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Glad to have my Eterna Kontiki Super IDF back after two watchmakers

river rat
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My Eterna Kontiki Super IDF started to run fast. I demagnetized it nothing. Being in Montana we have few watchmakers I had one work on my stuff but hit and miss sometimes great work other times not. He has a few ones he trains I think, and they mess up. I dropped it off there but when I got it back timing was a little better, but the crown had a clicking noise so took it back. Well, they gave up on it said parts are a problem getting. Also notice a scratch on case back never notice that before. So off in the mail it goes sent it to Jack at IWW. He replaced the mainspring the balance and a few other parts and gasket and stabilized one of the hands so the lume don't flake off. Keeps the best time since I owned this. You know a good watchmaker would do good in Montana we are growing so watchmakers my state could use a few more. I have used Jack for years even bought my vintage Omega 300 from him glad he still doing this type of work. The mail I have fear of losing a watch in the mail has not happen yet. But looks like more stuff when needing a service off in the mail it goes.
yMOAI6c.webp tN3fQqo.webp AstsIKK.webp

Returned old parts
Edited:
 
Dan S
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Great watch, glad to hear it's back in your hands and running well. Jack told me he is cutting back, and won't take chronographs anymore, but it looks like he did a great job on your Super Kontiki. Dibs, by the way! 馃榾

I think it's getting harder to find a good local watchmaker almost everywhere. My long-time watchmaker is scaling back and only working on a few brands now. Another local watchmaker that I previously used for lower value watches also retired recently. I gave another local person a try with two watches, but it didn't go well either time, and I'm not going to use him again.

For a special watch like yours that needs a full service or repair, I don't mind shipping it far away, but sometimes I just want something small, like a crystal change, or an inexpensive watch serviced, and it would be helpful to have someone local. I suspect that I will continue to add tools and try to learn more skills myself. Maybe I can eventually get to the point where I can do a decent service on a simple watch.
Edited:
 
river rat
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The way our hobby got bigger since I started collecting years ago you can tell with the price jump in vintage watches. You would think more would get into watchmaking due to the never-ending work they would get if they were good at their job.
 
river rat
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I once used a watch maker in San Jose China Town he was trained using the GI bill after WW2 wonder if the GI bill still covers schools for watchmaking?
 
Waltesefalcon
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river rat river rat
My Eterna Kontiki Super IDF started to run fast. I demagnetized it nothing. Being in Montana we have few watchmakers I had one work on my stuff but hit and miss sometimes great work other times not. He has a few ones he trains I think, and they mess up. I dropped it off there but when I got it back timing was a little better, but the crown had a clicking noise so took it back. Well, they gave up on it said parts are a problem getting. Also notice a scratch on case back never notice that before. So off in the mail it goes sent it to Jack at IWW. He replaced the mainspring the balance and a few other parts and gasket and stabilized one of the hands so the lume don't flake off. Keeps the best time since I owned this. You know a good watchmaker would do good in Montana we are growing so watchmakers my state could use a few more. I have used Jack for years even bought my vintage Omega 300 from him glad he still doing this type of work. The mail I have fear of losing a watch in the mail has not happen yet. But looks like more stuff when needing a service off in the mail it goes.
yMOAI6c.webp tN3fQqo.webp AstsIKK.webp

Returned old parts
Living in Oklahoma I have the same problem. I send mine to a guy in Texas, and I always wait with abated breath until I hear he has the watch in hand, and then again when he mails it back.
 
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