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Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, swearing, tantrum, more swearing, referring to Roger Mellie's Profanisaurus (now available as an app by the way), outrageously insane swearing, mental breakdown, therapy, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience etc.......... Works for me every time.

As many of you may be aware I am a bit of a 'Jammy Sod'! The latest bit of jamminess is as follows. I was helping his widow to clear out my late friend's shed and was asked to divide the contents of a bag of 'scrap' between two bags, as the one bag had become too heavy to lift. It was destined for the metal recycling bin at the local dump. In transferring the contents I came across the clock in the pictures. Reporting it to my friend's widow as I was obliged to do I was told "If you want it, have it!" The dial bore the stamped maker's mark 'S. Smith and Sons (MA) London' and the applied marking L 3/39, the date of manufacture or issue I presume. Some investigation online suggested that it was supplied to the Air Ministry and elsewhere as an aircraft clock. The 12-hour dial has alternate lumed numbers and lumed minute and hour hands for both main and subsidiary dials. The lume on the hands is completely shot but, although spent, the hour lume markings are crisp and largely intact. There's a 12-hour Time of Trip subsidiary dial and a sweep second hand. The trip timer and second hand are activated by the right-hand button and are both fly-back. The chrono function can be disconnected by turning the middle button where a small circular window shows red or white, off or on. The left button is for winding/adjusting and hacks the movement. The clock runs well but will benefit from a service. The timer function runs for a few minutes and then stops but I think this is due to lack of lubrication, after all it's probably never been opened in 75 years! There's no indication on the outside as to what movement is lurking inside and I naturally presumed that it was made by Smiths. Imagine my pleasure in removing the casing and discovering a 13-jewel Le Coultre movement. It's a gilt beauty and absolutely immaculate. Am I pleased? You bet!

Not strictly a walk through but just a few notes & pics on my latest rebuild, this being a Smiths Streamline, C60 calibre with date from 1966. As received non running minus the knackered strap & badly scratched crystal: Note the the damage to the lugs, probably caused by a poorly fitting metal strap some time in its life. Just something we will have to live with. Out of the case: Under the dial: & turn it over: The mucky mainspring: Cleaning, oiling & re-assembly was fairly straightforward although the pivots proved a bit of a pain to line up and the cap jewels were not the easiest, but all went well in the end. The dial was in particularly good nick, after the Rodico + spit & cotton bud treatment. With a new strap and crystal this is what we get: Keeping time within +/- 5 seconds a day, a low 206 degrees amplitude (original mainspring) & amazingly no beat error. Probably the best movement to come out of Smiths Anglo Celtic Factory at Ystradgynlais (the quality stuff being built at Cheltenham), quite sophisticated in design & general build quality, unfortunately let down by a lack of jewels, but in their defence they were trying to produce an Everyman watch at a reasonable price.

Have not worked on this one. Have attached the tech Pdf for the 7C46A in case you might be tempted to have a fiddle. Seiko 7C46A - Technical Guide.pdf

Hi Kees, The brand is an offset (subsidiary) of Seiko. The movement may or may not be available for different reasons and I suspect it is in the range of the US$50 or less retail. So, you have 2 options, either buy the watch and use it as is or be ready to change the movement altogether which will effectively result in an almost new watch (you can still try and repair it but coils might be an expensive $$$ problem). Keep in mind that being (mostly) a cheap brand from Seiko (which is already cheap on most of the digital watches and many autos), this is NOT an expensive watch in itself when new. We are talking about US$100 take or leave a few bucks/quids. Note that being a Pulsar the serial number might not necessarily include the caliber, example: Seiko: 7S26-0020 --> caliber/movement = 7S26 Pulsar N49J-6A00 --> caliber/movement = ? Some Pulsar chronometers use the V657 or the VD57 et al (different than the one on your watch I'm sure but to give you an idea) So, it begs the question: Is there any description of the movement in the add? If so, you can search for a source and compare costs of repairs. Here is an example: Ebay purchase: US$30 (includes shipping) New movement (exact replacement, new) US$45 (with shipping, battery and stem): New bezel (cousinsUK $? didn't matter, bundled with other goodies, but about US$30) and new crystal US$3 and crown and hands (in my stock US$0) Total cost = about US$190 with new stainless steel band (about US$15). Value of the watch new (back then) about US$250. End result with provisional leather band: In the end, not a huge savings but the satisfaction is priceless. So, this is the story of a similar situation and a watch I wear with pride. Sometimes the price of parts are too much considering the price of the watch new and then the decision is: Should I spend the money on this ***p and learn something or even have some fun or should I pass? How much do I like it? Will I be able to fix it? Is it worth to send it to someone to fix it for me? What if I destroy the darn thing? or the person I sent it to? What if I can't fix it? or the person I sent it to? Will the wife quarantine me for wasting our hard earned money? Would it be worth it? Should I go find a girlfriend in the meantime while the quarantine lasts? Again, individual choices.... :D Cheers, Bob PS. If you decide to go against all odds and buy and tinker, first I wish you a happy ending like in my example above, second, wear it with pride since you did a great job regardless of how much the cost or how professionally it turned out...the next one will still be better!

