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Not a pro for sure Just so excited while discovering this new watchmaking world. For an experienced watchmaker this is an every day job And i am sure i could make it better. For example if i had a glass fiber scratch brush, then the bluing would be better. Also i am not satisfied with the setting lever slot.The rectangular edges here are not perfect. I will have to grind a better graver to cut this type of slots. Made a video of this project, threading included.

Thanks folk for the warm welcome. Bob - I am aware of the tutorials available and should have mentioned that this is the main reason why I decided to launch into some practical work. Could not have considered doing this without the great videos from the sources you mention. A big thanks to ro63rto for the Seiko links, have already clarified some issues by using watchsleuth. Now to get busy while ensuring 'the lady of the house' doesn't feel deprived of a useful house hubby! Cheers.

Ive been wanting to post more on here so I'll start with these. I just picked them up a local estate sale for an antique collector. The New York Standard is in pretty good condition minus the missing hands. The Ruxton is complete, also in decent condition. The balance looks good on both so that's good. I havnt dug into them yet but they look like a good servicing should fix them up. All I know about either of them is what I could find with a Google search. Apparently the ny standard is from 1890 ish and impossible to find parts for. Couldn't find anything useful on the Ruxton. If anyone wants to share their knowledge about these watches or their companies I'd love to know more about them. Thanks, Michael Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

The days certainly fly! I've been in school for 13 months now, but there is still so much to learn. I wonder if I'll know enough by the time I graduate? Today was a big day, tool-wise. I got my new Lorch lathe (see box at far right next to bench with closed roll top). It's a beautiful set, probably from the 1970's. It's almost complete. This plus my 1920-vintage Boley allows me to do almost everything. I'm also working on a nice little Japanese wristwatch. It's not very expensive but it has some nice and fairly innovative features and, consequently, is of different design than I usually work on. It has a cracked jewel so, as an exercise using my new lathe, I'm going to make a brash bushing to replace the jewel. I wouldn't normally do this except for practice using my lathe. Also I recently re-jeweled a watch that had brass bushings; so there's a sort of symmetry between the two operations. Finally, we put in the finishing touches to a student workshop off-campus where we can work together practicing various skills. We will work, help and challenge each other and prepare questions to ask our instructor the next day.

If you're able to watch BBC4 on UK TV this evening, there's a programme on the history of the Breguet timepiece made for Marie Antoinette - she of eating cake and being guillotined fame. It's presented by Nicholas Parsons who, I hadn't realised, is a keen watch man. Cheers, Will

To me that look like a bog standard Chinese fashion watch that can be acquired for about £50. The prettiest watch I've seen was an Omega pocket watch circa 1910 Ebay. It had deep relief engraving on the Bridges and main plate. It sold for £267 if memory serves me right and I never bid on it ! Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Also very useful if you have cold/flu

I first would determine the tap of the stem. Measure it with a caliper: 0.9 is tap 10...or check the stem dimensions and tap from their site by entering the number (or from boley if available). Then estimate the dimensions from the case and tube you have and order a generic one...That is, if the actual original item is not available...just my 2 pennies.

There are watches with day and date complications

If i remember correctly no where near as narrow as a watchmakers slot files. Mind you my memory is getting worse.Sometimes I can't even remember what day it is.

I know what you mean, unfortunately the antiques trade is very dodgy at times. In the past I knew many people that where in the trade and you wouldn't believe what went on, I also became a buyer of clocks for an antique shop. It was nice spending other persons money.

This is available online in various digital formats, the price is great ....FREEE>>>> https://archive.org/details/watchadjustersma00frit if you want hard copy, AbeBooks have a reprint: http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=16157545884&searchurl=sortby%3D17%26an%3Dcharles%2Bedgar%2Bfritts

For small tools, I often draw on my days doing scale model aircraft and go the stores specializing in this craft like these places: https://www.megahobby.com/categories/tools-supplies.html http://www.micromark.com http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__953__178__Tools_Bags_Storage-Knives_Cutting.html We are spoiled to have an incredible tool store in Ottawa, Lee Valley Tools, they ship internationally. You might want to see if they have what you are looking for: http://www.leevalley.com/default.aspx?c=0 The founder (passed away recently) was absolutely passionate about tools, and even teamed up with a local surgeon to create better surgical instruments, that should tell you just how capable Leonard Lee was as a toolmaker. I had the privilege (and I don't use that word very often) to meet Mr. Lee once in his store and asked him a few questions about a product, an absolute encyclopedia of knowledge on tools. Every tool or product I bought from that store went above and beyond what I expected. If you see something on the Lee Valley site, buy it. If it fails, they will take it back no questions asked.

Welcome to the forum. Best place to start, especially for the Seiko 5 range which is HUUUUUUUGE is.... http://www.watchsleuth.com/seiko5finder/search/?MOD=SNKM61 check out the Seiko 5 Family Portrait http://www.watchsleuth.com/seiko5finder/portrait/

Does anyone have any links to online watch assembly/disassembly charts? I would love to buy some more movements to work on but without the Hope of getting them back together properly I feel a bit lost. I know an experienced watchmaker can do it over and over but I need to experience quite a few different movements with complete assembly instructions to learn how to do it in the manner a pro would.

