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Vintage Elgin Pocket Watch

JeffM

By JeffM
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JeffM New Member

JeffM

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I have an Elgin pocket watch that I have had recently serviced because it would not run. Since I have received back from service the watch will only run when it is laying flat. If I carry the watch it stops. Any ideas of what the problem may be?

Elgin Serial#1140270

Grade 64; 7j; Size 8S; Model 1; Made ~1883

 

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nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

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It could be many different things, but if you had this serviced professionally it should be up to the watchmaker to figure it out and make it right, that's for certain. But to echo Nucejoe, it could be a problem with a jewel, a balance pivot, hairspring touching somewhere; it could be that the escapement is poorly adjusted and the guard pin is rubbing the safety roller, or, it could be it was very poorly serviced and there is still gunk in there or way too much oil or no oil.

 

Does it run in both flat positions (dial facing up and dial facing down)?

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nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

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On question before you berate the watch tech. Did you ask for and pay for the watch to be “repaired”. Or did you as them to clean it/get it ticking?




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
"Get it ticking" is usually a sign to a professional to turn the job down. But sometimes you do a favor... but it'll tick in any position, might time like hell but it runs. If money exchanged hands it should run.
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JeffM New Member

JeffM

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The request was made to get the watches running. I was told they would be cleaned, serviced, and properly adjusted. I left two watches to be serviced. The one I described earlier and an Illinois "Bunn Special" railroad pocket watch. I paid for and received both back after about 3 weeks and both stopped running on the hour drive back to my home. I returned the watches to the shop the next day and we are now in the "warranty" repair phase. I guess it is just trial and error now until the all of the issues have been identified and corrected. I didn't realize it how long it would take to identify and correct the problems. Hopefully at some point I will receive two fully repaired and correctly working pocket watches.

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  • 3 months later...
JeffMcD New Member

JeffMcD

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Hello to All,

I hope everyone is doing well during this pandemic.

I previously posted back on February 4th. I had an Illinois "Bunn Special" railroad packet watch I was attempting to get repaired. I am still waiting for the pocket watch to be repaired. I am being told that it takes time to adjust it properly, parts are hard to find, the pandemic is causing delays in getting parts, etc. It has been almost 4 months since the watch was returned for "warranty" repair. Are these legitimate claims or am I being given a bunch of invalid excuses? How long should it take to get a watch repaired? My patience is running out. Any suggestions?

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