Servicing
Created Saturday 12 October 2024
Clean and polish
Polywatch for acrilc crystals
Cape cod polishing cloth for polished metal
scotch-bright 7447 for brushed finnishd metal
Watch Part Cleaning Solution - isopropyl alcohol
pegwood
Pithwood
Watch oil
search ebay "Moebius Molykote Windles Kluber Watch Oil" dondy0114
9010 light oil for jewels
D5 High friction
DX grease
8000 general purpose (cheap alt to 9010)
Accuracy
99% = 864s/d (14.4min)
99.9% = 87 s/d
99.99% = 8.64 s/d
99.999% = 0.864 s/d
99.9999% = 0.0864 S/d
99.99995% = 0.0432 s/d = 1.3s/month Quartz movement
positions:
dial up
crown down
dial down
crown left
crown up
crown right
crown halfway up
crown halfway down
A 2-position watch will be adjusted in the first 2 positions, a 4-position watch will be adjusted in the first 4 positions, and so forth.
Specs:
COSC = +6/-4
Rolex = +2/-2
Grand Seiko = +5/-3
Sellita Std = D 30 X +12/-12 (2 pos)
Sellita Top = D 15 X +4/-4 (5 pos)
Servicing
Teardown
- Unwind Spring
- Balance wheel
- Any order
- Replace balance wheel for cleaning
Assembly
- Power Train
- Palet fork
- Keyless Works
- Complications
- Balance wheel
- Regulate
Tools
Crystal lift
Watch Cannon Pinion Remover Lifter Puller Tool
Sizes
Wristwatch
Mid (Boys) 30-32mm
Standard 33-35mm
Oversize 36-37mm
Jumbo over 37mm
Pocket watch
Womens 0s 6s 8s <16'''
Unisex 10s 12s 17-18'''
Mens 12s 16s 18s >18'''
Pocket watch (Base plate)
pocket watches are typically measured in 30ths of an inch, also known as the “Lancashire Gauge” adopted from England.
(Size+35)/30th ie 12s = 47/30" = 39.79mm
0s 29.62mm
4s 33.02mm
5s 33.86mm
6s 34.71 mm
7s 35.56 mm
8s 36.41 mm
9s 37.25 mm
10s 38.10 mm
11s 38.95 mm
12s 39.79 mm
13s 40.64 mm
14s 41.49 mm
15s 42.33 mm
16s 43.18 mm
17s 44.03 mm
18s 44.87 mm
20s 46.56mm
22s 48.26mm
Lignes
French watch measurement
one metre is equal to exactly 443.296 French lines (Lignes)
Each line is equivalent to 2.25583 mm
ie 19''' = 42.86mm
Lignes Millimeters
½ 1.128
¾ 1.692
1 2.255
1¼ 2.820
1½ 3.338
1¾ 3.949
2 4.517
2¼ 5.076
2½ 5.640
2¾ 6.204
3 6.768
3¼ 7.332
3½ 7.895
3¾ 8.459
4 9.023
4¼ 9.587
4½ 10.151
4¾ 10.715
5 11.279
5¼ 11.843
5½ 12.407
5¾ 12.971
6 13.535
6¼ 14.099
6½ 14.663
6¾ 15.227
7 15.791
7¼ 16.355
7½ 16.919
7¾ 17.483
8 18.047
8¼ 18.611
8½ 19.175
8¾ 19.739
9 20.303
9¼ 20.867
9½ 21.430
9¾ 21.994
10 22.558
10¼ 23.122
10½ 23.686
10¾ 24.250
11 24.814
11¼ 25.387
11½ 25.942
11¾ 26.506
12 27.070
12½ 28.198
12¾ 28.762
13 29.326
13½ 30.453
14 31.581
14¼ 32.046
14¾ 33.273
15 33.838
15½ 34.955
15¾ 35.529
16 36.093
16¼ 36.657
16½ 37.221
17 38.349
17¼ 38.913
17¾ 40.041
18 40.605
18½ 41.733
18¾ 42.297
19 42.861
19¼ 43.425
19½ 43.989
20 45.117
21 47.372
22 49.628
23 51.884
24 54.140
25 56.396
26 58.652
27 60.907
28 63.163
29 65.419
30 67.675
Top Ten commandments for any WIS greenhorn. This is the least you should know before even approaching the Vintage Watches waters… (Vintage Citizen Watches included):
- Tropical – This should be the first undisputed one. When you hear the term “Tropical” just turn around and run as fast as you can. Most of the time “Tropical” means a badly deteriorated dial, maybe baked in the oven, tampered with to the point of becoming garbage. Since the dial is (probably) the most important part of a watch, you just don’t want anything labeled “tropical”. “Spider dials” and other similar terms included. Leave these watches for the old pirates who know their stuff.
- Never polished – Oh, yes! Never polished means most of the time that the watch was badly abused and is full of dents and scratches. Who knows what’s inside?! Better to leave it be. Walk away from “Never polished”. At the same time, walk away from “Polished”. You just need an honest watch.
- Rare and Ultra mega rare, Unique – Well… maybe it is rare but that doesn’t actually makes it valuable. Let the rare watches for the ones in the know. Keep it simple, keep it common, keep is safe.
- Collectable – Everything is collectable. So any watch is like this and “collectable” means nothing else than that the seller is trying to make an extra buck for this watch you are interested in. Is it advertised as “collectable”? Yes, it is, and so are all the other watches. Don’t let people tell you what is collectable for you or not.
- Project watch for restoration – This is a NO GO! This means that if you get it you will go mad or even die before restoring it. This is not easy and you will never make this project watch what you were made to believe you will. Project watches are not for you. Go away. Spend your time and money elsewhere.
- Mint and NOS – Mint watches and NOS pieces should be never opened, never serviced, no dings, no scratches and perfect in every way. Yes, this is the way to get them if you are lucky. Aim for them but don’t overpay for such a piece because once you start wearing it, the watch will no longer be NOS and Mint.
- Box and papers – Though is nice to have your vintage watch with box and papers this is not a must. Most of them don’t. Back in the days people didn’t care about the box and the bought the watch for wearing as they are supposed to be used, not for collecting dust in a bank safe for investing purpose as nowadays. So… box and papers, cool but not mandatory.
- Good investment – Really?! If it is such a good (once in a lifetime opportunity) investment, then why the seller does’t keep it himself? Watches can be good investment when you know, after a lot of years of learning the hard way and in the end… it all comes up to luck. Don’t be fooled with the “investment” value of any watch. Buy and wear what you like.
- Water proof – Just forget about even showering with your vintage diving watch unless you service it and water test it at a trusted watchmaker. Jus’t don’t!
- Homage watch, inspired by… – Do NOT buy fake watches! Ever! End of story.
If you have a comment or suggestion, please use the form on the contact page.