CousinsUK Watch Parts restriction Court Case gets a helping
hand from USA
Latest News from Watch Parts Etc, CousinsUK has posted on their web site the latest news relating to their court case.
It seems that US Federal Trade Commission may also be taking up the case of watch manufactures restricted practice on parts supply to independent repairers like me..
The event was part of an investigation by the FTC into how some manufacturers are using clauses in product guarantees to prevent consumers from getting their items repaired anywhere other than at the manufacturer, but it quickly became apparent to the FTC that controlling parts supply was an equally dubious practice that was likely to harm consumers. The FTC obviously only deals with the American market, and the laws over there are somewhat different to ours, but if the USA were to rule that parts restrictions were illegal, the knock-on effect for the rest of the repairing world would be significant.
Within three days of the event being announced, Cousins had contacted the relevant individuals at the FTC and supplied them with a summary of events in Europe to date in relation to watch parts restrictions. The Conference was streamed live over the internet and was also recorded. The link above will lead you to the archived video if you would like to review any of it. The FTC is now asking for “empirical evidence” on how restrictions are affecting consumers and markets. Full details on how to submit a contribution are on this link: -
If you would like to contribute something but are not able to meet the presentation requirements of the FTC, you may like to know that the person leading the charge in the USA for the watch repairers is Andre Fleury, who took on Cartier some years ago and has been fighting on ever since. He has put together a web site www.andre-fleury.com where he has gathered together evidence on many brands. He would be very grateful for any contributions to add to his collection. His contact details are on his website.
Cousins will be providing more data about the UK market to the FTC shortly, but we are only one voice. If the FTC receives many more inputs from around the world, it may well recognise the kudos that comes with being the first regulator in the world that actually forces the large corporations to play fair with independent repairers, who create a competitive market that provides a valuable service to consumers, and prevents them from being abused
The Expedition North Pole watch was named after the first
Soviet, manned, drifting polar station. The North Pole-1 polar station was
opened on June 6, 1937, some 20 km from the North Pole and operated for 9 months
during which the ice floe travelled 2,850km.
The expedition ended 75 years ago.
The movement is a Japanese-automatic Movement NH35A –
5955195 Made by SII (Seiko)
When replacing the dial, I could not line up
the date numbers thought the dial window!
Can you spot the difference in the old movement
and the new replacement movement?
The numbers on the date rings are printed 90% to each other. So I had to exchange the date rings.
With the train wheels fitted and oiled, now they are moving freely.
Train wheels fitted and oiled, now they are moving freely.
Next, the mainspring was lightly greased and replaced in the barrel.
Mainspring was lightly greased and replaced in the barrel.
Barrel refitted with the click, and now winds correctly.
Barrel refitted with the click, and now winds correctly.
Replaced the Balance wheel without hairspring and roller table so I could test that the deep cleaning of the jewels and pivots now let the Balance wheel run freely, which it does!
Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883 - Movement 8911964 deconstruction
7 Jewels (Screw Set) – Grade: A.W.Co.
(Year of Manufacture: 1898) Run Quantity: 7,000 - Size 18s - 42mm
Movement Configuration: Open Face. Movement Setting: Key. Plate: Full Plate
Hairspring:Breguet – Adjusted: No.
Movement Finish: Brass (Gilt). Winder on back (Key)
Hour Hand on a good Dial.
Movement dust cover. No
Deconstruction video made up of photographs from stripdown of the movement.
On stripping down this scrap movement I found the following items that need attention.
Firstly the whole movement is rusted up, the mainspring and balance wheel did not move.
During the deconstruction, I found the mainspring had been fully wound up and this caused the click to be jammed on ratchet wheel, plus the barrel was stuck to the barrel bridge by dried out grease!
After carefully taking and train wheels out from the movement due to them being very tight in the pivot holes, it is clear the whole movement had been over oiled, and because the movement had not been used for a long in oil had dried out and everything had become stuck.
One Dial and case screws are missing, and the roller table on the balance staff is loose.
So now the movement is completely stripped down to its fifty-nine parts, it’s time to clean all the items well.
I found an old Pocket Watch case which I hope to use with this movement. The case is marked Dennison Watch Case, with the stamps of ALD (Aaron Lufkin Dennison), the hallmark of the lion passant (.925 purity), the Anchor (Birmingham), letter h (1907), and the case number 2776. So the case is a Waltham Pocket Watch model size, it will need a replacement button and crystal.
