On the Bench. Landeron 48

Spent the day sorting through the metal tin I call the 'goat' movement. There are actually parts of 3 chronos in the box. This one is the most complete and has a good balance. I was able to loosen the train bridge screws with sili-Kroil. I also applied this with a solder paste syringe to the Heuer rust bucket. (which has it's own thread.)


The second movement was completely disassembled. This has some parts missing notably the winding cluch, which may have been stuck to an iPhone clasp. The seconds wheel also has a busted off pivot. Most curious is one of the pallet jewels is at a cockeyed angle. The staff is also missing pivots.

The third movement is not shown. This is mostly some chronograph parts and a bridge. What is interesting is that the name stamped on the bridge matched a case back, which in turn matched a case center. This is Delbana. I however can not find any movements or dials, that would go with this case.
I also discovered the other 4 movements are actually Landeron 51, which has a different hammer assembly. 3 of these are complete, the 4th movment is missing the hammer and button levers Which is how I discovered it was a different caliber. Marked Bovea or Borvet in some fancy script. (too lazy to take a photo for this thread, as it may have it's own thread someday.)

-j

This photo is actually from this morning. A bit of a sneak preview. I found enough parts to get at least one of the watches back together. This is most of the watch shown in the first photograph of this thread https://omegaforums.net/threads/so-what-is-in-that-rusty-tin-can-anyway.148470/ This is the watch I call the goat, which is actually a nice Landeron 48. Over the weekend I ran these parts through the cleaner. Then spent most of yesterday with a fiber brush and pegwood. Then this morning they went through the cleaner a second time. I actually have the balance back together. Those photographs are on another computer so will have to wait. (I'd beg for comments, but I think comments need to be earned.)

I have been doing a bit of research on chronos. In some ways I am seeing if I can de Franken some of this. There are a lot of online research tools I did not have 20 years ago. Curiously I have three chronograph bridges (8500.) These are stamped Timecraft, Delbana, and Le Phare. This has allowed me to match case parts and dials. I was able to match a Delbana case back to a case core and find a bezel that fits. The goat movement that I am restoring should go to the Timecraft dial. That means this would not be correct in the Delbana case. The only loose dial I can find is an Orator. I do not think that would go with the Delbana case.

I did get a Clebar case on Ebay recently, so I think the Timecraft will have to go into that for the present. Dials do seem to be available, but outside my budget (which I have blown in the last month.)

It is interesting to go back to the photograph in one of my introductory posts and zoom it in.


This shows how corroded t he movement was in the tin can. It is also helpful in identifying parts placement. Most amazing is the balance pivot. Which shines bright, The other movement has no pivots. Surprisingly many of the screws have been found. The prior watchmaker who took the movement apart left some of them in the plates. Most helpful.

The parts cleaned up fairly well. I did not resort to acids to treat the rust as it was surface rust. This has lead to quite a bit of discoloration which is visible in the microscope photos (which I will probably post tomorrow.) I am actually waiting for the barrel closing tool to arrive (which got delayed by the holiday.) Then I should be able to install the wheel train and see if this ticks.

-j

I seem to be a day behind in my posts on this. As noted I went down a rabbit hole chasing information as to slight variations in watches of the same caliber. This is not one watch it is 3 or 4 watches. I started last night to search out the US Tariff import codes. With some rather impressive results. Although I discovered I cleaned the wrong balance bridge. I chose this one as it was complete.

The correct bridge may also be complete, but I have not located the screws to hold on the jewel cap. I created a footnote thread called "Sacrifices to the floor gods..." as that rabbit hole consumed much of my day.

The camera also exaggerates the discoloration, making it look like red rust when to the eye it is dull gray and hardly noticeable. The only way to truly fix this would be to polish the plating off the movement and re plate it. Much more work than it is worth. The watch does have a history, even if that history was 40 or 50 years in a rusty tin can. (I probably have owned it at least 25 years in that state.)

