Jump to content

Rolex Oyster Expedition 1957


jdrichard

Recommended Posts

Is it a Rebberg movement? They are very simple. But either way, it'll be about as simple as it gets with an indirect-drive centre-seconds.

I would only ultrasonically clean the mid case. I don't think they look nice when buffed abnd it spoils the edges. The caseback has slight damage due to ham-fisted opening.  If it were mind then I'd dress it on the lathe with a flat polisher to get it flat. Maybe 400-grit, onwards.

Often the pendant tube will be good enough and a replacement crown can be used. They are a disposable item on manual-wind watches as the threads take a lot of wear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, rodabod said:

Is it a Rebberg movement? They are very simple. But either way, it'll be about as simple as it gets with an indirect-drive centre-seconds.

I would only ultrasonically clean the mid case. I don't think they look nice when buffed abnd it spoils the edges. The caseback has slight damage due to ham-fisted opening.  If it were mind then I'd dress it on the lathe with a flat polisher to get it flat. Maybe 400-grit, onwards.

Often the pendant tube will be good enough and a replacement crown can be used. They are a disposable item on manual-wind watches as the threads take a lot of wear.

I have never buffed on my lathe with a flat polisher.  Anywhere I could go for technique?  I'll let you know the movement when I receive the watch.  btw, thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, jdrichard said:

I have never buffed on my lathe with a flat polisher.  Anywhere I could go for technique?  I'll let you know the movement when I receive the watch.  btw, thanks

HI JDR,

So, for simple case back polishing, you'd spin up the case back using a 3-jaw or wax chuck. Then, to achieve a flat polish, you need to make a polisher from a suitably flat and hard material. Either you'd use material charged with polishing paste, or attach emery paper to the polisher. There are many materials suitable for this, but the choice depends on whether you are using a paste or emery. For pastes, examples are soft metals like zinc or copper as they embed the abrasive particles well. Also hard woods like boxwood. For emery papers, I usually use either wood or brass strips to make a polisher. You can also use an old file as a backing. Self-adhesive paper is easiest, but you can glue paper on.

For the method, you must pay attention to keeping the polisher parallel to the surface you are cutting/polishing. If you are polishing an angled facet, for example on a watch bezel, then you can use a tool rest to match the angle of the facet by looking closely under a loupe, and then hold your polisher over the tool rest, matching the same angle. Basically, using the tool rest as a guide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For a flat back, I'd probably lap it. Put paper on a piece of plate glass (or a surface plate, lapping plate etc.) and move through the grits to 1500/2000 (if going for a mirror). then polish.

Remember to move the piece in a figure eight, to avoid pressure concentration in any single point. Also rotate the piece every few strokes, before doing more eights.

It was pretty common to use a "lap seal" on gas tight components; a bit of a lost art these days... But it can be made quite flat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the world of vintage watches, the current trend is polishing reduces the value. On some watches like Submariners and GMT-Masters this will be a deal breaker for some.

I would leave it to the owner to decide. If this is a heirloom piece and will not be sold on then by all means polish it so that it looks decent enough to wear but if it was bought as an investment maybe not.

Wearing a beat up watch for me is part of the charm, most folks cant believe a 70year watch can function well enough to be worn daily.

Anilv

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is a good point and very true with sport watches in particular. Loss of original chamfers is a big deal. “Thin” lugs are another problem. 

I think this watch could benefit from a light polish. Don’t make it look new, but tidy it a bit. With few reference examples I think it is safer than the “in your face 24-7 submariner”.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/16/2020 at 4:58 PM, AshF said:

Hah, yeah, I watched your video, then I had the same problem.  I'll try a pin vice later.

Any ideas about the other side?  That setting cap on the centre wheel will stop the wheel from being removed from the bridge.

 

On 11/17/2020 at 6:39 AM, oldhippy said:

A little grease will do fine

 

On 11/17/2020 at 6:00 AM, AshF said:

Thank you very much guys.  All sorted now.  Once I understood the mechanics of the piece it was more obvious what to do.  I got it on my staking set and tapped it out, it was actually quite easy to move in the end.

A quick follow on question...  Since the centre wheel is friction fit (and doing the job of a cannon pinion) I guess it'll need a little grease right?  Just as you would a cannon pinion?

Thanks again everyone.

 

1 hour ago, Ronp said:

It  could be me, but I think this is a bubbleback if I see the picture correctly, so not to be flatpolished.

 

 

I’ll have a look on Sat when it arrives

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • 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. 
    • Yes, "Sold out" is difficult to understand. There doesn't seem to be a lot going on. It's been nine months since any new video was published on the Watch Repair Channel. The Level 4 course on watchfix.com has been in progress for what feels like forever (several years!?). Maybe Mark's enterprises aren't doing well or perhaps already so profitable there's nothing much to motivate him for more material. Or, perhaps these days he's more into crochet. The real reason is probably something entirely different but it would be nice/interesting to know. I don't mean to sound gloomy or pessimistic, but I wouldn't be surprised to be met by an HTTP 404. Every day feels like a gift. Speaking of watchfix.com I've been postponing the "Level 5: Servicing Chronograph Watches" course for a very, very long time. Anyway, I just enrolled on it so it's going to be very interesting to see the videos. I must say, IMO there's nothing really that can compete with Mark's courses when it comes to presentation and video quality. It's simply world-class and makes me associate with some really expensive BBC productions.
    • Steel has some funny properties, or at least counterintuitive. The modulus of elasticity is effectively (not exactly, but close enough) the same for steel that is annealed and hardened. What changes is the point of plastic deformation* . If the movement of your spring doesn't pass that, it should work fine. It looks a little thick, I would thin it a bit maybe from the main body out about halfway, maybe 10-20% thinner (not in thickness, along its form). But if it works it works!   *So- if you have two bars of the same steel, one annealed, one at 600 Vickers (general hardness watch arbors might be), clamp them to a table so the same length is hanging out, and put a weight on the ends, they will bend the same amount. But if you continue to add weight, then remove it, at a point the annealed bar won't return to its original straightness. That's the point of plastic deformation. But up to that point, as springs, they are the same. However- their wear characteristics will be very very different. And getting the hardened bar past its point of plastic deformation takes a lot more effort.
×
×
  • Create New...