New In The World Of Horology (And The Watch That Started It)

[Medtner]

Hi all,

 

I'm Erik from Norway. This summer I got a Tissot pocket watch for my 30th birthday (from my parents and my brother). I had secretly thought for a while that I wanted a wristwatch, so when I got this (and the assurance that I could exchange for a wristwatch if I wanted to) I started to really look around.

There are so many fantastically beautiful watches - but at the same time so many that are cluttered and difficult to read. 

After several months of careful looking I decided to get a Tissot Couturier. When I went to the retailer in Oslo to order it they told me a little about the different Couturier movements - and that the one I wanted was a more basic one, with only a small window into the movement. I thought about the differences, and decided to change to the Couturier with the 7750 Valjoux movement (well known to you all). Much more expensive, but I got a watch that I fell in love with immediately.

 

After getting it I wanted to learn more, and started reading (and have spent countless hours with Mark Lovick's videos) and learning. It turned out to be the start of a hobby - I have on the table behind me several practice movements, lots of new tools (bought from Esslinger), and my first second-hand watch (a Cyma R.424 piece that I got for about £5 yesterday). In the mail is also even more tools from Esslinger (I have too few screwdrivers) and a Hamilton Pocketwatch that I fell in love with. 

 

This isn't going to end, is it? :-P

 

I may ask for some help with the Cyma-watch (are these worth anything? The movement looks tidy and nice, but needs some service), but for now I'm just happy to be browsing a little.

 

I've attached a picture of my first love, and the start of my hobby. :-)

 

Yours,

 

Erik Haugan Aasland,

Norway

[Geo]

A warm welcome from across the North Sea! It's good to see someone getting all fired up and wanting to do horology as a hobby. That's a lovely watch on your wrist and Cyma make very nice movements. I look forward to hearing how you progress, remember there are plent folk here to help you.

[daz]

Hi Erik

A warm welcome from me...

A beautiful watch you have there with the Tissot coupled to an excellent movement with the Valjoux, I myself have in my collection a Tissot PRC 200 Auto (will have to get around to photographing some of my collection) in answer to your questions yes it is addictive and quite possibly will not end, you will be amazed at how many different makes and models and movements there are to study from your basic Timex to the high end Rolex and everything in between. If you are going to attempt to service/repair watches patience is a virtue as you will lose parts along the way (I still do) and you will have your bad days when nothing seems to go right but when you get your first watch or Pocketwatch running again long after its previous owner gave up on it it makes all your efforts worthwhile, keep watching Marks videos as they are fantastic and give an insight into the world of Horology. Your Cyma timepiece does have a value but it's value is based on condition and originality this being case, dial, movement and hands are all in good order, the case shows little sign of wear the dial is free from cracks if it is enamel and missing paint if painted and that all Dial furniture is present and that the dial has not been refinished as this could affect value. The movement is original to the watch and not a so- called "Franken watch" Please do interact here as there are a lot very experienced guys here who specialise in watches and pocket watches from just about every manufacturer known..

Hope this helps a little, good luck with your journey into Horology

Darren

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[WillFly]

Hi Erik - and a warm welcome! There's no end to watches - their history, engineering, design - all part of a never-ending fascination.

[autowind]

Hello Erik and welcome to the webs best watch forum.  Watch's are fascinating and will keep you interested for a long time.

 

I would suggest you start with something a bit less prestigious than your Cyma as they are really too good to start practicing on.  

 

Tissot is very nice.

[bobm12]

Hi Erik, a warm welcome from the other side of the pond too! That is a beautiful watch and excellent quality. The Valjoux movement is the crust of the cake! Good choice and good taste! I wholeheartedly agree with everyone here about patience and good tools: one thing helps the other in an ever feeding circle. Also, there are other, played down joys, at the workbench: when you find that part you though you had lost -- not relevant to the job in progress -- right there in front of you, like a magical appearance, allowing to continue THE OTHER project! :)    Just happened to me so I'm sharing!  :)

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Medtner]

Thanks for the kind welcomes! :-)

I have indeed invested in two cheap chinese movements (2650G) on which to practice. They are skeleton movements and very fiddly indeed (especially for a beginner), but they are relatively "classical" in construction and fun to work on.

 

I have started to look at the Cyma watch as it isn't running properly (stops when not in horizontal placement). It was a hell of a job to open the back of the watch - it probably haven't been opened in decades. The movement itself is very clean and nice, and I found an interesting feature: the shock absorber on the balance is a different patent than I've seen on most watches. Interesting stuff. 
The work on the Cyma have come to a halt for a while - it is very very small and I don't have screwdrivers small enough to be able unscrew the dial-screws. I've ordered many new ones, and I suppose that I can continue after new years. 

 

Looking for parts that have pinged off in 30 different directions is frustrating, and I find all kinds of other things on the floor that I never would have found otherwise - it makes me want a large bench and a floor that is very clean. ;-)

Mistakes so far:

- One broken pivot on the escape wheel (my god it is quite a balancing act to get the bridge across the wheeltrain!), which I replaced with the wheel from the reserve practice-movement. 

