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DouglasSkinner

By DouglasSkinner
in Your Watch Collection

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DouglasSkinner WRT Addict

DouglasSkinner

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Posted

Okay, for those who notice nitty little details (as I think most watchmakers do) I am aware that the hands need to be corrected.  My only excuse was that when I got around to putting on the hands it was towards the end of the day and I just wanted to case the thing and see how well it kept time.  Haven't had the time to go back to it.

Anyway, I titled this entry the way I did because it indicates something I love and the reason I entered watchmaking.  For I found this watch in an old box (of old remnants thrown in free with some things I bought at a trade fair), lens-less, dirty (inside and out) with a broken mainspring.  I replaced the lens and mainspring, gave the movement a good cleaning and did as much restoration of the dial as I could do with the primitive methods at my disposal; dial restoration being an art requiring far more time to master than I've so far put into the craft, but someday I hope to get better at it. 

As I said, the watch was in sorry condition and I felt sorry for it; as one might feel towards a waif on the streets, I decided to take it in some months ago as a practice piece.  I mean, it literally had "cobwebs" in the movement; some kind of moldy stuff which I've seen in a lot of long--neglected timepieces.  I put it through the cleaning machine and was pleased to see how it had brightened up and its quality began to show through--like a chronographical David Copperfield or Pip.  I removed the remaining dirt with pegwood (Peggotty!) and Rodico and carefully oiled it.  I was gleeful when, after final placement of the balance, the piece started to tick like a newborn baby come into the world.  I, the parent, felt jubilant and, so far I haven't been disappointed as it is keeping good time, living up to expectations.  I wear it regularly and someday maybe I'll come across a stray strap--lurking even now in some forgotten recess--that will do it justice.

The watch is a 17j Elgin, with a gold plated case, as you can see.  I haven't taken the time to look up the movement to see when it was made, but my guess is pre-WWII (any thoughts?).  Would this have been a ladies watch?  It's a bit bigger than most at that time.  An unusual feature is the sub-seconds dial at 9 o'clock as opposed to 6 or 3.  I may return to it someday when I am more skilled but it's still a joy to own.

20170311_134520[1].jpg

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