Leaderboard

Remove the screw and end cap and try (GENTLY) to push the stem piece out of the jewel with a fine oiler, sharpened pegwood, or maybe a sewing needle. Gently or you could push the jewel out of its setting. You need to peg that jewel hole anyway and then clean and oil the end cap. Good Luck, RMD

I am restoring a Seamaster that has black paint on its minute and hour hands. It is starting to chip off though and I’d like to refresh it. Can I use testors modelling paint for this and are there any tips you could share? Thank you!

Pad printing has been around in some form for ages, I always figured the fine-lined dials were done this way even way back. Large clock dials were often done by hand. There's some good yt vids on pad printing dials.

Yes, and be sure to push it from the cap jewel side. The pivots are trumpet shaped and the other side is likely larger in diameter, which could crack the jewel if forced.

have been wearing this recent acquisition for the last week. It ha san ETA2878 automatic movement and keeps great time. Unfortunately I struggle to see the hands when the light fades.

Yes, you really need to use a crystal press or it will not seat properly. You MUST use a crystal press. J

They would load a bristle brush with it and brush down the parts. Sounds crazy I know, but that was part of good cleaning procedure 120 something years ago. Goodrich's book The Watchmaker's Lathe its Use and Abuse has and illustration describing the chalk hole.

Just spent the day at the Canadian clock museum in Deep River Ontario. 1 very smart scientist started it many years ago when he was looking for a home for his hundreds of collected clocks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Hi In reply to your questions. 1 L & R cleaning solution for the machine. 2 what attaches to the rotating arm is a basket with sub dividers for the parts, Most of these are machine specific, not to say others may fit, a question of size. 3 oils and grease moebius is the industry standard Charts and lubricants can be found on cousins.uk 4 Mainspring winders, use your fingers (clean) or with finger cots winders are many and can be expensive. 5 as Old hippy mentioned any of the de carle books, then again there are plenty to choose from Henry B Fried also mentioned both mechanical and electronic watches. 6 have a look on the elgin site there is much information there to enable to to identify your watch. using the serial number of the watch on the site. 7 Tools are a personal thing buy the best you can afford and take good care of them they will last a life time.

I guess your posting is made tongue in cheek like mine ;-) In reality The Chinese don't make chrographs. At most month, lunar and some more indicators e.g. in the one you have linked.

Here are two photos of the movement. I have marked where the dial feet fit in. The dial is held in place by dial screws and there is nothing out of the ordinary. They should be like number 23 and screw in the side of the movement.

Just think how many brand new mainsprings you could buy with the price of that largely ornamental set. These go from the packaging roundel to the barrel without any tool.