Aunt Kathy wanted me to post this after she saw the video :) Oh my gosh! Seeing you bring Grandma's watch back to life was so exciting. I wanted to ask if it was okay with you if I write a comment on the site? I saw several people wanted to know how I felt or reacted. I cried, jumped up and down when you found that little piece that was preventing it from running, and was shouting. Scared Kiki (that's her dog lol) big time. I think she thought I had finally lost it. Anyway...big hug and THANK YOU. You truly are gifted. Love you dear. Auntie Kathy💕
Hey Marshall, I have an early 70s Wakmann chronograph that my father bought new and handed down to me. The watch hasn't been serviced since new and "runs" but stops often and the chronograph function is inoperable. I would like to keep the watch in the family and one day pass it down to my kids. I know it's a long shot, but, if you would be willing to tackle the job I would be more than happy to ship it to you.
How can i approach you to help me restore my grandfathers watch it is a mechanical Citizen from somewhere around the 60's i think it runs when wound up but stops after a while starts running again when tapped slightly i live in South Africa?
I'm a auto technician, I do heavy line. I tear down engines and rebuild them daily. But this tear down and reassembly had me sweating. So many small parts!!! You got some mad skill!
Just for future reference, those "white stones" glued to the dial are in fact glass with a mirrored foil backing! I'm an old Jeweller & in the trade we called them "mirror-backs" & typically you'll find them within "costume" jewellery. Often referred to as "rhinestones", they'd be what you'd call the "CZ" (cubic zirconia) or "fake diamond" of their time.
Suggestion for retrieving tiny (but essential!) items from floor or carpet: Put a piece of pantyhose over the end of your hand-held vacuum (hold in place with a rubber band). Run the vac over the area where the part could have flown to -- and vacuum a larger area than you normally would; those little parts have invisible wings! Every so often, shake off the debris onto a large piece of white paper. Eventually, your missing part will reappear!
Columbo - A Trace of Murder. The forensic guy, who'd actually done the murder, suggested something similar. Hoover the room then empty the contents onto a white sheet.
@@davefarmery8180 Not that we would KNOW from personal experience... Or anything like that. All together now, to the tune of "Row, row, row your boat": Roll, roll, roll your weed Gently to the end Light it up Toke it up And pass it to a friend. Thanks to Bud Greenweed at Weedaminophen for that charming ditty that I CAN'T GET OUT OF MY DAMN HEAD!!
I was a jeweler for several years and covered the repair bench as well as fabrication. I have always been in awe of watch makers and repairers. Thanks for the videos, they’re very enjoyable and edifying.
I'm a bench jeweler too and I always thought you had to be a little crazy to be a watch maker. I mean we just have to make something look pretty, we don't have to actually make it run!
This repair undertaking speaks volumes of your abilities despite you characterizing yourself as a hobbyist. Working on pieces that have components that are irreplaceable or the timepieces themselves are irreplaceable is unnerving enough as it is, but evermore so when the watch belongs to someone close to you. "Yikes!" is the first word that pops into my mind. Great job as always, Marshall. Had this video been two hours long, I would have watch it in one sitting till the end. Always learning new stuff one here. See you on Isnta!
I'm a marine engineer and so work with sometimes massive equipment, I must say I'm very impressed and interested in your work! Feeling a little inspired although I have hands like shovel's!😄😄 Very well done mate!
Nice video. As a retired clock restorer who did a lot of carriage clocks, Ships Bell, marine chronometers, all with watch type escapements (along with watches for good customers) I'll offer two recommendations: 1) Use less oil on the cap jewel(s). Only the center third should be covered so capillary action keeps the oil centered between the cap and hole jewels. With oil out to the edges, capillary action will draw oil OUT of the working area. As you noted, ladies watch movements can be truly tiny. Reworked small oilers are your friends to avoid too much oil getting applied. 2) A tiny drop of 941 centered on the pallet jewel faces makes a big difference in amplitude on most of these watches. Note that 9415 is NOT a 5ml bottle of 941, it is the pallet jewel oil for higher beat rate watches. Stress the word tiny, your smallest black oiler is likely too big until you stone down the tip a wee bit. If the drop is so small you think it can't be enough, it's probably just right. If you prefer not to buy 941 (it's only use is on pallet jewel faces), 9010 will work in this application. Purists may shudder, but everything prior to WW2 in the watch world tended to get whatever oil the watch maker liked or could get used everywhere... I like watch work, but found it was a huge time sink for little return where I had the business. People wanted to fix the family kitchen clock, but didn't want to put any money into old watches. The time to find parts was rarely recovered. So I only did watch work for good customers or my own pleasure. As a bonus, my good customers tended to have vintage Patek, Omega, Cartier, and the like. High end stuff was originally made so well that parts tend to almost self assemble, while fooling with a lower end product is often a micro wrestling match to get fragile pivots to line up :-)
This is an art deco piece. I'm surprised it has a stretch "Speidel" band. They were developed much later than the 1920's. I suspect the original band was leather, and switched out for the stretch band in the 1950's. But, it's a great match!
I ended up here accidentally through autoplay, but ended up watching the whole thing! Great work and narration-explanations, not to mention very satisfying. You just won a new subscriber
I just wanna say the skill you hold is unmatched. Anyone that can take a watch a part and effectively piece it back together again is a huge talent. Such a beautiful job. I miss being a jeweler
This video is gorgeous! As someone with some experience with electronics repair I just wanted to add that the notion that you should just buy a new product in cases if anything is going to get repaired is a totally artificial notion put in place by companies that electronics "right to repair" movements are trying to change! Most often the price for replacement parts is artificially inflated by companies to drive consumers to buy new products instead of getting them repaired. If you're interested I think you'll find that Louis Rossmann makes videos in a very similar vein with your videos, showcasing how electronics get repaired in a way that I think is as enchanting as how you repair watches!
I just repaired my laptop mainboard a couple weeks back. It had a short B+ rail to GND. B+ is basically the main high-power, highest-voltage rail, which will be either at the battery voltage or at the charger voltage depending on whether the charger is connected, and it goes literally everywhere. With some help from someone more experienced with laptops than myself, i found a bunch of solder bridges that i could remove to start isolating the functional subunits of the board. Then i checked all power MOSFETs for shorts, and finally injected low voltage, high current into the remaining fault, and a 0805 size ceramic capacitor flared up, it had grown an internal short, probably got cracked by temperature cycling. The replacement part was basically several cents, but procuring decent quality ones turned out a little difficult today and made for a little bit of cost, but not much. This is probably the single most common laptop mainboard fault and someone with more experience can probably track it down in several minutes. I had done a rebuild of a dead LCD monitor from CCFL to LED backlight, which involved some re-engineering of the power supply, and peeling and reassembling the glass stack, getting the control pin for the backlight PWM out of the power supply and disabling unneeded high voltage circuits and their error reporting. This was quite a faff and the monitor died 4 years later, i seem to have left a tiny piece of dust between the glass layers, and eventually the panel cracked right across the spot where that was in. I have done countless "simple" repairs where it was just a dead cap or transistor, worst case, you lift out enough components if they cannot be tested in-place, you test them individually. Schematics and diagnostic guides (expected signal at test points, flow charts) would cut down that work drastically. I barely even have anything that i haven't had to repair at this point. OK my phone is new, but my prior one had to have USB socket replaced a couple years in, i kept it for 5 years. Recently rebuilt a PC power supply which was suspected wonky, lifted and tested a lot of individual components. It was an old Delta so i deemed it worth saving. One capacitor was very unconvincing and got replaced, otherwise it's all good, and runs well today. I have another one but it has some sort of cascade failure, and since it has failed in the 5VSB circuit and isn't draining the bulk cap, working on it requires a lot of time and safety measures. But at least the magnetics which are unique seem good so i'll probably get it going eventually good as new. And yeah completely dismantling and reassembling things isn't so rare. Basically every PC enthusiast knows to reassemble their PC every 2-5 years, to reseat all connectors, replace the potentially degraded CPU paste, repaste and re-pad their GPU, the latter often involves like 17 screws, but fundamentally it's dead easy. Haswell CPUs are now at an age where often the paste within the CPU package has degraded as well, you can see it when you software probe the temperature of individual cores, and one of them is way too high but others are OK, so the permanently glued-on heatspreader needs to come off for maintenance. Of course in better times you'd be replacing the PC every few years nearly entirely, but with economic circumstances being what they are, parts need to be run longer and they'll need some care. Actually a lot of old computer stuff that had been thrown away decades ago is now in high demand and fetches good prices. If you have a Voodoo 5, or an AWE32, or a Super Socket 7 system, those go well. People are rediscovering classic games and they want a fully compatible system to do so in a way software workarounds and emulation won't provide, or maybe a dream system they wish they had 20 years ago and couldn't afford, maybe a build that would have seemed silly at the time but has unique traits. Tech has cultural significance beyond utilitarianism.
