POS 500 'candy sparkle' Omega on the bench

So the latest rust rat is dismembered. Much better condition than I expected. Given that the movement was solidly rusted into the case and the escape wheel loose, I expected it to be a mass of rust under the dial.

Was so surprisingly clean I forgot to take photographs. Here is the before auction photo again.

The escape wheel can be seen above the balance bridge. Curiously the pinion is completely missing. No rust deposit either. 470/50x escape wheels are hard to find. So perhaps there is a flaw in them. I called around the material houses. The 505 also was missing this part. Tanner Morehouse, however lists them.

The case clamps were blobs of rust. Which is probably where the bulk of the rust sealing the movement to the case came from. I had to dismember the wheel train first. Had to use a crystal press to break the rust bond.

Sadly I broke a dial foot. That screw was a blob. I really got this to case the 505 and have a dial for that if it fits this case.

Under the dial was oil city. Everything clean as could be dripping with oil, but the stem and one barrel bridge screw which came out like a stalactite. I had removed that before extracting the movement from the case.

The stem is proving troublesome. Has about 5mm of draft into the movement and is unique to this caliber. Fortunately Paylak still has these. This has been soaking in Kano Sili Kroil for a few days with no movement.

I could try cutting it out. Would still have to be removed to get the winding pinion out.

Will need alum to get the case clamps and dial foot screw out. But how to use it and not affect the setworks clutch.

I figured a wax dam might work. Candle wax was just to friable and turned to powder when I tried to mold it. I remembered the Gouda dutch cheese had wax on it which I used to like to play with and roll up into a ball. There was still a small piece in the fridge.

Will be interesting to see what happens.


I packed some additional wax around the setworks. Drips can sometimes be more reactive than the bulk measure.

Balance looks good. So far only 4 parts will be needed and they are on order. (I still have some screws from the 505) Ordered a new mainspring as I was unsure on what the condition of this will be.

Price was on the higher side for a rust watch. Did come with a case, which is the main need. I suspect with all the YT videos these are becoming harder to find. This may be a window where such projects are practible. The spare parts supply chain is becoming well picked over.

I think I enjoy ordering and waiting for the parts as much as anything. I got a complete ticking 550 for a lower price at the same time and that one does not inspire me as much.

The etching is going slow as I can not heat it. The wax would melt.
So I decided to flip it over.

Hard to judge the water surface. There is a lot of surface tension and capilary action. Hopefully I can save the winding pinion.


Tried sawing the stem. Material is too hard and simply dulled the saw blade. The etch does work, it just takes a lot of time.

Of course I bought several more basket case projects while waiting.

Finally!


Took forever to etch enough to get the winding clutch assy out. Still covered in wax in the photo. cleaned up well.

Now the broken dial foot and case clamps are soaking. I use the base of a holiday ornament with aa little 7 1/2 was bulb as a warmer. Makes for an interesting effect, with the light shining through the jewels.


The nice thing is I got 10 dial screws last week.



I really only needed one screw. Would not have been surprised if that is what I received, but I got the whole package.

This might be a POS rusty rat watch, it is as enterfaining as any of them. Hours of fun watching tiny little bubbles coming off the steel.

Done with the pickle. Was able to save the winding clutch. That is the de waxed parts. New stem.

Now I get to find the other issues.

There was an escape wheel, but no pinion or arbor. I ordered a new wheel when I got the watch. When placing the wheel, I noticed a gouge under the place cutting into the movement plate. Looks like some force was involved. Photo is through a loupe. Not easy to get the phone to focus even. I marked this in the photograph.

Took forever to get the dial screw out. Almost another week. There is also a gouge above this as well. This watch was rusted into the Ross case. So it is not like it was pried out to scrap the case. I did break the dial foot. (which I still have) removing the dial. I do not think I did this. I was using pegwood to separate the dial.

Best I can do will be to burnish the gouge under the escape wheel.

Even with the discoloration on the plates, These movements still have a tendency to sort of take one's breath away with the plating and overall design of the movement, when one opens the case to look at it.

I actually have the 505 in the Ross Case, which is what I really wanted. So this is in a way an extra movement.

I also see that I am coming up on post 2000. Amazing. I figured I would be more like to write 2000 words than 2000 posts. Been sort of holding off so I could post this progress.