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noelekal
··Home For Wayward WatchesThanks!
I have that site saved to favorites, but overlooked it in researching the watch.
I have that site saved to favorites, but overlooked it in researching the watch.
Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs
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Canuck
·I don’t collect 12-size watches generally. I have two…..one being an 83 year old Waltham Colonial in a 14-karat case, which I have shown here, before. The other being an Art Deco Omega from about 90 years ago, that I have shown, here. It was sold at a Saskatoon jewellery store, approximately 1930, where my late father worked at the time. The one I have pictured, came to me for repair. It needed a balance staff, which is done. But since it is owned by an antique dealer, he doesn’t want anything else done to it. There is a unique salutation on the case back. It looks to me as though it was engraved to copy the giver’s handwriting, and it was presented 59 years ago. The watch is a Longines, golf-filled case, calibre 37.9 movement. Decent little watch, but the case back defaced the way it is, may prove to be a difficult sell for my friend, the antique dealer.
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Canuck
·Oddly, the Ranfft listing for Longines 37.9 shows what appears to be a different movement.
Yet the movement is this watch resembles the Ranff listing for Longines 17.6. This movement is marked 37.9, however. Might the Ranfft information be incorrect? I guess we’ll never know. The following image is the subject watch, and it definitely marked calibre 37.9.
Yet the movement is this watch resembles the Ranff listing for Longines 17.6. This movement is marked 37.9, however. Might the Ranfft information be incorrect? I guess we’ll never know. The following image is the subject watch, and it definitely marked calibre 37.9.
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JimInOz
··Melbourne AustraliaI don’t collect 12-size watches generally. I have two…..one being an 83 year old Waltham Colonial in a 14-karat case, which I have shown here, before. The other being an Art Deco Omega from about 90 years ago, that I have shown, here. It was sold at a Saskatoon jewellery store, approximately 1930, where my late father worked at the time. The one I have pictured, came to me for repair. It needed a balance staff, which is done. But since it is owned by an antique dealer, he doesn’t want anything else done to it. There is a unique salutation on the case back. It looks to me as though it was engraved to copy the giver’s handwriting, and it was presented 59 years ago. The watch is a Longines, golf-filled case, calibre 37.9 movement. Decent little watch, but the case back defaced the way it is, may prove to be a difficult sell for my friend, the antique dealer.
Now that is a real Uncle watch!
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Canuck
·No picture with this post. Here’s why! It deals with a 17 ligne Gruen Guild pocket watch that is a mess!
A local watch repair shop phoned me a week ago, that one of their watchmakers (and I use the term loosely), had retired. They had a pocket watch that wasn’t “right”, (their term). Would I attend to it? Okay. I picked it up.
This shop told many years ago that they didn’t have a lathe. They admitted that, at one time, they had three lathes. But because they never used them (!), they sold them. Some jobs should be done with the use of a lathe. Removing a broken balance staff is one job best done on a lathe. This shop tells me they use a staff removal tool which will remove a balance staff without damaging the balance wheel, Yeah, right! The preferred method nowadays is using a bench block and a hammer, and driving the rivet through the balance hub! I suspect that had been done with this watch. The wheel is waaaay out of round, and wobbles badly. I should have buttoned it up then and there. It is impossible to reverse the effects of botch work.
I noticed that the micrometer regulator was on the fast side as far as it would go. Closer examination revealed that a regulator curb pin was gone! Broken off! The effect is that the watch had a totally ineffective regulator, and had been losing, a lot. Why did the shop not remove the broken curb pin, and fit a new one? Probably because removing a broken curb pin requires tools that most shops don’t have. The tool I refer to is a “pivot drill” which has a drill bit about 0.15 mm diameter. So, I drilled out the broken curb pin (patience and time required), reamed the hole to clean it out, and fitted a new curb pin.
The watch is back together, and running. But it is going to be a lousy time keeper. But now, with a functional regulator, it should be possible to make it keep better time than it did. Perfect? No! But I blame that on a previous hack that did such a lousy job. I am going to tell this shop to discontinue sending me stuff they have botched, and expecting me to perform miracles!
A local watch repair shop phoned me a week ago, that one of their watchmakers (and I use the term loosely), had retired. They had a pocket watch that wasn’t “right”, (their term). Would I attend to it? Okay. I picked it up.
This shop told many years ago that they didn’t have a lathe. They admitted that, at one time, they had three lathes. But because they never used them (!), they sold them. Some jobs should be done with the use of a lathe. Removing a broken balance staff is one job best done on a lathe. This shop tells me they use a staff removal tool which will remove a balance staff without damaging the balance wheel, Yeah, right! The preferred method nowadays is using a bench block and a hammer, and driving the rivet through the balance hub! I suspect that had been done with this watch. The wheel is waaaay out of round, and wobbles badly. I should have buttoned it up then and there. It is impossible to reverse the effects of botch work.
I noticed that the micrometer regulator was on the fast side as far as it would go. Closer examination revealed that a regulator curb pin was gone! Broken off! The effect is that the watch had a totally ineffective regulator, and had been losing, a lot. Why did the shop not remove the broken curb pin, and fit a new one? Probably because removing a broken curb pin requires tools that most shops don’t have. The tool I refer to is a “pivot drill” which has a drill bit about 0.15 mm diameter. So, I drilled out the broken curb pin (patience and time required), reamed the hole to clean it out, and fitted a new curb pin.
