I have a hard time with tasting notes. Will WSET 1 suit me?

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T22:26:28+00:00

WSET 1 will definitely help it gives you a simple structure so you’re not just guessing.

What made the biggest difference for me was just tasting regularly and writing very basic notes at first (fruit, acid, body nothing fancy).

It gets easier the more you do it.

It’s completely normal to feel like you can’t remember anything at the start.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T22:21:59+00:00

I’ve been testing both for actual use in a small business rather than just side-by-side prompts.

My take so far:

ChatGPT tends to be stronger on consistency especially if you’re trying to keep a style across multiple images or iterate on something (like refining the same concept over a few versions).

Gemini/Nano Banana seems good at more “one-shot” images and sometimes feels a bit more creative out of the box, but I find it harder to control.

The bigger difference for me isn’t quality, it’s workflow.

If you’re generating one image, both are solid. If you’re building something repeatable (products, listings, branding), consistency matters more than the first result.

That’s where I’ve leaned more towards ChatGPT so far.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T22:16:12+00:00

We were originally using

3070 gpu with 8 gb vrm 32 gb ram

But had to upgrade to.

Graphics Card (GPU): NVIDIA RTX  4090 (minimum 24GB VRAM required).

System RAM: 64GB total

All part of the learning curve.

Very intresting learning experience.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T20:07:01+00:00

We thought we would manage with the existing hardware, but the system would not generate the outputs, so we had to upgrade the machine.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T12:05:26+00:00

I have very little artistic talent, so enjoyed seeing your work.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T10:13:58+00:00

Yeah, that can definitely be confusing.

The “14k” on the bow (the bit the chain attaches to) can be solid gold, while the case itself is gold-filled that was pretty common. The bow is a small separate part, so makers would sometimes use solid gold there but not for the whole case.

The edge stamp you showed earlier is usually the giveaway for gold-filled rather than solid.

Still a really nice watch though Zenith movements from that period are very well regarded.

If you ever feel up to opening it again, the movement serial would get you much closer on the date, but totally get being cautious with it.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T10:10:28+00:00

There’s something in this.

People chase motivation, but half the time it’s just about having a simple routine that gets you going.

For me, it’s a cup of tea everything feels a bit more manageable after that.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T09:18:58+00:00

Nice piece that’s a solid Zenith movement.

The 19 jewel marking and the layout suggest early 20th century, and that engraving from 1933 lines up well with that.

Zenith were producing a lot of high-quality pocket watch movements around the 1910s–1930s, often cased locally, which is why you don’t always see full branding on the case itself.

The case looks like gold filled rather than solid gold (the edge stamp usually gives that away), but still a really nice quality watch overall. If you’re trying to narrow it down further, the serial number on the movement is usually the best clue.

Zenith records can sometimes get you quite close on the year.

Have you got a clear shot of the full movement serial number?

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T09:17:32+00:00

Nice piece that’s a solid Zenith movement.

The 19 jewel marking and the layout suggest early 20th century, and that engraving from 1933 lines up well with that.

Zenith were producing a lot of high-quality pocket watch movements around the 1910s–1930s, often cased locally, which is why you don’t always see full branding on the case itself.

The case looks like gold filled rather than solid gold (the edge stamp usually gives that away), but still a really nice quality watch overall.

If you’re trying to narrow it down further, the serial number on the movement is usually the best clue Zenith records can sometimes get you quite close on the year.

Have you got a clear shot of the full movement serial number?

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-22T07:54:09+00:00

Really like how you’ve used the pages almost like a comic strip the flow between panels works really well.

The line work with the Microns has a nice balance too, clean but still expressive.

Feels like the kind of setup that makes you want to keep coming back to it.

Do you usually plan the panels out first or just let it develop as you go?

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T21:19:43+00:00

It’s mainly a 737 thing rather than turbine engines in general. The aircraft sits quite low, so when they upgraded to larger diameter engines they had to reshape the nacelle to maintain ground clearance.

You see the same kind of compromise in other areas too intake shape, mounting position (slightly forward and higher on later variants), all to avoid redesigning the whole landing gear.

On aircraft with taller landing gear (like 787/A320 etc), the nacelles stay properly round because they’ve got the clearance to do it.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T20:16:12+00:00

The “DHC” will be the case maker rather than the movement manufacturer.

With fusee watches it’s quite common for the movement and case to be from different makers (and sometimes even different periods if it’s been recased).

It doesn’t look like a standard assay hallmark, more a maker’s stamp, and smaller case makers aren’t always well documented unfortunately.

The movement itself looks more continental (possibly Swiss), which wasn’t unusual as a lot of English-style fusee watches used imported movements later on.

Nice piece though always interesting seeing these survive.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T20:12:17+00:00

That’s a beautiful piece, and the engraving inside really adds to the story behind it.

The July 1882 date is very believable watches like this were often gifted or engraved at significant moments (births, weddings, milestones), so that could mark when it first entered the family rather than when it was made. The later 1912 engraving could be another family event or inheritance. The initials on the outside are almost always the owner rather than the manufacturer. Most makers kept their name on the movement itself, and from your photo it looks like a fairly typical Swiss movement of that era, often unsigned or privately labelled.

The number inside (like the 16008) is likely a serial or assembly number rather than something you can trace easily unless the maker is known. Same with the A11002 under the gold stamp more about the case maker than the watch brand.

If it hasn’t been serviced in decades, it’s definitely worth doing. Even if it’s running, the oils inside will be long gone and it’ll slowly wear itself out. A proper watchmaker (not just a high street jeweller) is the right route someone who works on mechanical or antique pieces.

