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1913 Silver Trench Watch.


Geo

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It arrived this morning and it looks better in the metal than the photo.

As Marc and I suspected, it is a cylinder escapement. I was worried that a tooth might be missing from it, as it runs for a couple of seconds and stops, but on close inspection it is perfect. A good clean and a new strap will make it good as new. At £37.85 including postage, I'm well pleased! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

It transpired that the movement in the watch is a Fontainemelon 602 calibre with cylinder escapement. Here are a few photos, the first two were taken during the dismantling and the rest are the fruits of my labour. I replaced the mainspring and everything else was just given a good clean, lubricated then reassembled.

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After cleaning and assembly.

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The porcelain dial was in excellent condition with only the slightest of damage, luckily under the bezel where a knife has caught it in the past. There was also some brown staining from oil, this was easily removed with some household bleach. The crystal is original, easily identifiable by the small flat spot in the middle. I gave it the usual Autosol polish and it looks like new.

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I decided to leave all the historic marks on the case, and gave it a gentle polish with a silver cloth.

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For high end cylinders they used to use a Ruby cylinder,  how on earth they managed to machine it is as big a mystery as the Great Pyramid.

Wow, I didn't know that Roger. It beats me how they made the steel ones never mind making them from Ruby. They are really very delicate and fiddly to work with.

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That is great work there! Getting a garden office installed in the summer so should be able to so some more repairs then and have a very similar watch to work on you have inspired me to do that first

Excellent!

Take great care when removing the balance assembly, it bears no resemblance to the anchor escapement and it's very easy to cause damage to the escapement wheel.

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I came across this website  http://www.watchrestoration.com/miniPP1.html  while looking for information on cylinder escapements,  he actually made a new cylinder for a very small Patek Phillipe watch,  amazing.

 

Picture is of a Ruby cylinder,  it's not easy to see but there is a cylindrical piece of Ruby fitted into the steel cylinder.  It's not as I imagined where the whole cylinder was made from Ruby,  they have just used it in the high wear part,  but still amazing work.

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May I ask what you used to clean the dial?

Because these old dials are porcelain on copper, I use neat household bleach on a cotton bud then rinse with clean water.

Do not use bleach on more modern dials with a paint finish!

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    • Yes, the seconds hand is the longest and goes almost to the edge of the dial. I can’t quite picture it how you do it on the rubber pad
    • A don't think so it leaked or damaged it because the watch itself works it just the buttons ain't working not connecting with the circuit board have taken more pictures of where the buttons makes contact with the circuit board.
    • I think what peter means oh is once he has fitted the hands and  checked for  alignment if them and that they dont foul, how does he then hold the movement to remove the stem in order to case up. The dial cannot be laid on a cushion or in a movement holder as the hands will get damaged. This can be quite tricky for a beginner, what i do is  to stand the movement on edge on a rubber pad so it doesn't slip. Hold the top edge with one finger then my dominant hand uses 3 fingers to press the stem release and flick out the stem. See below peter, leave off the second hand as this is the longest and gets caught the most, then fit it once the stem is out. Alternatively place the movement in one of the cup style holders, i imagine this is what they are designed for. They only touch the very edge of the dial.  
    • Yes I understand that. What I’m asking is, after the hands have been fitted, it’s been checked that the hands do not touch etc. then I need to remove the stem to fit the movement in the case. I have the push type, I need to turn it upside down and push the setting lever post and pull the stem out. But of course the dial and hands are in place and I have a glossy dial with lume dots and I do not want to cause any damage while it’s upside down pushing on the post of the setting lever.
    • You have answered your own question. You just push the setting lever nipple in or if its the screw in type unscrew it a little. You should always remove any hands and the dial before putting it in your movement holder. 
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