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My 1960s Gallet Multichron. One word- elegant. (Well I do) It sports a Valjoux 7733. I wear this one with a tux or formal ball type attire. I think the vintage Gemex bead bracelet makes this very festive. Way too blingy for casual use. Just took a little effort to resurrect this one from the dead.

Some month ago Johnnie here gave an Ingersoll Sealion that needed some care and had no bezel anymore ... It took me some time but today it's on my wrist ... Envoyé de mon moto g(7) power en utilisant Tapatalk

Hi When you buy Bergeon you buy quality at a price, The french ones are ok . I believe I read some where Bergeon dont manufacture anything, some one else does the manufacture. I have screwdrivers I got 60 years ago and are bog standard nothing fancy and they still work ok the knack looking after them. the best tools do not make the best workman, good tools in the hands of an idiot are not much good but its not the tools fault. Buy the best you can afford at this time and maybe up grade as time progresses and as your skill level increases. add the tools as you go. Cousins UK sell some under the A*F brand and they are ok . all the best.

You need to look at the pivot and cap 5 times before you decide to shorten the pivot. If after much examination and a good night sleep, you still feel a need to shorten the pivot, then use a Jacot tool with the right lantern and hole size on the end. Or a lathe and measure, measure, measure.

How large is the pendulum swing? It could be partly related to excessive amplitude (circular error and lots of recoil).

A BG 866 based "Omnia De Lux" with some kind of 25 thrown in for good measure (not jewels of course, it only has one of those). I would guess that it is from the mid 1970s. This was picked up as part of a job lot, and has been lying in the junk pile for a while. Like the previous BG 866 it was probably due to be parted out, however it has an irresistible blue dial that magically turns purple in certain light, so I caved in and gave it the full treatment. It joins the 404 club running somewhere around +/-20 sec per day. http://www.mikrolisk.de/show.php?site=280#sucheMarker

I have been of from watches for some time because of Covid-19 but I have prepared a new insert ... more red than orange ... that I still have to finish [emoji16] Envoyé de mon moto g(7) power en utilisant Tapatalk

Hi Johnnie ... Hope you and you family are OK and have not been infected by Covid-19 ... I just wanted to show you what finally on my wrist ... Envoyé de mon moto g(7) power en utilisant Tapatalk

Imperial screws I forced to M4, pallet wood and cable boards from the skip.

Get the five sided broaches they are the best.

It's kind of hard to see, but it does look a bit big. No need to change the bridge, that is a bushing and can be replaced with either a bushing or a jewel. What's puzzling is how it became enlarged, there is zero possibility that it happened through use. I have seen these where the bridge was screwed down with the pivot just outside the hole, and the pivot smashes the bushing closing the hole. Perhaps this happened and it was then broached a bit too much.

Looks like just what I need...thank you very much!!! GB

A quick review of the Frederique Constant Swiss Connect watch analysis software Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

This has been discussed already recently, so it's always good to do a little searching. Affordable unbranded A*F (France) drivers Individual: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/cousins-swiss-style-stainless-steel Set: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/cousins-swiss-style-stainless-steel-9-pieces-rs Answer from Sam Cousins when asked about: they are replaced by the Cousins Swiss style equivalents, which are the exact same screwdrivers

Nice one JD enjoyed it, Informative as ever thanks.

Years ago when I started in the watch repair hobby Dumont tweezers and Bergeon tools were the norm and the prices were not that bad but as the market has opened up the prices rose and to day they are the most expensive, Others copied them but never beat them but the copies are now very good. Just like fake watches, years ago you could tell a fake from 10 yards now you have to examine them closely. But I think the tools are way better now.

These are made in the Jura, too. However on the French side, few kilometers apart from Le Locle (Bergeon). I use them for years, quality is ok. Frank

For what it's worth. I have only bought Bergeon screwdrivers that was back in the 70's and I still have them, they work just as fine today, I'm retired and don't use them very much, apart from tightening the screws on my glasses. I always thought Bergeon charge way to much for all there tools. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Hi Adrian, Welcome to the forum.

Your set is cleaning up nicely

I've got this very similar one, not 'B.R.' marked but essentially the same watch... Probably mid to late 1980's. They are surprisingly accurate still, this one is running at about +3 secs a month (+0.1secs/day) . The oscillator is not as stable as the ones in the vintage Seiko quartz watches and 'hunts' between 0.06 and 0.13 secs/day, whereas the Seiko's lock solidly onto a rate, not altering at all......

One of my Timex "Big Q" British Rail watches got a fresh battery and some wrist time today. This has a relatively early Timex quartz movement, and therefore it is a little more battery hungry than its modern counterparts.

Today.... My 1940's Heuer Ref 347. Rugged looking watch with its battle scared dial. It has a Valjoux 22 under the hood. It's quite a large case for the time which gives it more of a contemporary flair. I were this one quite often.

