The watch neighborhood is usually a really great point, as once in a while it appears to embrace new concepts, new ideas, new individuals and types with open arms. We’ve seen it occur in watches the place the neighborhood can get entangled within the design course of, or with watch golf equipment bringing collectively manufacturers and collectors. And we see it as soon as once more with Liudas Norkus, a brand new identify on the firmament! In simply 24 hours, this younger Lithuanian watchmaker managed to promote out his debut watch. And we’re not speaking about 5, eight, ten and even twenty-five watches, however 200! Naturally, such tales are inclined to get observed by us and it introduced an ideal alternative to get acquainted with him and his watch!
Robin, MONOCHROME Watches – Liudas, are you able to briefly introduce your self to our readers?
My identify is Liudas Norkus, and I grew up in a small city in Lithuania with a inhabitants of about 800 individuals. There wasn’t a lot to do whereas I used to be rising up, and all of us just about knew one another. I at all times knew that when I completed faculty, I needed to journey and turn out to be impartial. In 2015, I moved to England, the place I labored full-time till 2021. As my curiosity in watchmaking grew, I began altering jobs extra ceaselessly, attempting to steadiness work with my ardour, and discovering methods to pay the payments whereas dedicating extra time to doing what I like.
How did get considering watchmaking, the place did your ardour come from?
I had a number of classic quartz watches throughout my faculty years, however I by no means thought watchmaking can be one thing I’d pursue later in life. I first found it in 2019, after I had already moved from Lithuania to the UK. It began after I purchased a watch journal that illustrated a wide range of distinctive watches, which immediately received my curiosity. Earlier than that, I solely knew a number of watch manufacturers, however seeing the unimaginable creations by impartial watchmakers made me surprise how watches have been made and the way they labored.
On the time, I already owned a number of mechanical watches. I nonetheless bear in mind out of curiosity, I ordered a £25 watch restore package from Amazon. Utilizing the fundamental instruments, I opened one of many watches to discover its internal workings, and that was it. I used to be instantly intrigued by the tiny elements inside.
Have you ever studied watchmaking, or did you purchase the abilities in several approach?
I by no means attended any watchmaking faculty, however since I began in 2019 I’ve been looking for extra data on the Web, how different watchmakers make watches and what methods they use. Over the subsequent few years, I found many watch manufacturers, however I used to be fully alone on this mechanical artistry, and discovering assist at first wasn’t simple.
In 2019 I related with a buddy and watchmaker, Denis Carignan, from New Hampshire, USA. His 30 years of data in watchmaking and educating helped me loads to remain on the proper path, and for the subsequent 5 years, we shared and exchanged many concepts.
How did you begin out as a watchmaker, what have been your first steps?
I began with only a few instruments or machines. My first purpose was to grasp the fundamentals of how mechanical watches work. Utilizing numerous measuring instruments, corresponding to a depthing instrument, callipers, and a microscope with a digital digital camera, I precisely measured and studied totally different actions I had bought. I then recreated these actions into the CAD software program, together with a twin open coronary heart motion, Fusee-and-Chain pocket watch actions, and the Seagull ST3600, which I later used for my first watch.
The LN1 Regulator is your very first watch, are you able to clarify to us the place the inspiration comes from?
I accomplished the LN1 Regulator design in 2022, however it got here after I created many alternative designs, none of which I used to be capable of make. Hopefully, I can revisit a few of these ideas I made sooner or later. Since I received a number of pocket watches I’ve at all times been drawn to them, notably regulator watches made by nice watchmakers like Ferdinand Berthoud, Breguet, and Patek Philippe. Perhaps their work impressed me to design watches with conventional components.
The design could be very distinctive, and I perceive you do fairly a bit your self. Are you able to inform us extra about its design and development?