My background is electronics as well but love working under the microscope so much I'm looking at Ebay watch lots myself. It's such similar work. See if I can make a go of this. I was a chef with tickets for many years and then fell into the transmission rebuilding trade for 15 years. Now my eyesight is gone working under a microscope is the only thing I can get away with now. Also a big fan of Louis channel.
That was impressive. I’ve only been a “watch guy” for a very short period of time and I’ve seen maybe 2 dozen videos. Yours are the best, here’s why: Presentation and narration are the best so far. You may not be a 2 yr apprenticed watchmaker but you know far more and better than I ever will. I have very bad eyesight and my hand dexterity is shot from over 20 yrs of carpentry handling heavy things and using rough hand tools. This is the next best thing. Good job n keep it up.
Man. The style and charm of Aunt Kathy's watch was brought back to life with your superb skills. Finding simliar crystal diamonds to fit and then finding and removing that ultra tiny piece to finally get her Swiss Geneva family herloom vintage watch working again was simply fasinating to watch. Excellent video and commentary. Thumbs up!
My first real job just out of college was working in a family owned (60 years) jewelry store. There was a shop with 2 full time goldsmiths and 2 watchmakers. I was always fascinated in the detail work of timepieces. I haven't seen a skilled professional work like this since 1983. Thank you for a terrific video. I'm subscribing! Happy New Year :)
being able to take this piece, or any watch apart - and then doing assembly - knowing the pattern, replacing each piece - pretty unreal. very interesting to watch you operate. ~. JDS/CT
When you were describing how someone can be an “Aunt” but not genetically linked, I had to smile. My sons didn’t know that their uncle Mike didn’t come from their grandparents until they were, I think, in their 20s. One was filling out a family health questionnaire and it came up! LMAO! So glad you have an Aunt of the heart.
My kids grew up as close to uncle William and his two children. My daughter's 43 and yesterday told him he's most definitely her real uncle and she loves him more than her bio uncle's. He's her dad's best friend since school days.
hey Marshall! I've been watching your videos for almost a year now and I just finished disassembling and reassembling my first pocket watch! I really enjoyed it and am definitely going to pursue this as a hobby!
I like watches. I like RUclips. I’ve been a tv and video producer and Director for well over 25 years and on post production for at least 30. I can safely say that your videos are superb. The pace, the content, and quite frankly your lighting is fantastic. Getting that few shadows with that much light on overhead and close-up shots is no mean feet. Kudos!
Wow, how interesting. I’m a machinist by trade, can’t believe how small/little/tiny watch parts are, and, are beautifully made, and they work for long periods of time 🥴. Have no intention of repairing a watch but once I started watching you repair this watch I couldn’t turn your vid off until I saw all those little tiny parts working again. You made a very interesting vid, excellent quality and editing, very enjoyable. Now I’m going back to fixing a 900 horsepower diesel engine, we pick our parts up with an overhead crane. 😊 Really enjoyed your video. Thanks for taking the time to show us what makes a watch tic. From Missouri .
Even as a 3D printing hobbiest I am absolutely mesmerized by these videos, the masterful engineering to make these movements work almost makes them seem somehow more advanced than modern electronics, perhaps just because you can watch it work directly whereas modern electronics are not only obscure their workings but tend to be built as such that they can't readily be opened or fixed. Part of why I like 3D printing because it's blending a bit of both, the electronics run the show, but the mechanics of the process make it feel alive while it works, in addition to the fun of watching something I designed take form. Watching these videos is certainly making me question why I don't have my own mechanical watch, though I'd probably get something modern that shows off its inner workings rather than test my luck on trying to find something older
Ultimately the same mechanical principles when it comes to transmissions. Now the awe inspiring part here is how they used to make such intricate components so far back in time. No cutting corners. At it's prime, I bet this would have been incredibly accurate for the time period. As an automation specialist, I deal with transmissions all the time and I must say, this impresses almost as much as the old steam powered leathes that we simultaneously massive and incredibly precise. Hats off. Also, have to hand it to our man here - the patience is there, the fine touch is there as well. Loved this video.
First time I've ever watched a watch repair video. Holy cow, I had no idea! Excellent! Watched a video this morning of someone trying to fix his power hammer (for forging metal). From thousand pound machines to nearly microscopic screws in one day!
You know, I stumbled across one of your videos and watched it, and have watched several more after that. The amount of patience and skill with those teeny parts is amazing. The fact that this came out so well is a testament to that. Well done.
I was literally holding my breath at the end until it did start running! What a beautiful timepiece from the past. Things that old that don't run are usually discarded. The sentimental attachment to something that belong to a few generations before us make it invaluable to us to have and to wear. It is also a way to feel connected to them. Great work! I always enjoy your videos. You are definitely easy to watch, to listen to and to get us excited as each step is explained and completed! Happy New Year! Glad that your Aunt Kathy shared her comments too! (Sorry that Kiki got scared!)! Finally, I have to say that I can only admire people who have vision in both eyes to see well enough to do this kind of work. When those TINY screws were sitting there at the end I thought WOW....these are microscopic little devils! Thanks for the entertainment on December 30, 2021! God bless from Nashville, TN!
What an amazing restoration! When you first started I really wasn't sure if you'd be able to find replacement jewels, and just seeing you overcome each obstacles was just amazing. From someone who's very detail oriented, being able to riddle out that the tiniest piece of metal was caught in that jewel was just magical. Plus, how awesome is it that not only did she get an awesome restoration on this amazing watch, but she gets to enjoy this incredible part of the process. Such a rare treat, awesome job!
I love when you hear the sheer excitement in your voice when a troublesome watch starts working! I now start saying whats next like when you start to secure the crown “lock-tight”. Between your channel and Baumgartners art restoration its so relaxing and addicting! I hope your Aunt loves the outcome!
Stumbled on your site while quarantining and what a treat. I loved the story about your “aunt” and then the follow up in comments with her reaction to your work. I’ve not seen watch repair up close like this and found it really satisfying. It’s such a pretty watch made even lovelier because (I’m guessing) you gave your aunt memories of her grandmother. You have a special talent. I’m a fan! 👍
I wanted to let you know that I love your channel and it takes me back to when I was a watchmaker. I was trained at a school for watchmaking. I wanted to help you by giving you piece of very valuable advice. Always always take the watches completely apart including all the cap jewels, And separate the balance wheel from the plate If you keep that as a habit you'll negate the issue that you had on this watch balance wheel. All of the dirt oils and other things will be cleaned away from the pivots and you'll be able to oil the jewels. Also on the subject of the jewels they are actually glass they're not actual jewels.
Were you taught at the Waltham School in Massachusetts? My father's father learned there. I know nothing of the profession as my grandfather never found it important to be with family. I only know just a bit from what my father told me. Dad used to have this yellow plastic Plano tackle box absolutely full of super tiny gears of different small sizes and watch hands. I used to be so fascinated by how small, fine and delicate they were. I dont know what happened to that box.
The bearings are synthetic ruby, which has been used for this purpose by watchmakers since the turn of the last century. (You can look up the "Verneuil process" if you're interested.) When you see something like "17 jewels" on a watch movement, it's a reference to the number of jewel bearings, which back in the day was an indication of quality (and cost.)
