404 Club

[Neverenoughwatches]

Ok so I'm a bit gutted I've just worked out my latest acquisition from ebay. 83 quid for 17 pocket watches. Which calculates to £4.88 each and not the required 404. Gutted I've not made the mark but very pleased with my purchase. Which includes 6 Ingersol not inc. the boxed one this was a seperate purchase at yesterdays carboot hunt. A kienzle, a cimier, a westclox, an excelsa, a french chronometre, 5 unnamed 4 of which are silver inc. 2 ladies, and a brass full hunter. Some of these ive not been able to get in the back as yet. This comes from the man that wasnt particularly interested in pocket watches that now has a total of 20.     Hence Neverenoughwatches, which i may now have to change to neverenoughwatchesandpocketwatches.

[spectre6000]

I mean... Inflation, amirite? Next http error code up the ladder (at least the next common one I can think of off the top of my head) is 500 (internal server error). I'm already converting everything in my head to pounds to make up for the conversion rate. Otherwise, it'd be something like the 550 club over here. Or used to be... Just checked, and it's $5.06 in today's freedom bucks. Contrary to all the doom and gloom in the financial rags, it looks like our overall economic situation has improved relative to our neighbors across the pond.

[RichardHarris123]

2 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

I mean... Inflation, amirite? Next http error code up the ladder (at least the next common one I can think of off the top of my head) is 500 (internal server error). I'm already converting everything in my head to pounds to make up for the conversion rate. Otherwise, it'd be something like the 550 club over here. Or used to be... Just checked, and it's $5.06 in today's freedom bucks. Contrary to all the doom and gloom in the financial rags, it looks like our overall economic situation has improved relative to our neighbors across the pond.

Yes, I wondered if we could take inflation into account. 

[AndyHull]

I like it. 404 could be the base rate, fixed on (whatever date we started this thread), and adjusted for inflation (and perhaps rounded up to the next meaningful http status code).

Let me think how that could work.

[RichardHarris123]

22 minutes ago, AndyHull said:

I like it. 404 could be the base rate, fixed on (whatever date we started this thread), and adjusted for inflation (and perhaps rounded up to the next meaningful http status code).

Let me think how that could work.

With the way inflation is going anything under £300 would count.  Hehe. 

[spectre6000]

Just looked it up. I had to convert pounds to dollars first to find a calculator, and that worked out to $5.01. The 2020 equivalent would be $5.59 or £4.51. HTTP status code 451 is.... (drumroll) "Unavailable for legal reasons"! Pretty funny since a major source of 404s was Russia, and that's a very 451 situation at the moment! I dunno... What does the group say? Bearing in mind, upping the limit is a slippery slope, but it's definitely hard to ignore the macroeconomic realities of the situation... The low limit is 100% part of the challenge... It's what makes it fun, and what makes those victories all the more exciting... Is £0.51 worth the precedent? It's rare for inflation to back track, and when it does, it's rarely much. The next step is a 500 server error, but there are no steps after that... And when we get to 700, there's the risk of being confused with a group of religious nutjobs! I don't know. Maybe a £0.50 interval makes sense... Hmm.... 

Edited June 10, 2022 by spectre6000

[tomh207]

Maybe they’ll get cheaper’cos neybody has any cash?

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 hours ago, tomh207 said:

Maybe they’ll get cheaper’cos neybody has any cash?

There is always cash for watches, check under your floorboards. 

[RichardHarris123]

3 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

There is always cash for watches, check under your floorboards. 

Down the back of the sofa?

[Neverenoughwatches]

6 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Down the back of the sofa?

Sweet wrappers, mouldy pizza and approx £1.73p. A used prophylactic?

[RichardHarris123]

Look what just happened to me. 

[GuyMontag]

Got this nice little Gruen with a Hermann Becker 1161 movement. After servicing it's keeping good time. First time working on that style of shock spring but it was pretty straightforward.

[RichardHarris123]

Looking good, well done.  did it need anything but a service?

[GuyMontag]

Nothing major, it was running before I serviced it but at around +60 seconds/day, now it's +1 to about -10 in 4 positions. The beat error is quite high (2.6 ms) but that's beyond my abilities to address. The crown isn't correct but I'll keep it. The mainspring is set but I didn't want to invest the money in a new one and it runs for at least 24 hours so I"m happy

[RichardHarris123]

Sometimes you've got to be satisfied with imperfections.  Yes a new spring and improving the beat error would help but it's a vintage watch. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

10 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

Got this nice little Gruen with a Hermann Becker 1161 movement. After servicing it's keeping good time. First time working on that style of shock spring but it was pretty straightforward.

These shock springs arnt bad at all. There is another similar with 3 notches instead of one. Drove me crazy for nearly half an hour trying to locate all 3 prongs at the same time. Ended up making a tool from a toothpick that worked a treat, eventually bought the specific tool for them.

10 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

The beat error is quite high (2.6 ms) but that's beyond my abilities to address. 

It won't be mate. You'll want to try at some point. Not as difficult as you might think, as long as you take your time and have a steady hand.

[spectre6000]

On most of my 404s, I reuse the mainspring if it's still reasonably shaped (they usually are). I have a running list, and once I get enough of a pile I place a big order for a bunch of watches at once. If I like a watch enough, or intend to sell it, I'll get a mainspring for it after the fact once I know it doesn't need more than just that. It's easy enough to get the barrel out on most watches, and drop a new spring in.

[GuyMontag]

On 6/12/2022 at 10:02 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

It won't be mate. You'll want to try at some point. Not as difficult as you might think, as long as you take your time and have a steady hand.

