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Half Hunter pocket watch conversion


geeboo

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I bought a vintage English half hunter watch, left photo (shoulder lever set time at 2 o'clock), I want it converted to a wristwatch & need to weld a wire lug about 14mm wide (~1.5mm wire), repair 1 broken hinge & shorten the sleeve (crown tube) length to make it closer to the watch (right photo). Can any members here do this type of job for others ? Or Do U know whom can do that for me ? I am really finding difficulties in Hong Kong to find someone to do that.
Any help is greatly greatly appreciated. 
Tks

 

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7 minutes ago, geeboo said:

 I want it converted to a wristwatch & need to weld a wire lug about 14mm wide (~1.5mm wire), repair 1 broken hinge & shorten the sleeve (crown tube) length to make it closer to the watch (right photo). 

That is typical jeweler's work, not watchmaker unless one is specialized in that. Maybe that can help you finding someone locally.

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Well...I have mended broken pocket watch cases.  I can braze silver and rebuild broken hinges, and fill cracks well enough to make them vanish.  I suppose I could do everything you require.  But I could not do it very cheaply.  To shorten the pendant and the stem would require precise measurements of course.  Repairing the cover hinge is not hard, but it is also something that must be done right, and be correctly alligned.  And if the lugs are going to be silver, they will need to be coin silver or they will need to be somewhat thick, to be robust enough.

But I regret even thinking about it.  Pocket watches are a passion of mine.  I repair them, movement, case, and all, getting them looking and running beautifully.  And that demi-hunter watch is a beauty.  For me to do what you ask would feel too much like butchery.  That said, while I think even WWI trench watches are rather cool, I wouldn't want to make one, least of all from a watch like that.  I am not your man, I'm afraid.  It is your watch, with which to do as you choose.  It is my prerogative to choose what work I will take on.  I do hope you find a master who will make real art from it. 

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