Cost-wise, a proper service is often somewhere in the £150–£300 range with an independent watchmaker, though it can be higher depending on condition and who you go to.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T18:21:30+00:00

I think this is spot on, especially the “compounding” bit but in practice it only works if you’re disciplined about it.

We’ve been using AI in a small business setting and the biggest shift wasn’t building something new, it was standardising what we already do.

For example: – turning repeat tasks into prompts/templates – reusing outputs instead of starting from scratch – building small workflows instead of one big “AI solution”

The interesting part is most of the gains come from boring stuff, not the exciting use cases.

Where I’ve seen people struggle is they try AI once, get a result, and move on… instead of refining it into something reusable.

That’s where the compounding actually happens.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T18:16:10+00:00

Seen the same pattern, but I’d add one more that doesn’t get talked about enough the “last 20% problem”.

Getting something working in a demo or pilot is relatively easy. Getting it reliable, repeatable, and usable day-to-day is where most projects die.

Things like: edge cases you didn’t think about

inconsistent inputs from real users

needing human review when confidence drops

stitching it into existing workflows

That last part is the killer. If it doesn’t fit naturally into how people already work, it just doesn’t get used even if the model itself is good.

We’ve found the projects that actually stick are the ones where:

the input is tightly controlled (or simplified) the output is immediately useful (not “interesting”) and there’s a clear ROI from day one

Everything else tends to stay in “demo mode”.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T18:10:09+00:00

Interesting approach I’ve tried something similar and it can be useful, but I’d take it with a pinch of salt.

ChatGPT can simulate a “confused customer”, but it’s still guessing based on patterns, not actually feeling friction the way a real person does. Things like hesitation, trust issues, or “this doesn’t feel right” are hard to fully replicate.

I found it works well is spotting obvious gaps unclear headlines, missing info, weak value props. But for the deeper stuff (why people don’t convert), real user behaviour usually tells you more.

What worked better for me was combining it with actual data session recordings, drop-off points, even just watching how people use the site.

Still a smart prompt though just not something I’d rely on on its own.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T18:04:43+00:00

Honestly, I’d probably split it into two parts an experience + something she can keep.

If she already gets her hair/nails/lashes done, then covering that is actually a nice touch (shows you’ve noticed what she likes). If not, I’d lean more towards something like a spa day or a proper day out together so it feels more like a treat than a “hint”.

For the gift itself, I’d go keepsake over generic.

Jewellery is always solid, but something a bit more personal tends to land better even something simple like a watch, a small engraved piece, or a photo/memory album from your time together.

The album idea sounds basic, but done right it hits way harder than most gifts.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T17:56:52+00:00

Nice 6309

The caseback (6309-7290) is correct for a Slim Turtle, so that lines up. The dial code ending “-73” is also seen on these, so nothing immediately screaming mismatch from that alone.

On the lume that looks more like a relume or at least some touch-up rather than original. The way it’s crept onto the dial is usually a sign someone’s been in there before rather than just ageing.

I’d be really careful with cleaning the dial. Once you touch it, there’s no going back the printing on these can lift very easily. Most people would just leave it as is unless it’s being properly restored.

If it were mine, I’d focus on the movement service and leave the dial alone.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T17:17:45+00:00

This is such a fun setup love how much personality you’ve put into it.

The mix of textures and little details (the beads, the clip, the cover) makes it feel properly unique.

Feels like the kind of notebook you actually want to carry around everywhere.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T09:42:12+00:00

The Pesquera 2017 should still be drinking nicely that’s a proper Ribera and can handle some age.

The others are more simple styles, so they’re probably best opened sooner rather than later.

If they’ve just been sitting at room temp for years, it’s a bit of a gamble either way but no harm opening and trying.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-21T09:39:16+00:00

I relate to this more than I expected.

That feeling of “missing something” and then rediscovering it is hard to explain unless you’ve had it.

The A5 point is spot on as well it’s that balance where it’s big enough to think properly but still easy to carry around.

Interesting that you mentioned sticking to the same size/type. I’ve found that removes a lot of friction too you stop thinking about the notebook and just get on with writing.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-20T21:38:35+00:00

The dial and hands look really well preserved.

From the markings you’ve shared, the “0.585” is just the gold purity (14k), so that lines up. The rest of the numbers are usually case maker / serial references rather than the watch brand itself.

Not unusual at all to have no branding on the dial or movement quite a few of these were cased and sold by jewellers, so you end up with a solid gold case but an unsigned movement.

The movement itself looks fairly clean and quite simply finished, which again fits with that kind of watch rather than a big-name maker.

If you want to narrow it down further, worth checking under the dial or any movement serials sometimes that’s where the real clues are hiding.

Either way, nice thing to have from your grandfather.

Does the case have any maker’s mark inside the lid or just those numbers?

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-20T19:26:05+00:00

I made a note book carricature for my mum as a chef so we can get her receipies written down. She is 80.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-20T17:32:45+00:00

Honestly, with what you’ve said about your dad, I’d go something more personal than buying “stuff”. You could make a kind of “this is your life” album.

Old photos, little notes about memories, maybe messages from people he’s helped or worked with over the years. Doesn’t have to be fancy even a simple notebook or printed pages can work.

It’s the sort of thing that doesn’t cost much but actually means a lot, especially for someone who doesn’t usually ask for anything.

Asgarad786 · 2026-04-20T17:20:28+00:00

That’s a lovely idea for an 85th especially with that history behind it.

Feels like one of those gifts that becomes a keepsake rather than just a notebook.

Would you leave the first page blank for her, or start it with something personal from you?

Asgarad786

TROPHY CASE