Leaderboard

Hello Everybody. My name is Michael, I'm in my early 20's and have been lucky enough to stumble upon something I wish to make a career of. Up until recently I genuinely had no clue this was even a hobby let alone a profession. Since I was small I had an affinity for my Grandfathers watches, he was gifted a luxury Swiss watch upon his Retirement from work. I fondly remember cradling it in my hands as a child petrified of dropping it or handling it for that matter. I must have convinced myself as a child that a big old factory somewhere just churned these pieces out and never questioned that narrative until I purchased my first luxury watch. I was often confined to my house growing up as I cared for my mother during a rather turbulent period/battle with cancer. I had to get creative with ways to make money so I managed to get qualified as a nutritionist as well as a spot of Retail trading on the side. After having moderate success with my online clients and one lucky investment I decide to purchase a Rolex Submariner 16610 as some sort of acknowledgement of making it through tougher times. I won't pretend for second that the purchase was well researched or well negotiated, I was simply pleased with the look of it and having heard Rolex so many times and seen them in shop windows it become an object of desire for me. That led me to a small watch repair shop maybe 15 minutes on a bike from my house. My watch was due its first service and as I took it in I could see two older gentlemen working in complete silence as a younger lady at the front desk greeted me. This led me to the discovery of watchmaking as a profession and a fruitful discussion on the jobs they carried out, how they were trained and for that I am grateful. Safe to say I I'm in embryonic stages of development so I won't be of much contribution unless documenting a raw novices journey could be of some use ? I find myself in a strange but fortunate position of having a small passive income as I live with my dad and quite a lot of time to develop the basics of this craft. I am Reading some entry level books recommended to me which happen to echo the sentiments of Marks level 1 course (thank you very much for putting it together) which I am making my way through as I type this. What id like to ask to the more experienced members is where would be a sensible place to start ? I'm aware that ways into the industry are either apprenticeship or schooling ? unless there are other ways id be grateful to get any advice or guidance on these early stages and what could bolster my chances of gaining apprenticeship or entry to the school. Thanks in advance and sorry for the long winded intro. Michael.

All going to plan I will be picking up my Christmas present to myself tomorrow, a Longines 30LS in a 9K gold BAUME case. I'm getting it for a very reasonable price as I am buying it from a watchmaker I know and it is a watch he has had for a number of years. It will need a new band, but other than that is good and keeping time within a few seconds a day. I do love the gold chatons for the jewels in the movement too. I cant decide if the winding knob is original or not, as I have seen this model of watch with a slimmer winding knob and with ones like this, but it does look a bit chunky to me on the watch, so I may replace it if its not original.

According to Jules Borel, just FHF 31 and Benrus AJ are equivalents

Thank you very much! That did it. Great instruction and I appreciate your help.

Look closely through the hole while moving the stem in and out. At one point, either on the second or third position, a lever with a little hole or dimple will appear.push gently on it while pulling on the stem and make sure you do not pull the mechanism to the third position while doing it. The lever is seldom visible when the stem is pushed in all the way. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

What gets me is this....the case says movado but not the dial?this strikes me as odd.would a premium watch manufacturer put a no name dial on the watch? I think you have a mismatch here.it is entirely possible that dial was taken from a non movado movement..and just put in that case because it happens to fit. The movement maybe an AS an ETA or even a jeambrun. When I get a chance next week I will look a few of my subdial watches and see what possible movement could fit that dial

PS. My technique for finding lost parts launched into oblivion is to empty out my little Dyson vacuum, vacuum the area, tip out contents onto a large white surface like a dinner plate and search through with fingers. If it's metal (obviously not much use in this case) a strong magnet is useful as well (but be sure to demagnetise the piece if you find it). It's a dirty job but where there's muck there's luck.

Just acquired this for less than the cost of a bar meal. Unmarked stainless steel top and back and chromed centre. Measures 28mm across the crystal so it's small by todays standards. Model 1761Y - 88 It was running quite fast. I demagnetised it which slowed it down a bit and am now in the process of regulating it. I wonder does the 88 refer to the year of manufacture?

