Jump to content

New Member


Recommended Posts

Greetings everyone - just joined

Always loved mechanical watches and as a watch fanatic and DIY fan, have always wanted to take up their servicing and repair as a hobby but never had the time. Semi-retired now so I have got the time and have spent the last few weeks buying what I judge (rightly or wrongly) to be an appropriate set of watchmakers tools etc.

First project will be to strip down, clean, oil and rebuild an Omega Cal 561 (including fitting a new mainspring) - I am hoping I will get some sound advice from this forum in such endeavours- browsing through the posts on this forum I am sure I will :) 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, presto0906 said:

 

First project will be to strip down, clean, oil and rebuild an Omega Cal 561 (including fitting a new mainspring) - I am hoping I will get some sound advice from this forum in such endeavours- browsing through the posts on this forum I am sure I will :) 

 

Welcome to the forum Presto, remember to post up some if your exploits.

If I can give you some sound advice, don't make the 561 your first project.  Pick up a couple of cheaper victims on eBay and get used to working on them first to become familiar with handling theses little engines and tools. You don't want to end up doing this. :pulling-hair-out:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello presto and welcome,

You certainly picked on tasty movements to work on for your first efforts but perhaps you may not know that these little bits of history cost a bit to get spares for.  For instance if you have a problem with the balance and knack it or get into problems with the date change parts flying off into the black hole of watch parts never to be seen again.

Geo gave you good advice and you will get help here anyway, but like he says get an old working watch that has no date change or "chronograph" style parts ie bog standard for a tenner on the bay strip it down taking pics at every before and after stage, clean the parts in lighter fluid dry them off and put it back together using some cheap oil and mainspring grease.  You could work on your good stuff with Moebius oils etc. when you are proudly looking at your first serviced watch. 

My first one was a Chinese movement in a replica watch that was for my brother in law who stated that it did not matter if I "knacked it  - just chuck it" but amazingly he got it back fully functional and keeping good time (much to my amazement). That success got me addicted and this forum and its members have been instrumental in helping me whenever I was really stuck and I am sure you will get the same help.

Good luck,

Vic

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

    • Thanks Rich, its really not that difficult to make them, simple ones anyway. Cousins didn't have the part though i could find it on ebay at 6.50. I figure i earned about £1.50/ hr . It paid for the diamond files i bought.
    • If you look at this thread, you can see I had exactly the same problems with balance springs with 2 prongs on a Smiths 627. The slots in the chaton were not big enough to get the ends of the spring out. I had to bend them to get them out and back in. Not ideal. I don't fancy having to do it again as they could easily break, and where would you find replacements? I didn't come across the 3 prong type.     
    • I visited the Breguet Exhibition today. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/about-us/press-office/rare-timepieces-unveiled-new-display-science-museum The Science Museum now holds the collection of "The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers" - "The collection includes more than 600 watches, 90 clocks, 30 marine chronometers and a number of fine sundials and examples of hand engraving, mapping the history of innovation in watch and clock making in London from 1600 to the present day." It's well worth a visit. They have some amazing pieces by the likes of Harrison, Breguet, Tompion etc . I've visited twice before but decided to go and see the Breguet Exhibition. Maybe I was expecting too much, as on reflection, "More than 20 extraordinary timepieces designed by inventor and watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet " isn't going to take up that much space. In reality, it's just one cabinet. But, Oh those watches, stunning 🤩 , e.g. (No 1297 was made for George III and is valued about £1m)   I tried a couple of pics, but with subdued lighting and taking through glass, they aren't good. I like thin hands on a watch - how about these (I think this is a split second chrono)   And this one, with all it's complications, is only 10mm thick !   What I found very interesting were a few very old machines for making watch parts, like this 17th Century gear cutter. The disc below has concentric rings with holes in, so that is can be set to cut varying teeth numbers.       
    • Firstly sorry for poor image quality I only have an iPhone for photos.    Im working on a 512 movement and I’ve had some trouble with the “jewels”. I’ve got the metal one out, but when I tried to put it back the three sides of the spring seem to need pressing all at once to fit it as there are three “holes”. I get two corners in but as I go for the third the first two pop out! Constantly I’ve lost the spring. I’ve done the similar ones on seiko movements without trouble. Assuming I find it/a replacement, what am I missing!   on the other side with the only ruby in the movement is a setting with no “gap”at all. How do I get the spring out, and of course get it back in!    What am I missing!    thanks in advance.    Rob
    • Links like that are the reason I routinely donate to the Internet Archive - they are the last safe house for a tremendous amount of useful info that is otherwise lost.
×
×
  • Create New...