The Seitz is designed specifically for the fitting and removal of pivot jewels. It has reamers to ensure the correct hole size, and punches and stumps dedicated for the job. Also there is micrometer adjustment to allow the Jewel to be seated to the exact depth required. A staking set on the other hand can be used for a many things including fitting and removal of balance staffs that have broken pivots. Some staking sets do have jeweling attachments and can cover all bases. I suggest that you read this thread, as there is a lot of information you may find useful. http://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/2532-free-ebook-kds-complete-staking-tools-and-how-to-use-them-1910/?hl=%2Bk%26amp%3Bd+%2Bstaking

It is indeed a nice piece, however if you can't confirm when it was last serviced it would be a very good idea to get a clean, oil and adjust done. If it's been sitting for years (and it looks like it has) the old oils will be dried out and any dust in the movement will help with grinding away the pivots and jewels if you continue to wear it. (a bit of an over dramatisation, but a service could be in order) Cheers Jim

I wouldn't say i was a tool maker but when i have some scrap material around i make some use of it :) Pictured below, a couple of staff hammers ( for choice of better word ) i use these when replacing staffs and knocking out old ones, the smaller hammer for wrist and larger for pocket watches. The hammers have other uses too of course, both have stainless steel handles and brass heads which give just the right amount of weight, they ain't pretty but they work a charm. There's a very rough looking aluminium lug pin removal tool made from a short scrap of stock, bang some holes and threads in the end and add some hardened steel tips tada. A small screw driver i used for general stuff, i made this again out of scrap bits i bought in a joblot. Last picture is a small stand i made from scrap aluminium, just messing around with scrap and turned into a tweezer stand for now ha ha. The stand is quite sturdy and weighted despite being alu. I do make higher quality tools when i have time but these are all i have that were all made purely from scrap. :) When i do next make a set of screwdrivers i will be sure to share here :)

My source of dial cleaning saliva is my mother-in-law...false teeth, etc...you get the picture...just give her conversation and insert the dial in the middle of a phrase...works like a charm. Now don't make her angry or she will spoil the dial! :)

Then, excellent choice, Kees and go for it! Remember to keep us up to date on your progress. I'd love to see the end result of your tinkering! Cheers, Bob PS. Here you'll never pester! So, ask away!

I totally agree with Clockboy. It's a nice looking watch, but I would advise that you start on something a bit less complicated to start with.

Personally I would steer clear of it unless it is really cheap that is. I suspect problems with the movement. If you do purchase here are the operation instructions. N94J_E.pdf

You'll get no argument here Bob. I was just saying that the set George was looking at could be good value at the price. By own set is made by Boley, and also allows you to use stakes as stumps just like the Inverto.

That's very good advice from Jim. Don't be tempted to just oil the movement without "cleaning it thoroughly". This can cause old solidified oil residue to swell and slow the watch by gripping the pivots, to a point where the watch will actually stop. I found this out the hard way when I started off servicing movements.

Nice find never happens to me.

I used a pair of swiss army knives a couple of times for this job before i got hold of the correct tool. Much easier to hold than razor blades! To protect from scratches cut a v shaped slot in a piece of paper and put it under the wheel first. Have also heard of people doing this inside a plastic bag to stop the wheel going into low earth orbit. Always anxious about the jewel on the other end when refitting these. Back in the day there was probably a special movement holder with a pin to support the pivot when refitting... Or (thinking out loud here) should I be using a small flat stake in the bottom of my staking set? S

I finally got the time this week to make a couple of tools I've been needing. A tool for removing pendant tubed when refinishing cases. A oiler that can be held like a pen for ultimate control. Made from 6mm anodized aluminium rod and a reshaped sewing needle. Handremovers made from 5mm stainless rod

I reckon that'll be a Raketa 2609.HA under the snap on case back. A capable little engine with end stones for the escape wheel held in place with spring clips which can be a challenge to reinstall, a tiny little hole jewel set into the tip of the centre wheel pinion for the seconds hand pinion to run in, a lefty for the crown wheel screw (3 slots), a press fit cover plate for the motion works, and a shim under the balance cock. With what looks like a Russian version of Incabloc shock protection and an adjustable stud carrier it's a nice movement to work on and can turn out quite good performance. In case you hadn't guessed, I have done one or two of these :) . Cosmetically yours looks to be pretty good so provided no one has brutalised the hair spring you should end up with a great everyday watch. If you get stuck for any spare parts let me know, I may have some bits and pieces in my goody box.