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New to watch repair with focus on Bulova

rph952

By rph952
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rph952 Watch Enthusiast

rph952

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My goal is to service a 1970s Bulova Oceanographer I was given as a graduation gift. I first purchased one just like in on EBay for practice on the 11BLC movement. I'm also creating my own Word file of the Dictionnaire Technologique 1969, mostly so I can learn the part names. I've spent many hours on YT watching. My favorites: My Retro Watches, Wristwatch Revival,  VK Vintage, Chronoglide Watchmaking. What I've learned so far is that Rodico is your friend! Ray

grsnovi Distinguished Member

grsnovi

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Posted

Greetings @rph952, indeed Rodico has many uses. I've found it can serve as a stress relief when nothing seems to be going right... 🙂

So, you have your gifted 70's gift watch (which I assume you've not yet opened) as well as the practice 11BLC movement?

When was the last time your gift watch worked? Has it been damaged as far as you know? Is it hard to wind? Can you set the hands?

Now then, other than watching the magicians on YT tear down, clean, lubricate and re-assemble a non-working watch (without any missteps, hic-cups or other issues) in less than an hour do you have any other watch experiences? What about tools?

I haven't been at this very long but I have worked through Mark's online training levels 1, 2 and 3. Depending on how adventurous you are you might dive right in (and assume that those 1 hour videos are an example of how to spend a leisurely hour fixing a watch) or you might want to hang around here and see if you can find any Bulova owners who have worked on an 11BLC who might offer suggestions.

Welcome to the forum!

rph952 Watch Enthusiast

rph952

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I've got the practice movement ready for disassembly. The gift watch hasn't worked in decades. Never serviced. It's pristine but no doubt all the oil is dried. It responds to winding for an hour or so. I'm sure it's fine. I've found a few videos on the Bulova, which helps a lot. My biggest fear is losing a part.

grsnovi Distinguished Member

grsnovi

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, rph952 said:

My biggest fear is losing a part.

A well founded fear which can only be put to rest by practice and/or having a exact movement to cannibalize.

  • 2 weeks later...

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