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Hi, it worked absolutely fine first time with no adjustment. I checked it over a couple of weeks and it never looked like it would cause any problems. The appearance was sub-standard and if I had to do it again I would try and prepare better before soldering to make the appearance better. Thanks for your interest

Normally fake Seiko use a NH36 because it's cheap and of good quality. You can post a picture if you are in doubt. If you need predictable accuracy I recommend that you do not try swapping and the like, just get a quartz watch.

Two more pocket money pieces for you all today. Despite the outward similarity, they are from different corners of the globe, with the Roman dialled one hailing from China and its Arabic numeral cousin, from the USSR. Both are keeping reasonable time, within 15s/day and both, despite being dead on arrival needed nothing more than a clean and lubrication. The Chinese number (on the right in this picture) is a ZB1 or SZ-1 variant. The Russian, on the left, has a Raketa or Poljot 2609.HA Note that I swapped the brown strap from one to the other, just to confuse you. Both of these movements are perfect to cut your teeth on as they are fully jewelled and cheap as chips, with no date complications to worry about. They are also pretty robust. I doubt if anyone has looked inside either of these watches since they left the factory. Both are probably from the late seventies or early eighties at the latest, so they have probably endured the best part of forty years without a service.

That's awesome. In non-power delivery gearing, often you can get by with some serious leeway as long as nothing binds. A friend of mine worked at Breguet around 2000, he had an 80s vintage watch come in with two brass pins in the minute wheel where teeth had stripped off. His boss said ,"if it works, leave it", which he did and promptly quit haha (Breguet has massively improved in that time btw).

In your job, do you get your watch close to high currents / magnetic fields?

I always used clock oil. I found oil would distribute its way around the complete mainspring better then grease. I also have found in some clock barrels where the grease more or less stays put and if its old and the clock isn't used very often it can become hard and difficult to remove. Any clock mainspring that has become distorted when removed from its barrel using a good clock mainspring winder must be replaced if its the time side because this will cause the clock to be a poor time keeper even after service, Strike/chime this will affect the effectiveness of its chiming and or striking causing it to be sluggish and in real bad cases the strike/ chime may not last the amount of days it is supposed to work an 8 day might only last 6 days. Clock arbors no matter what type of clock it is from should have the burr removed from the key square with a smooth bench file, then marks removed with various grades of emery sticks and the end should be polished, if the old key no longer fits a new key should be provided, always check the old key as they become worn and in many cases the customer will more then likely have found a key and it fits, more often then not the key will be a bad fit. Don't for get to use the right sort of key, as an example you wouldn't wind up a Longcase clock (grandfather clock) with a brass butterfly key it should be a crank key, you wouldn't wind up an 8 day mantle clock with a Vienna regulator key. Sorry if I have gone on a bit.

Since I've been a member of this forum for a while now, I have noticed that other than the standard dial colors of black, white, grey, gold and silver, blue seems to be the color of choice for many of us here in WRT. I have always been attracted to blue dial watches, especially since it's my favorite color. Here are mine. Please feel free to share yours with us. Blue dial watches are on top, and blue accented watches on the bottom. 1978 Timex Falcon Eye 1979 Timex blue tv dial 70's Sicura Satellite 1973 Timex Mercury 1980's Seiko Quartz diver 1978 Timex Sprite Modern Invicta automatic Pro diver 70's Benrus Citation with blue accents (electronic balance movement) 2010's Fossil "Moden Machine Automatic" blue accents 70's Timex, 21 Jewels with blue accents 1973 Timex Marlin with blue accents.

Yes they might be even totaly different in construction. I took a picture so you easier can see what I mean. Newer ETA 7750 is locked in place by a shim and need a special tool. Old Valjoux 7750 is press fitted. These boths systems have different diameters on the bearing hole on the oscillating weight too. So the Valjoux is smaller and will not stay in the newer oscillators hole. The ETA has a larger diameter and will not go into the Valjoux ocillators hole. Hope this helps.

Welcome to the forum.

How about refitting the arbour? Peen the hole and refitt.

My only watch, not a real seiko, I bought it specifically for the brilliant "turquoise" color to go with the inlay I did on the watch tips in the band.

If Esslingers doesn't have it, you could check with Otto Frei. http://www.ofrei.com/

@Michael I had been checking in on this project, and was curious to learn how it went. Did the repaired gear work? Did it need further altering?

Are you talking about a 7S26 or 36 movement (A or B version) Then that is a cross headed screw. There's a tool for it but I use a cross headed screw driver, I think it's a 1 mm, and it works fine for me.

The easy way to do it is to divide it up into groups and put it on eBay as an auction starting at $1. People will bid it up to what it is worth and then stop bidding. your items are sold and you know exactly what they are worth.

This is a very difficult question, but the “national watch” back in the days would have been a watch branded “Leijona”. The watch was originally an ebauche from Switzerland, now days it’s not. But that watch on the picture seems to be with the authentic look on wristband and everything but looks very German, like a Stowa Ancre or something like that just looking on the hands and dial.

3 1/2 more. $4.50 + $5.something shipping all together. No movement shots, and they showed up in a BestFit baggie, so either another watchmaker couldn't salvage them (in which case I'm doomed) or couldn't be bothered. The Rouon is missing a stem, and no idea if it does anything yet. I got one of the other two to tick briefly. That's all that can be said for signs of life. Yet another Baumgartner 866 though... Popular indeed! Parts watch for the other at a minimum. I'll probably stop torturing my French victims for a while (they're actually kinda nice), and focus on these more expendable subjects.

