CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch Part 1

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920's Pocket Watch

Markings on the movement

CYMREX Watch Co, Geneve

BREVETS

Swiss Made, 7 Jewels, 2 Adjustments

Movement No:106735

Dial size 41mm

Movement size 39.5mm

 Project album:  Click here - opens new window

This watch was brought on eBay as not working, and come with a spare movement ring.

Tested the watch, does not wind (fully wound), pulled out the stem and the time adjustment works ok.

Markings on the inside of the case

English Case

Expressly made for

CYMREX

Patent no 139453

GUARANTEED

To wear 10 years

Deconstruction of Movement to find out as why the movement is not working.

Remove the front bezel and was pleased to find the watch dial in excellent condition, the marks showing are on the acrylic crystal. 

Movement is a little loose in the case, remove the bezel and movement rings from the case, will have to adjust the movement ring. Also noticed two screws missing from the movement, which need to be replaced.

Removed hands and dial from movement, note: dial held on by two circlips. Removed the dial washer and Hour Wheel.

Turned over the movement and tried to release the power in the mainspring, but could not unjam the click spring, so removed the balance completely.

Hey presto the answer to why the movement does not work is obvious, the pallet forkhead is broken. Try to move the pallet fork back and forth to the bank pins, and the train wheels seem ok.

Removed the barrel bridge and carefully removed it and held down the barrel. So to release the power in the mainspring I remove the pallet fork while holding the barrel, then release the power slowly, and the train wheels run freely.

So a replacement pallet fork will need to be found, also the pallet fork jewels are chipped and one loose. Plus on close inspection the roller jewel on balance is also broken, so that needs replacing.

Next on the agenda was to remove the complete barrel, this movement is unusual as the ratchet wheel and the click etc are under the barrel! So will need to work out a plan on how to replace the barrel back in the movement while the Ratchet wheel and the click and spring are already in place.

Dismantle the barrel remove the arbour and take out the mainspring. The last person to replace the mainspring must have replaced by hand, and not by using a mainspring winder because the mainspring does not lie flat on the bench. So I will fit a new mainspring.

Remove the click, spring and ratchet wheel and It seems that the last person to work on the movement seemed to use grease on everything, as all the items are covered in it, and stick to the mainplate and to the bench when removed!

Now time to remove the train bridge, and then remove all the wheels, checking the pivots as I do and all are ok.

Video of testing the Winding and Setting mechanism

The last item to remove from the mainplate is the stem and setting mechanism

Now the deconstruction is complete and all parts of the movement and watch case are ready for the cleaner.