Hebdomas repair standards

[Sjk4x4]

I am working on a Hebdomas for my mom. She wants a butterfly painted and I figure I can put it on the inside of the watchcase back. The question I have is the ethos of updating the watch. Right now, I am fitting hands and thinking about the minute hand. The cannon pinion is basically a tube with a gear attached that sits down in a recess. As you can imagine, its difficult for me to 1. .Remove the pinion because there's nothing to grab onto 2, adjust the pinion to the wacky pin they have running through the second wheel so it slips accurately (a first for me personally) and 3. size the minute hand to fit onto the pinion so it slides down to stay tight and true parallel to the hour hand/dial face.

That pin has to be tighter in the second wheel than it is in the pinion and I think I have that covered. The thing I did was to turn a recess in the middle of the pinion and then true up the end and turn a slightly smaller diameter on the end of the pinion to the depth of the thickness of the minute hand. This will give me a place to grab for removing the pinion and a shelf to help the parallelism of the minute hand and also a stopping point before it hits the hour hand.

Is this an "ethical" repair? I've updated the watch to newer standards.  As I've gained more experience, I've seen how many hacks there have been through the decades and I dont want to be one of them.

What is the current popular opinion on this?

[spectre6000]

A hedonist would say go for it if you want to. The divinely commanded would shrug. Utilitarian... probably shrug, maybe feel slightly against? Deontologist would probably shrug, maybe lean slightly no but slightly yes... That's all the schools of ethical thought I can come up with before I've finished my first cup of coffee. Point is, ethics doesn't really apply...

Contemporary norms, on the other hand, would probably suggest you don't, but personally as long as it's well executed, it's her watch and it becomes part of the history of it. I wouldn't do it personally, only because I'm not a good painter; but I wouldn't hesitate to find a good painter and have them do it. Maybe go one up, and see if you can find a cloisonné artist, and really do it right in a way that will last.  

[Sjk4x4]

thank you for your well thought out reply. 

I am a painter so thats not an issue, just the thoughts about changing it from the original manufacturers intentions. It's also been a pain to remove the pinion without anything to grab onto

[Plato]

On 11/12/2021 at 4:28 AM, Sjk4x4 said:

Is this an "ethical" repair? I've updated the watch to newer standards.  As I've gained more experience, I've seen how many hacks there have been through the decades and I dont want to be one of them.

What is the current popular opinion on this?

Unless it's a Harrison Chronometer do what you like, it's your watch.

[watchweasol]

Iagree with plato Its your watch and what ever you do to it is your business, you could paint it green , the purists would jump about a bit but do what you like its yours.

[KarlvonKoln]

If you're going to paint a butterfly on it, do not forget to place your signature somewhere near.  Imagine if Vincent van Gogh owned a watch and delicately painted the inside cover.  If you're going to do it, do it well, and sign it.  Just my 2 cents.

 

[Sjk4x4]

i have another Hebdomas case and surprisingly it looks Japaned. Would have been a great way to keep the steel case from rusting.

[Plato]

Whatever you do with the watch just make sure you upload some photos, you might end up getting requests!