I was lucky in that I have a large box of NOS springs. I think I got these when I was looking for the omega 650 spring some 18 to 20 years ago. It was one of the last things I got before I drifted away. The You tube videos show a rather nice barrel closer, which I ordered last week. This showed up in the mail this afternoon, which is much of the reason for going down the rabbit hole. I really wanted a seconds wheel remover, (Bergeon 30638-3) but these are currently unobtanium. Ironically there was a thread in the last month or so here where someone was looking for a cannon pin puller which is part of the same series.

Working on this movement is like working on a clock after the Omega 650. I have also upgraded a few tools, like a good movement holder. So the NOS spring dropped into the barrel. and the train and bridges pretty much fell into place. I would have liked to get the set and motion works installed, but as I have noted I went down a rabbit hole. Which as I noted above I will have to clean the other balance bridge if I want to keep the frankenizing of these movements and cases to a minimum.

As noted above there are two balance bridges and 3 chronograph bridges. The balance bridges have the letters MOU and TOK (or TOX) Photographs I took of the rusted can after opening it shows this should have been the TOK balance. TOK is not listed in the tables of tarrif codes. It would however go with Time craft.

The next part is where things get interesting. I thought I had 7 Landeron 48 movements. One has some of the chrono stripped off. This it turns out is a Bovet, which is a rather well known brand, there are You tube videos which detail restoration of one of these. It also came clear from my Esembl-O-Graph books this is a Landeron 51. At least two of the other movements are also landeron 51. This leaves 4 Landeron 48 movements.

It also turns out, I have at least two case cores. I purchased a third case on eBay. One of the cases as I noted tracks to Delbina. This also corresponds to the MOU tariff code. None of my dials however are Delbina. The dials I repainted are Venus 170. So in theory I should have dials for the movements. It is not likely I swapped dials, but they could have been swapped or not included in the disassembled parts.

So far I have the following dials and movements
Timecraft Landeron 48. TOK tariff code this is the watch that is technically the subject of this thread.
Orator does not really match any of the movements.
Bovet Landeron 51, missing much of the chronograph.
MEPA Landeron 48, Modera Case, more on this one below.
Anonymous Landeron 51. no marks on dial or bridges.
Montagne Landeron 51 POX tariff code
Fairfax Landeron 51 POH tariff code
Delbana Landeron 48 MOU tariff code, case, no dial
misc parts Le Phare on bridge There is no evidence of an 8th complete watch.

MEPA is a curious one. It was finding this case back that also lead me to finding more Elgin A11 parts, and where I truly went down the rabbit hole. Someone engraved with something like a dremel roto tool in crude scripts the words Modera Co Swiss onto the case back. This back does seem to fit one of the case cores. What is curious is someone engraved the same writing onto the chronograph bridge with the same sloppy engraving. There is no import code. I suspect this watch will get it's own thread sometime in the distant future.

Most likely the watch that is the topic of this thread will go into the Clebar case as I purchased this case on eBay for it.

Eventually I will need to find a case for the Bovet, NOS cases seem common on eBay. Currently this is likely to be a parts movement to get the Delbana restored as the balance and train pivots on that are busted.

The Montagne and the Fairfax movements have gilt hands, so probably were in cases scrapped for their gold. I am not sure I am going to keep these, gold is not really my color.

I guess then the question is what dial should go onto the Delbana movement? Or should I try and source a Delbana dial? In theory this should be the Orator dial, but that does not seem right.

to be continued ...
-j

And it ticks. Always a great feeling when it starts up. More so when it is re assembled from a box of rusty parts.

I suspect it has been a long time since this watch last ran. I have had it 20 to 25 years and it was in the condition shown.

Took a bit more time as I cleaned the correct bridge with the TOK import code.

The second watch which seems to be the Delbina one, has a lot of issues. I put the MOU bridge on the main plate. Though I broke the balance pivots. So I swapped out a balance from one of the other part watches (where I got the cap jewel screws.) Same problem. Took off the bottom cap of the Delbina movement and found a crushed jewel. I was sort of looking forward to geting that one working, as I have a case for it, but no dial.