I started watching you to see if I could fix my mother's watch, but now I watch to help me relax. It's amazing what cleaning and a mountain of patience can accomplish. Yes, the glue bugged me 😊 There's no way Cinderella is going to be serviced by me!
For a so called amateur think your work ethic is commendable. I doubt that that many professionals would pursue a problem the way you do. Your videos and narration make everything you do very understandable. Thank you.
Something that might be useful to know for replacing gemstones in the future is that if you either have a precision or scale, you should be able to source replacement gems easily from Amazon/ebay or dedicated bead and gem shops. You can also pick up assortments of cubic zirconia that come in the most commons sizes for quite reasonable.
I will never make or repair a watch, but I really appreciate the skill on display here. I never appreciated just how much precision went into making something like a watch do what it does. Your attention to detail, as well as your respect for the little bumps and scars that tell the story of one of these watches, is just delightful. Thank you.
What a gem! I think a little extra effort to have the dial restored would have really made the watch look like new. But the work you did should hold it in good working order for a long time. I'm sure the next family member to inherit this watch will so appreciate all your effort. Keep up the good work.
This is so so fascinating -- from beginning to end. I can feel the sense of challenge, the initial disappointment, the resolve, the aha moment when the source of a problem is discovered, the triumph and deep satisfaction of the watchmaker as he puts an old timepiece back to life. Congratulations!
That was some pretty great camera work . Watching these watch repair videos makes me want to see how they make these screws and just microscopic parts so precisely . I think you could genuinely lose on of those screws under your fingernail and not notice it . That watch turned out brilliantly , well done sir .
I have been using these videos for stress management. They are sane, hypnotic, calming, and yet have gentle tension and taught narrative making them absorbing. I try not to rush straight to the end to find our what happens!
I am amazed at how he remembers where all those microscopic parts go after being taken apart. I couldn't remember,that is for sure! Great skill and dexterity!
Do you remember where all your pots, pans, bread, canned goods go in your kitchen? Do you remember where the packets of pasta go as opposed to the cans of tomatoes and the dried fruit? The sugar, the coffee, the flour, the syrup? The cups, the washing up liquid? I bet you have a similar amount of things in your kitchen. Same with your bedroom. Where do your pyjamas go? Underwear? Tee-shirts? Dresses? Jeans? You know because you know. It looks impressive but it’s not _the_ impressive thing with watch repairs.
@@JulieWallis1963 That’s fine cause you have ONE kitchen and use ONE bedroom where all the draws are in the same place everyday. This guy has to remember where all the parts go on DIFFERENT watches, makes, brands, styles where each screw is a different size, depth, left or right threaded on that particular watch. I’m sure there’s a logical familiarity to a degree from experience but try unpacking the shopping and groceries from a random house on the other side of town then put every item back where it belongs.
I'm a Guitar Technician, and I enjoy watching your videos, and I find it both addictive and intriguing watching you deal with all these tiny parts. Anyone mechanically inclined shares the simple joy of seeing something work as intended. Also, when you found that remnant of the broke piece preventing the balance from functioning properly, I think we all had that "ah-ha" moment in the course of a repair. Keep up the good work!
I lost a family friend about ten years ago that I called "Aunt.....," and she was and still is in my heart and memories. Quickly: she fixed at least three stubbed toes, let my mom and dad when they got married take their brand new car on their honeymoon (which took them back to the mountains my father loved so much.) These mountains are where I grew up some twelve years later (Cedar City, Utah.) She wouldn't let me come see her to say goodbye. It was bone cancer. She must've wanted me to remember her laughing and loving life. I miss her at times. These watches that self start are like breathing that first breath of life.
A beautiful watch. Pure art deco design. I'm sure your Aunt was delighted. You restored something more precious than a lovely watch. You saved, and revived, the memories your Aunt has of her Grandmother wearing it. That's priceless.
My Dad was an instrument maker and completely deaf and I watched him disassemble and repair small components and sometimes make a part on the smallest lathe. The best thing to see was him service his watch which he did with such precision and speed it was eye-popping. He also made his own flies for fly fishing. It is great to see watch repairs and I love your channel but I think that there is something mind blowing to think that people have the capacity to build things that are beautiful and functional and of a quality that will last generations. I cheered when your aunts watch jumped into life. The universe just righted itself that little bit!
You did an amazing job, once again. Finding that broken piece in the jewel was a testament to your attention to detail. Replacing the diamonds was also a nice touch. I bet the owner of the watch was ecstatic to see it in such great shape, and running. Two thumbs UP!
I really enjoy watching your precision and care in these videos. I am a mechanical/hydraulic engineer, so know about the way machines work, but would not have the absolute precision and steadiness of hand for this type of work.
Has to be interesting seeing the similarities between what you do and this, even though the scale/forces at play are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
I also marvel at the machining and finishes on the internal watch parts. For all I know about machining, I can't imagine the machines (or by hand work...) that make these tiny, tiny screws. Or some of the beautiful patterns and finishes on the bridge and noticeable areas.
How long did it actually take you to complete this whole revival? Your patience is amazing! Your know-how is second to none! Watch repair is another lost art. Thank you for taking the time to film and explain the pieces while taking it apart and putting them back together.
@WristwatchRevival I beg to differ about electronics. There are a BUNCH of us out there repairing individual tiny components ona complex circuit board. Your craft is special. So is electronics repair.
"There's something really satisfying about that process. I hope you find it that way, too." You've accurately described my entire motivation behind watching hours of your watch restoration videos.
Marshall, I know this is an old video-but it was the very first one of yours I watched. I was mesmerized. Especially since I have a similar watch for a number of years that was my father’s. Of course, I wouldn’t attempt to restore it myself-but maybe one day. It might run in the blood as my father was a watchmaker long before I was born. He used that knowledge in working with metals very well and passed down a great deal of that knowledge to me and my siblings. Thank you so very much for your work and your kindness to share your knowledge-I find it fascinating!
Started to look back at your videos after seeing most of the newer ones. I don't know anything about watchmaking, but I can tell so easily how much better you have become in just one year. Not trying to diss your skills in this video, but you are at another level now. Keep up the hard work!
It is my first time watching you, and I found your work fascinating. Your expertise and skill are apparent and beyond hobbyist. My maternal Grandfather was a watch maker, and I wish I had known him. I will view this again to learn the names and placement of the parts and their functions. Well presented work sir!
Thank you for being such a wonderful channel. I used to watch my grandfather work on clocks when I was younger and you remind me of those moments with him. Thank you.
Great to see a Nice bit of vintage bling being brought back to life. It's funny you mentioned flashlights and carpet because just before watching this I spent 3/4 of an hour on my hands and knees with a flash light searching through my Silvery colored thick pile carpet for a screw off my 1956 Seiko Marvel (that was fun) but you never give up, it's a challenge lol.
That was awesome! One of the first gadgets I became interested in when I was little (late 1960s, early 1970s) was wrist watches. I came by it honestly, I suppose, because my father grew up in a family that was somewhere between very comfortable and wealthy. They didn't live opulently, but Grandma, in particular, had an eye for nice things, and was willing to spend the extra money for upscale products when she could perceive the added value (as opposed to just seeing a higher price tag). So, for example, they lived in nice, but fairly ordinary apartment in New York City, and didn't own a car (because the way she saw it, a car was more of a liability than a luxury in NYC), but the piano was a Steinway, and she, Grandpa, Dad and my uncle all had nice watches, some of which had stories behind them. For example, Dad wore an Accutron watch that Mom bought him when they got married. When I was about 7, I think, Grandma showed me a watch that wasn't being used. It was probably a Caravelle, or some other Bulova model, or maybe a Movado, and I remember it was in similar condition to your aunt's watch, i.e., not running, dirty on the inside, and definitely in need of some TLC. I asked Grandma why she kept it, since no one was using it, and she answered that it was a $100 watch and could be repaired, maybe for me, when I was older. Mind you, she was telling me this in the early 1970s. We're talking about a watch that was probably purchased in the late 1950s, or the mid 1960s, if it was a Caravelle, so if we were to translate that into 2022 dollars, it would be like spending $700-1000 for a watch today - not in the same league as a Rolex, but still a very nice watch, indeed! Ultimately, that watch got the TLC it needed, and was subsequently worn by my younger brother or by me. (Why the confusion? Well, I mentioned three watches earlier: a Caravelle, some other Bulova and a Movado. In fact, there was one of each. Grandma had two of them, one of which needed the TLC, and one was my dad's old watch, which he would wear on the occasions that the Accutron went to the jeweler for cleaning and adjustment. I just don't remember which was which. As I recall, I got one of the watches from Grandma after I lost my first watch, a classic Timex. My brother got the other one from Grandma as his first watch.) And thanks to your video, I now have an idea of how that TLC was given.