Yeah, I'm getting there. I like to identify one area of weakness and then focus on improving that before I move on the next thing to tackle.

On 6/13/2022 at 6:06 AM, spectre6000 said:

On most of my 404s, I reuse the mainspring if it's still reasonably shaped (they usually are). I have a running list, and once I get enough of a pile I place a big order for a bunch of watches at once. If I like a watch enough, or intend to sell it, I'll get a mainspring for it after the fact once I know it doesn't need more than just that. It's easy enough to get the barrel out on most watches, and drop a new spring in.

That's a good idea, would help to save on shipping costs.

[RichardHarris123]

On 6/12/2022 at 6:32 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

Just a very quick question to any pros or jewelling tool owners. I know little about these as a specific brand tool but have been waiting to aquire one and now have the chance . The one in question has some of the pushers and anvils missing. How easy would it be to obtain the missing ones or a full set if necessary ? Thanks 

 

On 6/13/2022 at 2:06 PM, spectre6000 said:

On most of my 404s, I reuse the mainspring if it's still reasonably shaped (they usually are). I have a running list, and once I get enough of a pile I place a big order for a bunch of watches at once. If I like a watch enough, or intend to sell it, I'll get a mainspring for it after the fact once I know it doesn't need more than just that. It's easy enough to get the barrel out on most watches, and drop a new spring in.

I do similar, some I'd not most of my 404s aren't worth a new sping. 

This arrived today.  In really bad shape but I find the case interesting.  It's a solid back, need to remove the bezel to remove the movement, the bars (correct term? ) are broken off.  Looks like it's been buried.  I  thought solid backs normally belonged to military watches. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

Yey at last a 404. These were 11 quid not inc. Postage.-  2.75 each. As per discussed allowables. Job lot price divided by item number then choose one.  A frolic ( cant beat a good frolic preferably with additional frolicking I'm such a wrong person ). An Axedo to go with your tuxedo?  A Meda and A Technos.  I have to choose the Technos, would have been the Meda but its titchy tiny. The Technos is the biggest at whopping 32mm.

Who can spot the obvious on the Technos ?

41 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Yey at last a 404. These were 11 quid not inc. Postage.-  2.75 each. As per discussed allowables. Job lot price divided by item number then choose one.  A frolic ( cant beat a good frolic preferably with additional frolicking I'm such a wrong person ). An Axedo to go with your tuxedo?  A Meda and A Technos.  I have to choose the Technos, would have been the Meda but its titchy tiny. The Technos is the biggest at whopping 32mm.

Who can spot the obvious? 

Ok an update two have issues. The technos I'm not giving that away the picture is a big clue. The meda the balance wheel is wobbling all over, thought it was the top pivot but its that bad i think it is using a panel pin as a staff, the Axedo wants to run so a service and possibly some setting up, but the clear movement winner is the Frolic, its certainly half decent quality, just looks like a cat has coughed up a hairball inside it . Heres a picky .

41 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Yey at last a 404. These were 11 quid not inc. Postage.-  2.75 each. As per discussed allowables. Job lot price divided by item number then choose one.  A frolic ( cant beat a good frolic preferably with additional frolicking I'm such a wrong person ). An Axedo to go with your tuxedo?  A Meda and A Technos.  I have to choose the Technos, would have been the Meda but its titchy tiny. The Technos is the biggest at whopping 32mm.

Who can spot the obvious? 

Ok an update two have issues. The technos I'm not giving that away the picture is a big clue. The meda the balance wheel is wobbling all over, thought it was the top pivot but its that bad i think it is using a panel pin as a staff, the Axedo wants to run so a service and possibly some setting up, but the clear movement winner is the Frolic, its certainly half decent quality, just looks like a cat has coughed up a hairball inside it . Heres a picky .

2nd update . The Meda balance assembly issue - The cat that coughed up the hairball in the Frolic actually conducted the last service on the Meda.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

. I have a running list, and once I get enough of a pile I place a big order for a bunch of watches at once. If I like a watch enough, or intend to sell it, I'll get a

I'm not sure what you mean here spectre. Once you get a pile of used mainsprings  you order a bunch of watches to suit them ?

5 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I'm not sure what you mean here spectre. Once you get a pile of used mainsprings  you order a bunch of watches to suit them ?

No forget that , I figured out what you mean. I'm just being thick today. Yes I do the same, why order a spring for one watch at a time. Just means you have a lot of watches waiting for mainsprings.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[RichardHarris123]

£2.20. ETA 2409 seems I decent condition.  The dial feet are broken though. 

[spectre6000]

This is the kind of 404 that I feel makes the best sort of learning subject. An inexpensive, yet high quality movement that looks like it needs little more than a clean and a crown/stem. Not sure about the dial and whether or not you'd have a wearable watch at the end, but it's not like you would with a new Chinese movement either.

[RichardHarris123]

7 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

This is the kind of 404 that I feel makes the best sort of learning subject. An inexpensive, yet high quality movement that looks like it needs little more than a clean and a crown/stem. Not sure about the dial and whether or not you'd have a wearable watch at the end, but it's not like you would with a new Chinese movement either.

Yes, a good 404 purchase. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

£2.20. ETA 2409 seems I decent condition.  The dial feet are broken though. 

Eyup Rich how you doin matey ?  Rather nice looking movement. Just did a little research on Orano, not a great deal to be had. Check balance shock for a memorex system, like this. Can you post a clearer picture of the setting please mate.