Hello from Southern California

[milotrain]

Hello all.  Thanks for providing this forum and for the excellent videos.  I'm just sort of dabbling in the idea of watch repair and clock making but have a hobbyist machining background.  I have a possible watch project right now in the form of a "mumbai special" with a JLC K885 handwound movement.  The watch keeps very good time but occasionally (only when I'm wearing it) stops (it is a non hacking movement) I can get it to start again with a simple tap of my finger on the dome.  Not sure where to start or if I should give it to a professional.

 

Thanks for looking!

Milo

[ecodec]

Hi milotrain and welcome to this fine forum. There can be many problems that will cause a watch to stop intermittently.  From where you are it may be a good idea for you to obtain a copy of Frieds book; Watch Repairers Manual and/or de Carles book Practical Watch Repairing. Then once you have an understanding of how a watch works start on some cheap watches to get the touch and experience. Both books have a treatise on trouble shooting.  There are courses available but I have no experience of them though they should be very good for those of us who are so inclined. Good wishes for your new hobby which ever way you decide to go!!. Regards from the old Jobber Fixer, Mike.

[jdm]

1 hour ago, milotrain said:

I have a possible watch project right now in the form of a "mumbai special" with a JLC K885 handwound movement.

How can you have an India put-together watch with an original JLC mov.t?  I must assume it's a counterfeit,  cheap China made one, and from the picture there are in fact some hints about that. In that case no much surprise it stops intermittently.

[milotrain]

What suggests to you that the movement is a counterfeit?  What from the photo suggests this?  Any more info about what I'm looking at would be helpful.  Thanks!

 

Thanks for the book recommendations, I'll look them up.

[ecodec]

The movement looks JLC to me from your photo but I cannot be sure without seeing it. Looks like one I fixed for an old  solicitor friend over a year ago. Balance and shock resist appears the same.  I must keep better records. jdm would know I feel sure.

[Vacherin]

Looks nicely made and is almost working. I wouldn't start fixing that as my first watch repair because of that! Put it aside until you have taken a couple apart and put them back together still working! Does it stop randomly, or with hands in a particular position? Anyway, being a machinist should help a lot making tools. De Carle's book has a lot on that, and I imagine you should be able to take things further than he suggests with your background.

[milotrain]

Thanks Vacherin, that's good advice.  There is always later.

[milotrain]

I just got a 6498 to break.

[oldhippy]

Welcome to this friendly forum. With your watch stopping and starting it sounds as if dirt has got into the movement. A clean would sort that out.

[anilv]

Nice JLC Milo.. The Mumbai specials I get are nowhere near as nice. A good clean and a new mainspring should see it working for the next 10years! I think its a legit JLC, the shock-protection on the balance looks like a Kif Flector and these were usually found on higher end watches.

Welcome to the forum.

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by anilv

[Watchtime]

Now this is a great find from Mumbay,....I never had a mvt like this in mine.....As oldhippy suggested, a cleaning/service will probably do the trick.