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Canuck
·This, later. Runs face up but not face down! Broken staff? Bumped? Dropped? Not by me, but it has been handled by others over the years, during our annual pocket watch shows.
What’s on your watchmaker's bench today?
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Mitka
·It’s not a watch, but it does tick over and it’s weekend 🥴
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerAmongst many others, this Speedmaster Moonphase is currently in the shop...
Cal. 1866:
Dial side - it has the date plus moonphase, in addition to the normal Speedmaster functions:
Cal. 1866:
Dial side - it has the date plus moonphase, in addition to the normal Speedmaster functions:
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ErichKeane
·Finally got a chance to start taking apart the 131.019SP that I've had on my bench for a while! This one arrived in really rough shape. I have a handful of replacement parts for this, so hopefully it won't be too bad to go together.
It actually started running when I took the dial side apart! Beat error and rate and amplitude all look bad, but the lines are straight at least.
Torn down and currently in my parts cleaner, though likely needs to spend some time waiting for a crystal/bezel combo, assuming I can track one down.
It actually started running when I took the dial side apart! Beat error and rate and amplitude all look bad, but the lines are straight at least.
Torn down and currently in my parts cleaner, though likely needs to spend some time waiting for a crystal/bezel combo, assuming I can track one down.
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Canuck
·This one was on my bench five days ago. My one owner, 55-year old Rolex calibre 1520, Oyster Air-King date. I serviced it because it was losing 35 seconds per day, and servicing was due. I cheat a bit with this watch. I wear it on my left wrist, and it loses a few seconds per day. Face down off the wrist, and it gains about 5 seconds per day. Right now, it is - 8 seconds in 5 days. I’ll leave it off my wrist, face down, and by morning it should be spot on, or close to it. Acrylic crystal is a booger for static, catching smutz after I clean it prior to photographing it.
Edited:
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ErichKeane
·My bench has been an adventure lately, but I'm closing in on finishing the 601 at least.
HOWEVER, this 2810.RA.PC (340) has a MUCH nicer case/dial/etc, but is actually kinda rough inside unfortunately. I'm going to have to track down a parts movement.
It looks like the canon pinion, center wheel, and hour wheel rusted together at one point, locking them up. THEN someone tried to force setting the watch. SO that broke off the post on the main plate for the minute wheel.
ALSO, the bumper-bottom-pivot bracket has one of the screws that someone stripped out of the motion works plate, so I probably need a motion works.
SO in the end, it sounds like I need; Main plate, motionworks bridge, canon pinion, minute wheel, hour wheel, and dial screws (which weren't even in the movement!).
Kinda sad for such a pretty movement.
HOWEVER, this 2810.RA.PC (340) has a MUCH nicer case/dial/etc, but is actually kinda rough inside unfortunately. I'm going to have to track down a parts movement.
It looks like the canon pinion, center wheel, and hour wheel rusted together at one point, locking them up. THEN someone tried to force setting the watch. SO that broke off the post on the main plate for the minute wheel.
ALSO, the bumper-bottom-pivot bracket has one of the screws that someone stripped out of the motion works plate, so I probably need a motion works.
SO in the end, it sounds like I need; Main plate, motionworks bridge, canon pinion, minute wheel, hour wheel, and dial screws (which weren't even in the movement!).
Kinda sad for such a pretty movement.
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ErichKeane
·AFTER my Omegas went bad today, I decided to go for the trifecta and do my first chrono try! Instead of being a fool like normal, I ordered an ST1902 (Venus 175 descendent) to practice on. Cool looking watch for a cheap price. I used the esembl-o-graf for the Venus 150 and it was dead on for disassembly at least.
The movement was dry as a bone, but otherwise pretty good. A little bit of leftover burrs from manufacturing of course but nothing in an important place. I DID have 1 spring decide to join the Swiss Space Program(Chinese edition!), which fortunately ONE aliexpress seller actually sells (flyback trip lever spring). I wasn't using rodico (as I just read one of Archer's posts that said not to!), so I am not used to getting springs off without sproinging yet.
Anyway, first attempt at a chrono, not as hard as I feared.
The movement was dry as a bone, but otherwise pretty good. A little bit of leftover burrs from manufacturing of course but nothing in an important place. I DID have 1 spring decide to join the Swiss Space Program(Chinese edition!), which fortunately ONE aliexpress seller actually sells (flyback trip lever spring). I wasn't using rodico (as I just read one of Archer's posts that said not to!), so I am not used to getting springs off without sproinging yet.
Anyway, first attempt at a chrono, not as hard as I feared.
