Jump to content

1913 Silver Trench Watch.


Geo

Recommended Posts

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! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 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.

post-124-0-31268700-1424903041_thumb.jpg

post-124-0-08944700-1424903199_thumb.jpg

After cleaning and assembly.

post-124-0-69240400-1424903267_thumb.jpg

post-124-0-78714000-1424903486_thumb.jpg

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.

post-124-0-81365500-1424903335_thumb.jpg

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

post-124-0-97588000-1424903389_thumb.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

post-37-0-70174400-1425033661_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!

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.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

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

    • In the meantime whilst awaiting a better plan, please drop me a quick hello on my email. 
    • I looked at it like this, I've built a lot of stuff in my time, building structures and furniture,those are my creations and they will still be here way way after I'm gone. Traditional watchmakers felt the need to pass their knowledge on, ideas that they created . I assume with them as it is with me, leaving their mark on the earth, a way of being remembered. This creation of Mark's has brought thousands of people together to pass their knowledge around,  ideas that will continue to be used for lifetimes. Ideas that should continue to be procured. If for whatever reason the forum ceased to exist, not quite like Ranfft's, that didn't disappear but much less usable. Then that is sad, such a massive loss of communication between good people and a wealth of knowledge lost. There should be something in place for when that happens which could be next week, next year or in 10 years. Might not be a topical subject for a lot of folk or boardering on controversy, i did say i talk about stuff other people dont. But if you dont talk about it and something happens then you've lost it and you ain't gonna fix it .
    • I've remained silent on this thread, and at the risk of upsetting everyone, the thing that worries me the most the the apparent absence of Mark. The moderators do a great job and the members also pitch in, and the site seems to run itself, but it is a concern for the future of this forum when the owner is absent for all intents and purposes. Like many of the comments above I would hate to log in one day and things be closed down as I rely on this site for ideas and knowledge and also cheer me up. maybe the Moderators could reach out to him, assuming he does not read this thread, and express our concerns and let us know the plans going forward? some kind of WRT ark
    • That was the exact reason for me starting this thread watchie. Still we haven't worked out how the regulars are going to hook up if it goes tits up. I honestly think something should be arranged to stay in contact, we all help each other so much. 
    • Yeah ive watched that a few times before,  i couldnt find my old school dividers to scribe it up 😅 Yep thats the guy i bought a roll from . Thanks Nicklesilver that answers that perfectly and more or less what i thought an experiment over time would prove . The jumper arm is quite thick along its length, i left it that way intentionally, i thought the original was probably very thin, i didnt see that it was already missing. Setting isn't particularly stiff as such just positive, i still need to take it out and polish where it mates with the stem release. 
×
×
  • Create New...