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A mixture of success and failure...

LittleWatchShop
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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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I bought this watch on Ebay.  It looked interesting and was not a lot of money, so hey...a little project to hone my skills.

When it arrived, I wound it up and did some 'tic'ing and off and on some 'toc'ing.  But the balance was clearly sluggish...struggling for the next tic or toc.

So today, in a fit of boredom, I decided to clean it.

My first image is the watch as I saw it on Ebay.

2021-02-11 20_09_04-Window.png

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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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I do not have the "proper" cleaning gear but I worked with what I had.  I took the watch down, put the components in lighter fluid followed by IPA for drying.  Interesting design.  The top plate has a pivot hole for a gear that does not exist.  A little confusing.  But...don't sweat the unknowns.

I did not have to (and wish I had not), but I removed the click spring.  This was really for fear that it would take flight during the cleaning process.  Well...lol...it did take flight...more on that later.

Here is an image of the the train wheels with the main plate removed.  The balance and pallet fork are already removed here.

Forgive the 60Hz in these photos...the lamp is florescent.

I also show the dial side with and without the date ring.  These pictures were primarily for helping me reassemble

2021-02-11 20_22_01-Window.png

2021-02-11 20_22_24-Window.png

2021-02-11 20_22_46-Window.png

Edited by LittleWatchShop
grammar fix
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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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I removed the mainspring from the barrel.  Inspected and put it back in.  Gave a little thanks to my Dad who assembled this watch bench and tools...the mainspring winder is cool!  Fun stuff.  Anyway, wound it and put it back in the barrel...no problem.  Oh wait!!! Ieeeeee!!!  I put it in backwards.  Oh well...more practice with the winder.

During the reassembly process--remember that click spring--I managed to send the click spring flying aaaawwwaaaayyyyy!

I have a sweeper magnet leaning against the wall next to the bench.  I took several sweeps and no spring.  Lots of other things (another story).

What to do?

Well, a month ago, I saw a bag-o=springs on Ebay...one gram worth.  I bought them.  Moreover, I had a small collection of springs that my Dad kept for such emergencies.

I found a spring that was really close, did some bending and cutting and voila!

 

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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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I assembled the train wheels, oiled them, and applied power and they spun away.  Yay!

Assembled the mainspring, ratchet wheel and click (with my handcrafted click spring).

Then the pallet fork and balance wheel.

OK, I confess, I could not figure out what was going on with the balance pivot holes.  Some kind of metal on one side and jewel on the other...not like anything I have seen, so I did not try to break it down to clean and oil. 

After the movement was assembled, I took another sweep with the magnet and found the original click spring!!

Here is the movement after assembly. 

 

P1010005.JPG

Edited by LittleWatchShop
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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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I tell you, I felt like I was fluent in Swiss...or German with a Swiss accent!!

Then...all of a sudden...shite hits the fan.

While putting the hands on and adjusting them to get a perfect calendar roll over, something hit the one o'clock lume and it popped off.

No biggie...I will glue it on.  I did this once before on another watch.  Well, no bueno.  The glue caused the lume to fracture and it was a mess.

Who needs one o'clock anyways!  Nothing happens then.  It is not a happy hour.

Here is the final result (sans case).

That's my story!

2021-02-11 20_39_58-Window.png

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  • 2 months later...
DavidADav Watch Enthusiast

DavidADav

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Nice one! I agree with Klassiker, it’s great to hear a full story, especially one with some ups and downs. That looks like an interesting movement. Isn’t it the best feeling when you drop that balance in and...it works? ?

Did you ever figure out the balance jewels?

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