Dev Notes
Welcome to the Dev Notes. Print My Watch is a passion project built by the team at Rare Fruit Works. We are constantly tweaking the math, updating the database, and trying to make this the most accurate watch sizing tool on the internet. Here is a log of what we have been shipping.
v1.2: Precision Math & The Image Vault
March 2026
- Lens Distortion Calibration: Macro watch photography often distorts the lugs. We introduced a new calibrated math engine (calc_lug_to_lug) to completely bypass photographic distortion. The PDFs now scale with absolute pixel-perfect precision.
- Integrated Bracelet Support: Added UI tooltips to transparently show when a watch uses an integrated bracelet or lacks traditional lugs.
- Proportional Case Geometry: Swapped our hardcoded millimeter offsets for proportional percentages. The PDF engine now scales perfectly for 4 o'clock crowns and asymmetrical pushers.
- The Image Vault: Implemented a dual-image security system to protect our high-resolution transparent assets from scraping bots, while keeping the site lightning fast.
- NATO Strap Redesign: Replaced the generic top/bottom paper straps with a single, continuous NATO/Zulu style template that runs cleanly underneath the watch case for a stronger physical fit.
v1.1: SEO, Speed, & Auto-Cropping
March 2026
- Rebrand & Domain: Officially migrated and launched at printmywatch.com!
- Instant SPA Navigation: Rewrote the routing architecture. Selecting a watch now updates the URL for SEO but instantly swaps the image on-screen without a page reload.
- Dynamic Backend Cropping: Integrated sharp image processing to automatically trim transparent pixels on the fly, ensuring perfect PDF bounding boxes.
- The Helium Escape Valve Fix: Upgraded the PDF math to account for left-side case protrusions. Omega Seamaster 300m templates now sit perfectly centered.
- Reference Numbers: Updated the dropdowns to include exact reference numbers because a 5513 wears very differently than a 124060.
v1.0: The Launch
March 2026
- The Core Engine: Built the proprietary @react-pdf/renderer math engine to map digital pixels to physical US Letter/A4 paper sizes.
- Custom Watch Mode: Added a fallback generator allowing users to type in any case diameter and lug width to generate a generic dashed-oval template.
- Crown Offset Alignment: Wrote custom translation logic to shift the watch straps to the left, ensuring they align with the true center of the dial, not the crown.
- Community Sourcing: Built native "Request a Watch" and "Report an Error" forms directly into the database so the community can help us grow.