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Canuck
·This is on my bench today. My newest acquisition. An 1892 model, 18-size, 17-jewel Waltham pocket watch. This watch was offered to some “carpetbagger” outfit that was on their circuit, setting up in 4 hotels, wanting to buy coins, old gold, jewellery, prestige watches, etc. They declined to make the owner an offer! He found his way to me, and I made him an offer, and voila! The watch is now mine. I serviced it this afternoon, and I couldn’t see any evidence that it has yet been worked on since it was made circa 1918! Note the Canadian Pacific Railway logo on the train bridge. One of 2,600 of this model produced.
From the top.
-The watch.
-Stripped, jewels pegged, ready for cleaning.
-In the ultrasonic cleaner. Two rinses and heat dried in an L & R Mastermatic machine.
-Cleaned, jewels pegged, jewel chatons polished, through the cleaning and drying process. Ready for assembly.
- Finished. A few adjustments, fit it into the case.
From the top.
-The watch.
-Stripped, jewels pegged, ready for cleaning.
-In the ultrasonic cleaner. Two rinses and heat dried in an L & R Mastermatic machine.
-Cleaned, jewels pegged, jewel chatons polished, through the cleaning and drying process. Ready for assembly.
- Finished. A few adjustments, fit it into the case.
Edited:
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Mitka
·This is on my bench today. My newest acquisition. An 1892 model, 18-size, 17-jewel Waltham pocket watch. This watch was offered to some “carpetbagger” outfit that was on their circuit, setting up in 4 hotels, wanting to buy coins, old gold, jewellery, prestige watches, etc. They declined to make the owner an offer! He found his way to me, and I made him an offer, and voila! The watch is now mine. I serviced it this afternoon, and I couldn’t see any evidence that it has yet been worked on since it was made circa 1918! Note the Canadian Pacific Railway logo on the train bridge. One of 2,600 of this model produced.
From the top.
-The watch.
-Stripped, jewels pegged, ready for cleaning.
-In the ultrasonic cleaner. Two rinses and heat dried in an L & R Mastermatic machine.
-Cleaned, jewels pegged, jewel chatons polished, through the cleaning and drying process. Ready for assembly.
- Finished. A few adjustments, fit it into the case.
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Mitka
·I’m happy with today; as I got two watches stripped cleaned and back together with minimal trouble (he said before testing). Unfortunately both belonging to a good friend and serious discounts given🥴
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BAJJ
·A humble Seiko 7006A. Friends fathers watch that had stopped working and was pretty beat up. As a favour I said I’d have a look. I found a broken screw head in the movement. A simple fix that suits my limited repair capabilities. Cleaned up nicely and will begin reassembly over the next few days.
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BAJJ
·AFTER my Omegas went bad today, I decided to go for the trifecta and do my first chrono try! Instead of being a fool like normal, I ordered an ST1902 (Venus 175 descendent) to practice on. Cool looking watch for a cheap price. I used the esembl-o-graf for the Venus 150 and it was dead on for disassembly at least.
The movement was dry as a bone, but otherwise pretty good. A little bit of leftover burrs from manufacturing of course but nothing in an important place. I DID have 1 spring decide to join the Swiss Space Program(Chinese edition!), which fortunately ONE aliexpress seller actually sells (flyback trip lever spring). I wasn't using rodico (as I just read one of Archer's posts that said not to!), so I am not used to getting springs off without sproinging yet.
Anyway, first attempt at a chrono, not as hard as I feared.
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ErichKeane
·I have one of these as well, that I actually bought second hand, to wear, before I started tinkering with watches. Although it’s working there’s something rattling around inside the movement. I’ve been terrified to have an attempt at it but maybe I’ll have a go over the winter months.👍
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BAJJ
·I actually found the spring! It ended up digging itself into my carpet. I'm down to only a handful of parts right now, but am probably going to have to end for the day. There is one part (Detent lever spring) that is driving be absolutely WILD right now.
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ErichKeane
·I actually found the spring! It ended up digging itself into my carpet. I'm down to only a handful of parts right now, but am probably going to have to end for the day. There is one part (Detent lever spring) that is driving be absolutely WILD right now.
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ErichKeane
·Welp, managed to break the spring. it ends up having to be tensioned like 3 different ways, have a pin and a screw set, WHILE supporting another plate. Its just an absolutely brutal part to install... I now get a few weeks in time-out from this movement 😁
TURNS OUT the springs LOOK opposite to eachother between the movements. SO I was trying to install the 'PIVOTED detent lever spring' instead of the 'detent lever spring'.
At least I can do another ~10 minutes of fixing it up and have it all but done soon 😁
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rendo
··faux legendI took the day off to clean up my bench and work on watches. I chose to service a Seiko that I purchased from an OF member a while ago. It runs, so hopefully all it needs is a bath.
