Best movements for practice?

[SPIGGOTT]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203038903653

[bojan1990]

As I started with this hobby, I picked old women's wristwatches and practices on them. The reason was that they were really cheap and some of them worked for a few seconds and stopped again (sometimes sign they haven't been cleaned for a while).

The drawback is that these are really small movements and you need to be very clean and patient in order to put them back. I destroyed few of them, but once I started with men's wristwatches it was a lot easier since the movements are bigger.

In other words, once you master small movements, it will be easier to move on bigger ones. But maybe the right way is to do the opposite - start with clock, then pocket watches, man's wristwatches etc. At least that is what one experienced watch maker said to me once.

[watchweasol]

Your clockmaker friend was right start with small clocks, pocketwatches  and work down as the skill set improves.  some of the Mumbal specials (India) are cheap enough to have a go at and some of the Russian ones

[jerryvs]

my start is AS1130 and after that china seagul (like citizen)

[SuspectDevice]

At 1st, I thought about what would be the worst.

This one is 17mm wide and spare parts probably don't exist. Plus $$$$$

[RaulCG]

I bought some scrapped movements from Aliexpress to practice (1€ per unit), I will post about them when they came from China.

[WatchingOracle]

On 2/16/2021 at 1:30 AM, bojan1990 said:

As I started with this hobby, I picked old women's wristwatches and practices on them. The reason was that they were really cheap and some of them worked for a few seconds and stopped again (sometimes sign they haven't been cleaned for a while).

The drawback is that these are really small movements and you need to be very clean and patient in order to put them back. I destroyed few of them, but once I started with men's wristwatches it was a lot easier since the movements are bigger.

In other words, once you master small movements, it will be easier to move on bigger ones. But maybe the right way is to do the opposite - start with clock, then pocket watches, man's wristwatches etc. At least that is what one experienced watch maker said to me once.

Yes.. You confirmed it. Would you believe i've never held a woman's watch in my hands?! I was doing some ebay trawling and was wondering why all the womens mechanical watches locally wouldn't sell on auction. Some of them looked impressive too including Hi-beat Seikos. I figured it would have to be that the movement components were that much smaller again. I guess a lot aren't game to touch them being that much more smaller.

[Stewart]

On 10/26/2017 at 6:45 AM, Marc said:

"With a bit of luck you will find 6x or 10x scrap 2209 movements on eBay for around $15."

Not this one you won't......

" As mention earlier,  the Vostok will be the best bet as its fairly cheap"

As above....

 

The Vostok 2209 came in several different variants of differing quality and jewel count. It's basically a very good movement, based on the Zenith chronometer cal 135.

The version that you have is the "Volna" or "Precision" grade movement which has the higher jewel count, a larger balance (for improved stability of rate), a Breguet hair spring, and micrometer regulator for fine rate adjustment. To achieve the "Precision" grading as shown on the dial it has also passed Vostoks own version of COSC testing.

This is effectively a chronometer grade watch and is considered by many to be one of the finest movements to come out of the USSR. It is quite collectable, and in this format, uncommon. If you damage the balance, hair spring, or regulator you will find it next to impossible to find replacements anywhere, and the standard 2209 parts will not be a suitable substitute.

The watch appears to be in great condition inside and out and probably needs only a proper clean and service to restore it to excellence.

I would not recommend using this as a starter watch for working on; even though it's a Vostok it possibly has the highest value of the four, along with the Unicorn, which although it isn't a Rolex proper, it is part of the Rolex story and has a following. Of the four you have the least valuable, and easiest to source spares for is probably the Seiko, and on that basis it's probably the best to start off with. However, I would suggest picking up a couple of simple time only manual winding watches nice and cheap off eBay to cut your teeth on before tackling the ones that you have.

The salvaged dental U/S cleaner (assuming it is operational) will be fine. Mine was salvaged from a print shop where it was used for cleaning print heads on a high end inkjet printer.

I started taking a few old clocks and pocket watches apart and then putting back together then progressed onto wrist watches that was over 25yrs back great hobby Horology,,

[LittleWatchShop]

On 5/2/2020 at 11:45 PM, JohnR725 said:

That would be joining the national Association of watch and clock collectors?

Joined tonight.  Partly because of your encouragement, partly because of another dude, and an added dose of curiosity and passion.

[berlintime]

Im not sure how to reply or comment a comment to this question but I have read that there where talks about the soviet 2209 being a good cheap movement to practise on. While I do agree that the quality and horological aspect of the movement are top, I purchased a bulk of these aswell when I got started. to my dissappointment, these where a bit problematic since during cleaning atleast 4 different jewels had fallen out on the mainplates. Out of 4 different movement while manula hand cleaning them! While that was a bummer, I learned the most while working on good old japanese seikos and miyotas, particularly the 8200 and the 7009a. B

[VWatchie]

Here's my contribution to this thread.