Stumbled upon your videos by accident- as someone who inherited a Rolex from my mother, your salvaging the ladies salt water damaged Rolex and seeing you restore this watch from your ‘aunt’ I was immediately addicted to your videos. Your sincere desire to restore watches for more than monetary gain was inspiring!
Loved watching this neat old watch come back to life! As usual you did a fantastic job and it will now be a useful and cherished heirloom for generations to come. I have my Grandfathers Helbros Invicible 21 jewel wristwatch from the 50’s that I hope to have serviced and brought back to life someday, it hasen’t been cleaned in 60 years if it ever was.
@@sanslik5141 I would love that but somehow I don’t think Marshal would be to keen about a watch showing up on his door step unannounced with a note attached to please fix and return lol!
I just started watching these last week, and they're fascinating. I've always loved old watches, and wanted to be able to do some servicing on the ones I have or find which are not in great shape. I consider myself mechanically inclined, and work on cars, musical instruments, electronics, etc. Obviously, there's a whole other level here of complexity. You seem to take these apart and put them back together so nonchalantly. I'm sure there was a learning curve. Are there tricks you used when you started out, to help make sure you knew where the pieces went? I was thinking it would be great to video the disassembly, and play it backward to aid in reassembly. Thanks for doing these!
Great video! Its always a great feeling to get a family members watch working again! I do have to say though, go easy on the grease! Thinner grease especially has the tendency to run over time, and it will work its way under the plating on the movement parts and cause it to come up like what happened on your barrel and cover. A good rule of thumb is if you can see the grease with the naked eye it's too much. Another thing is poor beat error will absolutely affect timekeeping. High beat error will affect positional accuracy (i.e. timekeeping in the dial up position vs the dial down position and pendant positions). Adjusting beat error on a watch without a beat adjustor on the balance cock is difficult, but a beat error of 10 ms vs 1 ms can be the difference between a watch barely running and a watch that can run within chronometer specs. But as always, excellent video and keep up the great work! Its always nice to see someone else who really loves watchmaking!
Hi Marshal, your posts and video are something else. I am personally addicted to your channel and posts. By the way, you are the most likeable person in RUclips. The way you talk and explain as well as special moments that it kills us but you immediately go for it to fix, like the extra glow that we all wait for you to clean it of. It's so enjoyable. Thank you, ❤
Tip: When putting a screw in, loosen the screw til it clicks and "seats" in the threads. It'll prevent cross threading, especially in those tiny screws where feeling is hard to get. Super cool to see that tiny find in there! That is wild.
Another great video Marshall. Love the presentation. I have a Montine watch with an AS movement. It was my father in law's but I've looked at prices and you can get them for less than £25. Quite a bargain in the current climate.
I love working with detailed stuff. ( Building ship models & tying sail knots ) but this is another planet level. Man how do You ever learn where all that goes ???
Another question. Do you think you’d be able to do a video on a classic Vostok watch? They’re pretty cheap but they have a pretty huge cult fan base and it’s my understanding that they have some unusual quirks that you may find interesting
@@WristwatchRevival I've got a CCCP issued Vostok Komandirskie that I think the mainspring broke on, if you ever want to repair one. I wore it for a long time and was really sad when it broke, it's a beautiful looking Soviet watch.
Yes, he did some early one. An Elgin and I think there was another. Check the channel videos. There aren't that many, so it should be easy to find them.
@@two_tier_gary_rumain Mine is an Elgin also. I'm having a hard time finding someone to repair it. As I said I'd love to see the repair performed as it has more sentimental value than monetary value. Still willing to pay to have it repaired tho...cheers
I have watched this with lots of interest, even holding my breath whilst the fiddly bits were reassembled. When I was 14 yrs old, I used to get lots of chain-Driven Pocket Watches, and many of these had silver cases. I had some success in getting these going again, the main issue being dirt ingress. Clocks are definitely easier to fix! But there was one process in the rebuilding of this watch that I did not understand. I would have cleaned the face of this watch (before replacing the hands) with some alcohol. Perhaps (back then) this watch had a painted face - long before anodising. Perhaps it would have been a risky business to attempt to clean the face, in case the whole lot disappeared! Great to see an expert at work! Greetings from Australia.
Can you “Frankenstein“ a quartz watch to an automatic watch, using the same face, hands, crown, and case. I assume finding the movement that fits into the case would be the biggest challenge.
the hands may not fit the stem as well. Movement can be placed in a movement spacer but the height may be an issue. Clipping the dial feet will be neccessary.
Question from someone with no experience in any of this: won't the plating flaking off get into the movement? You showed how the tiniest stuff can block the movement working properly, or is the plating so thin it's relatively not a concern?
I don't have any experience either but plating on metal that small is probably really, REALLY brittle. Ever touched old paint? Like on some old wood or something like that?
I'd love to see a video on your watch collection! I'm always catching super quick glimpses of some great timepieces. Your gold Breguet La Tradition is no exception!
Thanks for another exciting watch repair/restoration adventure, Marshall! My only question relates to the broken pivot in the lower balance jewel. A chunk that size taken off the balance staff pivot would, I expect, have been a lethal injury. Even if a portion of the pivot was still intact, the vertical play would allow the balance to hit something (or allow the tapered section of the pivot to jam into the jewel hole). So was the balance staff replaced before and the broken piece left in the jewel? (Seems really unlikely). So I’m still trying to figure out where that chunk came from, and why the watch worked after the jewel was cleared. Does this make sense?
I believe it came from the original balance staff or one before it, I tried out a balances from the donors and only after i got that piece out did it work!
Hello how are you doing. I believe you are healthy and also having a nice weather where you are. I live in Virginia USA and I'm looking for a new friend Ok!
That watch was missing a screw and little gems. Someone not very good was in there before. I would not look for any further explanation for the piece of metal
Was nice seeing such a different watch than what we are used to today. Even the diamonds are cut totally different. It would have changed the style of the watch to replace the two missing ones with modern brilliant-cut diamonds, so you & your aunt got extremely lucky to find matching ones by chance. Like 1/1,000,000, jaw-dropping lucky!
I'm a little late to the party but glad I found your videos!! I will probably never work on watches, but I can't stop watching. The videos are so well done. Thanks, Marshall!
The watch is great! And the bonus of the jewels from the parts movement, is always a joy to have happen! Aunt Kathy's joy is also reward for such a fine job!
i love taking things apart, deep cleaning and re assemble them. these older machines are quite amazing when you take them apart and observe their functions
I have to tell you Marshall. I have followed another RUclips Channel with a wonderful lady and her sheep and Farmer husband Mark and their kids for the better part of 3 yrs. I didn't know I wanted or needed to know about sheep farming and corn/wheat/oat and all things agriculture but boy am I glad I do. Same with your channel. I didn't know I needed to know about all things watch restoring.. But you explain all the parts and what they are for and it IS so very facinating and yes satisfying as well when it all comes back to life.
Aunt Kathy wanted me to post this after she saw the video :)
Oh my gosh! Seeing you bring Grandma's watch back to life was so exciting. I wanted to ask if it was okay with you if I write a comment on the site? I saw several people wanted to know how I felt or reacted. I cried, jumped up and down when you found that little piece that was preventing it from running, and was shouting. Scared Kiki (that's her dog lol) big time. I think she thought I had finally lost it. Anyway...big hug and THANK YOU. You truly are gifted. Love you dear. Auntie Kathy💕
aweeee! how awesome and sweet
tell her we enjoyed her reaction and story lol
That's super sweet! Great that you were able to bring her so much joy!
