Jump to content

Waltham vintage captive stem.


skridlov

Recommended Posts

 I have almost no experience of this brand. The whole watch seems in pretty good shape but lacks a crown. The stem is present but is captive in the case. I'm unable to find a crown for it among the hundreds of old crowns I possess. The outer thread diameter is approximately 1.2 mm but has some wear in the part that I can measure although the threads are not too badly damaged. It occurs to me that this thread may be a non-metric size. Also am I correct in thinking that the stem tube has an inner sleeve? I'd greatly appreciate some tips on how to deal with this and trust that the pics are adequate.

Roy

 

Waltham-TW-stem-9120066.jpg

Waltham-TW-stem-9120068.jpg

Waltham-TW-stem-9120069.jpg

Waltham-TW-stem-9120070.jpg

Waltham-TW-stem-9120071.jpg

Waltham-TW-stem-9120072.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's having a long jacuzzi right now. I have an identical (?) watch which is a potential donor. However one thing that's not identical is the diameter of the stem tube. And it almost looks as though there's a circlip (god forbid) inside the tube. To be continued.

Yes. it withdraws from the inside when de-gunked.

Edited by skridlov
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It has a stem retaining sleeve that is screwed out from the top, but you need the correct tool to unscrew it, once you have removed it then the stem will come out.

Here is one on ebay to see what it looks like.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WALTHAM-POCKET-WATCH-CASE-UNDAMAGED-WINDING-STEM-SLEEVE-TUBE-/222631776299?hash=item33d5e3502b:g:W90AAOSwXrhXmhZu

 

This is also whats clicks the stem into setting and winding positions

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks folks!

The stem pulls out readily from the inside. Luckily I have four nearly identical movements and cases (the "nearly" is an insurance policy intended to ward off nasty surprises.) Nice movements but unfortunately the three that have serviceable balances are only seven jewel. Do I feel lucky today?

Roy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm waiting for a stem wrench (from US) so that I can adjust the depth of the sleeve. However, in the meantime I have two of these Waltham 1907s up and running. Or did, now there's only one. I watched the repair videos on this watch. Even after dismantling and trying to reassemble one I still don't understand how this keyless work functions - having reassembled it precisely as shown, it won't wind. 

Also, I don't think I will ever be able to align bridges and pinions. I'll stick to cleaning with the train in place. Despite thinking that this one's bridge was correctly positioned (it dropped into place with the locating pins in position and the pinions apparently located correctly; but how can you tell?) the whole train is now jammed and what was a working watch with the limitation of a badly adjusted stem is now scrap. About eight hours wasted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Hi nickelsilver, thanks for the great explanation and the links! I'll take a good look in the article.  Especially this is great news to hear! Looking through forums and youtube videos I was informed to 'fist find a case and then fit a movement for it'. But seems that's not the case for pocket watches at least?  I guess I should be looking to find some 'male square bench keys' for now. I was thinking of winding the mainspring using a screwdriver directly, but I found a thread that you've replied on, saying that it could damage the spring. 
    • Murks, The rate and amplitude look OK, and the amplitude should improve once the oils you have used get a chance to move bed-in, also I notice that you are using default 52 degrees for the lift angle, if you get the real lift angle (assuming it's not actually 52) this will change your amplitude - maybe higher, maybe lower. I notice that the beat error is a little high, but not crazy high. At the risk of upsetting the purists, if the balance has an adjustment arm I would go ahead and try and get this <0.3 ms, but if it does not have an adjustable arm then I would probably leave well alone. Just my opinion.
    • Hi everyone on my timegrapher it showing this do a make anymore adjustment someone let me know ?    
    • Maybe I'm over simplifying this and I'm a little late to the discussion, but just by my looking at oil when I use it on a treated cap jewel  the oil stays in one nice bubble, but when I don't it spreads out to the edges of the jewel. I'm not sure (but could well be wrong) but the analogy of a waxed car and rain is accurate in this case, the wax is very hydrophobic and repels the water, however, the process epilame works by is a different physical process based upon cohesion/adhesion (oleophilic) not repulsion (oleophobic)  at least as far as I have read/observed. If one were to use a oleophobic substance equivalent to wax (hydrophobic) then one would need to create a donut shape to fence in the oil, however if one used such a strategy with a epilame which is oleophilic then the oil would sit on the ring of the donut and not in the 'donut hole', exactly where you don't want it. Even if the oil is smeared then the oleophilic epilame should pull it back to the center (see diagram below). Reference For interest the chemical in epilame is 2-(PERFLUOROHEXYL) ETHYL METHACRYLATE, CAS NO: 2144-53-8
    • Looks lint the teeth on the hour wheel aren't meshing with the teeth on the calendar intermediate wheel, maybe the hour wheel is sitting on top of this instead of meshing?        
×
×
  • Create New...