I'm sure this has been posted before, but this article is incredible. What's packed inside the case of the Speedmaster Pro and the engineering and design behind it is simply extraordinary:

http://www.watchprosite.com/?page=wf.forumpost&fi=677&ti=362702&pi=2218312

Also helps to rationalize the cost of a movement service!

 

Thanks for posting this, very cool!! Even more appreciation now for what @Archer @Horlogerie @JimInOz and others deal with on a daily basis.

 

Very detailed article. Good read!

 

I'm flattered to be mentioned in the same post as Al and Rob, but my skills are still in the primary school sandpit of watchmaking compared to them, who are obviously "university graduate level" and above.

 

Thanks for posting this. I just got my first 861 last week. I was wanting more detailed info on the movement. I'm so nerdy I like to know what all the gears and springs and all are doing! My wife can't believe I can sit there and watch the youtube videos on tearing a watch down, servicing and reassembling. I think she would rather watch paint dry... to each his own. That's part of the way I enjoy these excellent little machines/engines.

 

Great article, thanks for that.

Rob

 

Some of the posts on several other forums by @ulackfocus before he got banned from them are truly interesting if you want to know how a few movements works

Not sure which forum as they were years ago but Dennis might be able to point anyone interested in the right direction.
For all he's character on this forum he has given a heap of information on several forums throughout the years.

 

Since Dennis is much too humble to say so, I will recommend his Horology 101 series to start:
http://www.watchtalkforums.info/forums/content.php?r=494-Horology-101-understanding-your-watch

And I've found these to be worth a read:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f66/article-mechanical-watch-basics-ulackfocus-506133.html
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/smoke-mirrors-part-1-eta-grades-explained-458060.html
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f66/smoke-mirrors-part-2-eta-modifications-upgrades-501831.html
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f295/how-find-value-your-watch-436469.html
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/5-most-influential-important-automatics-428194.html

 

Yeah, those were done in the days before I morphed into a total prick.

The best part of it was ETA taking down the files I linked to, as if they were trying to hide the evidence.

 

I found these highly informative:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/smoke-mirrors-part-1-eta-grades-explained-458060.html


http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/smoke-mirrors-part-2-eta-modifications-upgrades-459866.html

 

Thanks everyone for sharing, I now have some light evening reading material!

 

I had no idea those guys had lost their love for the Squirrel. Shame on them!

 

Great article ... thanks for posting !

 

Quadrophenic-Schizophrenia
( a marking I use to find things)

I missed this the first time around and I have an 861 that is dear.

 

Interesting read! Thanks for sharing!