horologist

I have actually tried Strega liqueur at an Italian wedding! The party felt like it was in my mouth where everyone was invited! Great stuff!it is the best kept secret in my town! wow! Just as I was about to quit this hobby from the parts issue, something like this comes up just to pull me beck! Never heard of these balance wheels! How ingenious ! Sad that this brand of watch was not as successful as the other big guns Thanks for sharing and BTW this has been a great thread!

Thanks Gentlemen! every comment made is much appreciated and tonight I have it one my work bench with all the train wheels removed to see what is really the issue! Before this I checked the hands and they all seemed to be clearing each other. I would have expected it to stop at that same hour within the next day. I removed the balance stop to keep it running while turning the hour hand, I then removed the train bridge and checked the seconds wheel teeth and they all seem to be intact. I did notice that there was a bit of up and down play between the jewel and the pivot but it still was in the tolerance of making the escape wheel move. Never noticed if this was ever the same with other movements I pulled apart.? The bridge appears clean from any gunk with fresh oil in the jewel cups! If else fails I will also clean the shock jewels which I am dreading as it is a novodiac instead of incabloc! Otherwise as someone else said in a recent post the only sane answer is that this movement is female, but even worse is that it gives Grief once every 10-14 days Instead of every 28 days

Hello fellow members, I would appreciate as much feedback as possible with an issue I am experiencing with a watch movement? Prior to these eta parts and movements becoming obsolete, I replaced a damaged movement in a Rolex replica I purchased from Paul (Womart?) some years ago. I purchased a new movement from a reputable seller which I have never had an issue with any previous movement I purchased before. All exceeded my expectations!! I replaced this movement and set it all up to wear and it was running well within a range of 5-7 seconds per day. WOW that seemed great!!! UNTIL..... After a week to 10 days, I noticed it stopped at approximately 11.50. I gave it a shake and it began running well again. All good !!! Then I noticed this to be a constant issue at approximately the same time repeatedly after a week to 10 days. I then thought it might be the seconds hand out of line with the other hands. I disassembled it and realigned them to make sure it wasn't the case, but again after a similar number of days, it showed the same pattern again. Maybe not exactly at the same time as before but it again stopped at the same time as the previous occasion. I noticed that the case clamps were not exactly holding it firmly enough, so I replaced them with firmer ones, making it nice and firm, making sure it wasn't the movement dislodging something while I was wearing it. Again the same problem.!! I was now clutching my straws and thought it could have been the DWO not realigned properly under the dial, so replaced it again to make sure it wasn't hitting against anything. NO GO!!!! I removed it to see if there were any dry areas in the jewel cups including the train bridge. I was beginning to think this mechanism was jinxed? Anyone had any similar experiences, I welcome as much information as possible as I have reached my brainstorm limit?? Many thanks in advance

This has been a spectacular thread by Timelord and I have truly enjoyed it with everyone’s responses making this forum a real privilege to be part of! Good to see that some answer was found even if he still has not resolved the issue I have also met some very old school Artisan professionals including watchmakers that did everything by hand without electronic timing machines! There is art and there is skill! Watchmaking is a science in its own right and only very few people can see this! Sadly schools and the education system are not what they use to be- well at least in my country! Here you learn more by staying out of school than by going to school!

I am wondering if the balance assembly is original to this movement? Do you recall if it was wedged underneath with a shim or something to counterbalance the staff height! Why? I have had this exact problem especially with clone mvts when buying parts that although you would think are universally interchangeable BUT are NOT! I too would lose confidence if hit with all these negatives when going through the school of hard knocks! Horology is a science and an art which is really of degree standard in my book!

One just has to be careful with those end stones! I lost mine while oiling it as that horrible novodiac star spring piece of junk fell off . The worst part of servicing the movement that sends shudders down my spine!

Guys thanks a million ! I was talking to a watchmaker some months ago and mentioned to me thAt he used two seiko oils in All of his work and was able to give a longer warranty to his customers because of what he used! Great to hear of different input and of other experiences!

To to all members that service their own movements: How many different types of oils do you use while assembling your mechanism? I only have used moebius d5 an 9010. Am I doing wrong to lubricate pallet stones also with 9010?. I know grease is also important but the blue grease is do expensive for a tinkerer like me and was wondering if there is an inexpensive substitute? Many thanks! stay safe!

