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Clebar "Big Eyes" Chrono Restoration Project


hanski

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I picked up a gen, mid-seventies, Clebar “Big Eyes” Chrono for $20. Watch was in fair shape: case worn, missing pusher, rusted stem, some rust on the movement, cracked crystal, and not keeping great time. I figured with a new crystal, thorough cleaning, and a couple new parts it could be a great watch again. 

Fastforward several months, I finally got a replacement stem from Germany, pusher from China, and ultrasonic cleaner from Pennsylvania. I’ve torn the movement and watch apart, cleaned everything, and catalogued each part with its respective screw in a pill container. 

Made some good progress this evening after cleaning everything yesterday (rust is all gone), reassembled and oiled the gear train and keyless works. Pallet fork and balance is installed - everything is winding and setting smoothly - balance is moving freely - and it’s ticking away presently. Pleased with the progress on my first chronograph full tear down, cleaning, oiling, and rebuilding  

Next is the chorongraph complications. 


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Original movement and dial above (before cleaning)
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Catalogue of parts
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Partially rebuilt movement

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Was hoping to have more of an update today but the chrono complications were a bit slow going. I mistakenly rotated two (you’d think I would have learned my lesson after one...) eccentric screws while disassembling. Lesson learned: DO NOT touch eccentric screws!!! The one adjusting the second hand chrono mechanism was fairly easy to adjust but the minute chrono complication took FOREVER. 

Anyways, all the wheels are turning correctly, smoothly, etc. 

To be continued. 

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Made some good progress this evening:

- movement fully reassembled

- new pushers installed into case, stems cut to correct length

- dial and movement installed into case

- hands set, beautiful alignment

- stem cut to length, crown installed

The chrono, pushers, winding, and time setting are all working properly. I still need to wrap up a few bits and make a couple of tough decisions. 

- new internal crown gasket

- need to fit a new crystal

- new case back gasket

And the two tough questions: 

- Relume or leave it alone??? 

- What kind of strap/bracelet? 

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11 hours ago, TAG Heuer said:

That a nice project you started there. Great looking watch and I love the dial as it is. Saw similar Clebar for 1000 dollar on Ebay.

 

I am looking forward to see the final result 👍

Yeah, I’ve seen them there too. $20 for the watch, $30 for pushers, $25 for a new stem, $6 in gaskets, and $10 for spring bars, and $15 for a crystal isn’t a bad investment then. 

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Well, I decided to relume. Hardest lume job I’ve done yet! Those skinny numbers...ia, ia, ia. In addition to that some of the outlines to the numbers came off. Not only did I relume but I had to touch up the black outlines. For the lume I used a slightly thicker mixture to avoid seepage. Good choice for that reason but the thicker the mixture, the harder it is to control the lumpiness. 

I chose a darker yellow-khaki tone for the quality of being aged but without being a mucky-green-black. 

I think the quality and tone is period correct. Thoughts? (I could always do it again...) 

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PS. After this I definitely don’t fear those ginormous Explorer Dial fonts. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry, but up until the point you re-lumed that dial you were doing great.

If it was my watch I wouldn't have touched that dial. 1st because the original lume looks suspiciously like Radium (very radio-active) 2nd because the original lume looked better.

 

Again, apologies if I'm being over critical but I have seen far too many classic vintage timepieces not ruined but, spoilt.

 

How about stripping that case. Is it chrome over base metal? Have it re-chromed and it will lift it up several notches.

 

Good luck.

 

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7 hours ago, ceejay said:

Sorry, but up until the point you re-lumed that dial you were doing great.

If it was my watch I wouldn't have touched that dial. 1st because the original lume looks suspiciously like Radium (very radio-active) 2nd because the original lume looked better.

 

Again, apologies if I'm being over critical but I have seen far too many classic vintage timepieces not ruined but, spoilt.

 

How about stripping that case. Is it chrome over base metal? Have it re-chromed and it will lift it up several notches.

 

Good luck.

 

Critical thoughts are always welcomed. We can’t always just pat each other on the back. 

Thank you for the suggestion of rechroming the case - that wasn’t something I was considering but it’s now high on my list of things to do. 

As to the lume - this was something I considered long and hard. 

I’m happy to fetishize vintage, aged lume - particularly when is clean and consistent. But I take off my rose-colored lume glasses when it is a rotten green-black, moisture damaged color/texture. 

In that case (and this one) a well-done, period correct relume is appealing to me. 

Aesthetically, I DO tend to agree with you about the graphic quality of the old lume verses redo. The dark color is a nice contrast to the dial (particularly the tan-aged dial). 

In person, the relume doesn’t get as lost as in the pictures. There’s always angles and light dancing on it to keep it legible. 

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by ruined vs spoilt? 

And, yes, it might have been radium but I took precautions in the removal to avoid unnecessary exposure. 

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21 hours ago, mzinski said:

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by ruined vs spoilt?

 

It's just referencing to many comments I have read on(vintage) watch forums directed at someone who has made minor changes to a watch and have been lynched for so called 'ruining' of a watch.

 

Hope you get that re-plating done, it's a lovely watch 👍

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  • 1 month later...
6 hours ago, kernow said:

Any updates? Personally I like the relume. It’s all about what pleases you though. 

No real updates - it’s keeping great time after a bit of regulating. I have not pursued having the case rechromed but maybe I will in the future. I’m enjoying it as a nice vintage chrono. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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