A PSA for pre-cleaning!

[thor447]

I started work tonight on a Rado Purple Horse with an ETA 2782 movement.  Winding felt a bit rough, and the quick set date felt like it was sticking at times.  I finally got the movement torn down, and I must say that this is the dirtiest watch I've come across yet.  It looks like someone just decided to dip it in oil without cleaning it last time.  It was an absolute mess.  I spent the better part of 90 minutes pre-cleaning.  It's in the main cleaner now, and hopefully it'll shine up a bit!  I should've taken more pics, but this will give you an idea.  Basically take the level of dirt and oil shown in this photo, and apply it to nearly the entire movement!

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by thor447

[KarlvonKoln]

7 hours ago, thor447 said:

... and I must say that this is the dirtiest watch I've come across yet.  It looks like someone just decided to dip it in oil without cleaning it last time.  

I remember posting in FB about working on a friend's pendant watch, which had survived her house fire, only to be ejected from her car during an accident which happened while she was transporting the last of her worldly goods.  It had landed in soupy mud with the cover open.  So, silly me, I commented that it was the filthiest watch I'd ever worked upon.
Not more than a month or two later, my brother brings me an Elgin grade 241 that he picked up at some kind of flea market.  It had been in a cloth sack and was listed as non-running.  I open it up...and every square millimeter of every part of the movement was coated in Cosmoline.  I almost cried.  It took me forever to get it all clean.
So I've become wary of saying that a watch is "the dirtiest I've ever seen" for fear of the universe being tempted to show me one that's even dirtier.   

Edited October 5, 2022 by KarlvonKoln

[thor447]

4 hours ago, KarlvonKoln said:

I remember posting in FB about working on a friend's pendant watch, which had survived her house fire, only to be ejected from her car during an accident which happened while she was transporting the last of her worldly goods.  It had landed in soupy mud with the cover open.  So, silly me, I commented that it was the filthiest watch I'd ever worked upon.
Not more than a month or two later, my brother brings me an Elgin grade 241 that he picked up at some kind of flea market.  It had been in a cloth sack and was listed as non-running.  I open it up...and every square millimeter of every part of the movement was coated in Cosmoline.  I almost cried.  It took me forever to get it all clean.
So I've become wary of saying that a watch is "the dirtiest I've ever seen" for fear of the universe being tempted to show me one that's even dirtier.   

You're right.  I'm just asking for trouble!  The good news is that it cleaned up pretty well in the end and has been running on the timegrapher overnight.  Slightly lower amplitude than what I'd like to see, but I did re-use the original mainspring.  Pivots looked pretty good after cleaning and treatment with pithwood.  This was the first watch I got to use my new automatic oiler on for the cap jewels.  I wish I would have bought one sooner.  It made the process so much easier. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by thor447