Èaster greetings to all or happy safe Sunday -whichever may apply. Timelord, I don't believe there is anything wrong with what you have done of with you if you have successfully done this numerous times! Something tells me that it is not your keyless works issue if you have checked all the parts and see nothing wrong with them. Something is interfering with the top part of the jumper spring (U section) and where it puts pressure against the yoke. Check underneath the yoke and if I recall correctly there is a hole where the balance bridge screw threads in from the other side. I have seen the wrong screw placed in the balance bridge which sometimes can protrude the too plate on the other side and just tilt the yoke from sitting flat on the movement! On the process of elimination this would be the only other possibility which may be causing this headache. It might be a long shot, but check it out and let us know? if I were to wager on this, I would put my money on this as being your problem! Good luck!!

Great post!! The link to the vid is as precise as it gets but unfortunately people appear to be in denial- it won't happens to me argument ! I say excercise common sense and vigilance! If we are told to stay inside, then we do it! Unfortunately it has to come to governments passing legislation with heavy fines to get complacent members of our society to act! Stay safe fellow members!! I don't want to hear anyone here or their loved ones being a victim! Same goes for others! By the way I was listening to " the Who" do you see the real me Doctor? So appropriate with so many of us in limbo!

Well this is now the same plot as in "Charlton Heston' s 1971 The Omega Man". Almost identically except that the people seriously infected are sadly dying instead of turning into zombie like killer creatures! Very haunting times we are facing! If you combine the novel "The eyes of Darkness", a lot of the fiction is now fact! A science fiction horror tuned into fact!

This morning I touched base.with a friend in Australia! We gossiped about the latest events and then the conversation led to watches! He also has relatives in Switzerland! He informed me that Swiss post no longer posts to Australia until further notice because of the latest issues! If any of you living in different parts of the globe intend to do any business with the Swiss, it would be wise to check with your postal services of your location if this delay can affect your logistics!

Dr. Ranfft doesn't have all the formation and seems to list them as the same but they are not! If I recall correctly, the 2836 does not have the fine regulator set up and some parts for the keyless works are also different! I wil not insist as it has been years since I saw one! However I definitely recall they are not exactly the same

As far as I am concerned it was always an open and shut case if I am part of the jury sevice! Junk has many faces and definitions which we can all have our opinions, but a fact is a fact . If something lacks durability and quality and worse still no spares available to buffer the poor product then it cannot be labeled as anything else Give me a wood oven margarita pizza anytime,!! Let the swatch group boycott all these Swiss cheese sandwiches for all I care, as I would keep away from them even if they paid me all the tea in China to eat them! Ha!

Yes, I bought an alpha chronograph from a U. K seller and I thought it had better quality control than the replicas sold from our friendly rep suppliers. It is the same sh!& as all the seagull clones . The pusher stuffed up exactly a year after the warranty expired. It is an L shaped piece which pushes the hammer part to reset the centre second to zero. The bottom L part broke off and of all places it fell into the pallet fork dislodging one of the jewels which has put it into suspended animation! Wished there was a genuine eta version of if and what I mean is a better quality control product. I bought a replacement from cousins but seems to stop after a couple of hours especially when engaging the chrono function! These also have a problem with the keyless works as the part that holds in the stem seems to have a weak point or a design fault or quality material fault that cause the stem to fall out all the time. Not sure which is which of these it is, but a hassle free quartz substitute for the dial would be the solution!

Thanks for your input!! Definitely not a hacking mechanism! It is a Ty2901 and whenever I fix the keyless works, it starts to tick again! Very strange indeed! You obviously know a lot more about this than I do. I cannot work out why the stem keeps falling out every now and then. Then it won't engage and I have to remove the whole damn dial and hands to readjust the keyless works! Maybe something worn!!

Hello has anyone ever seen keyless works misalignment cause a non hacking watch to stop running? I know that with hacking movements keyless works out of line can cause the stop lever to go out of line and interfere with a running balance and stop the balance,. I am wondering if other causes in the keyless works can cause a running watch to stop running especially when the stem will not engage ?

In my experience these movements are a hit or a miss! In my case more of a miss than a hit! Great if you can score a hit, until spare parts are needed and sadly as with the genuine rolex company, using the famous quote" no parts for you". Aside from no spare parts available, they all seem to have the same fault with the keyless works as the stem keeps falling out and will not engage or keeps getting stuck in time setting position when in the winding part. Very flimsy parts as the cover plate spring has a tendency to break! Materials used are very delicate just like the mvt itself which can easily stop working for no unknown reason!! Let's not forget that they are made by the clone people so quality is the issue looks like we all need the typical common parts!

Hello and welcome to this unique club of gentlemen with esoteric tastes, where you will also meet those with unique and intelligent skills that would qualify on "Ripleys believe it or not". I won't mention names in case I accidentally leave someone out! To answer your question, I can only say that it would be personal preference! All the ones you mentioned have Asian movements, so regarding quality they would be the same ! If you can score anything with a Swiss eta then that is a different league of watches altogether! Good luck and enjoy the ride! This place is my second family!!

