Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hey all, I inherited this 1959 deep sea alarm. I’m very excited about having it restored. Ideally I would love to find someone in Florida who would allow me to be apart of the process as this is something I’m not ready to tackle. 
 

I told my mom I’m getting into watches and asked her to keep an eye out as she thrifts and yardsales. She said I have a couple of cheap ones of your grandfather’s. I was shocked when I looked up LeCoultre. It’s in rough shape and I want to get her ticking correctly again. I know it needs a full service and am not sure if the alarm works but the watch runs a bit. I have purchased a k815 caliber of eBay as a donor in the event I need parts. I am waiting on some jlc crowns and nos stems(found the service bulletin for the k815 on here.) I’m looking for guidance on finding the right watch maker to do it. I have emailed with Zaf of classic watches.com but mailing this thing scares the hell out me. 

52571889-B26F-4BF3-8AAF-F9FCAE63D7F8.jpeg

423CAA70-89F0-4556-9DEC-A33A7A709FBD.jpeg

224F9DFF-72DA-4781-822E-F212F4CAFE40.jpeg

38703620-9F7A-4060-9DEB-186C44C79A19.jpeg

DC420167-FB8D-4C51-BD3F-7F0940A7A558.jpeg

D847CEE5-A3BD-4F5D-9FC9-503F301DCED5.jpeg

A2D255CA-708D-4401-9DAB-10E3CAEB2405.jpeg

6ED1D11C-423E-4D51-B4C3-FBA7CD5991A5.jpeg

1894D3D3-FDA3-4F7E-BBA1-1C0CFEB4C8F5.jpeg

A7AB8640-109D-40D5-A622-E842CF9BDEC8.jpeg

  • Like 3
Posted

If you're in Florida check out Earnest Tope, a true watchmaker who makes parts (any parts) and also just cleans and adjusts vintage or current movements.  I don't know who he's affiliated with at the moment but can vouch for him. He serviced Ted Crom's collection,  which is about the best CV/résumé  one can have.

 

Also, Florida is pretty big. Sending  watches by (registered) post for repair was already the norm 20 years ago, so even if he's far, no worry.

  • Like 1
Posted
On 12/11/2021 at 5:53 PM, nickelsilver said:

If you're in Florida check out Earnest Tope, a true watchmaker who makes parts (any parts) and also just cleans and adjusts vintage or current movements.  I don't know who he's affiliated with at the moment but can vouch for him. He serviced Ted Crom's collection,  which is about the best CV/résumé  one can have.

 

Also, Florida is pretty big. Sending  watches by (registered) post for repair was already the norm 20 years ago, so even if he's far, no worry.

Awesome that is 2 hours away from me! I will be calling at 10. Thank you!

Posted
On 12/12/2021 at 2:14 AM, Jack75 said:

That's a gem, the k815, an early Memovox type movement. I have worked on several k825 movement and the only issue that may need special attention is the release of the alarm hammer. Here is a breakdown of parts from WatchGuy that you may not have seen. He has more on his web site.

https://watchguy.co.uk/cgi-bin/library?action=show_photos&wat_id=3573

He also gives price estimates for work done in the UK.

I have not seen that breakdown, thanks for sharing. 

  • 1 year later...
Posted

Hey All, Long time no talk... I had Zaf Basha and his crew do the service and have been wearing regulary for about a year and am seriously considering sending to JLC for a restoration. 

 

image.png.336dd9cf3dba5c04d72b79f44c8d436c.png

  • Like 3

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • it would be nice to have the exact model of the watch the or a picture so we can see exactly what you're talking about. this is because the definition of Swiss watch could be a variety of things and it be helpful if we could see exactly the watch your dealing with then in professional watch repair at least some professionals they do pre-cleaned watches. In other words the hands and dial come off and the entire movement assembled goes through a cleaning machine sometimes I think a shorter bath perhaps so everything is nice and clean for disassembly makes it easier to look for problems. Then other professionals don't like pre-cleaning because it basically obliterates the scene of the crime. Especially when dealing with vintage watches where you're looking for metal filings and problems that may visually go away with cleaning. Then usually super sticky lubrication isn't really a problem for disassembly and typically shouldn't be a problem on a pallet fork bridge because there shouldn't be any lubrication on the bridge at all as you typically do not oil the pallet fork pivots.  
    • A few things you should find out before you can mske a decision of what to do. As Richard said, what is the crown and all of the crown components made of . Then also the stem .  The crown looks to have a steel washer that retains a gasket. So be careful with what chemicals you use to dissolve any stem adhesives or the use of heat. You might swell or melt the gasket unless you are prepared to change that also . The steel washer maybe reactive to alum. Something I've just used to dissolve a broken screw from a plate. First drilled out the centre of the screw with a 0.5mm carbide . Dipped only the section that held the broken screw in Rustins rust remover. This is 40 % phosphoric acid. 3 days and the screw remains were completely dissolved, no trace of steel in the brass threads. A black puddle left in the solution.
    • I suppose this will add to the confusion I have a roller jewel assortment. It lists out American pocket watches for Elgin 18 size and even 16 size it's a 50. But not all the various companies used 50-50 does seem to be common one company had a 51 and the smallest is 43. American parts are always interesting? Francis Elgin for mainsprings will tell you the thickness of the spring other companies will not even though the spring for the same number could come in a variety of thicknesses. But if we actually had the model number of your watch we would find it probably makes a reference that the roller jewel came in different dimensions. So overlook the parts book we find that? So it appears to be 18 and 16 size would be the same sort of the arson different catalog numbers and as I said we don't have your Mongol know which Log number were supposed to be using. Variety of materials garnered her sapphire single or double but zero mention about diameters. Then in a section of rollers in this case rollers with jewels we do get this down in the notes section Roller specifications but of course zero reference to the jewel size. I was really hoping the roller jewel assortment would give us sizes it doesn't really. But it does show a picture of how one particular roller jewel gauge is used  
    • Seems to still do it through my mobile data, I use an android phone almost exclusively, but I'll double check it. Thanks mark Strange, I'll try my laptop that utilities edge. I've been on site half hour since I got home, it hasn't done it yet. Thanks John
    • At work, I'm on MS Edge, not through chose, on my phone, chrome, no issues with either. 
×
×
  • Create New...