My coming restoration

buzzmartian

Tyme Master
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Jul 14, 2014
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I have my grandfather's pocket watch that my father gave me. It is an Elgin 15 jewel from circa 1923. All in white gold. Thanks to @repOman (Whitey) he recently thru out the name of a restoration company specializing in pocket watches exclusively.

Frett & Co Clockworks

After sending them these photos:




This is exactly how I received it. It does work but runs fast.

They stated that there is a big problem with the movement as that the regulator on the balance is missing. I never knew. This will need to be re-installed to regulate the watch for accurate timekeeping. The watch will then need to be serviced. They could remove the tarnish on the movement, blue hardware, re-blue the hands, and restore the enamel lettering on the movement. They cannot cannot do any work to the metal dial. I guess it's age and some character will remain.
So very soon I will be sending it in to them. Can't wait to get it back and show my dad. It will soon be 100 years old! o_O
 
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Can't wait to see it Brian... When I stumbled on these guys the work they did blew me away... I still check back with them to see what they have for sale... I'd love to pick up one of their resto/conversions but would want a 42mm rather than a 50 which are the more common size.

Here is my Waltham...

Waltham3cc051b954fc252d4.jpg
 
My wife and I went to the Antiques Roadshow about 8-10 years ago when they had come to Detroit. I took the watch for an appraisal and the guy told me that in the condition it was in and based on how many Elgin had made, like a thousand then was worth about $800. It will cost me $550 to restore it and I'm okay with that. It has lasted 100 years and I will give it to my son. He will get it looking much better and maybe it will go another 100 years or so.
 
Can't wait to see it Brian... When I stumbled on these guys the work they did blew me away... I still check back with them to see what they have for sale... I'd love to pick up one of their resto/conversions but would want a 42mm rather than a 50 which are the more common size.

Here is my Waltham...

Waltham3cc051b954fc252d4.jpg
So clean. Looks great!
 
The crystal is almost perfect on the watch. It looks like the dial was taken out and thrown around like a frisbee. I don't understand how awful it looks being under the gas and untouched for 99 years. :think:
 
The crystal is almost perfect on the watch. It looks like the dial was taken out and thrown around like a frisbee. I don't understand how awful it looks being under the gas and untouched for 99 years. :think:
I know what you mean... Here is a link that explains some of the causes of "patina" on old metal dials...


(Love David Gilmour's 1954 Strat, serial #0001... yellowing and all :wink: )
 
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I have a Waltham RR grade to send off soon to restore. I really like pocket watches.
I hope yours turns out graet Brian 🧭
WOW BUZZ

luv me PW and THE RR PROVENANCE horo history...how USA DOMINATED PW MANUFACTURE because of TRAIN DISASTERS THE WALTER BALL STORY and BALL WATCH COMPANY ...yeah ROAD WARRIORS' BALLS

the dollar BEN...WATERBURY CLOCK CO k.n.a. TIMEX and INGERSOLL ...cranked out millions of PWs

THE STORY continues from the ROBBER BARONS OF THE GOLDEN AGE...JAY GOULD being the ELON MUSK/JEFF BEZOS/BILL GATES

stock market booms... RAILROADS TO EVERY WHERE AND NO WHERE...like the CABLE FIBER WORLD COM BOOM/BUST


and then WW1

no time to pull out the PW when DOUGH BOYS fought for life and liberty in DIRTY STINKING DISEASED FILLED TRENCHES IN EURO LAND...PW WAS MOUNTED ON A PIECE OF CANVAS AND MEN ADOPTED THE PRVIOUSLY GIRLIE " WRISTLET"

MEN WATCH PRODUCTION IN USA CHUGGED ALONG

UNTIL WW2 when all MANUFACTURING FACILITIES IN USA shifted to munitions including all watch factories...AFTER USA BEAT

ADOLPH AND TOJO the factories in USA NEVER WENT BACK TO WRIST CLOCKS

short story long

that is awesome BRIAN...


AND A TECHNICAL NOTE

since a lot of my 'KNOWLEDGE IS ANECDOTAL AND FROM FORUM SURFING " some tymes i pick up ERRONEOUS TRIVIA

SO I THOUGHT AFTER LONG TYME---WHITE GOLD BLEEDS YELLOW-- SINCE THE AU BLEEDS THROUGH THE SILVER ALLOY

I DON'T SEE NO YELLOW !

that is a beauty BRIAN !

AND SHOUT OUT TO WHITEY ! THAT IS AWESOME RESTORER INFO !

I RESTORED A RUSSKY MOKBAR PW...MODERN PAID $250 FOR THE WATCH 8 YEARS AGO $250 FOR THE RESOTRATION 2 YEARS AGO AND HAD TO SEND IT IN TWICE AND WAIT 5 MONTHS..WHEN PLAGUE FIRST HIT

SO LIKE LIOR BEN SCHMUEL @ WOW SAID: DO NOT USE BRUTE FORCE WHEN WINDING A PW

ALWAYS STOP SHORT OF FULL STOP

ESPECIALLY WHEN FIRST FIRING IT UP ...stop way short of full stop...get the feel ...be gentle as stroking " the man in the boat "

awesome BRIAN & ASSIST TO THE REPOMAN

way to fire up the hobby
 
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