LittleWatchShop

Message received! I have ordered several bottles of Ronsonol!!

In preparation for the repair of my own chronograph, I found this one amongst the watch graveyard and decided to take it down and put it back together. These are the photos of the disassembly. After disassembly, I put forth an effort to clean the parts with Ronsonol. I was not passionate about the clean because the purpose was to validate both disassembly and reassembly. I am happy to say that everything went off without a hitch. I even removed the mainspring and found the appropriate mainspring winder among my dad's tools. No problem. The hairspring was quite gnarly due to the watch's

I have seen "alum" mentioned several times for this purpose. My googling yields several types (potassium, ammonium). Which kind do you use?

Fixermole: Ronsonol is naptha, white gas is also naptha, and so is Coleman camp fuel. Are they interchangeable? I have a ton of white gas (aka camp stove fuel) thus my reason for asking.

Bam!!! Another mystery solved. I was looking at that tool in my dads watch bench yesterday and wondering what it was for. In the same drawer is a container of broaches. Voila!!

AMEN to that brother!!! I have been doing that, albeit a little carelessly. Gonna be very detail oriented going forward. In the video posted, the watchmaker noted returning screws to their position after removing respective parts--so as not to get screws and their locations confused. This is very clever, I think. I ordered the part today. Still not certain I will attack it, but at least I will have the part on hand for me, or a skilled watchmaker.

I found this disassembly and reassembly. Wow. Also found another video discussing the "well known" problem that NickelSilver noted above. Geez...I bet I was not being careful when winding it. Damn. Oh well, gonna have to ponder this for a while.

Just a follow up on this issue. When I engage the crown, slowly turning in the winding direction, I feel the engagement and the resistance of the click. So, I hypothesize that the winding wheel is engaging the rachet wheel. Could still be a broken tooth lying around blocking the rachet wheel from turning. I have three choices: 1) take it to a professional to have it fixed, 2) practice for a year and then tackle it myself, 3) do nothing.

Well the watch has run down now, so no need to power it down further. Is the rachet wheel still available, you think?

Yes it is a VALJOUX CAL 729. Picture below. According to the markings inside the back, it was last serviced in 1978 by Victor Page...who used to work for my dad. Not that it matters...just interesting history!

My Wittnauer chronograph which I have owned for the better part of my life suddenly exhibits strange behavior. Short story: I wound it yesterday (like everyday), it runs, today I went to wind it and the stem acted as though the watch is fully wound. What could be wrong? Longer story: This watch sits on my desk along with about seven other watches that I monitor daily. Been sitting here for several months (previously it had been stored away in a jewelry box). It has been working flawlessly until today. I opened the back, but, alas, it is a chronograph. I cannot see the rachet wh

Nice work! Those look like band-pass stages to me.

. OK, this is an old thread but it inspired me to do this test on my mercury pendulum. For the mercury to move, it must displace the air. The mercury is surprisingly stable while defying gravity.

Several years ago, I dug this out of my dad's box-o-watches. Further research indicated it is somewhat rare. The battery that it used is no longer available--it is shaped like a flying saucer with lines to fit the case back. Needless to say, no modern battery would fit this profile. Fortunately, 1.5 volts is the battery voltage required and others had already discovered that a 389 was the correct thickness. Someone in the UK had produced some spacers that would fit in the case back and hold the 389. I tried to contact him...to no avail. Undaunted, I designed a spacer and printed it with

No, looked around the house for some--couldn't find any. Sounds strange, but true.