My lastest rat watch

This is the first complete watch for me in 2025. Probably the rustiest watch I ever got, Nothing moves. Mostly I acquired it for the case. Which sort of looked silver in the listings no markings so it is probably GP. Typical of the cheap junk listed on eBay.

The crystal does not look to be salvageable. Cracked and de laminated at the 12 marker. The dial and hands look much better in reality than the photos show. Since it is a locally sourced case, that could be a bit of a challenge to find.


There is some sort of gunk under the rotor. I managed to pop the rotor off since the pinion is replaceable.


Rotor is probably toast. There might be a hairspring under all that mess. Surprisingly the other case clamp seems untouched by the rust.

Should be fun working my way though this. Some Sili-Kroil, evap-O-rust and Alum, this should provide hours of entertainment.

Have been wanting another rustrat for some time. I ❤️ it.

If you plan on wearing it you should probably have it serviced.

The oils may be dried up.

This one spent at least 50 years completely disassembled, in a lozenge tin containing many bumper automatic Omega movements. All there but the case. Never give up! The problem with the subject rusted watch is that it will require a donor watch in much better condition, to enable restoration. Thereby, if you find a better donor watch, my suggestion is that you restore IT rather than the rusted one.

I actually have a movement sans case. Actually I have quite a few 55x/56x movements ... most missing cases and dials. I got a bit carried away last year.

This watch is effectively just another set of 'parts.' Bridges and plates. I doubt there is much steel left. I already have this movement out of the case and the sweep hand fell apart. So now I need yet another 55x sweep pinion. (which I expected.)

There is something satisfiying about getting the thing apart. Soaking the plates and such. I have missed that.

A few of my watches have come in tins, probably left apart for decades. Which are what are in a lot of my postings.

Now If I could only find a flightmaster in similar condition ... Or even a SM300. LoL.

I was able to successfully remove the dial.



Cleaner underneath than I expected. I sort of like the 'patina' on the dial. The auction photo made it look like the furniture at 3 o'clock was a patch of rust. This makes the dial an extra bonus. Makes up for the de-laminated crystal.

Everything else is frozen. None of the screws turn. I have things soaking in siliKroil. I do not have high hopes. Some of the iron turned to dust. like one of the dial screws and the upper bridge screw. Surprisingly the other dial screw was removable. Other parts are solidly stuck together like the motion works.

Will be interesting to see if any of the other parts are salvageable for other watches. (this was always intended to be a parts/donor movement.)

I got it apart, pretty much as expected.

The intact looking setworks was an illusion, the parts were all stuck together. Sadly the screws shattered as did the cap jewel screw. The cannon pinion is also stuck to a nib of the center wheel. The top of it had turned to dust.
The other plate is from the movement that is going into this case.
I was surprised that the balance staff may be salvageable. The regulator is toast. Jewels look to be alright. The oil probably acted as a barier to the water.
The mainspring look surprisingly clean.
Ironically this plate will eventually be soaked in alum to remove the fragments of screws. There must have been something in the water (sea water?) that caused all this damage.

Not really a chemist. So I do not really know what that is or even if it is available in California (which banned common solvents like denatured alcohol from retail sale.)

I was considering trying some distilled water or possibly enzyme solution #4, which is what art restorers sometimes use. 😉 Either would be with a soft swab.