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Let’s say I was to wind the above mainspring into a Bergeon mainspring winder barrel, would I use a left or right arbor handle? Is it correct that the left Bergeon mainspring winder arbor handles are marked with a blue dot and that the right handles are marked with red dot?

I was asked to restore a nurses fob watch (sentimental reasons). The stem was broken trying to get the watch running. !!!!!. The movement is a pin lever BFG 844 and a couple of surprises were found. The first being it is jewelled and the middle three jewels set on the top plate are capped so I had to lubricate before assembling. The other being the upper and lower shock springs are different and I suspect the top spring is a replacement BUT it works. The watch runs fine and good readings for a pin lever see pics.

I got to wondering if this was a good idea. I have good J.E. Kampe calipers for checking true-ness. But I've always been nervous about correcting an out-of-true balance in the calipers. DeCarle says it can be done in the kind of calipers I have, but I don't like to. I worry about the pivots. So if I see a need for correction by turning the balance in the calipers, I will take it out and encapsulate the staff in a proper sized stump and punch, before adjusting it. Back and forth - check it in the calipers, correct it in the staking set. I've had good luck so far, though admittedly I have not had to true that many balances. Most are fine. Does anyone else do this? It was the safest way I could think of with what tools I have.

Try adjusting gain control.

Purchased a new one from Cousins. There is however an issue while on test overnight it stopped. After a lot of fiddling I stripped down again and found a tooth broken off the barrel. I normally check all of the wheels and pivots when I strip with my microscope but it’s light ring had broken and so I did not inspect closely. My mistake and since found the fault re microscope it’s light source is via fibre optics cable and the units projector lamp had failed. The new lamp and barrel are on order. what fun

Hello all. It’s been a while since I logged in here to chat. I discovered Facebook and found Mark’s Facebook forum which is keeping me occupied. I do feel compelled to return however to check out one of my all time favourite threads, “Lew & Me”. Well since last logging in, I have gained another stray. My wife and I discovered this little tabby fellow soaking wet, shivering and near his end whilst we were out walking in the woods one day. Happy to say he has now been adopted by us and in fine fetter. His name is ‘Monty’, and settled in perfectly. Thankfully he is not as interested in watches as is his ginger step-brother Joey

That is alchool, and even for that it takes time.

Waiting for a used Sinn 856 B-Uhr limited edition complete set (856 copies, of course). I never really liked these vintage looking pilot watches, but when I saw this one something happened inside me and I just had to have it. Here's a rather nice Worn & Wound review of it. I thought I'd never buy a watch costing me more than a few hundred $ (95 % of my watches cost < $50). I've always been impressed by German watchmaking where focus traditionally is on function, yielding the aesthetics. Complicated watches in precious metals with tourbillons and the like never really got me going (maybe some day). I think a good chronograph with a day and date complication is as complicated as I'd ever want a watch to be (but I still need to learn how to service one). My impression is that these Sinn watches are very popular and can't be bought for a bargain anywhere. My used copy is from a German eBay/Chrono24 seller with excellent feedback but I still managed to negotiate it down to 36 % below Sinn's list price. The catch being that the seller is on holiday and won't be able to ship it before October 4th. Maybe he was in need of some extra and quick money for his holiday. Anyway, the seller assures me it's "like new", but I would expect it to be from 2016 (the release year) and in need of a service. I look forward to taking it apart (Sellita SW300-1). Can't wait for it...

Playing devil's advocate, that's exactly the correct method for some watches. However you turn it, spending more than the material value of a watch for servicing is not something smart IMHO. You have been told a couple of very easy ways already. You can ask a reputable watchmaker to check, and may not be even charged, because it takes less than 5 minutes to do both. It takes more than just equipment, as it's mainly disposition and perseverance. Good luck.

The stud should end up where the hairspring naturally rests. You should not twist the stud to adjust the hairspring.

Both headstocks look _exactly_ Peerless to me, and Peerless aligns with V ways in the center slot, Boley and pretty much every other make aligns with V ways on the edges of the bed. As you're lathe addicted, do try to find one with a collet holding tailstock. You'll find it solves all your problems. I make parts for customers on the lathe literally every day for the last couple of decades +, often prototype parts for very picky Swiss companies with tolerance windows of 4 microns (sometimes less), and for all that time it's been my trusty Boley Leinen. Ball bearing headstock, micrometric collet holding tailstock and lever collet holding tailstock, Levin cross slide*. It does everything, well, and has paid for itself probably thousands of times over. *I've never seen a cross slide better than Levin. Very easily the best, and 20 years in Switzerland it's always fun when a Swiss or French or German (other countries too) try it and and are like "wtf?!!"- they are always 100% amazed and start searching for one.

Manufactured 1960 1970 according to the serial number.

A Slava 21 jewel 2414 - Перестройка (Perestroika) mechanical. It is missing its case back, and the price puts it just outside the 404 club rules, but I could resist. I should have a suitable case back and spares to repair it.

Thank you for your kind words! ? It's a very slim automatic movement. Just take a look at the oscillating weight (rotor) size and how it is fitted.

A previous fella opened the watch, broke some parts, did not even recover all remaining pieces out of the case, replaced the back cover and declared it dead. I had to resurrect it :-). Thanks God, CousinsUK had spare parts available.

I have a link below that you might find helpful. Scroll down until you get to Joseph School of Watch Making. Then you want to download unit four. at the bottom of PDF page 7 you going to find something of interest. notice there is a reference to the shape because the shape of the curvature of the burnisher has to correspond the shape of your pivot. Then notice and they follow up with a reference to refinishing. Unfortunately just because something is called a burnisher doesn't mean there is a universal standard of what the finish should be. I've noticed they range from being very course to basically shiny smooth. Elgin watch company made a sapphire burnisher one and was slightly frosted and the other was really really smooth and shiny. then with your nifty new tool at find something to practice with before jumping in with a good watch. It's an interesting tool to learn how to use and requires a lot of practice if you want to be good with it. But if you know what you're doing you can produce some incredibly beautiful finish on the pivot. https://mybulova.com/vintage-bulova-catalogs