wls1971

The clock you have shown is a Farcot, with Brocot type escapement with a pivoted pendulum, meaning it is attached directly to the anchor arbor and is not attached to a suspension spring. I have serviced a Brocot , I lightly oiled the pallet faces with windles clock oil, but after doing so read that they dont require lubrication but others say they do need oiling so I would be intrested to know myself. The clock I oiled has been running now for around 6 months without problem.

I knew I had a description of the process it is not a De Carle book its W.J.Gazeleys book "Watch and clock Making and Repairing" that gives a detailed description of making a hairspring from scratch it even gives details of how to manufacture tools to allow you to do so.

I cant tell you who made the movement but the case is made by Pierre et Etienne Frainier and the mark on the watch was first registered in 1901 the designs on the case where often signed Frainier usually on a part of the foliage in the design is the back of the case decorated too ? Frainier cases in themselves are quite collectable they where a very small manufacturer. They where manufacturing watch cases from around 1864 to 1930, in a factory in Morteau Fance close to the swiss boarder. The movement is not a cylinder it is a jewelled Swiss lever escapement of reasonably good quality. I would put the watch at no later than 1910

I signed up about 3 years ago, and as a private individual spend between £300-£500 a year with them this has mainly been parts but also some tools that I have needed. When signing up just try and leave the VAT number blank not all traders are vat registered because its dependent on turn over. There are also alternative suppliers you can sign up for I bought my Dumont tweezers from Hswalsh and my Horotec screwdrivers from Eternal tools both cheaper than Cousins at the time. Also take a look at the parts and tools suppliers section of this web site you may find what you need from the suppliers listed there.

I have got a book somewhere that shows how to manufacture a hairspring from scratch ( I think it could be one of de carles ) i will try and dig it out and give you the title. I think its a very involved process I do remember they have to be baked in an oxygen free oven and polished then tempered and blued. Some very great watchmakers have tried to make their own and failed.

By punching a staff out you are breaking the rivet this usually removes metal from the staff it is then not possible to reuse the same staff a new staff is required to form a decent rivet and secure it unless they are friction fit. Staffs are a one use item.

There are a few on ebay: https://www.ebay.it/itm/Balance-complete-F-E-F-FEF-FLEURIER-350-380-380-2-bilanciere-completo-721-NOS-/162699375077?hash=item25e1a371e5 This seller has incabloc version or kif version for sale, If you mean take a balance from another FEF 380 donor movement yes, but if you mean taking a similar size movement of different manufacture and using that then no I would not think so there are just too many variables to list to make it a option.

I would check the stem the pictures I have seen for a cal.240 stem dont look like the one you have it may be why the setting lever does not engage with the stem.

A picture of the movement and watch would help you do not say whether the second hand is a small seconds or a large center seconds hand and if so is it via a pinion and driven from a wheel on the third wheel arbor and held in place with a tension spring ? I don't think It would be possible for anyone to answer your question without these basic facts I'm afraid.

It's older than a Landeron 248 its a earlier Landeron variant and is a calibre 48 it can be distinguished by the rather distinct minute recorder jumper spring, and would date from the late 40's early 50's, the following site is useful for identification : https://www.time2tell.com/category-database/landeron/

The hands are correct for the watch the reason they where dished rather than open cathedral type hands is that the radium could be applied in larger quantities which meant they glowed brighter and where less prone to cracking and paint loss. The watches are stamped with the military issue number on the case back, case side and painted onto the dial. As with all radium dial watches appropriate precautions should be taken when dealing with them although it will no longer emit any glow from the paint it will still be very much radioactive and a possible hazard to health.

One of the few movements that can be identified from the bridges due to the distinct barrel bridge, an incredibly long production run in various versions from 1935 to the mid 70's, shock resistance introduced to the movement in the 1940's. I dont know in that time how the movement developed and if different versions have different mainsprings but the movement you have is a early one so I should imagine the mainspring will be the same as listed on Ranfft but you are going to have to take it apart to fit it so you may as well check.If you remove the dial it will probably have the calibre number stamped on the plate. Cousins list the GR4870 1.70x.095x9x320 which differs only slightly in length when compared to Ranfft

Cupillard 233 I think check Cupillard on the ranfft site.

Thank you all for the suggestions, The D5 is a good camera but when tripod mounted it just gets in the way once I start a job I dont like to constantly break off from it for minutes at a time so I will be buying a endoscope camera based on suggestion several people have made they are quite inexpensive and should not get in my way on the work bench.

The clock certainly does require a suspension spring the one in your picture is clearly twisted and broken, you also need a pendulum of the correct length, french clock movements usually have a serial number and a number that indicates the correct pendulum length the number is in old french units called pouce and lignes these can be converted into millimeters to give you the length you need. If the price of £300.00 includes servicing the clock that to me would seem very reasonable, it is a time consuming and surprisingly messy job cleaning a clock.