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"3 Russians and an American enter a bar." Sounds like something is about to go down if that were true! But in this case I acquired 4 new watches including 2 Russian made electronics and 1 Russian made, early mecha-quartz and 1 Timex Electronic. Yes, I know I have an issue with blue watches, That's why I started my post about them here, lol. I'm not sure about the canary yellow Luch, maybe it will grow on me when I get it in hand. I fell in love with this Chayka mecha-quartz. The model 3050, stepper is enormous! Plus, that blue sucks me in every time! I've wanted one of these Luch electronic watches for some time, the seller had two and offered a great price for them. Hoping the yellow isn't as intense in hand. I've heard good things about the 3055 movements, hopefully it's true. Ever since @JohnD Shared his copy of this watch, I knew I had to have one. I'm sorry folks if I'm not acquiring wholly unique pieces, But I collect what I like, as I hope we all do. I'm a bit nervous for the Russians as I'm not certain about the reliability of the various movements. Hopefully the rugged simplicity that are the hallmarks of the Russian engineering ethos will win through.

Hi Moose A cracking job well done, Its a bit daunting the first time as there are so many things to go wrong but with care and attention to detail its doable , so well done you, another lesson learned and another skill.

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope this finds you healthy and not too bored. My new to me, 1973 Transistorized Wittnauer arrived yesterday. The Crystal was in quite a state and needed attention. With a fresh battery it took off right away, always encouraging. Neither thrilled, nor disappointed by the aftermarket bracelet. It seems appropriate. Will pull the Crystal tonight to clean more around the edges. Very happy with it. A bit grungy upon arrival I wonder who HN Blair was? 1973 narrows the date down. I'll consider it another birth year watch Here is the ESA9154 heart beating. The Crystal cleaned up very nicely, minus the small crack between the 12 and 1. Regardless, happy to have it in the lineup!

Try this

If you are all in the mood for a little bit of Soviet era horology, then I'd like to introduce today's 404 club fixer upper. A Raketa 2609.HA based Sekonda, complete with the obligatory USSR marking on the bottom of the dial. The gold plated case (stamped AU9) and the near indestructible Raketa movement make these little Sekondas rather pleasing and rewarding pieces to resurrect. I think it too enjoyed its well earned service and good scrub down, as it is now sitting at >270 degrees, beat error around 0.1ms and somewhere around +30 sec per day without me adjusting anything. It is still sporting the original high dome crystal, which took a good polish and save for a few tiny blemishes looks almost new One other great thing about these (I have a couple of similar examples) is the dial. It is both easily readable, and classically elegant at the same time. A station clock for the wrist. Maybe the 1970s weren't completely devoid of taste after all.

I love the rectangular Chayka, I was only looking at those on eBay last night. Looks like we share the same eclectic taste in oddball watches ... and as for the Wittnauer in your other post, that has a great dial......I do not have an ESA9154 driven watch yet, but this ESA9158 Talis and the ESA9157 Montine.... Another Junghan 600 powered watch is on the way, this time a Mathey Doret, sold as non running, but I'm hopeful..... Hopefully, having it's identical Sheffield branded brother, fully working, I should find fault finding a bit easier....

Ah, understood. It’s quite hard to keep them centred when you are initially working into the oval. A bit like trying to drift a drill bit. I’ve also made the mistake of over-enlargening when broaching. I’ve done the same on watch cases when replacing pendant tubes which is even worse. Old Hippy makes a good point about the surface area available in your new bush which is probably less than original, and already quite thin due to the plate depth. But for this clock, I’m not sure it matters much. The other factor is the quality of the bush. Some are much harder than others, and some are made of crappy free cutting brass with too high a lead content. Also, they do work-harden if you hammer them. Time will tell how long any bush lasts.

Hi rodabod and thanks for the comments. It was a tapered one as it happens, but I'm thinking I went in too aggressive with the first attempt, and no oil, which did not help at all. Maybe, I should also have started with a smaller diameter reamer, not sure about that though. But I am pleased with this, as a first attempt. With more practice I hope to get better at it.