Very valid question! I also had an issue with my first ST1902, not knowing what the second pusher was meant to do, only to later discover that mine was faulty. The second pusher actually zeros the register near the hour two! It is hard to notice as it is very subtle and soft! I like these movements as they are quite rugged- well until the play up! Sadly My local watchmaker and many others I know will not even look at them for repairs or maintenance! They are usually turned off when they see the incabloc part and shy away from them, calling it the Chinese evil eye! It does however annoy me!

Exactly!! But definitely Not - New old stock!! Judging by the condition of the back sticker, I see a watch that has been worn easily half a dozen times (possibly at special occasions) and would have to agree with thegrail and Timelord!! Yet it was a great enjoyable story!!

I have un officially pulled out from this rep game for much longer than 18 months now- not by choice but by the duress of availability of parts as well as the rising costs of a rapidly drying market! Sad but true! I still wear my Aligoat noobmariner daily and the amount of attention it gets from some of the people far exceeds when driving a classic car! Believe me , i know because I did own a classic muscle car, many moons ago but it had to go due to other important priorities! Yesterday I was at the supermarket waiting in line at the checkout and a grey haired gentleman in a nice black suit at my side commented " that s a great looking watch Sir! I would love to get one of those but I just cannot justify spending all those thousands for one of those that I could have bought 35-40 years ago for under $500". I just smiled back and said "Thank you Sir, I am glad someone still appreciates quality "without going into the forensics of what it really is.as he did not ask "is that real?"LOL!! He kept on staring with amazement and as I later made my way to the car park, I saw him enter a beautiful late model Maserati. Ironically, I saw nobody stopping him to praise his car? Maybe a replica Maserati from noobmaserati factory in HK? Who knows? i was almost about to tell him I can build these replica watches for under $350, but when I thought about it, I hushed up not knowing the current prices of the eta movements. Upon coming home and looking at what the prices are for new etas, I am shocked that there is nothing new for under USD170 when including shipping and taxes. I can understand that spare parts are now almost obsolete but complete movements we're still available! In my last project ,nearly 18 months ago, I paid just USD130 for a new eta 2836-2 delivered with taxes included! As for clones, just give me a heavy blunt hammer and that is the beginning of the end for them!

Hi Ceejay, great information!, basically the 1902 and the 1903 differ only with the hour conter at 6 where the 1902 reads upto 12 and the other mvt reads upto 24! apart from that difference do you know if the two movements are interchangeable in terms of fitting under the same dials and cases using either movement?? I can't seem to find any further information on them! Thanks

No ... No...,, No, There is no need to replace the movement just yet unless you have eliminated the source of why it stops. Remove the watch mechanism from the case and try to get it going on a mvt holder by giving the balance wheel a bit of a gentle nudge. If it continues to run let it run on a full wind and check to see if it is still running every couple of hours then you know it is not the movement!! Believe me it is a casing issue where one of the clamps may have misaligned or even bent. These chronographs regardless of if it is a genuine Patek or a cheapie from a souvenir shop are a pain in the a$z/ if the casing of the movement is not correct. Typical of chronographs!! I was gifted by my partner a Paul Newman Alpha chronograph with an ST1903 and had exactly the same issue as you have described and at first thought what a piece of crap!!! I am not a fan of chronographs a in general due to the fact that they have more moving parts and lots more issues can occur and all it does is have a stop watch as an extra, which costs body and soul to service and attend to when something goes wrong! All in all since you have it I think it is still a good and robust mvt for the money you pay considering it is almost tick for tack like the old venus chronograph! I have only read one negative comment on this mvt at https://forums.watchuseek.com/f71/riccardo-thread-please-god-make-last-i-have-talk-about-1083309.html good luck!!

When one reflects on it, any watch that survives the 12 month period has already proved to be a good watch!!!!. Really they are all made of similar material and anything with 17 jewels is compatible with either high end or low end. Period!!!!! Do we pay for an expensive watch just for the movement alone?? NO of course not, when we reflect on the Rolex Cosmograph with a Valjoux 72 movement and the same movement in a Tissot,, we are paying for the same movement but with an astronomical price difference just for the different case, dial and lets not forget 'THE NAME'!!!!! For years I was obsessed as a child at the mystery to what that black dialed watch James Dean wore in the movie "Rebel without a Cause'. As he was a movie star, my impression was that he could afford the most expensive and elite watch imaginable!!! Thanks to the internet, I later discovered that it was the Westclox Ben ( a cheap disposable equivalent to our modern battery Kmart operated watch) When these watch are given a basic service they can still be seen to be working today!!! Reason why I am just as happy with my replica Rolex as if it were the real piece from Geneve'