a stroll thru a 125 year old pocket watch

[dallen]

As some know I have been messing around with old Elgin Pocket Watches. I recently purchased one off of Evil Bay which I plan to fix and carry around when I think about it.

The watch that I plan to do this to I posted a photo in my Razor thread the other day and Ed asked me to post what I do to the watch with I think he said and I quote "Please take copious amounts of pictures and post them, if you will please."

So since I received the watch today and the Chihuahua left me alone here are those photos.

First one is how the watch looked when I found it on Ebay.
   
Second photo is a little better shot with the front open.
   
Third is a close up of the dial out from under the crystal.
   
Fourth is of the back of the movement.
   
fifth photo is of the back of the case as I received it.
   
A better shot of the movement in the case.
   
here's a shot of what goes on under the dial
   
this is the start of the tear down to find out what is wrong with this piece of history, this watch was made in 1888. In this photo I have removed whats called the Barrel Bridge which holds the Main Spring Barrel in place.
   
This photo shows the under side of whats called the Cock (I didn't name the parts, its what its called) the two pins if you can see them have the Hair Spring hooked in between them and regulate the pressure on the spring to help adjust the timing of the watch.
   
Balance Wheel with Hair Spring on one side and Roller Jewel on the other.
       
The Escapement, all the wheels in the watch.
   
And finally what was wrong with the watch besides some rough handling and being throwed into to a dresser drawer for a lot of years, somehow, something got onto the pinion on the wheel that runs the second hand any way all the red stuff isn't suppose to be there.
   

I have the watch put back together with a different dial that isn't cracked up and missing part of the enamel and it is running but still needs some work like swapping out the rusted pinion for one that isn't trashed. But all in all I feel pretty good about the watch. case is cleaning up pretty nicely. will get some more shots of it after a little bit more clean up and post them later this week.

[sasquatch]

Great posting info and great pics!! Very interesting.
I am always in awe of the precision that a watch has, to keep time for decades, through all sorts of movements, rough or otherwise and climatic changes etc.

[TomG]

Nice pics dallen.

It looks like the watch has seen some serious moisture, I wonder what the mainspring looks like?

Tom

[dallen]

Tom the main spring is find looks like new with no signs of anything ever being in the barrel but the spring.

I don't know what it was on the case but it cleaned up pretty good.
heres a couple of shots of the outside and one of the not new dial this one I used to replace the busted one came off a movement that is within a year or two of the one that is in the watch.

   

   

   

and heres one of a little on the dial on this watch is only a eighth of and inch bigger then the quarter
   

[Tony Wells]

Pocket watches have always fascinated me. I was given an old Pocket Ben by an uncle who got it from my grandfather who died before I was born. Ever since, I wanted more. Never went out and started collecting, but I sure enjoy browsing this site:

http://www.darlor-watch.com/pocket_watches_1.html

You did a nice cleanup of that one. Glad to see someone take care of it.

[dallen]

(03-25-2013, 11:48 PM)Tony Wells Wrote: Pocket watches have always fascinated me. I was given an old Pocket Ben by an uncle who got it from my grandfather who died before I was born. Ever since, I wanted more. Never went out and started collecting, but I sure enjoy browsing this site:

http://www.darlor-watch.com/pocket_watches_1.html

You did a nice cleanup of that one. Glad to see someone take care of it.

Tony, thanks for the compliment. I used to always say I wish I could work on a watch guess I can't say that any more. The funny thing is that unless your trying to make parts for one there not that hard to take apart and put back together. I do find it enjoyable to mess with them. what sucks is when you loose a part and can't find it or find it three days after receiving the replacement had that happen with a shaft.

I checked out the site you linked to, I do believe that a lot of their watches are out of my league.

as an up date the watch that I started this thread about even with a rusted pinion in it is still running this morning. wish I could say that for some of the crap that they make now days.

David

[EdK]

Nice job David! It's good to see old craftsmanship brought back to life.

Ed

[sasquatch]

Was there ever from new,, any type of lubricant used in these watch mechanisims?

[Micktoon]

Hi David , good post , eve though watches are not my thing you have got me interested , nice to see something so old getting another life.................I bet Bob would like this sort of job task too

Thanks for posting.

Cheers Mick

[dallen]

(03-26-2013, 04:09 PM)sasquatch Wrote: Was there ever from new,, any type of lubricant used in these watch mechanisims?

yes but if the watch gets pitched into a drawer and left it will dry, which it will anyway and the oils that they used a back in the 1800's was usually whale oil, there was some grease used in the stems to stop dust invasion and on the main springs and winding mech cause it would stay in place better. they have treatments nowdays that will keep the oil where you want it but the stuff is pretty expensive.

I don't have any regular clock oil which I need to order some but I figure that any light oil today is a hell of a lot better then what they had in 1888.

(03-26-2013, 04:14 PM)Micktoon Wrote: Hi David , good post , eve though watches are not my thing you have got me interested , nice to see something so old getting another life.................I bet Bob would like this sort of job task too

Thanks for posting.

Cheers Mick

I started thing with the watches because I wanted to fix my dad's old pocket watch which I have had for years and even though I have had it fixed it never stayed that way ( thing may be cursed) any way I've learned a lot about pocket watches and have been having fun doing it.

Glad you guys enjoyed the pictures, I have to pull the watch back apart so maybe I'll take a few more try to get some of the dirt thats in it still.