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So these are mine, where should I start?


ChrisDell

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Hi again! I'm Chris and I'm a total noob here. I posted an introduction that will give more back story to what I'm doing here and what I hope to accomplish.

So the following are watches that I inherited about 15 years ago and that have been wondering around my garage in a box waiting for me to do something about them. Most aren't very valuable, at least I'm guessing that Timex's aren't collectors items, how ever they might be the perfect brand for a noob to start of with. I dunno, maybe they're not even worth that, that's why I'm going to post everything I got. But I also know that a few might be valuable enough that only a trained professional should touch them. Again, I don't know.

So what I'm hoping to get from all y'all is a little direction. Which of the following I might consider starting with and which I should wait on. I also have questions about a few of the nicer ones, I'll post those question with each pic. I'm also hoping to find one info concerning when these watches were made, and maybe something about the model line. Really anything.

So lets get started shall we?

#1

5BCB63BD-EF14-409A-9165-BEC0350614B2_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.1b2198e8f8b537aeb43e668f62bc0748.jpeg

A women's Timex, I don't know anything about this one other then it belonged to my favorite aunt and it's not working

#2

FC76E060-6D16-4C91-84A3-C06AA695A894_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.c29357939be553e4346a18b9a3918d1d.jpeg

This was my dad's watch from the 50's. This has a lot of sentimental value. It's not working

 

#3

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Another non working ladies watch that was a $200 repair estimate

 

#4

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This is probably the nicest of the bunch. It was my uncle's and I think he brought it back from WWII as a trophy. It isn't working and 15 years ago a watch guy I went to in the fancy part of town wanted $600 to repair it. I know it must be a nice watch because the very sweet, very old guy who quoted me that price said, in a very thick Jewish accent, "Dees ees verly verly nice vatch" while grinning at me like a lunatic. When I told him I couldn't afford the repair he made me promise not to bring it to 'just anyone' and insisted I only bring it to someone who knows what they're doing.

I've googled this but can't find any Lemania's that are like it. This is the only one I've seen that has the numbers tilted toward the center.

#5

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Another non working man's watch. I don't know if this is from the London jeweler's Jessop, I couldn't find much, but they wanted $200 to repair

 

#6

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I love this watch and I wore it for years until it stopped. I brought it to a repair guy and he said a gasket was gone and that water had gotten into the works and fouled it up. I had been taking it to cheap watch places because all I needed was a battery change. Came to find out that if I would have brought it to someone who actually knew what they were doing they would have looked for that issue as part of the service when replacing the battery. I could kick myself. Oh well, live and learn.  There's a number on the back, 707004-3

#7

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I know nothing about this watch except that it isn't working

 

#8

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They said that this one isn't repairable. That seemed a bit odd to me but what do I know? Anyways, it isn't working.

#9

 

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This was my moms everyday watch back in the 70's and it isn't working either

#10

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This Waltham they said just wasn't worth fixing

#11

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My moms fancy watch, also no heart beat

#12

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A ladies Hamilton that's dead

#13

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I think this was my favorite uncles. I'd really like to know more about this one, I have the band and the part of the band that the watch fits into, it just falls out of that part. This one does have a pulse. It ticks away and doesn't stop.

#14

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This is an antique alarm clock that I added only because in my noob brain I thought the might be a good place to start because it's bigger.

 

So that's what I have, I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions and if I can provide more information to help, please just ask, I'll be happy to take more pics

 

Cheers!

 

Chris

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I,d put them timex pieces back where they were, practice on jessop and bucherer.

 Carle F Bucherer and some other bucherer pieces are good quality pieces, not this one though.

Search for a reputable repairman to send the lemania to for service/restoration.

Let us see what westclox has hidden under the hood.

Regs 

Joe

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So, you have basically four categories of watch as I see it. "Simple" mechanical wrist watches, quartz wrist watches, one mechanical chronograph and a bedside-table alarm clock. 

Taking the last one first, you are right to think that big is easier, but only if they were built to be serviced. That's why Nucejoe whats to see the movement first. Could be a load of cheap pressings and rivets.

The chronograph from Lemania, your Jewish acquaintance was spot on. This needs the attention of an experienced enthusiast, with the right tools. It's too challenging and valuable to put in the hands of anyone else. Hang on to it though.  It has the potential to be a beautiful watch.

The quartz watches; both (?) ladies' Timexes, both (?) Hamiltons, Nicol. It could be as easy as changing a battery, but if the batteries have leaked or water has got in, then it's exponentially more difficult. There are some on this forum who can help you with the electronics. I can't. If you can get the backs off without damaging the cases or yourself, it takes a minute to have a look and get a first impression. Take photos of the insides and post here.

By simple mechanical I mean time-only or time and date. These are the bread and butter on this forum. Every one of these watches - your dad's Timex, Bucherer, Jessop, Illinois, Waltham, your mum's Bulova, GP - should be repairable with more or less effort, but the chances are, some will be long-term projects requiring skills (and tools - never forget the tools!) to repair that you may need years to acquire.

As an absolute beginner you are likely to do more damage than good, so you need to select one that means nothing to you, where replacement parts or donor movements are easiy available. It would be worthwhile getting the backs off all of them, so we can try to identify the works. At the moment I would start with the Jessop or the Waltham. The Bucherer looks too small.

 

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9 hours ago, ChrisDell said:

So that's what I have, I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions and if I can provide more information to help, please just ask, I'll be happy to take more pics

 

Cheers!