Next up is assembling the chronograph. I do not have a working timegrapher so I will have to live with what it is until I can work out a solution.

-j

Put it under the microscope and let it tick away. It does seem to stop intermittently. There is still quite a bit of corrosion discoloration in the weels. I pegged them as best I could. As much as I would like to install the chronograph, I may need to pull this apart again and do more cleaning.
Of course I am dreaming and already wanting to get to the next watch, and there are probably 50 to 60 others that keep saying 'feed me.' in my little watch shop of horrors. It took a lot of willpower this afternoon, not to rush out and purchace another parts movement off eBay just to get a dial for one of my cases.

-j

Finally got the chronograph parts sorted and installed. There are issues. The start lever does not engage. When the chrono is started it stalls the movement.

Surprisingly all the screws seemed to have been in the tin can. I the only screws I stole from other movements were the pallet bridge screw and the balance cap jewel screws. It is likely that where there are somewhat identical screws they are not in the right part.
The textbooks tell the watchmaker to file and hammer parts. Shorten screw shoulders and other questionable things.

There were a few parts left over. Sorting three watches out of two boxes makes for complications. It is possible I chose the wrong set lever.



-j

Sorting hands and pushers tonight. Starting to work on the next landeron 48, which I took apart to match screws and such. I had to purchace a new mainspring for it. Such things lead farther and farther down the rabbit hole ...
You also know when you have it bad, naming the watches. The watches in this photograph are named 'goat,' 'rabbit,' and 'mouse.'
At least these are active breeders. Pushers also tend to stick to cell phone magnets and disappear off on holiday somewhere, then return without notice in the most unlikely of places. Sorting the pushers, I found an extra case core which is not a bad thing as there were two cores that are almost identical and kept getting counted as the same core. The bezel and backs though are not interchangeable. Sometimes the watch gods are kind, even if they do require sacrifices to the floor.

-j

@sheepdoll - I own this exact watch, never seen another.

Nice, I have been looking online at other examples. Most seem to have a red SS hand. Seeing your example is interesting with the blue tip is interesting. Now I shall have to check the ones I have. It is also helpful to see the minute recorder as I have thick and thin ones. What I do not have. or can not find is the case back.
-j

It is "Bovet"
Landeron 51

View attachment 1482110

I have one of those too just visible on the left in the dial case. Love the stitching on the band gives me ideas too. This sadly though is destined to become a 'bride' as in franken marriage, as it is destined for the clebar case i got on eBay, which is missing one of the push pieces. The new wheel train donor movement should arrive this weekend, and the missing chrono parts from one of the other donor movements.
-j
(now I am off to go play with pipe organs and cats...)

Not in the same league but this old watch from the late sixties is a keeper for me. Not sure how super waterproof it was even back then. But the movement is still going strong.
,

All the hands are blued steel, in the right light the blue pops

Somehow the extra case core got warped. This will eventually need re plating. I really do have 5 small lathes. I decided to see if I could true the case with the largest of them.
The case is still a bit warped, but I was able to reassemble it. There is no back and I will need some sort of case clamps as now the movement is a bit loose. Not quite wearable yet, I'd like to figure out a way to make a display back. The chronograph still tends to stop the movement. Still I am pretty happy what a tin of rusted parts can become.
And for the fun of it, the parts left their mark in the tin.

Of course this is just the first of quite a few chronographs I acquired decades ago just for this purpose. The sept 8 post above was an attempt to figure out what I have. I have taken to calling these rabbits, as I am still deep down the rabbit hole. That however will be the subject of another post, or perhaps an entry in the stories section, the rabbit hole has many twists and turns ...
-j

You only have five (5) FIVE lathes?

😲😲😲😲😲

I do envy you though. The availability of these types of item on the US market, although not as rare some vintage watchmaker tools, is still something that causes "USA Only" jealously in the back of my mind.