Moose, that’s great work. Well done. I now realise that you were possibly using a fixed size broach/reamer rather than the typical tapered type. I think the latter possibly makes your work easier, especially when you need to use an odd-sized or roughly turned bush.

you should get that translated. deadicated watches are quite collectable. vin

You have a gem there! That Wittnauer is really a lovely piece, and I like the transistor symbol on the dial. Reminds me of when I was a kid in the sixties, and having a “transistor radio” was a Cool Thing. I see that the drive mechanism is very similar to the Luch electromechanicals. On a related note, one of my Luch watches is engraved on the back too... in Russian, so I have no idea what it says; but yeah, every one of our watches has a story. Cheers, Gryf

Okay so the cap jewel was placed the wrong way and the dome went inwards... Should've checked that earlier... Thanks for all the answers!

If the broach starts to bind in the hole a little oil will help. For your first attempt you have done well. I’m not too sure of the bush you have chosen the hole has very little depth to the pivot and plate. This is why I always made my own. Here are two sorts of bushes that I recommend. Bergeon and KWM I wouldn’t use them. Bergeon clock brooches cutting and smoothing are one of the best, I don’t think they cover the sizes you would need for Longcase (grandfather) clocks I might be wrong. There is another type of bushing when you have experience, that is called invisible, that is when you can’t see that the clock has been bushed. https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/mantel-clock-general https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/english-clock-bushes

Good morning, afternoon or evening! Evening for me, Mike from Connecticut. I hope this finds you healthy and sane! I started learning watch repair a few years ago. I’ve spent a lot of time on another well known site with a watchmaking section but after reading through here more I think the atmosphere is more my style. Looking forward to joining the club! Mike

Hi, I am an American watchmaker and machinist set up for repair, restoration, modification and bottom-up manufacture living currently in Germany. I have a penchant for vintage tools from German and Swiss and US manufacturers, and use Lorch, Boley, Bergeon, in tandem with modern machine equipment (CNC, mill, lathe, drill press, media blaster, etc.). My repair and service work takes in a lot of luxury brands like Rolex, Patek, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Panerai, but I also replace batteries for cheap quartz watches, and have repaired cuckoo and kitchen clocks. I have benefitted from watching Mark's wonderfully methodic and instructive videos on You Tube, which is what made me aware of this site. You lot are a very civilized and polite bunch, and I look forward to interacting with you as soon as I get through my "lurker" phase.

Hi Defiitly need pictures of the front and back of the watch preferbly with the back cover off so we can see the movement if thats possible please.

I'm not too familiar with these Chinese ones but I'm sure someone at this page has worked on one. My guess is that the movement is an Shanghai SHS-05.

Hello ffar and welcome to the forum. I don't know if you are intending to contribute to the forum or if this is a one-off query, but either way, please go to the lounge area and write a short introduction to yourself and your interest in clocks and watches. You will get a better response from the other members if you follow the forum rules and conventions. It doesn't sound like there is much wrong with your watch that a clean and some fresh oil won't fix. It may be just the rotor bearing which is sticking. Does the watch hand-wind? Re identification: a photo will help us a lot.

I encountered this problem once. Then I learnt from 1 of Mark's videos that it can happen if you mix up the upper and lower incablocs. I had taken out both incablocs and cleaned them in lighter fluid. I assumed that cap stone, jewel hole and upper/lower position shouldn't matter. Well, it seems that it does. I had to go through a few combinations/permutations of cap stone, jewel hole and position before it would work properly. Weird.

Distance between upper and lower end stones is less than the length of balance staff, whereas if should exceed it by .02 mm. this .02 is called the end shake. there are many ways to adjust for decent end shake. Shimming, whereby you put a shim of say aluminum foil underneath the balance cock then go on with tightening the cock screw. you can also move the lower jewel assembly outward, if it is movable.

I'm quickly becoming a Timex Electric addict. Learning to service these. Easier than citizen Cosmotrons and Seiko Elnix, but fiddly to get the balance in with that magnet and contact Spring and pallet fork all fighting me! Only the fixed magnet versions with the crown on the rear. First tear down to remind me how to put it together.

there are two versions - with and without date.

I think you’ve missed my point entirely. Be nice to each other. If you have to say something then express it as an opinion and not fact, otherwise you will start to sound like Donald Trump.

A bit of Googlefoo suggests that the Kered is a French brand that used movements from a variety of makers. Yours I reckon houses a Duromat 25 or 26 jewel auto which is a variation on a Durowe 7520. The Sekonda is almost certainly a 2609.HA, bullet proof and potentially quite capable once serviced. Not a bad haul at all for the money.