In 2012, I started this blog to document my experiences as a developing amateur watchsmith of sorts. Since that first post, I have added a further 182 posts over a 13 year period, and that growth in content has necessarily resulted in a growth in the complexity of the site. Its structure was to a large extent set in amber with the choices that I made at the start, and while the result is a site that is certainly organised, I’m not sure how easy it is to navigate, especially if you are not already a hardened watch nerd who knows their arbor from their elbow.
It has been on my mind for a little while to start a new, much simpler site to act as a navigational gateway to the blog but also to stand to an extent in its own right. Over the past few weeks, I have finally got around to doing that and the result is amateurwatchfettler.com
I have designed the site using a deliberately minimalist style where the focus is more on imagery than words (there are more than enough of the latter here) but nevertheless, I have included short summary introductions to each watch that features on the new site.
It is early days and it may be that I introduce other features to what is there currently, but for the moment, I’d be grateful if you could take a look, spread the word and let me have any feedback, either via the comments facility accompanying this post or by emailing me at amateurwatchfettler@gmail.com
That’s it for now. Oh, and for those of you wondering when further content will appear here, it’s on its way.
Adventures in Amateur Watch Fettling 
First glance is very pleasing. I’ve followed your posts for quite some time and the visual difference is nice. I’ll certainly do a deep dive, categorically and spend time here. As always, your posts are enjoyable and I admire your work.
Thank you for that. Much appreciated.
Hi Martin, I know we can rely on you to create a good web experience and you seem to have done so with the new approach. The top page is an easy route into each Seiko category and within them the same level of captivating detail about your work on a watch seems to remain. I’m hoping the emails route in will persist as it’s a great prompt to read your posts and I’m sure I’d forget to keep looking at the web page to find the new content without them.
Regards, Keith
Hi Keith,
New posts will still appear on the original site and so if you are subscribed to that then you will receive the email notifications. This new site is really just about improving access for people who are necessarily already dialed in.
Thank you for the feedback.
All the best
Martin
The new site is very attractive and the photographs display exceptionally well.I often use your site to explore various seiko models I’m interested in. I have found the sidebar menu listing the various movements to be extremely useful as a very fast way to find out if you have worked
Thank you! I have hoped that the sidebar menu on the main site does act as a useful way to get around but I am conscious that this only really works if you have some idea of the model numbering and naming conventions used by Seiko and other brands. I’m not intending to make major changes to the blog but rather continue to refine it as I see things that need attention.
Martin,
Have just had a quick look at the new site. For a complete tyro like me I found it both easy to navigate and easy on the eye. Congrats and look forward your future installments. Thanks and best wishes.
Thanks David!
Congratulations on the new site.
I would suggest, however, that on the main page the text is not overlaid on top of the image of the watch dial. This makes it simultaneously both hard to read the text, while also detracting from the appeal of the great photos of the watch itself. Text either above or below the watch face would serve much better I feel.
Jake
Thanks for that very useful feedback Jake. I had wanted to have the text float into view when you mouse over the image but I can’t figure out how to do that within the WordPress ecosystem. I did experiment with the title to the top or bottom of each image but felt it might not be so obvious that clicking there would open up the page for that category. I’ll take what you’ve said on board though and have more of a play with how best to present the titles.
All the best
Martin
Hello Martin! The new site is a great start. I do have a few observations. The old site appears to have more content ie more watches than the new. Will you be transferring all content over or will the two sites be complementary?
You might consider adding a section on watch servicing if you intend to continue down that route.
Finally a technical issue. I cannot easily pull up the footer with the site menu. You might consider fixing the 3-dot icon in the more conventional left or right banner. (I am using current ver. Android and Foxfire browser if that helps.)
Cheers
Tom
Many thanks Tom for your observations. Your first two points are I think a consequence of my not making it clear that this new site is not intended as a replacement for the blog but as a more accessible gateway to the original site. For those visitors who just want to view the photos and read a little about the watches in the images, then the new site can serve that purpose without the need to delve deeper. But for those folk who want to read more, the links in the descriptions take them to the relevant post on the blog.
I have deliberately chosen to limit the selection on the new site to one or two examples of each watch model, allowing for variation on the theme because to include everything would defeat my purpose of keeping it simple and manageable.
So the full experience can be had on the blog; the watchmaking stuff will remain there and it is there where I will post new content, with the gateway entries on the new site updated as appropriate.
On your final point, I had not even realised that there was a pull up footer! I’ve not felt it necessary to included a site menu for amateurwatchfettler.com because that seems redundant given the way in which the content is presented. A menu was another sacrifice in my intention to keep it minimalist.
Your comment makes me think that I need to broaden the About page to add a little on navigation and where further details can be found on the watchmaking detail.
Thanks again
All the best
Martin
Ciao Martin, what can I say? It’s an absolute step forward in terms of graphics and organization! The content you’ve shared and continue to share is already top-notch!So, my heartfelt congratulations! I’ll be happy to provide a complete overview and let you know of any issues!
Andrea
Thank you Andrea!
Caro Martin, trovo il nuovo sito piacevole come sempre le cose che vedo da te fatte, sono un po’ ripetitivo … mai non usero’ mai altre parole che:
GRAZIE, GRAZIE, GRAZIE
Grazie Sergio!
Hi Martin,
congratulations on the new website.
It couldn’t be any easier to navigate to one’s category of interest and start reading the summaries and admiring the beautiful photography.
Unfortunately (fortunately for you), it only leaves me wanting to see more pictures of the watches and read more about their history and the restoration process. So, I guess, mission accomplished! It serves its intended purpose as gateway to the blog perfectly.
I look forward to the upcoming posts.
Best regards
Thank you very much for this Marcos. I appreciate it! I have been thinking that I might link the photo illustrating each watch to a separate gallery with snapshots of the restoration. More details can then be found in the blog article. I’ll have a play and see how that works.
All the best
Martin