-
Recently Browsing
- No registered users viewing this page.
-
Topics
-
-
Posts
-
An inexpensive generic crystal lift, under $20 on Esslinger.com, is fine to remove the crystal on a vintage watch and fine to reinsert one. If you start working on more valuable watches, getting a better crystal lift might be necessary since these cheaper ones can be a little rough in the jaws. If you are not careful it is easier to scratch a crystal with these than with a $120 version. The other difference is in how smooth the screw action is on the more expensive Swiss one. It does take some practice no matter what to install a crystal with this tool, and you can expect to not get your first one or two right without some scratches when installing. But if @caseback is right and this is a 2 piece case, then it opens up other better options to install a new crystal with a press of some sort instead. -
Thanks Neverenough. That's exactly why I posted this. I'd rather wear it dirty than destroy it. I took a high powered magnifier and looked all along the crystal and found no evidence of prying, so my presupposition was that the glass came off. I'd never heard of a crystal lift, and don't have one. Is there one you recommend? Would one from Amazon suffice for my purposes? -
I am not sure how well horosolv evaporates, or if it leaves any residue that would negatively affect your later cleaning stages. It certainly would not hurt to quickly dip in IPA after that stage.
-
Don't be so hard on yourself. We've all been there! One slip and hours of work down the drain. It's in the nature of the job/hobby. A huge sense of satisfaction when you finally get the job done is the other side of the same coin. That top pivot was scrap anyway. 😉 And you will, even if it takes longer than you hoped. Now you are going to learn how to replace a balance staff. All good! -
Some of these are intended for pocket watches. The two circlular ones with protruding bits - the one with 10 tips is a sleeve wrench, used for adjusting the stem sleeves in American negative-set pocket watch cases. The other with 6 tips is a jewel pusher, used for pushing out lightly friction fit jewels in brass settings which are mostly found on American pocket watches though some Swiss watches use them too. The Levin tool with the parallel ruby jaws is for poising a balance, getting it to run without any heavy spots which affect timekeeping, and the Levin tool with the thumbscrew between two halves is a truing caliper, used for verifying wheels are straight and true. The one you have happens to be the best type of this tool in my opinion. Eventually you will need the micrometers for something, but if they measure in inches rather than mm that is less useful. You won't need most of these for an ST36 or any modern movement, but the moment you pick up a pre-1950 pocket watch and want to make it run well a lot of these will become useful. If you do decide to sell some, I would expect the Levin truing caliper to be worth about $35 on ebay, and the Levin poising tool is pretty nice with an intact spirit level. If the ruby jaws are not chipped in the middle, that would be worth $50-$75 on ebay. The sleeve wrench and jewel pusher are harder to sell because there are tons of them available. It could bring $30 or it could only be $5 if you were unlucky. Movement holders of various types are always worth at least $15-$20 (some much more but I don't see those here), but I would keep those as you can use them today.
-
Recommended Posts
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.