G’day all, Here’s my little collection of watches. Some are complete, some are not Some years ago, with saved up birthday and Christmas money, i bought an 1877, key wind, American Watch Co. Full Hunter; Stirling silver English case (that’s a few years older than the workings), engraved balance cock and 9ct gold balance wheel. This is my everyday watch, when it’s not too hot to wear a waistcoat A Swiss Acurex, 17 jewels, bought for a few dollars from an Op Shop (Ozzie version of a Thrift Store). This has seen service for when the above mentioned temperatures arrive. Unreliable now, so probably needs a service. Not worth paying for one, so will wait until my knowledge and skills are high enough. A Smiths pocket watch, pin lever, some of the wheels are just stamped out. Bought it a couple of years ago figuring that it might be a, non precious, watch to learn on. Plastic lens was all scuffed. 40mins of sanding and polishing cream fixed that. Balance wheel was sloppy as all else, and my dad said that one of the balance pivots was probably a screw. The one up under the dial was, so I fine tuned it. Within a week it had come loose again, so I put a dot of Lock Tight on the thread, re-fine tuned it, and left the dial off in case of recurrence (the dial’s only held on with bent tabs). Sits on my desk in a wire stand as my desk clock. Recently my Wife and I found a little shop in a nearby town that has the remains of retired watchmaker’s stock, both working watches and parts ones. I’ve been raiding his $5 tub. So far I have two fusee works, both missing the balance wheel and pallets, and a couple of other bits on each. One is by John Anderton of Huddersfield (found him on a list and he had his shop there in the 1820’s), and the other one is R. Cunningham of Liverpool, with an older style of regulator. No dials. Hope to tinker, and make parts and dials for them over time, but even if I can’t get them going, just having watch works that were made 200 years ago, and at $5 each I love hand work and engraving. The next 4 watches and works, also from the $5 tub, started ticking when given a gentle rock. In fact the first one, the workings of a Lombard Vernon & Co. pocket watch, that were sitting in a zip lock bag, started ticking away when I turned the bag over. I haven’t been able to find anything so far on the ‘net about them, and the main brass chassis, with the regular ‘works in it, has a white metal 1/2 plate on top with a collection of damaged springs and cams on it. Wondering whether it was a chimer or something. Missing winding stem (and anyway it’s grotty so running it is probably a bad idea in it’s present state). Quite a few jewels. The Odd Ball watch of the lot: A wind up ‘digital’ pocket watch! I had not seen this sort of thing before (though have now looked them up on the ‘net and seen some Very expensive versions, mostly wrist watches. ‘Liga’ brand, Swiss made. Pin lever. Ticked when rocked in the shop, but wouldn’t wind (no resistance or click). Thought it might be a broken mainspring, but $5 what’s to lose In the car I popped off the back with a screwdriver to find the clickspring rattling around loose. Found where it was supposed to be, fitted it, and, hey presto, winds and runs under certain circumstances. Have largely cleaned it, including the grotty celluloid window, and hope to get it going properly soon. A nice watch to learn on as it doesn’t have as many wheels as a conventional hands watch. Love watching the hour wheel flick over (a pip at the ’30’ position on the Minute dial engages a star wheel under the Hour disk). Have, since the photo, put the front watch case on my lathe and finished it with a fine grit, leaving a nice, subtle, radial polish. Heuer stop watch. Will run for a few seconds at a time. Very clean inside. No winder or crystal. Missing movement restraining screws (what’s the official name for those?) Generic Swiss made watch. The hour hand was bent around the minute hand, and once dis-entangled the watch spontaneously ran for a 1/4 Hour. Hour hand didn’t survive No winder, but apart from that, a new crystal and making an hour hand, it may be a goer without much work. Marathon over. Hope you enjoyed it. Cheers Duncan

Just dismantling my latest acquisition, a 19J Smiths Cal 0104 and notice the shock springs are of a type I haven't encountered before. I assume they just rotate and lift out ?