Adventures in Horology (Watch repair)

[randal]

Thought I'd move these posts out of the "What Watch do you wear?" thread, instead of cluttering that up with my ramblings...

Recently got into Horology as a hobby, this is a bit of a Junker Special comprising of:

- Seiko 6309A movement (circa 1974)
- Seiko 7S26-02W0 Dial and Hands
- Seiko 6309-8070 case with new crystal and crown
- Some eBay special strap

It's my everyday wear and what I've been practising on, the case was in a right state when I got it but I've polished it back and brushed the top. It's not perfect by any means, but it'll probably get another going over when I fancy another go.

Keeps good time, +4/sec a day with a negligible beat error that I've been unable to track down. I think it's the hairspring, but it's good enough for the moment.

Got a Seiko SpeedTimer Flyback Chronograph 7017-8000 on the block at the moment, that will hopefully just need a strip/clean/re-oiling and a tidy up on the case. Picked that up off eBay for £120, and they seem to be going for 3-4 times that now. Bonkers market.

 

[randal]

Little bit of progress on the latest project.

Seiko 7017-8000 Speedtimer Chronograph. First watch I bought myself to tinker with, then realised I needed to start with something simpler.

Just got this side all built up, going to let it run in for a bit before I have a tinker but the initial numbers look very promising for a 50+ year old watch. I am over the moon with that amplitude and beat error, mainly because I've done no tweaking and haven't oiled the hairspring top jewel yet.

I still have to build the calendar works, refurbish the case and relume the dial but it's off to a good start.

Edit - I had the angle wrong for the 7017, should be 53 degrees. Retested at a very reasonable 0.1ms beat error and 268 amplitude, very very pleased with that.

 

[randal]

Following on from this post, I've finished putting the Seiko SpeedTimer back together. 7017-8000 Daini Flyback Chronograph.

The amplitude settled at around 200 which is about on par for a watch of this vintage (1971), beat error was down to 0.1ms which I'm happy with given my novice abilities (and lack of proper time grapher).

Went with a "less is more" approach this time around. On the case I've only polished the shiny bits, didn't fancy attempting a radial brushing just yet. I may attempt again in time, but I'm happy with the case as is.

New crystal and gaskets, may replace the pushers and springs if I can find a NOS set for reasonable money (not £80 on eBay, douche canoes). Other than that, will let the pics do the talking...

edit - Just retested the Seiko, that'll do nicely.

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This is on the block next. It's my late Grandfather's Baronet, dated some point in the 1950s. It's a 30 jewel, automatic watch that's probably not been serviced since... pfft... 25 years ago maybe? It'll be getting a full strip down, clean and service and the case and crown will be re-plated. New dome, and strap as pictured. Feel up to tackling this one after doing the Seiko.

 

[randal]

Where do you find the time for all this?

I manage to "escape" from time to time.

 

[randal]

Do you have the full arsenal of tools for a full strip down of a watch? I've got an ebay pocketwatch in piece but I don't a tool to remove the canon pinion yet so I've not got very far with it.

I do. Only cheapies, not plumped for the Bergeon stuff yet. Building up stuff as I go.

Canon pinions can usually be removed with tweezers, they just snap down over the centre shaft. (Assuming your forth wheel is on the outer edge rather than beneath the centre wheel).

Send a pic over.

 

[randal]

I could strip a movement to bits ( probably breaking something in the process ) but no chance i could put them back together again, some of them are so complicated.

I have had fun regulating a vostok though, it was about £29 new and i regulated it a bunch of times and tested it against a g-shock atomic radio control watch.

Bearing in mind that movement is a very old russian cheaper than a coffee to make slow beat hand winder designed decades ago.
It lost only a fraction of a second over 3 days, basically in £40K Rolex territory lol.

But it did not stay that way, over time the timekeeping went erratic and unpredictable but it was interesting that a movement that probably cost a few quid to make could be that accurate if even for a short time.

The secret is knowing when to walk away, else you end up losing your cool and gorillaing something.

Then it's off to eBay or Cousins to replace what you bent.

Like everything, if it's properly serviced and maintained there's no reason why it can't run and run.

 

[randal]

are you thinking of expaning in to the shelf clocks?
i.e. Antique Ansonia 8-day Shelf Clock something with a pendulum or your going to stick to pcket watchs and the like?

Probably just the Vintage watches for now, may in the future though.

 

[randal]

I've got some chinese set of 'precision' tools with some pry tools which i removed the main hands off with but I didn't fancy using them on the second hand so it's still on there as well.

I think you need to take the movement out of the case to get to the other side. Just watched a quick video, and it appears to be all friction fit.

Good luck!

 

[randal]

Mods? Mods!

Oh you're a good Citizen...