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I am completely new to watch repair, but after a few days of research, I decided I wanted to repair a broken pocket watch that I had sitting around. After some careful disassembly I opened up the mainspring and soon noticed that the spring was detached from the barrel arbor. It seems that the hook attaching the spring to the barrel arbor has snapped off. I am wondering how it is recommended that I reattach the mainspring. Thanks, NovemberNeptune

I am a student and am completely new to watch repair, however have been interested in watches and animatronics most of my life. I would like to start doing watch repair as a hobby and am currently learning the fundamentals. I have many questions and hope to learn a lot from this forum.

Hello everyone, For awhile now I have been working on and designing my own watches. I am getting closer to having all the parts made for me and have started to think about assembly. I have been working on watches for a number of years now and I always thought little about the process of casing the watch up. It was just the final step. However now that I will be hopefully assembling a lot more watches I have begun to think more about the process and the tools that could make this process easier and ensure I have a professional final product. Some of the tools I have considered buy

So, the more you guys tweak the more entropy that results. You are killing us. Worse than AGW!! Interesting article a must read for horologists!

I'm afraid I don't have the experience or knowledge to help you with your questions, but I was thinking that the new part might fit. I would suggest that you could give it a try. Just be gentle and observant and I really don't think there's any risk for any damage to the movement or the part. Worst case scenario, it doesn't fit and no harm has been done.

Hi, I don't have a zero value watch, but I do have some mechanism without balance spring ( I have ruined it some weeks before :). So I kind of disassembled the 4R36A and my question if it looks ok and can I use ultrasonic cleaner to clean it, even thought I don't have any oil or grease yet. Meaning if I put it into water and then just dry it without oiling, might it catch some corrosion ? If I am talking nonsense, please let me know

I recently came across this while digging thru a bag of watches. It looked interesting and all of the Google hits for "Swiss Made Timex" are in reference to the American Documents series. I've got to assume I'm not searching the right keywords. I was hoping somebody might have a little information on the subject. While looking recently, I couldn't locate almost any Swiss Made. Most of the watches I did find were quartz movements. Thanks for any insight the community can muster!

Depending on how it's designed, a USB sound card might be sourcing its clock from the host system. So it could be that your computer's USB interface has a frame clock that is +2.1 s/d fast. Unless either one has a TCXO, and they probably don't, this will change over temperature. Even NTP can detect a computer clock's temperature coefficient. With a GPS you should be even better than that. The limitation is likely the coursesness of the 48 kHz (or other) audio clock's ability to precisely capture the GPS PPS. At 48 kHz, the sampling resolution is 20.8 µs. An error of 20.8 µs/s is

There is information on the site regarding building your own Both my self and member Moose have done so and they work very well without danger to fingers etc. have a search. cheers.

The springs should run down at the same amount if the clock is 8 days the time should last for at least 8 days and so should the strike. Both springs should be the same size and strength. Are you sure the strike side isn’t acting up such as striking when it shouldn’t, striking more then the designated amount.

Great looking watch! I recently got this same watch in a lot sale. It's a strong runner, but the stem doesn't seem to seat inside the movement in a secure enough manner to wind it. It will slip when trying to wind. I'm fairly familiar with taking these apart but I haven't encountered a Timex like this yet where the movement is fastened inside the case. I can't quite figure out how to remove it from the case. I've snapped one of those 4 pins holding the dial on before so I've been skittish about playing with it too much. Really awesome to see your before-after photos. Thanks!

Not wishing to start a new topic but on a similar vein regarding Main Springs I recently had an Ansonia mech in with two broken main springs - not too sure of the story behind it but they were both split in various places. I replaced them both with new springs of matching width and depth - a bit hairy hence my first question about winders! but it all ran and chimes very well, however, the chime train runs down very quickly - about 3 or 4 days where as the time train appears to be a standard 8 day. Is there a difference between the springs? They both looked to be the same. is there somethi

Thanks JDM I will give that a shot

Thanks, the top half of the case has set screws that allow you to remove it along with the crystal, now as you see it the dial is exposed and I need to pull the crown and stem to remove the movement. I will try and rotate the crown while prying gently and see if that works. I appreciate your help

Clever!

Please get to attack something of zero value not a nice watch which by common sense is also quite costly. If you take apart that movement there is virtually zero chances you can put it back together without damage, we have plenty of threads from people which did that mistake exactly. There is no need to be fixated about big brands in watchmaking, and one cannot pretend to run before learning how to walk.

I'm guessing part of it has to do with the fact that it is wedged in there a bit beside the mainspring barrel. If someone removes it before removing the barrel then they may be putting pressure on that wheel if they grip it with their tweezers and pull up since the barrel partially obstructs removal.

Welcome to the forum! Lots to learn

Yes, I too hate the h/spring stud screw. So easy to slip and wreck the hairspring, especially ladies watches!! In the past with the screw in-situ I have stripped a small piece of insulation off a suitably sized small electric wire, just a mm or 2, and slipped it on to the screw or screwdriver. This stops the screwdriver form slipping off, but means you have to rely on feel for it going into the screw slot. Can sometimes work to fit the screw as the insulation has enough friction to allow the screw to start. Otherwise I find a well dressed screwdriver just a bit wider than the the screw als

JohnR725 thanks for your comments. I am inclined to think that the h/s for the balance with screws (1600) would be 'stiffer' than the 1601 in order to handle the possible heavier weight and/or rotational momentum of the 1600, and would therefore tend to overdrive the 'lighter' balance (1601) rather than under-drive it. As commented I may just wait for a reasonably priced suitable donor or balance complete for the original 1601 and sell on the perfectly good new balance complete for the 1600. In the meantime I may have a go at refitting the original h/s to the original collar as you sugg

Good point. Will work on my seiko 4R36A. Will post the photos of process if survive

Hi all! After introducing myself, it's time to ask for some help. Hopefully one of you can help me get out of this twist. I'm restoring a Lanco 1305 (Sport deluxe) watch, and have been looking all over the internet for a replacement setting lever spring as these do tend to break. But I keep receiving different parts; all with an extra 'guide' for the yoke, see pic attached (above new part, below broken old one, note the difference near the actual spring). According to some research this should be part #445, buy maybe I just have the wrong part number as I don't have an extrac

Seems to me that the crystal is out already, as suggested above turn the crown slowly to align the stem joint while lifting up gently.

I noticed at 3 and 9, on the sub bezel? there are recesses, which seem to be intended for placing a screwdriver to compress the lens, (if the lens is acyrlic ) and perhaps once the lens is out, the movement and dial exit out the front. If the lens is glass, perhaps those recesses are to lever the bezel/sub-bezel? off. I remember another watch I worked on, where the movement, dial, stem and all exited out the front, only after the crystal was removed. a Vacheron & Constantin-LeCoultre Galaxy, with a mystery dial if I remember correctly. Or, as mentioned by someone else, it may be a sp