- One broken shock absorber (the thing jumped from its place when I lifted one of the arms off to get access to the incablock). It broke in half when I tried to put it back.

- The setting lever spring have been on a tour of the carped I have below my working table (silly place to work, over a carpet). Getting that spring to stay put is difficult.

 

Otherwise I've learned much about patience and carefulness by watching the videos by Mark (and others) over the last several months. I'm glad I did so before buying tools and movements - I'm armed with knowledge! :-D

 

It's 3.30 am here in Norway. Time to get to bed and get some sleep before the monstrous and cataclysmic turkey dinner tomorrow on christmas eve. :-D

 

Have a nice Yuletide! 

 

Erik

[BlakeL]

Thanks for the kind welcomes! :-)

I have indeed invested in two cheap chinese movements (2650G) on which to practice. They are skeleton movements and very fiddly indeed (especially for a beginner), but they are relatively "classical" in construction and fun to work on.

 

I have started to look at the Cyma watch as it isn't running properly (stops when not in horizontal placement). It was a hell of a job to open the back of the watch - it probably haven't been opened in decades. The movement itself is very clean and nice, and I found an interesting feature: the shock absorber on the balance is a different patent than I've seen on most watches. Interesting stuff. 

The work on the Cyma have come to a halt for a while - it is very very small and I don't have screwdrivers small enough to be able unscrew the dial-screws. I've ordered many new ones, and I suppose that I can continue after new years. 

 

Looking for parts that have pinged off in 30 different directions is frustrating, and I find all kinds of other things on the floor that I never would have found otherwise - it makes me want a large bench and a floor that is very clean. ;-)

Mistakes so far:

- One broken pivot on the escape wheel (my god it is quite a balancing act to get the bridge across the wheeltrain!), which I replaced with the wheel from the reserve practice-movement. 

- One broken shock absorber (the thing jumped from its place when I lifted one of the arms off to get access to the incablock). It broke in half when I tried to put it back.

- The setting lever spring have been on a tour of the carped I have below my working table (silly place to work, over a carpet). Getting that spring to stay put is difficult.

 

Otherwise I've learned much about patience and carefulness by watching the videos by Mark (and others) over the last several months. I'm glad I did so before buying tools and movements - I'm armed with knowledge! :-D

 

It's 3.30 am here in Norway. Time to get to bed and get some sleep before the monstrous and cataclysmic turkey dinner tomorrow on christmas eve. :-D

 

Have a nice Yuletide! 

 

Erik

 

I just finished tearing one of these movements down and putting it back together in this post.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

[Medtner]

I just finished tearing one of these movements down and putting it back together in this post.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

 

Cool! That one is so much more pleasant to look at than mine, which is golden in color. Difficult to see the contrasts on mine. 

As I said, I fiddled much with the trainwheel bridge, and I notice you did too. Probably a common thing? 

I have two of these movements - I started with one, which I spent many hours on to get familiar with the feeling of working with so many small parts (I've never ever had to unscrew such small items).

Otherwise I think I have "control" over this movement. I have no idea if it keeps time - I don't have hands for it, and haven't found any that fits its dimentions.

 

I have 3 Moebius oils on order from my local watch maker and will try to oil up this movement when I get them.

 

But how about cleaning? My god, that seems such an obstacle! How can I afford those complex machines?

[daz]

Incabloc springs can be quite fiddly and it depends on the type, some have a design which helps reduce a loss and others such as in the Russian Sekonda 19 Jewel can be very easy to lose, how I take them out is I put a tiny piece of Rodico just over the top and leave access to the fixing feet and then I use a small needle in a pin vice and take out one side at a time once free the inca spring is then captured by the Rodico and also usually the Jewel comes off with it then you can use your tweezers to take it off the Rodico for cleaning Please Note - do not push down on the Rodico as you could damage the Balance Pivot Just place it over and very very gently apply it or if you have one use a Balance Tack. For Setting Lever Springs I use a piece of Pegwood to cover the spring and another piece to manipulate the spring into place. Train wheel Bridges can also be fiddly (isn't everything to do with watch repair Lol) but make sure you have all the wheels located before tightening the bridge and then only tighten so the screws just grip and then test the train by using a piece of Pegwood to gently move the wheel to check that all wheels are moving and are moving freely, if they are not do not force anything just check with a high mag loupe ( I use a stereo microscope) which wheel or wheels are causing the problem and then adjust till all wheels run freely before gently tightening the screws up till the bridge and base meet do not over tighten as you could damage the screws which would make it difficult to disassemble next time..

Being gentle with all these parts is a must for me and this how I do it as it works for me, the other guys may have better and reliable methods and can advise you further..

Hope it helps

Merry Christmas

Darren

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Edited December 24, 2014 by daz

[Gary]

Erik,

 

Welcome! This is only the beginning!  (LOL)

[noirrac1j]

WELCOME!!

 

JC