Jump to content

1911 Elgin Pocket Watch I found today.


Recommended Posts

I had time to kill before an appointment today so I popped into a local thrift store and asked if they had any watches, The lady rummaged under the counter and brought out a box of random quartzs and, under a bunch of Genevas and "Frozen" watches, I saw this:

WDHUz8n.jpg

 

Made in 1911, grade 336, 18s, 17 jewels... I said, "Yes, I think I'll have this one, please". 

 

DfVRp5u.jpg

 

It will run nicely sitting on its crystal but the balance wheel catches on the underside of the balance cock when turned on its back. There seems to be a substantial bend in the hairspring that may be the cause. 

n04Wj8C.jpg

I think I'll hold on to this one for a while. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unscrew the hairspring stud screw while the balance is still installed (will make things easier) and remove the balance afterwards. Don't unscrew it too much so that it falls out of the slot.

Then you just remove the hairspring and balance like any watch, yes.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, MyFavoriteObsession said:

I've only had minimal experience taking balance assemblies in and out of wristwatches so I'm not sure I'm capable of this repair. Is removing the balance cock to check the pivot on this Elgin more or less similar to the procedure on a wristwatch? 

     have you looked at a video or read up on removing the balance.      vin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, MyFavoriteObsession said:

I had time to kill before an appointment today so I popped into a local thrift store and asked if they had any watches, The lady rummaged under the counter and brought out a box of random quartzs and, under a bunch of Genevas and "Frozen" watches, I saw this:

WDHUz8n.jpg

 

Made in 1911, grade 336, 18s, 17 jewels... I said, "Yes, I think I'll have this one, please". 

 

DfVRp5u.jpg

 

It will run nicely sitting on its crystal but the balance wheel catches on the underside of the balance cock when turned on its back. There seems to be a substantial bend in the hairspring that may be the cause. 

n04Wj8C.jpg

I think I'll hold on to this one for a while. 

     the hair spring can be reshaped with "rounding plyers".   i'll post a photo.    vin

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Chopin said:

Unscrew the hairspring stud screw while the balance is still installed (will make things easier) and remove the balance afterwards.

I removed the balance as you described and the pivots looked really good on both ends. The jewels also looked good. Put back together and it still did the same thing. Then I noticed the hairspring is touching the underside of the balance bridge when the watch is turned onto it's back, preventing it from swinging freely. Oh well, there's time to think on it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the hairspring and balance are in place can you try to figure out why it is touching the underside ? Best to do that before taking any measures such as modifying components.

Is the hairspring itself horizontal as it should be ? Are there coils that are not synchronized with the rest of the hairspring ? What about the hairspring leaving the stud, is there any issue there ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update: I reshaped the hairspring just a bit and it's no longer touching the underside, however it still stops working when turned over so you and Nickelsilver probably right about it being a pivot or jewel. When I turn the watch over, I hear "tick tick tick tick scratch scratch clink" and it has stopped. Do you think that indicates a broken balance pivot?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've only had minimal experience taking balance assemblies in and out of wristwatches so I'm not sure I'm capable of this repair. Is removing the balance cock to check the pivot on this Elgin more or less similar to the procedure on a wristwatch? 

I can actually make a new balance staff on a lathe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remove the balance complete as you would regular ones.

1- Unscrew the stud screw.

2-Remove the cock screw, lift the cock balance assembly( balance not dangling)

3- Turn the boot, check that HS is free to get out of regulator slot.

4- Grab the cock with tweezers balance dangling, hold about a cm or less above bench, push the stud out. Let the balance drop on bench or parts tray.

Diagnostics starts with a close up of pivots. Damaged or worn short pivots are expected.

Pivot shoulder rubs on jewel if pivot is short.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • people be honest.... Swatch is evil for the watchmakers and repairers, BUT not everything in watches from Switzerland is from the Swatch-Group. As far as i know, Selitta got sacked by Swatch as a Movement-Assembler for them and they started to produce Movements in their own Name with slight Modifications. As far as i know, they sell Parts to the Market for their Movements. In most cases, if a ETA-Movement fails, it is a valid Option to replace it with a Selitta Movement, which i consider the Solution for this Mess with the Swatch-Group...... I have no Connection to anybody at Selitta, but being a Swiss-Guy, i still like to have Swiss-Made Watches, but not from the Swatch-Group.   ok ? regards, Ernst
    • Just one more greedy act by Swatch. They started a number of years ago here in the US..cutting off supplies to watchmakers that could build complications that many Swatch houses couldn't even touch. Old school masters who had gone through some of the most prestigious houses in the world. Otto Frei has some statements on their page about it. I tell all my customers to avoid new Swiss watches like the plague,..unless they just want an older one in their collection that still has some parts out on the market, or they have really deep pockets and don't mind waiting months and paying through the nose to get it back. Plenty of others to choose from..IE Seiko,..or other non-swiss brands Even a number of Chinese brands are catching up with the Swiss,..and I think that in time, their actions will be their downfall
    • Yes. If that's not what you are experiencing...start looking for something rubbing. A 1st guess is that one of the hands is rubbing against the hole in the center of the dial. Especially if you now have lower amplitude in face up/ face down positions.
    • Once a movement has the dial and hands put back and it is recased, would you expect the assembled watch to have the same amplitude as when the movement is in a movement holder and is without hands and dial? Thanks
    • C07641+ not sure what the "+" is for after the last digit.
×
×
  • Create New...