 

Chris

I would suggest to start with getting a microscope with ring light mounted to it. Then a few tools: screwdrivers (0.5mm, 0.8mm, 1.00mm, 1.20mm at least), and some case openers. Also, you will need some storage containers to keep your parts safe. Make good notes while disassembling your watches: model / calibre, serial number, case ID, what is broken (mainspring, lost / broken parts, etc), take good pictures via microscope - will be easier to reassemble your watch  if you forget what goes where, and research each watch calibre on-line.

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2 hours ago, Poljot said:

I would suggest to start with getting a microscope with ring light mounted to it.

A microscope is a good to have and pretty much a necessity for advanced hobbyist and professional, but not needed for beginners. Close inspection and pictures can be taken with a strong eyepiece. What is suggested from the start is a simple timegrapher. 

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36 minutes ago, jdm said:

A microscope is a good to have and pretty much a necessity for advanced hobbyist and professional, but not needed for beginners. Close inspection and pictures can be taken with a strong eyepiece. What is suggested from the start is a simple timegrapher. 

Disagree. The sooner "beginner" will get a microscope, less damages will be done. Almost every beginner's story is about breaking something because "it's so small, i could not see it, i did not notice, etc). As for timegrapher - absolutely not necessary for beginners. It does not matter if your watch is gaining or loosing time as long as you successfully brought it back from dead by cleaning and oiling. Timegrapher is your next step, once you are at least able to fine-tune your watches by using regulator, and making many other fine adjustments, selecting right type of oil, etc. BTW, a simple timegrapher can be a free program, and less than $5 in parts (microphone and cable). This is my opinion - not going to argue with you or anyone else about chickens and the eggs.

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Some nice pieces there. And I agree the Lemania should go to someone experienced. 

The "unique" dial of that one may simply have been a "Euro market only" version for example or something like that. Nice solid movement inside, but NOT for beginner, or even intermediate operators. I'd only touch it if it was mine, and not do one for a customer. Your watchmaker's quote was probably reasonable, and I fully agree with him to send it to someone experienced with them, and not just "the least expensive" willing to do it.

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48 minutes ago, Poljot said:

Disagree. The sooner "beginner" will get a microscope, less damages will be done. Almost every beginner's story is about breaking something because "it's so small, i could not see it, i did not notice, etc). As for timegrapher - absolutely not necessary for beginners. It does not matter if your watch is gaining or loosing time as long as you successfully brought it back from dead by cleaning and oiling. Timegrapher is your next step, once you are at least able to fine-tune your watches by using regulator, and making many other fine adjustments, selecting right type of oil, etc. BTW, a simple timegrapher can be a free program, and less than $5 in parts (microphone and cable). This is my opinion - not going to argue with you or anyone else about chickens and the eggs.

Agreed IMHO. On the advice of a fellow member on here I bought a microscope early on and so glad I did, for all the reasons you mentioned and more. I would have missed lots of stuff that with my eyes I can't even see with my loupes. It also helped when interpreting peoples descriptions of parts, how they move, etc etc. On the Timegrapher note, do you know of anything in print describing its other functions besides basic? 

regs

Mike

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24 minutes ago, MechanicMike said:

Agreed IMHO. On the advice of a fellow member on here I bought a microscope early on and so glad I did, for all the reasons you mentioned and more. I would have missed lots of stuff that with my eyes I can't even see with my loupes. It also helped when interpreting peoples descriptions of parts, how they move, etc etc. On the Timegrapher note, do you know of anything in print describing its other functions besides basic? 

regs

Mike

I have not seen one "cover it all" print. Just various books, instructions in other than English languages. Not sure if i can post links from other forums here. Will send you a link via PM.

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Well thats a fine collection, and some worthy of note. Me I would take my time asses each one  and probably work my way through the lot  timexes included.

I have attached a couple of publications which if you are getting into the watch repair might be handy, a good read,

 

 

 

TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf Witschi Training Course.pdf 1612608791_ToolsfortheHobbyist.pdf

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5 hours ago, Poljot said:

As for timegrapher - absolutely not necessary for beginners. It does not matter if your watch is gaining or loosing time as long as you successfully brought it back from dead by cleaning and oiling. 

Disagree. A timegrapher is not just for regulation, it is to tell what is the health of the mov.t, particularly the balance and escapement,  primarly by amplitude and pattern parameters over different positions. As one become experienced can then learn how make a quick judgment going by visual and sound, but a beginner can't, and with the watch running and keeping  time he may believe he did a good job - he has no objective way to see if he didn't.

The OP will find important to have a good read on the documents posted by our fellow watchweasol above.

Now, admittedly a timegrapher is not on the list of "day 1" tools by our Host and Mentor Mark Lovick, surely a microscope isn't even- it is not such an important tool for a beginner.

https://www.watchrepairlessons.com/2019/09/30/essential-day-1-tools/

 

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well I got to the partly late and see many have already given you some advice.  But, have some feed back for you not only as well as the guys here will tell you I'm a Timex collector \ repairer for about 15 years now.  I do also sell for watchmakers and estate buyers so have learned to collect cash these days more than watches.  

Lets go through them quickly and this is just my opinion. You can PM me with questions, follow ups.

  • 1 ladies Timex Q - toss it!. zero value.
  • 2 is a 1973 Timex Marlin Day Date with model 27. Crystal is cracked.  Easy to repair and besides this was your dads watch.  PM me and I will help you get it running.
  • 3 I'd sell it as is and get some funds for the other repairs
  • 4 $600 to repair is robbery... 200 - 300 maybe. Plenty of online repair services available.
  • 5 yeah repair price is out of line
  • 6 - Hamilton quartz are not so sort after - Hamilton people like 1960's and back for a pic of the movement
  • 7 toss it!
  • 8 - I'll buy it from you ? because I know some serious Illinois collectors .
  • 9 - toss it
  • 10 keep it.
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