Rolex (Fake) Submariner - New Pearl fitted to the Bezel.

Just a small job in the workshop as I fitted a replacement Bezel Pearl to a Rolex (Fake) Submariner.

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Tissot 2005 MotoGP official watch - New Stem and Crown

Tissot 2005 MotoGP official watch

I had a Tissot MoroGP watch in the workshop for a complete missing stem and crown.
While I had the watch I gave it a good clean, which it needed!

Click here for the full photo album of the repair

Vintage 1927 "Services watch co" ARMY `FOREIGN` Pocket watch brought back life

1927 "Services Warch Co" ARMY `FOREIGN` Pocketwatch
(movement made by Thiel Brothers Thuringia, Germany.
Services Army Pocket Watch – Pre War with a PIN LEVER movement.

Full photograph album  Click here

The Services Watch Co., Ltd was founded in Leicester by a Frank Liquorish sometime in 1926/27, it was dissolved on 26/11/2002 although I gather from Steve Burrage who used to work for the company that Services watches stopped being produced in the late 1970s. The company never actually made watches themselves instead they either had them made by other firms or bought parts in which were then assembled in the Services factory.

Pin-lever or pin-pallet escapement is an inexpensive, less accurate version of the lever escapement, used in mechanical alarm clocks, kitchen timers, mantel clocks and, until the 1970s, cheap watches now known as pin lever watches. It was patented by German watchmaker Georges Frederic Roskopf in 1867, suggested to Roskopf by Jules Grossmann.

An escapement is a mechanism in a mechanical timepiece that gives the balance wheel pushes to keep it moving back and forth and releases the timepiece's gears to advance a fixed amount with each swing of the wheel, thus moving the hands forward at a steady rate. The pin pallet escapement is similar to the lever escapement, which is used in quality watches, except that the horizontal jewel pallets on the lever are replaced with vertical metal pins, and the shape of the escape wheel teeth is modified.

The pin pallet escapement was widely used as it had many of the advantages of the lever escapement but was easier to manufacture. The pallets in a traditional lever escapement have two angled faces, the locking face and the impulse face, which engage the escape wheel teeth. They must be adjusted to precisely correct angles for the escapement to function. In the pin pallet escapement, these faces are designed into the shape of the escape wheel teeth instead, eliminating the need for costly adjustments. However, the metal pins used instead of pallets have much higher friction than jewelled pallets and combined with the looser manufacturing tolerances this made pin pallet timepieces less accurate. The metal pins also wear more quickly. Pin pallet timepieces are usually too cheap to justify repairing and are usually thrown away when they break down or wear out.

Once I had removed the dial and hands and the simple winding and setting mechanism, time to remove the movement from the case, which more difficult than expected. It took my large case back opener to turn the movement in the case until it popped out.

I put the movement aside and first set to refit the loose tube to the case.

Replaced the discoloured acrylic crystal with a new 44mm glass crystal. 

Now onto the Pin Lever movement, which is the first one I have seen and worked on, so took plenty of photographs before disassembling it!

First, it was noticing the Balance cock has the pivot to the pin lever as well as the balance pivot. This was not a Jewel but a screw with a steel cone for the "Jewel"!

So I remove the balance cock and then the pin lever.

Next, remove the full-bridge plate.

Next to disassemble the train wheels, due to the cannon pinion being fixed to the centre wheel pivot!

Due to this movement not being like other movements and does not turn on shaft.

So start with the escape wheel, third, second, etc.

Next to clean all the parts.

Reassembled the movement.

Movement ticking well

Time refit the cleaned dial and hands and complete the assemble.

Cleaned up the Albert chain which is hallmarked: Anchor (Birmingham) Lion (Sterling Silver) and B (1926). There is also a date stamped on the reverse of the shield 28-2-27 

Albert Chain with watch
Marking on-chain are Anchor ( Birmingham), Lion (Sterling Silver) and B (1926)
Sterling Silver mark on all rings in the chain.
Date marking on the Shield is 28-2-27.

Another job completed under lockdown! Box for my Boley lathe

Early G. Boley "Bevelled-bed"
Branded "Telco" Watchmakers Lathe now boxed ready for use without needing to use the workbench as before.

Another job completed under lockdown!

Set up to make a shorter "Belt".

Jacot Pivot Polishing Tool attachment fitted to the lathe.

Jacot Pivot Polishing Tool attachment fitted to the lathe.

Jacot Pivot Polishing Tool attachment fitted to the lathe.

Lathe set up ready for use. 

Lathe set up ready for use. 

Box cover to use overnight or when Lathe not needed for a short time. 

Box cover to use overnight or when Lathe not needed for a short time.

1960's Tissot Seastar Watch Service and new oil

Nice little job in the workshop a 1960's Tissot Seastar watch needing a service and new oil
Reference: 42500
Calibre: 781

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Timing of the watch before service.

Timing of the watch before service.

Watch deconstructed and ready for cleaning

Watch deconstructed and ready for cleaning

Parts cleaned and ready for reassembly

Parts cleaned and ready for reassembly

Timing of the watch after service.

Timing of the watch after service.

Timing of the watch after service.

Timing of the watch after service.

Watch completed by polishing the crystal and clean case and strap.

Watch completed by polishing the crystal and clean case and strap.

Antique 1913’s Waltham Traveler movement 19209611 Part 2 - Reassemble

Antique 1913’s Waltham Traveler movement 19209611 Reassemble

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Waltham Massachusetts - Pocket Watch - Model 1908

Movement Serial Number: 19209611 - Grade: Traveler

(Year of Manufacture: 1913) 

Reassembly completed

Movement on the timing machine will let the movement settle down then adjust the error beat.

Antique 1913’s Waltham Traveler movement 19209611 - Deconstruction

Antique 1913’s Waltham Traveler movement 19209611 - Deconstruction

Movement Serial Number: 19209611 - Grade: Traveler
(Year of Manufacture: 1913) - Run Quantity: 2,000
Total Production: 398,550 - Size: 18s -  42mm Dial - Jewels: 7j
Movement Configuration: Hunting
Movement Setting: Pendant - Plate: 3/4 Plate - Hairspring: Bregue

Full Project Photo album  Click here - opens new window

all the parts ready for the cleaner

Antique 1890's Waltham Hillside Movement Assembly

Antique 1890's Waltham Hillside Movement Assembly

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All the parts have been cleaned.

All the parts have been cleaned.

Time to reassemble Waltham Hillside movement, serial no: 4523574.

Reassemble Waltham Hillside movement

Video of movement up and running after service.

Antique 1890's Waltham Hillside Movement 4523574 Deconstruction

Antique 1890's Waltham Hillside Movement - Deconstruction

Full project photo album  Click here - opens new window

Waltham, Massachusetts - Pocket Watch – Model 1884
Movement no: 4523574 – 7 Jewel – Grade Hillside

Waltham, Massachusetts - Pocket Watch – Model 1884

(Year of Manufacture: 1890)  Run Quantity: 1,000  - Size 14s - 41mm
Movement Configuration: Openface. Movement Setting: Pendant. Plate: ¾ Split Plate
Hairspring: Breguet – Adjusted: No.  Brass Gilt movement
Winder position at 12 o/c

All the parts ready for the cleaner.