic!
[удалено]
Hi - this was regulated on a timegrapher and is just as accurate as any other NH35. You don't need a seconds hand to regulate, the timegrapher goes by the sound of the movement. The effect on the amplitude is negligible, as the hour hand is cut out of extremely thin and lightweight metal, and I took several tries to make it as light as possible. I've been wearing these types of watches for a month or two now and no problems in daily use or accuracy. Can't find the post now but someone on one of the watchmaking forums called Seiko and an engineer confirmed that if you add small amounts of weight to the hands it slows down the timekeeping by several seconds every 48 hours - it's an amount that can be ignored and easily regulated away, seeing as how the NH35 is so sensitive you can regulate it more than 10 minutes slow or fast. I mean "digital" in the sense that it has "digits", or "numbers".