A few things to check. On some chrono movements the hole in the mainplate for the lower pivot of the minute counter wheel is very close to the stem pivot, and a shock on the crown can distort the metal closing the hole slightly or allowing the stem to touch the counter pivot. Check that the minute counter wheel is very very free with the jumper spring removed. The hole in the mainplate can also simply be dirty, and as it is sort of buried in there is often overlooked for pegging. When the finger on the chrono runner wheel comes in contact with a tooth on the sliding gear, it has to touch the flank of the tooth. If it touches tip to tip or even on the ogive, it can jam (if it's far enough along the ogive it's OK). You may need to adjust the depthing of the sliding gear, and/or shift the jumper to get the alignment right. With the chrono engaged a tooth on the sliding gear should be pointing at the center of the chrono runner. If you move the jumper you'll need to double check that the hammer is in full contact with the chrono runner heart cam and has a little play on the minute cam, while not pulling the minute wheel teeth to one side or the other of the jumper. Don't oil the minute counter pivots.

Good evening everyone, hope we are all managing quarantine fever reasonably well. Today I'm going to briefly cover my 1938 Westfield Art Deco watch I recently completed. It began with an urge to acquire a nice Deco watch. I won a handsome Hamilton, but sadly the seller had lost the watch. Thankfully they refunded my money and the hunt continued. I finally came across this Westfield powered by a Bulova 10aw. The price was perfect because it was sold without a crown. I tracked down a donor movement with a crown that didn't look too ratty and purchased it as well to serve as a parts donor, wise choice as you'll see. The parts donor arrived first. It only needed a clean and lube to get it ticking away Parts donor... After a delay, the watch arrived. It looked thousand times better in hand than it did online, thankfully. It was fitted with a truly pristine Crystal that surely must be a recent replacement. The case doesn't seem to have any base metal showing through. I promptly opened the watch and lifted the dial and movement from the case. The Westfield as it arrived... A close-up of the barrel bridge showing the little crescent moon date code signifying the watch was made in 1938... Looking closely, I found that the crown and stem weren't just missing, it was broken, snapped off at the winding pinion. I removed some of the keyless works to get at the stem remnant. After fishing the piece out, I pulled the crown and stem from the donor. Winding stem switcheroo... I then attempted to give the mainspring a wind and see how the watch performed. After barely 2 turns I heard a crunching noise indicative of a broken mainspring. Thankfully the donor's was perfect. I swapped out the barrels put it back together and gave it another wind. Off the balance went and the mainspring wound smoothly and stopped at the end. Sprung spring... I put the dial and hands back on, gave the dial a light wash down to remove any excess grime. I put it all back together, added a new leather strap and here she is. Very excited to be wearing an 82 year old watch that looks this good!

Only 132g Andy? This weighs in at 150g!

£12.50 eBay auction. Beat .2 + 8 seconds a day, screw crown, ceramic bezel, 316 steel, mineral crystal

Been 'playing' with two today......... Firstly this 'Limit' 25 jewel automatic, that I initially bought just for the AS1903 movement to swap into a Camy with a cannon pinion problem...Cleaned up the case and polished the crystal and with a replacement croc strap, decided that it is far too nice to use as a parts watch, so the collection has a new member... Secondly the Avia Swissonic arrived and after a quick clean and crystal polish......... This watch appears to have the original stainless bracelet, as I have seen an identical watch and bracelet combo before, and no it is not the same watch as the other one is still in the possession of it's owner. What was strange though was, even though I have not got a small wrist, I had to take three complete links out of it to get it to fit, it appeared to have been sized to fit a gorilla! . Still got some to do to it, I want to refinish the case and the bracelet and the crystal needs a little work....

There is no accounting for taste, there will be people out there who just love it. (I'm not one)

Hi Probably ebay will still remain the best supplier look under the heading "spares or repair" there are usually a few cheap casualties to be picked up, Tools can also be picked up, its just a question of keep on looking. Aliexpress is another source of tools , Chinese copies of mainline tools but as other members state they are usually adequate for the job. in fact I have two myself and have found them to be ok. If just starting out look for the Russian makes on ebay Raketa or Wostock (Vostock) usually picked up for a pound or two so no great loss in case of a mishap, good luck cheers.

Don't be too downhearted @Deggsie, 230 degrees isn't too bad, it all depends on the movement, its age, new/old main spring, etc... If it's a newly serviced 1980's ETA with a new main spring on full wind then 230 is on the low side. A similar aged Seiko with its original m/s 230 is ok, something from the 1930's with its original blue steel m/s 230 is pretty good. It's all a matter of perspective. You need to let it run at least 24 hours after servicing it for things to settle down, amplitude often goes up in that time.

I must be the luckiest chap on earth, I found travel clocks in hidden boxes in the house! The most expensive thing on the picture is not a clock though. Its the carpet, filled with invisible watch parts, and who know what else is there. When I hear the birds singing in the morning, and I am still not in bed, i have the feeling that it want to suck me in with my chair together.

Ten hits and birds for Andy. Do you want to see my arduino project as well? mantel_clock_3.mp4