lhedrick

People, once again I said the watch is about 20 - 25 years. I didn't says it was not cleaned in 25 years. Sorry to have created such a confusing situation. The advice about cleaning the watch is fine but, that's not what this is all about. knowledge is the quest not just getting a watch cleaned. I have cleaned many 2824-2 movements. I just don't mess with fine springs. Little screws are about the same as big screws. I can clean this movement but I don't think that is the issue which will cause it to gain several minutes a day. I took another look under the 10X loupe, I can see some oil so dirty dust contaminated oil is not the issue. It's the coils of the spring which are not in an orderly position and they touch each other. I had to remove the automatic device frame work to get a better look. I never said the watch had not been cleaned in 25 years. IT'S THE WATCH WHICH IS 25 YEARS OLD. Many will always say you are not a watchmaker don't touch it. But, there was time when every watchmaker was not a watchmaker and had to touch a watch to become a watchmaker. Surly, a watchmaker should not make the assumption that a 25 year old watch has never been cleaned. At the very least, a reasonable question would have been "do you know when the watch was last cleaned and oiled?" Is it a standard procedure for most watchmaker to ignore their customers and not ask for any known history? Is the watchmakers trade like a closed shop union where you must show your watchmakers union card to prove you are worthy of a question? A sort of monopoly for fine craftsman. I would think not. The watch is 25 years old, so I guess that means it has never been cleaned and oiled.

I recently acquired a Breitling diver type watch which contains the 2824-2. I don't know how many owners the watch has had but, that person I got it from purchased in a state which is not workable. It gains around 15 MINUTES a day, not seconds, MINUTES. He was told it would cost several hundred dollars to service it and did not want to spend that much to get it working properly. So, now it's my problem. My guess is that the watches is 20 - 25 years old. What would cause a 2824 to run so fast? I understand the mechanics of watch escapements but not the fine tuning of them. I have not and never will touch a balance wheel spring. Has anyone ever seen this kind of gain or know what might be at the core of the issue?