Hello from north east UK

[philologus]

Hello from the (currently) freezing north east coast of the UK.

I'm George, I'm retired (73)  and I've joined the site to learn more about old pocket watches.

I've had a fascination with them since I was given a non-working fusee watch more than fifty years ago. I was told  "hang on to it as it will be worth something one day".

It's a silver fusee watch from the late 1880's and I always intended to repair it but bringing a family up, earning a living....

I started with good intentions a year ago but a bout of illness got in the way so I am getting re-started now.

In the meantime I have added to my collection of non-working watches so I will have plenty to do.

My aim is to own a verge fusee from the 1700's that I can service and use.

As I repair watches I'll sell them and so build up a nest egg to buy the one I want.

I've managed to get about half-a-dozen working so far and when I get a dozen or so I'll decide which ones to sell.

Regards,

George

 

 

[duncanbootmaker]

G'day George,

Holding something in your hand, that was made around 200 years ago, and listening to it tick away and do what it's meant to, is a wonderful thing And the hand work and engraving they put into these... boggles the mind. I have 2 part verge fusee watches from the early 1800's that I picked up for $5 each, and a complete one that's a bit older (sans hands and crystal) that was given to me by a watchmaking friend who thought I'd have the patience to made the hands and tinker with it until it goes satisfactorily. Making progress

All the best with your restos. and hope you can get a 1700's watch soon. It will be a joy to wear.

Cheers
Duncan

[duncanbootmaker]

Oh, any photos?

[duncanbootmaker]

George, this chap in Tasmania has free PDFs of 17thC watchmaking texts he's translated that you can download. I made a duplicate of each one and then deleted all the text pages on it so that I can open two windows, one with the whole book, and one with just the illustration plates next to it, to save myself scrolling back and forward whilst reading. I also printed out the plates.

http://www.watkinsr.id.au/

Cheers
Duncan