One of many first actions I studied was the Seagull ST3600 (21,600vph, 40h energy reserve). Initially, I had doubts about its reliability and longevity, however after seeing it nonetheless operating over the subsequent few years, I made a decision to take an opportunity and use it for my first Regulator watch. Selecting this motion additionally allowed me to create a watch at a extra accessible worth level. Every part was designed in CAD software program in-house together with motion, case, crystal and the dial. I selected to make use of domed sapphire crystal to accommodate a third-dimensional dial on high of the motion, and use the stainless-steel case for the motion solely, I needed to create a case as skinny as doable, with out sapphire crystal it’s solely 6.2mm. Field crystal additionally maximizes the view of multi-level dial from each angle.
In case you take away the highest plate of a pocket watch motion, you’ll see pillars, in my design pillars supporting the chapter ring. There’s a seen barrel too, however I needed to make the mainspring seen inside by means of the open lid. A number of pocket watches I personal are produced from brass, I preferred the uncooked brass aesthetic from earlier watchmaking, and the dial aspect additionally options Roman numerals.
The watch is 41mm huge, and simply 6.2mm in top. The crystal provides 5mm to that, so in complete it’s 11.2mm which I really feel remains to be affordable. The dial and indications are made out of 38 particular person elements, with the hours at 12′, and the minutes within the centre. The barrel is seen at 5′ and it has an openworked high plate to indicate the mainspring inside. All bridges and palms are 24k gold-plated, and the mainplate is sandblasted and lacquered.
Are you able to elaborate on what is completed in-house, with regard to creating elements of ending them?
I modified the motion in-house, making it work along with the dial aspect I designed. I additionally made the highest plate, bridges with pins, pillars, and barrels utilizing a lathe and milling machine. The barrel lid and palms have been laser-cut within the UK, however all of the seen elements have been solely hand-finished by me, utilizing sandblasting and numerous hand instruments. I’m additionally very grateful to watchmaker Jack Matthew Elam, I feel he is without doubt one of the most interesting watchmakers in England immediately. Because of him, I discovered many alternative methods in the previous few years that I used to be capable of apply to my first watch.
Whereas most elements will now be made for me, I’ll nonetheless be accountable for making a number of minor elements and hand-finishing each half. It’s an extended course of, with 1000’s of items to complete and assemble by hand, all inside a really quick time frame.
You bought out the primary two batches of 100 items in a short time! How did you handle to try this?
Sure, 200 items have been bought in 24 hours, after the launch inside a number of hours I obtained tons of of messages and in 3 hours first 100 watches have been already gone, I feel I used to be additionally fortunate to satisfy nice collectors who helped me to take allocations and everybody within the group shared the watch with others. It was a giant shock however I’m very blissful about it clearly! I set the value at GBP 900 for the primary batch of 100 items, and GBP 1,100 for the second.
I do know it may be a bit early to inform since you’ve 200 watches to make, however; what’s subsequent?
I want to discover totally different concepts, as I’m nonetheless at first of my journey and there’s a lot extra to find. For me, it’s necessary to constantly enhance the standard of each watch I create and have the ability to do extra in-house work, particularly with a brand new motion. That is what I purpose to do for the LN2. It has additionally labored out that my second watch may be made in the USA, which provides one other thrilling chapter to this journey.
The place do you see your self heading within the subsequent couple of years? What can we anticipate from you?
I’m really excited concerning the journey forward, on daily basis I be taught a bit of bit extra, and I need to spend extra time finding out horology, have the ability to make extra elements on my own and discover new concepts to carry collectively in a watch.
You at present reside in London, England however are initially from Lithuania if I’m appropriate. How has that transfer formed your view on watchmaking?
I’ve obtained numerous help from Lithuanian watch fanatics and collectors. I’m hopeful that sooner or later, we’ll have extra new watchmakers rising from Lithuania.
How can individuals get in contact with you or keep updated in your work and progress?
My web site might be open very quickly however for now, everyone seems to be welcome to achieve me on Instagram, Fb or LinkedIn.
