RWG Technical Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 I have been making these custom vintage pocket watch movement upgraded PAM's for quite some time. I thought I would share the latest one that I put together over the summer. If your looking for the ultimate customized one of a kind watch, this would be the one. Forget the 1 of 300 series, this is a 1 of 1 series. For this one, I started with an Illinois high grade 21 jewel movement from 1923. As you will see it has a lot of nice accents and finishes including a lot of gold plating. The movement was totally disassembled, the mainplate was machined to fit the fiddy case, then it was fully serviced, including installing a new balance staff due to it being broken. I like to use the fiddy style hands, but the sizes are wrong and they won't fit a pocket watch movement. So I fabricated new hour and cannon pins to accept the fiddy sized hands. Here are a few pictures of that process from an earlier post: This movement is a "Pendant set" type, meaning that there is no set lever or stem attached to the movement in the conventional sense. The stem is part of the pocket watch case, if you look closely at the pictures, you will note the missing set lever screw, the one that you would normally loosen to remove the stem. After a lot of thinking, and trial and error, and making of custom parts and pieces, I managed to make a new stem that does what it should do, that is wind the watch and allow the time to be set. I am very pleased with the results. The dial is a "Ross" dial, made of two pieces of brass, I painted and patina'd the dial as well as lumed it in my custom Tritium vintage lume mixture and aged the works to give it that true vintage feel. Since I have a number of these, this one won't be staying in the watch box but will be sold off. Making these custom watches is not for the faint of heart, it requires a lot of work starting with sourcing and restoring the movement as well as modifying it to fit the case, then you have to manufacture custom parts to accept the hands, then figure out and get the completed movement and dial to fit and line up and actually work in the case...many many hours are needed to get to the stage you see here. But I think it's well worth it, hope you like the results as well. I have a collection of these vintage pocket watch movements all modified and serviced and waiting for a new home...I just need to find the time... Pictures... Everyone is always talking about "Swan Neck regulators", how's this for a gold swan neck regulator, it doesn't get much nicer than this. Notice the steel piano wire bars fitted to the edge of the movement and the case to secure the movement in place. Thanks for looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 WOW...I want one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Good to see you posting. Thats a fantastic piece of work you've got there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projectologist Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 An absolutely beautiful combination... and I really enjoyed the sharing of some of the work behind it. Great stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samurai Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Very very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 The Zigmeister, you are a master. incredible workmanship. BTW, The dial and case are great as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krpster Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Truly amazing. Very very nice. Not only does that take skill but also vision and creativity. I'll take one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 That's so cool, truly one of a kind. So much better than going into a shop and buying something someone else made. Wearing your own craftmenship must be very satisfying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefwiggum Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Holy God The Zigmeister = That is one of the nicest pieces of work that I have seen. I wish that I had 1/8 th of your skill and knowledge. If you have anything, even close to this for sale, please, please, please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paralizer Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 I need more tools. Awesome job The Zigmeister. Love that movement. Better than even a hamilton 917 or 921. It's a shame they used to hide those movements inside the pocketwatches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbchubb Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Truly beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialvat Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Wonderful work, really like the movement it sets the piece alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slickdick Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Great work, hehehe i this was mine i would wear it with the back on front! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 That is truly a unique piece! One of a kind! While the dial side up is a beauty in it's own right, the real work of art is only apparent once you see the back of the watch Well done, as always! Your talent never ceases to amaze me; I'm always looking forward to see what you surprise us with next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Thanks so much everyone, I really like making these up, each is individual and has it's own character. And I get to use some new skills along the way. After seeing the posts over the weekend by cortebert, I got the urge to spend some time showing some new stuff. Better than even a hamilton 917 or 921. It's a shame they used to hide those movements inside the pocketwatches. I agree with you. The only reason you see the Hamilton's being used, is that the seconds subdial spacing is the same as the ETA 6497, so it's an easy swap. I have found in my searches that there are many many more beautiful and usable movements out there than Hamilton's. I wanted something that was not only different, but of high quality, this fits the bill nicely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palani21 Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 GOOD GAWD! now that's what 'm talkin about...thinkin way outside the box and creating a unique piece that is as beautiful as it is functional...well done bruddah...love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwatch Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 That movement is such a work of art! It is beautiful! Well done!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neuuubeh Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Gotta study those pics of modifying the pinions closer . Really beautiful movement, and mindboggling work on fabricating those parts! The piano strings are definitely an interesting idea as well POST MORE PICS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Wonderfull Ziggy, You know what we need is a museum of the best that we have seen made in this forum,Just so we dont lose some of these projects over time. I fact i will propose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drulee Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Great post The Zigmeister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 You sir, are a Genius. The piano wire takes the cake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted October 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Gotta study those pics of modifying the pinions closer . Really beautiful movement, and mindboggling work on fabricating those parts! The piano strings are definitely an interesting idea as well POST MORE PICS Glad you like it, I was waiting to see what you thought. On the modifications of the gears, I just finished a Moljina with similar modifications. On the Moljina I tried a new approach, on the hour wheel, I cut the existing tube completely off the existing gear, then I made a new tube out of brass on the lathe, I cut down the tip so that the hand would fit, and then the base was cut down to the size of the hole I broached in the gear. A small notch was cut to fit snugly in the gear, and then I riveted the new brass tube to the original gear. A much better solution and a permanent one as well. For the cannon pin, I did the same thing, only this time I made the hole in the new cannon pin about 0.01mm smaller and press fitted it onto the existing cannon pin. I'll do what I can for more pictures, as anyone who has done any work and tried to photograph it along the way, it's very time consuming... Piano wire was the only solution, case clamps can't be used because they interfer with the caseback, everything for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky driver Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 that movement really is purdy. amazing work The Zigmeister you really are gifted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Great post. Thanks Zig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff g Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 Thanks Mr.Z YOU are why we are here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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