My stay with the Prescher family just outside Bienne, has become something of a tradition. Doing the 9hr time zone change prior to hitting Baselworld running, is a must for me, otherwise I run out of energy at 2pm and would wander around in a fog. Two days are spent in the U.K. with family, then an evening and most of the following day with Thomas. Getting to see & hear first hand what he's up to is important and always enlightening horologically. His days are spent in two modes, either restoration or creating his own pieces for clients. Many of the historical and important pocketwatches of the past two centuries that collectors acquire, need TLC. In order to keep them running, chiming or operating complications, they require the rare & highly skilled hands of a master watchmaker, whose understanding and appreciation for age old methods is well practiced. Thomas is sought out by many of these folks to service and/or restore antique horological objects and this visit revealed several pieces he was working on and had completed. A very early Tourbillon escapement pocketwatch from the 1820's, a paired case Pinchbeck quarter repeater with a stunning enamel dial and an amazing twin love birds hinged covered enamel ladies watch.

Also on his desk in various stages of completion were three amazingly complicated pieces being created for his clients. I am not at liberty to reveal what exactly they are, but suffice to say, Wow! I know one of the collectors and his piece will be quite something. Steam punk in style but with one of Thomas' signature complications. The other exciting item I saw was one of his Triple Axis Tourbillons. This one was cased in platinum and featured a black onyx dial around the Tourbillon opening.

These watches are tremendously rare and only 6 have been created since the initial 2004 revelation of the Trilogy set containing the three Tourbillons, a Single Axis, a Double Axis and the Triple Axis. These are all Flying Tourbillons with a Constant Force mechanism within the carriage.

to be continued...