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Hi all, I have uploaded a pdf copy of the Generale Ressorts catalogue. So that you can make yourself a hard copy. Handy to have in the drawer. (sometimes!). Even the pdf seems to be hard to find. Cheers Graziano. GeneraleRessorts.pdf

Thought you guys might be interested in this. It is a bit tricky and requires a steady had, but it is possible.

I found this is invaluable when searching for that elusive vintage spring.

Well… I think I can confirm the movement is a Standard FHF/ST 96 that were mass produced in the 1960’s, though in your case I’d say from the style it’s more likely to be from the 1970’s. However, without any branding on the dial, (which may have been rubbed off) it would be almost impossible to tell. You could try eBay by searching by photo to get you closer. Then again, I don’t know if there may have been some independent watchmakers that may have made an unbranded watch (just as I have more recently). Hope that helps?

One of my clients is an old _manufacture_, and they're strict on timing. But you get a piece in that was made in 1920, and has been literally abused in the last 100 years, file marks across the mainplate, rust all over, "chicken tracks" around the balance cock, and they send it with an estimate of 8 hours to put it in order.... Yeah a bench guy would get it close, maybe 60s in 8 positions and whip out a new stem that doesn't wiggle around and eat a few hours. Those kinda watches we usually tell ahead of time they'll be a pain, mostly on the regulation end, and in 6 years dealing with them it's a non-discussion. At the end it's what it's worth to the client. I know my "major manufacturer" eats a lot of cost to keep clients happy . I'm not getting rich from it and neither are they. But dammit the watches go out working properly !

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It's German.

Hi @highflyer In the UK a lot of folk will get parts from Cousins UK. For generic crystals there's https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/acrylic-shaped-watch-glasses for instance. Cousins even has specific Gucci crystals at https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/gucci . However your particular crystal seems somewhat unusual and specific being tall and narrow with rounded corners. In fact what you're after is https://www.watchmaterial.com/watch-crystal-for-gucci-1500/; also available at https://www.esslinger.com/special-model-watch-crystals/ It might therefore be worth asking Cousins if they can source based on the fact they do other Gucci crystals and if no-one else comes up trumps with a UK source. Failing that you could request one from one of the aforementioned US sites although postage likely to exceed value of crystal unless you can ask for it just to be shoved in an envelope without all the UPS overhead. If you did take to a watch shop as @watchweasolsuggests clearly it would make sense in this case to get a cost up front; if these crystals are hard to source, and thus incur extra expense, you want to go in with your eyes open.

Hi Many thanks for your generosity most welcome and appreciated..

My Apologies Plato. a senior moment confused with Nucejoe, why, old age decrepitude,.

That's the sort of room a clock like that needs to live in! it's an outlandish piece but no clock is ugly, they are all beautiful in their own way....some more unique than others!

I don't know; it's not so bad really. A little overdone for my own taste perhaps, and the case seems odd somehow, and I'm not over-fond of the dial to be honest, and the price is a little steep for it...ah...I think I see what you mean. Nevermind.

Turns I needed to use more than "significant" force and Signficant+® force did the trick

I work on vintage watches. Aside from that I make components (barrel arbors, escape wheels, whatever they want). This is for new watches. When presented with a "no parts" edict from the manufacturer, in my case, it's usually because there are literally no parts available. So I make them, and charge them, and everyone is happy. Might be a staff or stem, might be a complete pallet fork. No spare parts available, even to the manufacturer, they pay the dork with the know-how and equipment to do it. 50 years down the road I hope there's a few more geeks doing this 'cause I'll be 98 and probably not hitting the lathe every day haha. End of the line for oddball stuff someone has to make it. And that's not cheap. And they aren't getting rich. And there are fewer and fewer of those folks. And laser welding and 3D printing are not the panacea.

The price of spare parts for any equipment is always proportional to the availability. The less they become available the more expensive they become. Hence the reasoning dont throw away anything that may still have an afterlife even though its broken.

Those lathes are fine, it's just a slightly earlier model and there are loads of accessories on ebay. Are you on about the 400 day? What Jack75 said is a a good idea it also will prevent fluttering and prevents friction, a wee drop is all that is needed. Most of the time it is just down to getting the clock in beat. One of those beat setting tools for Anniversary clocks is a must. This is what would help you. Most good suppliers stock them.

A dab of oil on the crutch fork may be sufficient. This is often overlooked.

Check the beat error and amplitude again. Sometimes if the beat is a little off, it will stop after awhile. Also check if there is enough or too much oil on the escape wheel teeth.

Seiko 7025-5010 1978 blue dial, just finished.

I haven't done one of these for a while..... My latest acquisition with a Record 107 movement, and on my first attempt at making a strap (no apologies for the dodgy stitching). Came in as a non-runner, turned out to be a broken M/S so easily sorted. I was tempted to have a go at re-plating the case but I think it carries off the brassing rather well.

A bundle of scrap Swatches are also on their way. If I can get the Irony working, that will be good, and any others will be a bonus. They work out at just over a pound each, so even of they are a complete bust, I'm not worried.

I have this neat little Hamilton on its way. Can't wait to see what movement it has, it's odd as I can only find a couple Hamiltons with 9:00 second hand subdials.

Before you go adjusting the pins, I think the delta is in part caused by your hairspring being out of flat. You can see it in your last shot - the hairspring appears cupped, meaning the overcoil is naturally sitting too low and is being pulled up when you fasten the stud. You should be able to see this better with the balance out of the watch, and maybe the hairspring off the balance. Make sure I am not wrong before you go messing with it though. But yes the pins may also be too tight. There are likely several small distinct problems. It is common on old pocket watches for the pins to be pushed together. I think at one point it was considered acceptable practice.

Power off, stud cap screws loose, insert stud. HS in pins, wiggle watch a little so everything settles. Screw down stud cap screws. From there, if you need to adjust anything adjust- beat error, move the hs collet. HS not centered in regulator pins, adjust. HS not flat, centered overall, adjust. Ideally with everything "relaxed" and snugging up the stud cap it should all be good. But a watch this age has seen many watchmakers and probably needs some loving.