Hey Marshall, I have an early 70s Wakmann chronograph that my father bought new and handed down to me. The watch hasn't been serviced since new and "runs" but stops often and the chronograph function is inoperable. I would like to keep the watch in the family and one day pass it down to my kids. I know it's a long shot, but, if you would be willing to tackle the job I would be more than happy to ship it to you.
How can i approach you to help me restore my grandfathers watch it is a mechanical Citizen from somewhere around the 60's i think it runs when wound up but stops after a while starts running again when tapped slightly i live in South Africa?
Something magical happens when that balance wheel starts swinging after assembly. It never gets old.
It’s the heart of a watch, reminds me of a heartbeat or a pulse
@Welshwazza Thanks tips, I'm well aware that it's a watch.
@@lilkittygirl it always reminds me of heart muscle jumping into action. Just magic.
@Welshwazza no its a watch damnit!!
I just bought a Fossil that you can see the balance wheel in, my daughter loves watching it lol
I'm a auto technician, I do heavy line. I tear down engines and rebuild them daily. But this tear down and reassembly had me sweating. So many small parts!!!
You got some mad skill!
Right
You still have it worse when you drop something in the engine bay 😉
@@deephorizon1365 so many 10mm sockets ....
Plus its crazy how this all miniature stuff was made in the first place, I mean it was quite long ago
Don't worry walmart has batteries for this guy on tap.
Just for future reference, those "white stones" glued to the dial are in fact glass with a mirrored foil backing!
I'm an old Jeweller & in the trade we called them "mirror-backs" & typically you'll find them within "costume" jewellery.
Often referred to as "rhinestones", they'd be what you'd call the "CZ" (cubic zirconia) or "fake diamond" of their time.
Good to know, thanks Colin!
Oh man my mom actually has a whole lot of mirror-backs from when she was into embroidery and chumki work (I'm not sure of the Western equivalent?)
They are foil back rhinestones
I got lucky once with an old 50's Benrus... It ended up having diamond 1/4 markers and an unmarked 14k Case... Still have it in one of my boxes...
@@OldSkoolF You should wear it, no sense having locked away
Suggestion for retrieving tiny (but essential!) items from floor or carpet: Put a piece of pantyhose over the end of your hand-held vacuum (hold in place with a rubber band). Run the vac over the area where the part could have flown to -- and vacuum a larger area than you normally would; those little parts have invisible wings!
Every so often, shake off the debris onto a large piece of white paper. Eventually, your missing part will reappear!
Columbo - A Trace of Murder. The forensic guy, who'd actually done the murder, suggested something similar. Hoover the room then empty the contents onto a white sheet.
Works with any vacuum cleaner and porous cloth, better with one that can be turned down a notch.
Yep also works if you drop your ground weed , apparently
That's a bloody damn good life hack! 👍👍😎
@@davefarmery8180
Not that we would KNOW from personal experience...
Or anything like that.
All together now, to the tune of "Row, row, row your boat":
Roll, roll, roll your weed
Gently to the end
Light it up
Toke it up
And pass it to a friend.
Thanks to Bud Greenweed at Weedaminophen for that charming ditty that I CAN'T GET OUT OF MY DAMN HEAD!!
Those kinds of Aunts and Uncles are very special as they earned acceptance as family!
I was a jeweler for several years and covered the repair bench as well as fabrication. I have always been in awe of watch makers and repairers. Thanks for the videos, they’re very enjoyable and edifying.
I'm a bench jeweler too and I always thought you had to be a little crazy to be a watch maker. I mean we just have to make something look pretty, we don't have to actually make it run!
This repair undertaking speaks volumes of your abilities despite you characterizing yourself as a hobbyist. Working on pieces that have components that are irreplaceable or the timepieces themselves are irreplaceable is unnerving enough as it is, but evermore so when the watch belongs to someone close to you. "Yikes!" is the first word that pops into my mind. Great job as always, Marshall. Had this video been two hours long, I would have watch it in one sitting till the end. Always learning new stuff one here. See you on Isnta!
I'm a marine engineer and so work with sometimes massive equipment, I must say I'm very impressed and interested in your work! Feeling a little inspired although I have hands like shovel's!😄😄 Very well done mate!
LOL.. I like watching as well. Im a carpenter of 35 years and feel the same... My hands are basically nerveless grippers on the ends of my arms
@@emanuelsommar7243 Me three, I'm a scaffolder of 35 years and I know what you mean, my callus have callus 😁😁
Me four! I made a living selling Rv parts, no hands required. I used my experience and my mouth. But this intrigues me.
Nice video. As a retired clock restorer who did a lot of carriage clocks, Ships Bell, marine chronometers, all with watch type escapements (along with watches for good customers) I'll offer two recommendations:
1) Use less oil on the cap jewel(s). Only the center third should be covered so capillary action keeps the oil centered between the cap and hole jewels. With oil out to the edges, capillary action will draw oil OUT of the working area. As you noted, ladies watch movements can be truly tiny. Reworked small oilers are your friends to avoid too much oil getting applied.
2) A tiny drop of 941 centered on the pallet jewel faces makes a big difference in amplitude on most of these watches. Note that 9415 is NOT a 5ml bottle of 941, it is the pallet jewel oil for higher beat rate watches. Stress the word tiny, your smallest black oiler is likely too big until you stone down the tip a wee bit. If the drop is so small you think it can't be enough, it's probably just right. If you prefer not to buy 941 (it's only use is on pallet jewel faces), 9010 will work in this application. Purists may shudder, but everything prior to WW2 in the watch world tended to get whatever oil the watch maker liked or could get used everywhere...
I like watch work, but found it was a huge time sink for little return where I had the business. People wanted to fix the family kitchen clock, but didn't want to put any money into old watches. The time to find parts was rarely recovered. So I only did watch work for good customers or my own pleasure. As a bonus, my good customers tended to have vintage Patek, Omega, Cartier, and the like. High end stuff was originally made so well that parts tend to almost self assemble, while fooling with a lower end product is often a micro wrestling match to get fragile pivots to line up :-)
This is so relaxing to watch. Your precision and craftsmanship is an absolute treat to observe and admire.
Funny, I wasn't relaxed. I was tense and gritting my teeth. 😬 I think I was projecting my inabilities, like shaky hands.
pun intended?
(jk lol)
The sense of relief when you finally found that tiny piece of broken stem was unreal. Excellent work!
Sure, but I wonder where it could be from
@@walnutsandbeastiality866 it's a good question. I initially thought maybe part of it's own stem broke off.
The suspense! Over a tiny wristwatch! I was on the edge of my seat.
I would end up with a pile of parts as I wouldn’t remember where all the parts go for one thing appreciate your skill
This is an art deco piece. I'm surprised it has a stretch "Speidel" band. They were developed much later than the 1920's. I suspect the original band was leather, and switched out for the stretch band in the 1950's. But, it's a great match!
I bet you're right
Ooh. I was going to say that about the date of manufacture. I agree with your opinion about the band!
Considering the different eras of the watch and the band, they work amazingly well together. Someone did an amazing job when finding that band.
@@seonaelizabethcoster8465 They really cared about that watch. It's a real heirloom.
Actually, the Speidel "scissor" band was introduced in the 1930's, so it is period correct. I have this same watch with the same band
I ended up here accidentally through autoplay, but ended up watching the whole thing! Great work and narration-explanations, not to mention very satisfying. You just won a new subscriber
Love that! Thanks for accidentally stopping by :)
I just wanna say the skill you hold is unmatched. Anyone that can take a watch a part and effectively piece it back together again is a huge talent. Such a beautiful job. I miss being a jeweler
This video is gorgeous! As someone with some experience with electronics repair I just wanted to add that the notion that you should just buy a new product in cases if anything is going to get repaired is a totally artificial notion put in place by companies that electronics "right to repair" movements are trying to change! Most often the price for replacement parts is artificially inflated by companies to drive consumers to buy new products instead of getting them repaired. If you're interested I think you'll find that Louis Rossmann makes videos in a very similar vein with your videos, showcasing how electronics get repaired in a way that I think is as enchanting as how you repair watches!