The next one from my ebay job lot, a 'Gisa Soleure', another Baumgartner 866 based watch, this time with centre seconds, the dial branding is a bit 'naughty'! I assume the 21 is meant to fool you... (note there is no mention of 21 what!, it certainly isn't jewels!) Many watches from the era seem to employ this ruse, and I've seen Ebay listings where these are stated as '21 Jewels' so it is still fooling/conning people today! This one was a little dirty and wouldn't wind, crown would just spin, on opening it up I found the setting lever spring/yoke (single part) was broken so it wouldn't stay in the winding position. With it open I held the sliding clutch and wound it a little, but there was then the telltale slipping noise after a few turns of a broken mainspring. Going through the rest of the batch, I found a Regalia also with a BFG 866, it has a badly damaged case,dial and crystal, so I raided it for its setting lever spring and going barrel. Another note on how clever this movement is in terms of cost down, the four screws securing the top plate, which serves as both train and barrel bridge, also secure the click spring, click spring hold down, balance cock and pallet cock. It does make reassembly a bit more challenging though! After a good clean, strip and reassembly/lubrication, it functions reasonably well (within a minute +/- all positions which will do so far as I am concerned). The crystal has some light marks, I have some polywatch on the way to attack it with. I didn't need to jazz up the seconds hand on this one as it had a funky one already! I quite like it, the dial is a little squint (only a fraction), but the position is fixed by crown and dial feet, and when I look at others online it looks like they all may have been like this! I could resolve it by removing the dial feet, might do at some point if it bothers me. Just fitted with a new strap today and I'm quite taken with it, but I'll probably re-sell this one at some point.

I forgot a contribution to this club. Got a bunch of watches in a lot I bought a while ago, think the average price was about 3£ a piece, sometimes one just need one part and end up with a bunch of classic watches, like this which I’m quite sure is the pride of some eastern country watchmaking. Let me introduce the 39-Day calendar watch! With this one all your vacations becomes a little bit longer

404 Club? Accurist MS075S 10 year battery life. Cost £3.10 P&P also £3.10 1-As it arrived. 2-With cyclops removed and new strap

Think this should just about qualify?.. this job lot of 6 'dead' Accurist movements + 1 case was £12.85 including postage (so less than £4.04 with $10 postage for the whole 6), 4 of them were ETA 2390s, 3 of which I have killed now... but one I have got running well enough that I built it back into the case that was also in the lot and it has been running with reasonable accuracy (within +30s/day dial up, better than that if worn) for a couple of weeks now. I used the most patina'd of the dials as I kind of like it and jazzed it up with a bright orange second hand. Since it is my first 'saved' watch since starting this hobby I intend to keep it! I haven't done anything yet with the 2 other movements, but since I don't have another case it will be tough to rescue them fully!

I just recently sold this aaaabsolute stunner!

absolutely amazing timepiece connected to a historic man and vessel.

Waltham Electrodyne

I replaced the Mercedes hands on this Invicta. They just didn't look right with that Seamaster pattern scalloped bezel. I LOVE this blue sunburst dial .

This is VERY cool! I love this watch.

I added this lovely Timex electronic to my rotation yesterday. The blue dial surrounded by a black shadow like this is very appealing to me. Thanks again to @JohnD for inspiring me to get it.

Wearing this one today, will post a new picture in the appropriate thread later.....

Got this one on the way.......(ESA9158)

I had this in the bottom of my junk box. It's a Ladies Seiko with a 2205 movement. My lovely wife saw it and now it's her's! I serviced it and it runs like new...

I have a soft spot in my heart for almost all things Omega! Gorgeous watch!

This is my Omega Seamaster Titanium Chronograph, very accurate and a daily user. I even take it diving with me!

So do I, it's absolutely stunning, and yet somehow understated.

Love that Omega

I have a passion for blue. Here are a couple of mine. One that Omega did, the other that I cobbled together myself.

I have had my eye on an ocean for awhile, i need to find one within my budget, lol

Although, this watch may not count as a "blue watch", well maybe just a little bit... Here's my Poljot 'Civil' 3133 chronograph. Probably made in the 80s (USSR). The lunette is dark-blue surrounding the champagne sunburst dial. (The photo was taken by the seller.)

OMG: I really like that sapphire blue Seiko in the row of 4 watches above - So very attractive... I'll show you my Sturmanskie 31659 military pilot in turquoise blue... (photos taken by the seller)

Here is my only blue. TISSOT SEASTAR AUTOMATIC

Where do I start? In no particular order, here are a 'few'........ There are more........

A few more recent blue dialled members of the 404 club.

If I could find that a sterile dial like that, I'd totally build a watch around it. Love the stingray strap!

More of a subdued blue.

The Milgauss models appeal to me more that the Rolex divers, and that is a particularly nice example. I'm more likely to find myself dealing with strong magnetic fields and high voltages than 300m of water. That model in particular with the smooth bezel and the blue dial really hits the spot. I think I'd need to blow my normal budget a little bit to add one to the collection though.... but that blue dial may be the temptation that breaks my normally steely resolve. The 2007 version for example or this 2014 mode (Rolex Milgauss Blue 116400GV)l, are just quirky enough to fit in nicely with the other 404 club members, with their blue dial, green crystals and red hands.. maybe I could give it honorary membership... who would know? Very tempting.

Handsome Rolex! As a rule, I'm not a fan of your standard Rolexes. But I've seen 3 in the last week that caught my eye, yours is one of them.

A couple of Adrems, a Franken-citizen and a franken HMT, a probably genuine HMT, a Seiko Titanium and a Sindaco. I'll have another trawl through the service and repair folders and see if I can find a few more when I get a spare moment. All of the ones I've shown are working. I may have some donors with blue dials too. There are a couple more blue dialed examples in the pipeline from ebay too, including another Ingersol. I'll post them when they have arrived and I have them working.

Here are a few more. I'm sure I have others. At least one HMT, and a couple more Timexes but this will do for openers.