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Grouping Movements Into Families For Identification

WillFly
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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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One of the interesting problems that I wrestle with occasionally, when checking out watches for purchase or purchased, is the identification of movements. There are two aspects to this:

 

1. In many cases, the seller doesn't know the movement make and calibre and, although there might be a very good photo of the movement in the auction, he/she doesn't know the details.

 

2. If I take a punt on a watch - and, for me, the movement design and engineering is just as important as the dial, case, etc. - I'm reluctant to do any dismantling just to get under the balance staff to ascertain a calibre.

 

Ranfft is very useful as a movement database, but the sheer quantity of data in it means that it might take hours and hours of guesswork to locate a particular make and calibre.

 

So, my question is: is there a way of using the broad design of a movement - the shape of bridges and plates, for example - to identify (broadly) whether a movement might be FF or AS or ETA, etc.? Even a rough narrowing down of this sort might make Ranfft (which is not 100% complete either) a little easier to use?

 

A friend of mine - an amateur but skilled watch service man for over 40 years - has an old book of movement parts, in which a calibre can be identified by placing a setting lever exactly over a corresponding drawing in its pages. A great work of reference but, once again, not much help if you don't want to tamper with a perfectly good movement!

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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Glad to be of assistance Will.

I found that a few months ago when I was trying to identify a movement in a Sully triple date moophase watch that I bought. It's a great search facility, but I still didn't manage to identify the movement. Hopefully all will be revealed when I haul it apart!

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clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

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Just tried it out on a couple of incoming cheapies - I managed to identify one as an AS 1194 (Rodania), but the other, an Elco, is still a mystery.

 

But I'll keep plugging away!

 

Will your friend is probably using  BESTFIT books which I use now & then. I have volumes 1 & 2 (see pics) They come up now & then on fleebay. With the older vintage watches you like these books would be invaluable

 

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Edited by clockboy
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Mark Distinguished Member

Mark

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Hi guys,

 

Any particular way to search for those books on ebay? ISBN number, edition, markings or other? I get different books and parts...some are really expensive!

 

Thanks in advance, Cheers,

 

Bob

 

Search for "Bestfit watch book" should return a result. They are getting a bit rare these days.

Heres one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BESTFIT-111A-Encyclopedia-of-Watch-Parts-/371239782208?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item566f9d8740

Best to find both volumes if you can though.

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