Thread: Pocket Watches

Question about lubricants... If the back is stuck, would a CLP or other penitrating lube, carefully applied, work to loosen it up. Or is that a HUGE no-no. I'm dieing to get the serial number and other info off the mechanism...

Presented to my great grandfather in 1925

Originally Posted by Brother Jeeter

Hey Chef,

I sold a watch VERY similar to yours a couple of years ago.
Your watch looks like a B.W. Raymond, 571 Grade (good watch.)
That crazy looking little 'dollar sign' under the name ELGIN signifies that the watch has an "Elinvar" (unbreakable) spring.

Here is a link to a page that explains how to set a Lever Set Pocket Watch.

http://pocketwatcher.zoovy.com/category/watch_information.settingaleversetwatch/

No vintage watch had an unbreakable mainspring. The Elinvar was an alloy metal used for the hairspring which was not subject to temperature variations.

No vintage watch had an unbreakable mainspring.

thebigspendur


Go back and re-read what you quoted me as saying. I NEVER said MAINSPRING. I omitted "HAIRSPRING." It was an oversight.
You said Elinvar referred to the Hairspring. That is what I meant.

Originally Posted by Brother Jeeter

No vintage watch had an unbreakable mainspring.

thebigspendur


Go back and re-read what you quoted me as saying. I NEVER said MAINSPRING. I omitted "HAIRSPRING." It was an oversight.
You said Elinvar referred to the Hairspring. That is what I meant.

Gee I don't know what to say. I've been collecting and disassembling old pocketwatches for over 25 years and when they reference unbreakable springs its always mainsprings. Actually that term is more an inability to overwind the watch thereby breaking the spring so they put a clutch mechanism in so when the spring reaches a certain tension it slips however with abuse and wear the spring can still break over time. I've never heard of a hairspring (balance spring) breaking unless the watch was really abused. Hairsprings don't really have much in the way of tension or force applied to them so there's nothing to break. Sometimes where the hairspring is attached to the balance assembly and the stud or the collet you might get some corrosion and wear but that's really rare. I've seen some pocketwatches in really abysmal condition and often times the balance spring is the only thing that is still in good shape.

Its the mainspring that usually breaks because of the daily winding and all the force applied to it combined with corrosion over the years although if you get a watch periodically serviced mainspring replacement is expected.

Originally Posted by DwarvenChef

Ya the back is a screw off type, my dad said he unscrewed it way back when... The only time I would wear this one would be formal gatherings and such. Fear of loosing it (family piece) would bother me. I plan to find one for everyday use. But modern ones just seem like so much crap. I'm always looking for one in steel or silver for regular carry.

Next time I get a suit taylord up it's going to have a vest for a pocket watch

Chef,
a couple of years ago I was given a zenith pocket watch,as an every day carry as you call it. I has a steel case and open face, I carry it in a RM William s watch pouch, which is pretty traditional for Aussie Stockmen {cowboys} of which I was once, born on a sheep station. My late father and all the other stockmen carried their watches in belt pouches as well. You should be able to get a steel cased watch without much trouble in the USA, any watch maker should be able to repair and service it. Must be a watch maker as he is able to make parts as necessary. I am currently haveing a pocket watch, key wind repaired, fusee chain broke. Hope to pick it up this coming Friday
Cheers