I just repaired my laptop mainboard a couple weeks back. It had a short B+ rail to GND. B+ is basically the main high-power, highest-voltage rail, which will be either at the battery voltage or at the charger voltage depending on whether the charger is connected, and it goes literally everywhere. With some help from someone more experienced with laptops than myself, i found a bunch of solder bridges that i could remove to start isolating the functional subunits of the board. Then i checked all power MOSFETs for shorts, and finally injected low voltage, high current into the remaining fault, and a 0805 size ceramic capacitor flared up, it had grown an internal short, probably got cracked by temperature cycling. The replacement part was basically several cents, but procuring decent quality ones turned out a little difficult today and made for a little bit of cost, but not much. This is probably the single most common laptop mainboard fault and someone with more experience can probably track it down in several minutes.
I had done a rebuild of a dead LCD monitor from CCFL to LED backlight, which involved some re-engineering of the power supply, and peeling and reassembling the glass stack, getting the control pin for the backlight PWM out of the power supply and disabling unneeded high voltage circuits and their error reporting. This was quite a faff and the monitor died 4 years later, i seem to have left a tiny piece of dust between the glass layers, and eventually the panel cracked right across the spot where that was in.
I have done countless "simple" repairs where it was just a dead cap or transistor, worst case, you lift out enough components if they cannot be tested in-place, you test them individually. Schematics and diagnostic guides (expected signal at test points, flow charts) would cut down that work drastically. I barely even have anything that i haven't had to repair at this point. OK my phone is new, but my prior one had to have USB socket replaced a couple years in, i kept it for 5 years.
Recently rebuilt a PC power supply which was suspected wonky, lifted and tested a lot of individual components. It was an old Delta so i deemed it worth saving. One capacitor was very unconvincing and got replaced, otherwise it's all good, and runs well today.
I have another one but it has some sort of cascade failure, and since it has failed in the 5VSB circuit and isn't draining the bulk cap, working on it requires a lot of time and safety measures. But at least the magnetics which are unique seem good so i'll probably get it going eventually good as new.
And yeah completely dismantling and reassembling things isn't so rare. Basically every PC enthusiast knows to reassemble their PC every 2-5 years, to reseat all connectors, replace the potentially degraded CPU paste, repaste and re-pad their GPU, the latter often involves like 17 screws, but fundamentally it's dead easy. Haswell CPUs are now at an age where often the paste within the CPU package has degraded as well, you can see it when you software probe the temperature of individual cores, and one of them is way too high but others are OK, so the permanently glued-on heatspreader needs to come off for maintenance. Of course in better times you'd be replacing the PC every few years nearly entirely, but with economic circumstances being what they are, parts need to be run longer and they'll need some care.
Actually a lot of old computer stuff that had been thrown away decades ago is now in high demand and fetches good prices. If you have a Voodoo 5, or an AWE32, or a Super Socket 7 system, those go well. People are rediscovering classic games and they want a fully compatible system to do so in a way software workarounds and emulation won't provide, or maybe a dream system they wish they had 20 years ago and couldn't afford, maybe a build that would have seemed silly at the time but has unique traits. Tech has cultural significance beyond utilitarianism.
My background is electronics as well but love working under the microscope so much I'm looking at Ebay watch lots myself. It's such similar work. See if I can make a go of this. I was a chef with tickets for many years and then fell into the transmission rebuilding trade for 15 years. Now my eyesight is gone working under a microscope is the only thing I can get away with now. Also a big fan of Louis channel.
Came here to look for this comment!
That was impressive. I’ve only been a “watch guy” for a very short period of time and I’ve seen maybe 2 dozen videos. Yours are the best, here’s why: Presentation and narration are the best so far. You may not be a 2 yr apprenticed watchmaker but you know far more and better than I ever will.
I have very bad eyesight and my hand dexterity is shot from over 20 yrs of carpentry handling heavy things and using rough hand tools.
This is the next best thing. Good job n keep it up.
Man. The style and charm of Aunt Kathy's watch was brought back to life with your superb skills. Finding simliar crystal diamonds to fit and then finding and removing that ultra tiny piece to finally get her Swiss Geneva family herloom vintage watch working again was simply fasinating to watch. Excellent video and commentary. Thumbs up!
My first real job just out of college was working in a family owned (60 years) jewelry store. There was a shop with 2 full time goldsmiths and 2 watchmakers. I was always fascinated in the detail work of timepieces. I haven't seen a skilled professional work like this since 1983. Thank you for a terrific video. I'm subscribing! Happy New Year :)
being able to take this piece, or any watch apart - and then doing assembly - knowing the pattern, replacing each piece - pretty unreal. very interesting to watch you operate. ~. JDS/CT
This is so wholesome :) your aunt must be delighted to have her heirloom watch repaired by her nephew. It must mean so much to her.
When you were describing how someone can be an “Aunt” but not genetically linked, I had to smile. My sons didn’t know that their uncle Mike didn’t come from their grandparents until they were, I think, in their 20s. One was filling out a family health questionnaire and it came up! LMAO!
So glad you have an Aunt of the heart.
She's a special lady for sure :)
My kids grew up as close to uncle William and his two children. My daughter's 43 and yesterday told him he's most definitely her real uncle and she loves him more than her bio uncle's. He's her dad's best friend since school days.
hey Marshall! I've been watching your videos for almost a year now and I just finished disassembling and reassembling my first pocket watch! I really enjoyed it and am definitely going to pursue this as a hobby!
Congrats! That's awesome. Post some pics on instagram and tag me!
I like watches. I like RUclips. I’ve been a tv and video producer and Director for well over 25 years and on post production for at least 30. I can safely say that your videos are superb. The pace, the content, and quite frankly your lighting is fantastic. Getting that few shadows with that much light on overhead and close-up shots is no mean feet. Kudos!
Wow, how interesting. I’m a machinist by trade, can’t believe how small/little/tiny watch parts are, and, are beautifully made, and they work for long periods of time 🥴.
Have no intention of repairing a watch but once I started watching you repair this watch I couldn’t turn your vid off until I saw all those little tiny parts working again.
You made a very interesting vid, excellent quality and editing, very enjoyable. Now I’m going back to fixing a 900 horsepower diesel engine, we pick our parts up with an overhead crane. 😊
Really enjoyed your video. Thanks for taking the time to show us what makes a watch tic.
From Missouri .
Same job, same attention to detail, just on a different scale.
Even as a 3D printing hobbiest I am absolutely mesmerized by these videos, the masterful engineering to make these movements work almost makes them seem somehow more advanced than modern electronics, perhaps just because you can watch it work directly whereas modern electronics are not only obscure their workings but tend to be built as such that they can't readily be opened or fixed.
Part of why I like 3D printing because it's blending a bit of both, the electronics run the show, but the mechanics of the process make it feel alive while it works, in addition to the fun of watching something I designed take form.
Watching these videos is certainly making me question why I don't have my own mechanical watch, though I'd probably get something modern that shows off its inner workings rather than test my luck on trying to find something older
Ultimately the same mechanical principles when it comes to transmissions. Now the awe inspiring part here is how they used to make such intricate components so far back in time. No cutting corners. At it's prime, I bet this would have been incredibly accurate for the time period. As an automation specialist, I deal with transmissions all the time and I must say, this impresses almost as much as the old steam powered leathes that we simultaneously massive and incredibly precise. Hats off.
Also, have to hand it to our man here - the patience is there, the fine touch is there as well. Loved this video.
First time I've ever watched a watch repair video. Holy cow, I had no idea! Excellent! Watched a video this morning of someone trying to fix his power hammer (for forging metal). From thousand pound machines to nearly microscopic screws in one day!
Check out the Nekkid Watchmaker
'Someone trying to fix his power hammer' for some reason I found that funny. Isnt it therapeutic though. Watching someone else fixing stuff lol.