The watch is back together, and running. But it is going to be a lousy time keeper. But now, with a functional regulator, it should be possible to make it keep better time than it did. Perfect? No! But I blame that on a previous hack that did such a lousy job. I am going to tell this shop to discontinue sending me stuff they have botched, and expecting me to perform miracles!
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DaveK
··Yoda of YodelersIt sucks to invest effort knowing the outcome won’t be very good. On the bright side, now that it’s saved from the dumpster, maybe this watch will be a cheap and cheerful keepsake for someone who just wants a pretty watch to look at 👍
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Canuck
·This watch was taken in for repair by a fellow who was having it fixed so he could give it to his grandson. At this point, I don’t know if the watch had been picked up, then brought back because it was unsatisfactory. When I return it to the shop, it will be one helluvalot better’n it was when it came to me, but damaged as it is, it won’t be perfect. It will be returned to the shop with no warranty. This might end up being a total loss for the shop, I don’t really care. In the hands of the wrong people, watches such as this one are in grave danger, unfortunately. Most shops don’t have the tools, the training, the knowledge, the respect, or the patience for old watches that slow production. Oh well! The shop owner will benefit from a frank assessment from me, about their abilities!
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Fritz
·Many weeks ago I called dibs on a nice GSTP pocket watch that @TexOmega had shown on this very thread.
much to my delight I received a note from him stating it was for sale but was in need of a minor case repair. after weeks of painful deliberation the deal was done and my new watch was on its way. THIS IS WHERE THE TROUBLE STARTS!
first, USPS routes the this from Texas to LA... then to San Fran... then back to LA and then finally to Detroit, this little wander took several weeks and by the time it showed up on tracking again both TexOmega and I figured it was lost.
then, miracle of miracles it suddenly starts tracking in the wrong end of Canada and then finally makes its way slowly across Canada to my place (I figure this part was @DaveK 's doing)
finally, it arrives at my house and I eagerly open the box to find myself screwed by Canada Post AGAIN...
it least it came with its original box...
much to my delight I received a note from him stating it was for sale but was in need of a minor case repair. after weeks of painful deliberation the deal was done and my new watch was on its way. THIS IS WHERE THE TROUBLE STARTS!
first, USPS routes the this from Texas to LA... then to San Fran... then back to LA and then finally to Detroit, this little wander took several weeks and by the time it showed up on tracking again both TexOmega and I figured it was lost.
then, miracle of miracles it suddenly starts tracking in the wrong end of Canada and then finally makes its way slowly across Canada to my place (I figure this part was @DaveK 's doing)
finally, it arrives at my house and I eagerly open the box to find myself screwed by Canada Post AGAIN...
it least it came with its original box...
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TexOmega
·Many weeks ago I called dibs on a nice GSTP pocket watch that @TexOmega had shown on this very thread.
much to my delight I received a note from him stating it was for sale but was in need of a minor case repair. after weeks of painful deliberation the deal was done and my new watch was on its way. THIS IS WHERE THE TROUBLE STARTS!
first, USPS routes the this from Texas to LA... then to San Fran... then back to LA and then finally to Detroit, this little wander took several weeks and by the time it showed up on tracking again both TexOmega and I figured it was lost.
then, miracle of miracles it suddenly starts tracking in the wrong end of Canada and then finally makes its way slowly across Canada to my place (I figure this part was @DaveK 's doing)
finally, it arrives at my house and I eagerly open the box to find myself screwed by Canada Post AGAIN...
it least it came with its original box...
So THAT’S where my Speedmaster ended up!!😁
glad you are happy with the Helvetia.
Return my Speedmaster at your convenience…….. but soon!!
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Fritz
·I feel unjustly accused! I said WHAT about it being pre-Hamilton? I said no such thing!
Your right!
I made it up!
There's a reason my avatar is a squirrel you know!
@DaveK suggested I also make off colour comments about AMC products but I though that was a bit over the top, especially as my brother had a Gremlin.
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Canuck
·I’m glad to have that sorted out! I was unable to recall having expressed any such opinion. Be careful if you were to think about dissing AMC products. I have a treasure trove of comments I could make about motor cycles! 😁
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Fritz
·Motorcycles? Hah! You frighten me not at all sir...
if you want to taunt me know this...
I had a Lada in college and a Dacia shortly thereafter... sling your finest at that Sir!
although you must admit... that is a real easy target for mud slingin’! Almost too easy.
if you want to taunt me know this...
I had a Lada in college and a Dacia shortly thereafter... sling your finest at that Sir!
although you must admit... that is a real easy target for mud slingin’! Almost too easy.
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Canuck
·Here is a delectable to awaken your salivary glands! This one came to me for attention that I am not at liberty to disclose on the MB. It is a 14-karat, hunter cased, 21-jewel, 1888 model Waltham, with a perfect 12-hour vitreous enamel dial, gold train wheels (may include the first wheel), safety barrel, and three diamond end stones. Two on the balance staff, and one on the escape wheel upper pivot. The movement is in exceptional condition, it runs beautifully, but it does have a problem in the winding and setting mechanism which I have yet to diagnose. If you have a copy of the Shugart, Engel, and Gilbert “bible”, look it up. A 21-jewel, 1888, nickel, 3/4 plate model is quite a rare bird. Especially in a karat gold hunter case. By the way, the 1888 model Waltham is not interchangeable into any other 16-size case. It is an odd size, and the cases were made specifically for these movements.
Here’s the skinny on it.
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/7000426
Here’s the skinny on it.
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/7000426