Aloha All , the post office finally delivered this Rolex Oyster Date Precision to me today . I was held up in customs since April 21 and I had to furnish paperwork to them showing what I paid for this item . After I gave the letter carrier $85 to cover duties , VAT , and another fee I finally got my watch . Yes , it has a repainted dial , but other than that , it's a beauty . I especially like the end pieces on the leather band . It's about 34 or 35mm which is about the smallest case size I will wear . All in All , I do like it .......

These are my only two wrist watches. Because My old fingers don't work with little tiny parts like the used to. The one on the left is my wife's granddads a 1938 Hamilton " Dodson" 17jewel 974a The one on the right is a 1960 Hamilton "Bolton ll" 22jewel 770 model. I wear them sometimes and the keep really great time. If you would like I will open them up and post photos of the movements

Here are the photos of the movements. It's really no problem. I had to strip & clean them put on new crystals, so I'm quite familiar with taking out the movements

The vast majority of quartz watches movements are removed from the rear. The front loaders I've come across seem to date from around the 1980s. Though I have one modern Rotary, in a three piece case that comes out from the front. Watch case makers seem to design their cases with every conceivable way of removing the movement. Probably just to cause frustration to the would be Repairer ! Also with the quartz movement there's no reason why it shouldn't be cased in a thin lightweight case, making it a very comfortable watch to wear indeed. Yet modern manufacturers, tend to place the movement in a large case with a depth exceeding 10mm. In the publics belief "The bigger and heavier " the better the quality. Where did that craziness come from ! [emoji3] Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

I spent the day literally watching paint dry. I was using black lacquer to fill in the engraving on a pocket watch case to make it stand out. I will send pictures when it is finished. In the mean time I was looking for screwdriver sharpening stone holders on the net. The sticker shock was amazing. So i said to myself, "Self" your only watching paint dry, make your own, you have a sharpening stone and some wood. So I made this from scrap wood while watching paint dry. I'm happy with it & it cost nothing. It is perhaps not as pretty as Bergeon but they have enough money.

I recently completed work on the timepiece that actually got me interested in watchmaking. I purchased the movement (in pieces) for a vintage Omega Speedmaster a few months back and have been diligently working on putting it back together. It was a pricey endeavor but what I've learned from the experience is invaluable and having the watch ticking away in hand at the end of the project was reward enough. I picked up the movement in February and knew it was missing some parts. I counted the minute recording wheel and hour recording wheel as bits that were missing but also couldn't locate the minute recording pawl and pawl bridge. It turns out they were inside of the semi assembled movement but unfortunately I didn't realize that until I had already ordered replacements- oops! Included with the movement was the front case, hour, minute, and sweep second hands, and some spare parts the previous owner had acquired. He warned me that the watch hadn't worked properly before it was disassembled but I had confidence that I could sort it out. First thing I set to do was assemble as much of the movement as possible to determine what else was missing and what may be broken. It became apparent quickly that there were many screws gone! There weren't many parts missing other than those I've already noted but I did manage to lose the click spring when it shot away from my tweezers. I've since become more adept at dealing with wire springs and don't attack any of them without two hands. When breaking down the movement for cleaning I discovered that the chronograph blocking lever screw had been broken off in the plate. Extracting the remains of the screw from the plate was actually easier than procuring a replacement screw. I placed the plate in a solution of alum and warm water over night and the screw was eaten away. The steel posts and eccentrics in the plate I protected from the alum with silicon caulk which I later removed with a bit of pegwood. After cleaning, I began reassembling the watch but was stopped short when I discovered the mainspring barrel gear teeth were damaged. I replacement was ordered straight away. Now I was ready to assemble the movement. I made sure to inspect all jewels and pivots before putting the gear train together. And I was rewarded with an exceptionally well beating movement. This was a relief since I've spent more than enough time on my previous projects straightening hairsprings, truing balances, and correcting beat errors. Next the chronograph layer came together. This takes quite a while since there are so many bits to lubricate and test the motion of before moving on to the next bit. Also, with so many screws missing I had to stop several times to order replacements. Below is the movement prior to final adjustment. A screw is missing at the top and the chronograph bridge screw isn't correct but it gets the job done. I discovered that the previous owner had already procured the missing hour recording wheel so that saved me a bit trouble. And the dial side came together quickly. The hour recording wheel is turned directly by the barrel and the blocking lever wasn't set properly before I put the dial on so the hour recorder creeped which required me to go back and remove the dial and re-adjust the blocking lever. I'll remember the importance of that adjustment the next time I do a chronograph repair! I needed to purchase a replacement dial and a full set of hands as well. I could have reused the hour and minute hands that came with the movement but since they were scuffed and faded and wouldn't have matched the other four hands I sold them to pay for a whole new set. It's not something I regret though because with the new dial and hands the watch looks about good as new. The case I had was missing the caseback and pushers but I found a gentleman who was selling the case (with pushers) and caseback together so I purchased the lot. I also procured a replacement dust cover since that turned out to be missing as well. No point in doing a job unless it's done right I suppose. And there you go! I'm quite happy with the result here. It was expensive but I now have a complete and fully functioning Speedmaster. The chronograph worked without a hitch and the watch has kept impeccable time too. It took quite a long time to get this one together but the patience has really paid off. I really love working on chronograph movements and am hoping to do a Venus or Valjoux soon but my next project is a bit more eclectic- a Cinderella watch by US Time from the 1960's! This will be my first pin pallet service. (excitement!)