This can be addicting. Marshall is very unique and somewhat hypnotic to watch.
I love how you take such joy in your 'hobby.' You're almost like a doctor with a sick patient who recovers! Thank you for the video.
You know, I stumbled across one of your videos and watched it, and have watched several more after that. The amount of patience and skill with those teeny parts is amazing. The fact that this came out so well is a testament to that. Well done.
I was literally holding my breath at the end until it did start running! What a beautiful timepiece from the past. Things that old that don't run are usually discarded. The sentimental attachment to something that belong to a few generations before us make it invaluable to us to have and to wear. It is also a way to feel connected to them. Great work! I always enjoy your videos. You are definitely easy to watch, to listen to and to get us excited as each step is explained and completed! Happy New Year! Glad that your Aunt Kathy shared her comments too! (Sorry that Kiki got scared!)! Finally, I have to say that I can only admire people who have vision in both eyes to see well enough to do this kind of work. When those TINY screws were sitting there at the end I thought WOW....these are microscopic little devils! Thanks for the entertainment on December 30, 2021! God bless from Nashville, TN!
What an amazing restoration! When you first started I really wasn't sure if you'd be able to find replacement jewels, and just seeing you overcome each obstacles was just amazing.
From someone who's very detail oriented, being able to riddle out that the tiniest piece of metal was caught in that jewel was just magical.
Plus, how awesome is it that not only did she get an awesome restoration on this amazing watch, but she gets to enjoy this incredible part of the process. Such a rare treat, awesome job!
I love when you hear the sheer excitement in your voice when a troublesome watch starts working! I now start saying whats next like when you start to secure the crown “lock-tight”. Between your channel and Baumgartners art restoration its so relaxing and addicting! I hope your Aunt loves the outcome!
Your personality is so friendly and genuine. I absolutely love watching your videos. Thank you for the wonderful content!
You have undeniable patients, it's actually relaxing to watch your videos, your precision and attention to detail. I'm a fan.
Stumbled on your site while quarantining and what a treat. I loved the story about your “aunt” and then the follow up in comments with her reaction to your work. I’ve not seen watch repair up close like this and found it really satisfying. It’s such a pretty watch made even lovelier because (I’m guessing) you gave your aunt memories of her grandmother. You have a special talent. I’m a fan! 👍
I wanted to let you know that I love your channel and it takes me back to when I was a watchmaker. I was trained at a school for watchmaking.
I wanted to help you by giving you piece of very valuable advice. Always always take the watches completely apart including all the cap jewels, And separate the balance wheel from the plate If you keep that as a habit you'll negate the issue that you had on this watch balance wheel. All of the dirt oils and other things will be cleaned away from the pivots and you'll be able to oil the jewels. Also on the subject of the jewels they are actually glass they're not actual jewels.
Were you taught at the Waltham School in Massachusetts? My father's father learned there. I know nothing of the profession as my grandfather never found it important to be with family. I only know just a bit from what my father told me. Dad used to have this yellow plastic Plano tackle box absolutely full of super tiny gears of different small sizes and watch hands. I used to be so fascinated by how small, fine and delicate they were.
I dont know what happened to that box.
@@rpurdy4821 no I went to Hiram G Andrews near state college Pennsylvania
The bearings are synthetic ruby, which has been used for this purpose by watchmakers since the turn of the last century. (You can look up the "Verneuil process" if you're interested.) When you see something like "17 jewels" on a watch movement, it's a reference to the number of jewel bearings, which back in the day was an indication of quality (and cost.)
I started watching you to see if I could fix my mother's watch, but now I watch to help me relax.
It's amazing what cleaning and a mountain of patience can accomplish.
Yes, the glue bugged me 😊
There's no way Cinderella is going to be serviced by me!
For a so called amateur think your work ethic is commendable. I doubt that that many professionals would pursue a problem the way you do. Your videos and narration make everything you do very understandable. Thank you.
Something that might be useful to know for replacing gemstones in the future is that if you either have a precision or scale, you should be able to source replacement gems easily from Amazon/ebay or dedicated bead and gem shops. You can also pick up assortments of cubic zirconia that come in the most commons sizes for quite reasonable.
Yes, it’s crazy how specific jewelry crafters get!
Certainly handy to know, even if I have no immediate plans, it's always surprising when little bits of information like this become handy
I will never make or repair a watch, but I really appreciate the skill on display here. I never appreciated just how much precision went into making something like a watch do what it does. Your attention to detail, as well as your respect for the little bumps and scars that tell the story of one of these watches, is just delightful. Thank you.
Yes my best Aunt isn’t really my real Aunt but deserves to be and done more for me than most of my family 🙏
What a gem! I think a little extra effort to have the dial restored would have really made the watch look like new. But the work you did should hold it in good working order for a long time. I'm sure the next family member to inherit this watch will so appreciate all your effort. Keep up the good work.
I actually started learning watchmaking on very small movements so by the time I got to the bigger ones it was much more simple.
This is so so fascinating -- from beginning to end. I can feel the sense of challenge, the initial disappointment, the resolve, the aha moment when the source of a problem is discovered, the triumph and deep satisfaction of the watchmaker as he puts an old timepiece back to life. Congratulations!
That was some pretty great camera work . Watching these watch repair videos makes me want to see how they make these screws and just microscopic parts so precisely . I think you could genuinely lose on of those screws under your fingernail and not notice it . That watch turned out brilliantly , well done sir .
I have been using these videos for stress management. They are sane, hypnotic, calming, and yet have gentle tension and taught narrative making them absorbing. I try not to rush straight to the end to find our what happens!
Just found this channel. It's like you're the Bob Ross of watch repair 😂 Love the videos so far.
I am amazed at how he remembers where all those microscopic parts go after being taken apart. I couldn't remember,that is for sure! Great skill and dexterity!
Do you remember where all your pots, pans, bread, canned goods go in your kitchen? Do you remember where the packets of pasta go as opposed to the cans of tomatoes and the dried fruit? The sugar, the coffee, the flour, the syrup? The cups, the washing up liquid?
I bet you have a similar amount of things in your kitchen. Same with your bedroom. Where do your pyjamas go? Underwear? Tee-shirts? Dresses? Jeans? You know because you know. It looks impressive but it’s not _the_ impressive thing with watch repairs.
@@JulieWallis1963 That’s fine cause you have ONE kitchen and use ONE bedroom where all the draws are in the same place everyday. This guy has to remember where all the parts go on DIFFERENT watches, makes, brands, styles where each screw is a different size, depth, left or right threaded on that particular watch.
I’m sure there’s a logical familiarity to a degree from experience but try unpacking the shopping and groceries from a random house on the other side of town then put every item back where it belongs.
I'm a Guitar Technician, and I enjoy watching your videos, and I find it both addictive and intriguing watching you deal with all these tiny parts. Anyone mechanically inclined shares the simple joy of seeing something work as intended. Also, when you found that remnant of the broke piece preventing the balance from functioning properly, I think we all had that "ah-ha" moment in the course of a repair. Keep up the good work!
I lost a family friend about ten years ago that I called "Aunt.....," and she was and still is in my heart and memories. Quickly: she fixed at least three stubbed toes, let my mom and dad when they got married take their brand new car on their honeymoon (which took them back to the mountains my father loved so much.) These mountains are where I grew up some twelve years later (Cedar City, Utah.) She wouldn't let me come see her to say goodbye. It was bone cancer. She must've wanted me to remember her laughing and loving life. I miss her at times. These watches that self start are like breathing that first breath of life.
That was another excellent restoration. I hope your aunt has many years of joy with her new ticker. 😉👍
Your skill at repair is surpassed only by your skill as a commentator ... perfect balance to keep viewers engaged. Brilliant!
A beautiful watch. Pure art deco design. I'm sure your Aunt was delighted. You restored something more precious than a lovely watch. You saved, and revived, the memories your Aunt has of her Grandmother wearing it. That's priceless.
