Leaderboard

A couple of years ago I found the bug for Timex. I don't know what it is, but I love fixing these watches. This is what started me down the path on just wanting to fix old time pieces. I have expanded into more complex movements and repairs. This was one however will be of my favorite restores. It was a none running one I picked up from a flea market, I restored kept it for a while and then sold it. I am really regretting the selling part.

New Gaskets, glass and battery. and I did put in the chapter ring around the day/date. I am very happy to bring this 78' back to life.

anilv is correct it unscrews from the center. A tool fits into both slots and you unscrew, you should be able to do that with a screwdriver with a decent blade fit. I would not worry too much, on how you remove the movement as long as you do so. You just buy a new movement and fit it, they come with all the little bits and pieces and you can even choose what style of hand you would like. I'm moving this to the Clock Corner.

Hi, Its a 20-30 years old wall clock. The brand is mentioned as Supreme (Made in Japan) I spend about 20 minutes and found how to remove hands. But now I can't separate the machine from the body. I attached photos of both sides. Please help.

I just finished this 1966 Gruen Date Miner. I had three of these movements just sitting in a do to bin. I was waiting on getting a case. I finally found one and now it's back in action. I was able to use me new old LnR master. It is running really good. New service including gaskets, new stem. It is now my favorite for the movement. Thx,

Another bit of old GDR nonsense, this 1950s UMF, liberated last week from the dark recesses of a tiny bric-a-brac shop in a Central European capital. Runs on a surprisingly large (12.5’’’) Thiel/UMF 54-31, an agricultural movement and totally unacquainted with any jewels whatsoever. Regards.

Hi To get to the works, remove the two cross head screws on the back and carefully prise the back cover off, some have lugs on each side nwhich you release , but looking at the pictures it is a prise off back. they are quite easy to do and putting them back on is easy too just be carefull all is lined up and in the correct slot before closing. I have done a lot of these quartz movements and repaired most of them no problem. If it is beyond hope they are cheap enough to buy although the better quality ones are better units, Herchinger, UTS, Keinzle, Seiko etc. good luck

Here's the watch with its new look I hope it stays there for a long time.

It can be done, with a little effort, depending on the size of the crystal. Larger crystals are easier as they are more flexible, but it is indeed next to impossible in those cases where the fit is very tight or the crystal is small and very rigid. Basically if you can push the original out from behind with your fingers, you *may* be able to wriggle the new one in with your fingers.

Tap on the screwdriver with a little hammer or anything acting as hammer, gentle, numereous taps( impacts) will eventually break loose the nut. You may have to tap on it a lot. Needless to say, impacts are to be applied in the direction that the loosens the nut. You may also could grab the nut with a vice-grip or pliers, (on the outside) to loosen. Some folks insert tweezers into both slots and turn, as long as the tweezers you use are strong enough and cheap.

Here it is. You can get your new movement and bits as well. https://ngclocks.co.uk/centre-fixing-nut-tool--wrench-20127-p.asp

This looks like it unscrews? usually a screwdriver in one of the slots is sufficient to unloosen. This type of screw ring is often seen retaining the movement to the dial. Anilv

Dave's Watch Parts has a set of openers/closers http://www.daveswatchparts.com/JewelingTools.html I've been doing this a couple of decades and lots of restoration on pre-1920s pieces, owned numerous sets of openers/closers, and never really liked any of them. In old stuff the brass or German silver seems to get brittle over time and doesn't like being stretched out and then back in. Cheaper grade watches respond better for some reason. In a really nice old Lecoultre or something I do it all in the lathe, sometimes making jewel holding bushings that are the same size as the oil sink (decorative one) on the bridge and it all blends in and is really invisible. But they do work, those tools, sometimes. Just did an Omega pocketwatch with separate hole and end stones in chatons American style, the rubbed in hole jewel was demolished and managed to press it out with the Horia, opened the lip a bit (in the lathe), and got a new one in. Re-rubbed with tweezers and you'd have to look really closely to see it's not original.

Cheers all! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A gold plated champagne dialed "Kudu" joins the club. This 17 jewel Swiss front loader needed a service, a crown and stem to get it running. It also benefited from a complete valet, and a crystal polishing session. Finding and fitting a suitable stem was the most tricky part, since the original had broken off right at the edge of the base plate, so extracting without stripping it down was a non starter, and finding something to match the broken stub in my "pile of random stems" took a fair bit of scratching around and experimenting. It looks a whole lot nicer in real life than it does in my rather badly lit photograph. The strap was borrowed from an HMT Kohinoor which is hopefully going to be the next patient up on the healing bench.

This is how I went about polishing clock screw heads. You need a lathe or a screw head-polishing tool that fits in a vice. Start by removing the bur with a flat needle file not to course. Then use emery sticks of various grades down to the finest they have, finish off with the finest crocus paper. Clean the screws. Those screws would be ready to blue. That is how good they will be.

Mark re-attaches the balance to the plate prior to cleaning in his videos, and the manually cleans the jewels after. Whipping around a liquid bath seems more violent and sitting stationary in an ultrasonic cleaner so I'd assume it's safe.