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xyzzy42
ยทI'm just a hobbyist and bought a vintage Ladymatic off ebay. I thought it be a good way to get a nice watch to work on and they are about 100x cheaper than the far more in demand Seamasters and Constellations and so forth.
I started on the automatic winding mechanism. The rotor had a nasty corroded splotch on it. Looks somewhat kind a fingerprint. So I polished it. Sorry, I know, I just destroyed the vintage value, such that it was, by doing that. But it sure looks a lot nicer.
The way this automatic winder works appear to be somewhat unusual. I can't find a tech guide for this movement or a similar one online. I'm guessing a 455 service manual is hopeless, but is there another movement that is similar? I did find a 455 parts list.
What would be an appropriate way to oil this? I've guessed 9010 for the two winding wheels and the ratchet driving wheel. Also the rotor's jewel. But what about the pivot for the pawl-bearing yoke? Something like hp1400 on two spots on the teeth of the winding wheels, where the clicks contact? What about the pins on the underside of the rotor that engage the slots in the yoke?
Before I started. The smudge on the rotor looks worse in person. I don't think the photos capture the difference between the reflectance of the copper vs the matte corrosion fully.
After polishing:
Better view of the mechanism after cleaning and reassembly:
Back side of the rotor. What to put on these pins?
I started on the automatic winding mechanism. The rotor had a nasty corroded splotch on it. Looks somewhat kind a fingerprint. So I polished it. Sorry, I know, I just destroyed the vintage value, such that it was, by doing that. But it sure looks a lot nicer.
The way this automatic winder works appear to be somewhat unusual. I can't find a tech guide for this movement or a similar one online. I'm guessing a 455 service manual is hopeless, but is there another movement that is similar? I did find a 455 parts list.
What would be an appropriate way to oil this? I've guessed 9010 for the two winding wheels and the ratchet driving wheel. Also the rotor's jewel. But what about the pivot for the pawl-bearing yoke? Something like hp1400 on two spots on the teeth of the winding wheels, where the clicks contact? What about the pins on the underside of the rotor that engage the slots in the yoke?
Before I started. The smudge on the rotor looks worse in person. I don't think the photos capture the difference between the reflectance of the copper vs the matte corrosion fully.
After polishing:
Better view of the mechanism after cleaning and reassembly:
Back side of the rotor. What to put on these pins?
