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Molnia Russian pocket watch


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Dear all, I have just started out with this wonderful world of watch repair, I have bought myself some cheap, non-working watches, among which is a Russian Molnia pocket watch, I guess from the early 1970s (according to the service scratch-marks on the reverse side of the face). I removed the balance cock and escapement wheel, cleaned and oiled them and reinstalled them. The watch now runs when lying flat, but will run erratically and eventually stop when stood upright. I am way too inexperienced to carry out a full strip down and service, so I wondered if anyone could offer me some useful hints or info on how to correct this without giving it a full service. I would be most grateful for all your suggestions, even those telling me to leave well alone untill I have more experience. Thanks in advance, MarkL.

 

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Hi Mark and welcome. Check

1- End shakes that is you check if both pivots are there and  inside the jewels and staff has lateral play and how much. 

2- Cheack the hairspring( HS) which should be level, concentric configuration and..

3- Check jewels and end stones, broken ...and the shock springs

Top and side view close up the balance complete, I helps very much.

Regaards

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Thanks again. I checked the pivots, stones and hair spring and the amount of lateral play as you kindly suggested, they all seem in order. (at least to my very limited experience)

Also, now that I have reassembled it, the dam thing has started working in all positions. I'm guessing that my inexperience was the sole cause of these anomalies! I'll keep a close eye on things and let you know how things progress. In the meantime, thanks again for taking the time and for your extremely useful advice.

Best wishes, Mark.

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Not unexpected, I have twenty NOS malnija in factory tape boxes. The few I have taken out of box, wound ,non worked, all need clean and lube at least the escapement mech.

So, to my ears you are making absolutely perfect sense. The watch dosn,t.

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