Waltham movement placed into an Elgin Nickel-plated Pocket Watch Case

Waltham movement placed into an Elgin Nickel-plated Pocket Watch Case
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Today in the workshop I finally got around to fitting one of my many Waltham pocket watch movements into a case.

I purchased on eBay an Elgin Nickel-plated Pocket Watch Case, Markings on Case
Movement cover - Serial No: 0297841.  Inside Rear Cover, Cased and Timed by Elgin National Watch Co, Illinois Watch Case Co, ELGIN, Nickel, Serial No: 0297841

The case has a nice Laural ring design on both the front bezel and the rear case back.

I brought back to life the dull case by polishing the case using the Dermel rotary tool with rouge polish. Also replaced the plastic crystal with a new 44mm glass crystal.

After adjusting the stem in the case I managed to fit one of my many Waltham movements in the case. This 15 jewel movement serial no: 2160764 does wind at the 3 o/c, so the same as my Smiths Braille watch!

To finish the watch off I fitted an Albert chain with a Silver Sixpence on it looks good.

Later I  will sort through my many Waltham movements and see if I have 12o/c winding movement to fit in the case. But at present, it is a good right-handed pocket watch, so another Pocket Watch joins the workshop collection.

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch - Part 4 - Polish the Case

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch - Part 4 - Polish the Case

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Today I bring back to life the dull case by polishing the case using the Dermel rotary tool with rouge polish.

Replaced the front bezel clip ring, then replaced the front bezel by turning the bezel to locate the clips.

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch - Part 3 - Reassembly

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch - Part 3 - Reassembly

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So I start the reassembly of the movement up until the broken pallet fork. still have to check to see if I have one in the workshop.

I wanted to reassemble the Setting and Winding mechanism, Train wheels and the Barrel. As this movement has the Ratchet wheel and the click placed underneath, so I need to see how this is done!

Start of assembly, replace setting spring, replace the stem and setting lever, replace Setting and Winding mechanism.

Replace the click, Replace the click spring, Replace the train wheels, the order of replacing train wheels, Third, Escape, Centre and Second wheels. Replace the train bridge.

Now I came to the unusual Ratchet and Barrel layout. The Rachet wheel and click being underneath the Barrel, plus the arbor is also unusual as the mainspring does not attach directly. The mainspring is attached to the Barrel lid!

So I attach the mainspring barrel to the barrel lid by turning barrel until the mainspring attaches to the lid arbor! Then I slide the barrel arbor through the complete barrel and turn it until the on the arbor lines up with the square in the barrel. Attach the Rachet wheel to the barrel lid end of the arbor.

So because the click is under pressure from the click spring I have to move the click up out of the way, and luckily the spring holds it in that position so that I can fit the Barrel and Ratchet wheel. Once fitted release the click.

Now to test the winding, setting and see how the train wheels run, plus I can see how the barrel moves and works.

I videoed the action as the barrel winds round separate from the barrel lid! All working well and you can see the barrel moves independently from the barrel lid.

So the only thing stopping the completion of this watch is the broken pallet fork. I still have to check to see if I have one in the workshop. Plus a new roller jewel!

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch Part 2 Cleaning and start reassembly

CYMREX Gold Toned Antique 1920’s Pocket Watch Part 2 Cleaning and start reassembly

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Only a short time in the workshop today, but all the parts are cleaned

all the parts are cleaned

And I found a new mainspring and fitted it into the Barrel.

New mainspring fitted

Replaced the dull acrylic crystal with a new bright 41mm glass crystal.

New bright 41mm glass crystal being fitted

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

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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. 

The Waterbury Co USA Pocket Watch - Part 3

The Waterbury Co USA Pocket Watch - Part 3

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The first item of the day was to remove the two stuck hour & minute wheels from the overnight soaking in WD40 and with extreme care using a staking block and small tap from a watchmaker’s hammer, hay presto the wheels free themselves.

The hour and Minute wheels separated.

Next to remove the case from rust remover and it has freed up the completely stuck stem. Removed the Crown, spring and Stem, another broken part is the "Winding and Setting wheel" attached to the stem as a lot of teeth are missing. This could be the part that makes this restoration impossible as I do not have any gear cutting equipment, so fingers crossed that a replacement part or a "parts movement" comes up for sale!

 Removed the Crown, spring and Stem

Next, all parts given a clean and then check out what else is needed to get the movement up and running.

 All the parts are given a clean

Refitted the crystal, New Mainspring and after a bit reaming with my small broaching set a set of replacement hands fitted.

New Mainspring fitted.

The following items needed:

Setting and Winding Gear (teeth broke) will have to try and source one as it needs replacing, second and third wheels top pinions are broken (Will do them the next time I have my watchmakers lathe set up), replacement Hairspring (Will have to look in the spares box and time hairspring). Replacement regulator arm, click spring and a case bow also needed!

second and third wheels top pinions are broken

Reassembled the movement and placed back in case just to learn how this unusual movement with four “main plates” and the duplex escapement goes together!

Reassembled the movement.

So now watch is back in its box until I find the parts, which could take some time!

The Waterbury Co USA Pocket Watch - Part 2

The Waterbury Co USA Pocket Watch - Part 2

Full project photo album

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Start day one of the cleaning processes today on the Waterbury Pocket Watch series N.

Items removed from the rust remover 

Leaving the items in the rust remover over has freed of the parts and once I had the parts, wheels apart I put them through a cleaning circle in the ultrasonic cleaner.

Put items through a cleaning circle in the ultrasonic cleaner.

Opened up the barrel and found the Mainspring is in many pieces, so another item to add to the list (New Mainspring).

Opened up the barrel and found the Mainspring is in many pieces

While waiting for the cleaner I carefully file and removed the stuck Hour and Minute wheels from the Dial and started to clean up the Dial.

carefully remove the stuck Hour & Minute wheels from the Dial

Finally, I placed the two stuck hour & minute wheels in WD40 overnight to hopefully free them apart.