Letterpress prints as thoughtful as the movements they illustrate

There is more than one way to appreciate a watch. Springs + Gears, a small design studio based out of Brooklyn, NY, is dedicated to appreciating a watch’s mechanical components by creating hand-crafted letterpress prints of historical movements.

There’s something for every enthusiast: Springs + Gears crafts exacting, beautifully-constructed prints of collector-favorite movements like the Longines 13ZN, Omega 1861, Seiko 6139A and popular Rolex calibers like the 1520 and 3130.

“I started with the Omega 321 and Valjoux 72 because they’re my two favorite movements, “ Springs + Gears founder Bill said. “Originally, I just wanted it for myself.” A web and graphic designer by trade, Bill was inspired by a letterpress class he took at The Arm Letterpress in Brooklyn, a public access letterpress studio where he now makes Springs + Gears’ prints.

Springs + Gears puts thought and craftsmanship into every aspect of the production process. Construction begins by finding reference images of the movement it is printing to create the computer illustration that serves as the basis for the plate that is made and used in the letterpress. When designing, Bill counts gears and screws to make sure every aspect of the movement is precisely re-created. If the movement is automatic, the mechanics operating under the rotor are still illustrated, but with lines of less weight to give the print a sense of depth.

The white paper Springs + Gears uses is environmentally friendly, made from 90 percent bamboo and 10 percent cotton; the blue and black paper is produced using 100 percent hydro-electric power.

“I don’t put branding on the movements so that the focus stays on the movement,” Bill said. He also added that it’s almost impossible to recreate the correct typeface. Since watch collectors are extremely keyed-in on these details, he didn’t want to try to recreate something if he couldn’t do it faithfully.

“I’ve definitely gained an increased appreciated for movements,” Bill said. “Especially when I get into more complex movements — Lange has killed me.” Bill says he’s also gained an increased appreciation for the depth of movements, something he’d like to figure out how to convey in his two-dimensional prints.

Hanging in the balance

The highest praise I can give a piece of watch-related ephemera is “my wife likes it.” But, my Springs + Gears print now sits proudly in our living room, above a wedding photo and below an orchid that is probably dead but I’m convinced will flower again one day.

The print is subtle enough to fit comfortably into any room. It’s not too “watch-y” or bold. It’s tasteful, a clearly handcrafted and thoughtful piece worthy of the wall space dedicated to it. Because the print illustrates a complex, mechanical movement, it has an industrial feel; however, the clean lines make it minimal in a way that’s both modern and classic. In other words: balance.

As Springs + Gears puts it, “wall space is valuable and finite, and the decision to frame and hang artwork is a highly personal decision. It may sound silly but I personally take that responsibility seriously.”

Indeed, it’s not a silly proposition at all. These watch movements are pieces of art and craftsmanship in their own right, and a product dedicated to appreciating them as such should be just as thoughtfully crafted as the movements themselves. And that’s exactly what Springs + Gears has accomplished.