Jump to content

Rentfro1444

Rentfro1444
 Share

Recommended Posts

Rentfro1444 Member

Rentfro1444

Posted
Posted

I have a Longines 340 caliber 14 kt Grand Prize automatic, gifted to me by my late wife in 1961/62.  
 

The watch began to only run for a few hours, then stop.  You could wind it manually, it would run for thre or so hours, then stop.   I took it to a watch repair shop, and was told the watch needed a rotor axel, and they were unable to find the axel.  I found the axel, new in the package, but found the watchmaker at the shop retired.  I took the watch and rotor axel to another shop.  I just got the estimate/ability to repair; they say the mainspring needs to be replaced; it is enclosed in a barrel (which I knew) and they cannot locate one,   By the way, their charge to disassemble, clean, replace parts and reassemble is $475.00 and the charge for the mainspring is $85.00.  
What do you suggest I do?  I of course will not be dealing with this watch repair shop, as they are unable to replace the mainspring.

Is it possible to use another longines Caliber sealed mainspring in the 340 movement?  If not, are you aware of where a 340 sealed mainspring can be found and it’s approximate cost?

I’d certainly appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Thanks
 

rodabod Distinguished Member

rodabod

Posted
Posted

I would get a hold of a running scrap movement. I’ve checked eBay, and they seem to sell for around £60. Then find a more reasonable watchmaker with a good reputation. 

  • Like 1
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • coreymsnow
      A lathe with indexing that won't break the bank?

      By coreymsnow · Posted

      Hah! Well, California will have to do. Lived in TX for a brief period back in the early 70s, though, so maybe that counts. 🙂 Funny you should mention making vacuum tubes- I've actually tinkered with that! It's REALLY tough to do, and I've never made one more complicated than a simple diode that barely worked, but I have played around at it. But there's just no infrastructure for vacuum tube fabrication. I can get a lathe and learn how to use it to make complex parts, and while it might take a while to learn- and money to get the equipment, of course- it is possible to do more or less "off the shelf". But vacuum tubes, not so much. There are a few folks out there doing some crazy cool work with bespoke tubes, but they have setups that are far beyond what I can manage in my environment and it's mostly stuff they built by hand. I also have been playing with making piezoelectric Rochelle Salt crystals to replace ancient vacuum tube turntable needles- nobody's made those commercially for probably 60 years. I'm a sucker for learning how to do weird things no one does any more so I can make things no one uses work again. (I think this is drifting off the topic of lathes, lol).
    • LittleWatchShop
      A lathe with indexing that won't break the bank?

      By LittleWatchShop · Posted

      You shoulda been born in Texas. Tough to make a vacuum tube though. You can substitute with a MOSFET eq ckt I guess. I was playing around making a pinion the other day. More to it than meets the eye.
    • zx6rfool
      Replacing crystal, do I need a bezel tool?

      By zx6rfool · Posted

      Well, turns out it was a fake bezel! The crystal is domed mineral glass and I was able to find a cheap replacement that should be here in two days.  I used my crappy little press to pop out the cracked crystal, Ill give the case a good cleaning in the meantime and do a once over on the movement.     
    • Mark
      Photos of your youth

      By Mark · Posted

      Early ‘90s Debenhams in Oxford Street at InTime Watch Repairs. The older guy was one of my mentors Mr John Campfield, fantastic ex-Omega watchmaker. Good times - black hair gone now! 😄
    • coreymsnow
      A lathe with indexing that won't break the bank?

      By coreymsnow · Posted

      Heh. Well, also I just want to be able to do it, for no other reason than it's interesting. Same reason I restore antique tube radios and ancient computers- like, from the 1970s.  Sometimes, the parts just aren't there and you have to know how to make them. Learning how is a challenge and can take months or years, but it's honestly the best part! You can't beat that sense of triumph when you do something that's really hard to learn to do and do it well.  
×
×
  • Create New...