My Dad was an instrument maker and completely deaf and I watched him disassemble and repair small components and sometimes make a part on the smallest lathe. The best thing to see was him service his watch which he did with such precision and speed it was eye-popping. He also made his own flies for fly fishing. It is great to see watch repairs and I love your channel but I think that there is something mind blowing to think that people have the capacity to build things that are beautiful and functional and of a quality that will last generations. I cheered when your aunts watch jumped into life. The universe just righted itself that little bit!
I'm not usually one for flashy watches, but this is a real beauty. I'm so glad your Aunt Kathy can enjoy it again!
This has got to be one of my most favorites yet! Great job man!
Wow thank you!
@@WristwatchRevival I agree with Bruce
You did an amazing job, once again. Finding that broken piece in the jewel was a testament to your attention to detail. Replacing the diamonds was also a nice touch. I bet the owner of the watch was ecstatic to see it in such great shape, and running. Two thumbs UP!
What an unusual watch. Far cry from the normal ones seen. Auntie is for sure going to be very joyful to have this gorgeous timepiece back in action.
I really enjoy watching your precision and care in these videos. I am a mechanical/hydraulic engineer, so know about the way machines work, but would not have the absolute precision and steadiness of hand for this type of work.
Has to be interesting seeing the similarities between what you do and this, even though the scale/forces at play are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
That's why I watch. I'm a Journeyman Machinist and love mechanical things. I'm less than a novice at wristwatch repair, just an avid viewer.
I also marvel at the machining and finishes on the internal watch parts. For all I know about machining, I can't imagine the machines (or by hand work...) that make these tiny, tiny screws. Or some of the beautiful patterns and finishes on the bridge and noticeable areas.
How long did it actually take you to complete this whole revival? Your patience is amazing! Your know-how is second to none! Watch repair is another lost art. Thank you for taking the time to film and explain the pieces while taking it apart and putting them back together.
@WristwatchRevival I beg to differ about electronics. There are a BUNCH of us out there repairing individual tiny components ona complex circuit board. Your craft is special. So is electronics repair.
"There's something really satisfying about that process. I hope you find it that way, too."
You've accurately described my entire motivation behind watching hours of your watch restoration videos.
Exactly what I was thinking!
I'm like 'bro.. we are all here for the same reason!'
Marshall, I know this is an old video-but it was the very first one of yours I watched. I was mesmerized. Especially since I have a similar watch for a number of years that was my father’s. Of course, I wouldn’t attempt to restore it myself-but maybe one day. It might run in the blood as my father was a watchmaker long before I was born. He used that knowledge in working with metals very well and passed down a great deal of that knowledge to me and my siblings. Thank you so very much for your work and your kindness to share your knowledge-I find it fascinating!
Started to look back at your videos after seeing most of the newer ones. I don't know anything about watchmaking, but I can tell so easily how much better you have become in just one year. Not trying to diss your skills in this video, but you are at another level now. Keep up the hard work!
It is my first time watching you, and I found your work fascinating. Your expertise and skill are apparent and beyond hobbyist. My maternal Grandfather was a watch maker, and I wish I had known him. I will view this again to learn the names and placement of the parts and their functions. Well presented work sir!
This was way beyond the skills of a hobby watchmaker. Job well done with patience, love and a little elbow grease. Congratulations are in order!
Thank you for being such a wonderful channel. I used to watch my grandfather work on clocks when I was younger and you remind me of those moments with him. Thank you.
Great to see a Nice bit of vintage bling being brought back to life. It's funny you mentioned flashlights and carpet because just before watching this I spent 3/4 of an hour on my hands and knees with a flash light searching through my Silvery colored thick pile carpet for a screw off my 1956 Seiko Marvel (that was fun) but you never give up, it's a challenge lol.
Been there buddy, and will be there again I'm sure lol
The one
@@WristwatchRevival I think we all been there :D
That was awesome! One of the first gadgets I became interested in when I was little (late 1960s, early 1970s) was wrist watches. I came by it honestly, I suppose, because my father grew up in a family that was somewhere between very comfortable and wealthy. They didn't live opulently, but Grandma, in particular, had an eye for nice things, and was willing to spend the extra money for upscale products when she could perceive the added value (as opposed to just seeing a higher price tag). So, for example, they lived in nice, but fairly ordinary apartment in New York City, and didn't own a car (because the way she saw it, a car was more of a liability than a luxury in NYC), but the piano was a Steinway, and she, Grandpa, Dad and my uncle all had nice watches, some of which had stories behind them. For example, Dad wore an Accutron watch that Mom bought him when they got married. When I was about 7, I think, Grandma showed me a watch that wasn't being used. It was probably a Caravelle, or some other Bulova model, or maybe a Movado, and I remember it was in similar condition to your aunt's watch, i.e., not running, dirty on the inside, and definitely in need of some TLC. I asked Grandma why she kept it, since no one was using it, and she answered that it was a $100 watch and could be repaired, maybe for me, when I was older. Mind you, she was telling me this in the early 1970s. We're talking about a watch that was probably purchased in the late 1950s, or the mid 1960s, if it was a Caravelle, so if we were to translate that into 2022 dollars, it would be like spending $700-1000 for a watch today - not in the same league as a Rolex, but still a very nice watch, indeed! Ultimately, that watch got the TLC it needed, and was subsequently worn by my younger brother or by me. (Why the confusion? Well, I mentioned three watches earlier: a Caravelle, some other Bulova and a Movado. In fact, there was one of each. Grandma had two of them, one of which needed the TLC, and one was my dad's old watch, which he would wear on the occasions that the Accutron went to the jeweler for cleaning and adjustment. I just don't remember which was which. As I recall, I got one of the watches from Grandma after I lost my first watch, a classic Timex. My brother got the other one from Grandma as his first watch.) And thanks to your video, I now have an idea of how that TLC was given.
Good to hear brother🌟🥰
Stumbled upon your videos by accident- as someone who inherited a Rolex from my mother, your salvaging the ladies salt water damaged Rolex and seeing you restore this watch from your ‘aunt’ I was immediately addicted to your videos. Your sincere desire to restore watches for more than monetary gain was inspiring!
Nicely done.
Mechanically impressive. I'm curious about the manufacturing of all those tiny parts. ✨🤔✨
Check out Clickspring's channel here on youtube. He machines a bunch of these super small bits and it is fascinating.
Loved watching this neat old watch come back to life! As usual you did a fantastic job and it will now be a useful and cherished heirloom for generations to come. I have my Grandfathers Helbros Invicible 21 jewel wristwatch from the 50’s that I hope to have serviced and brought back to life someday, it hasen’t been cleaned in 60 years if it ever was.
Send it in! I’d love to see that restored
@@sanslik5141 I would love that but somehow I don’t think Marshal would be to keen about a watch showing up on his door step unannounced
with a note attached to please fix and return lol!
if there is such a thing as the spirit of a watchmaker then you have it the way you preserve heritage and respect about the piece really impressive
I just started watching these last week, and they're fascinating. I've always loved old watches, and wanted to be able to do some servicing on the ones I have or find which are not in great shape. I consider myself mechanically inclined, and work on cars, musical instruments, electronics, etc. Obviously, there's a whole other level here of complexity. You seem to take these apart and put them back together so nonchalantly. I'm sure there was a learning curve. Are there tricks you used when you started out, to help make sure you knew where the pieces went? I was thinking it would be great to video the disassembly, and play it backward to aid in reassembly. Thanks for doing these!
Great video! Its always a great feeling to get a family members watch working again! I do have to say though, go easy on the grease! Thinner grease especially has the tendency to run over time, and it will work its way under the plating on the movement parts and cause it to come up like what happened on your barrel and cover. A good rule of thumb is if you can see the grease with the naked eye it's too much. Another thing is poor beat error will absolutely affect timekeeping. High beat error will affect positional accuracy (i.e. timekeeping in the dial up position vs the dial down position and pendant positions). Adjusting beat error on a watch without a beat adjustor on the balance cock is difficult, but a beat error of 10 ms vs 1 ms can be the difference between a watch barely running and a watch that can run within chronometer specs. But as always, excellent video and keep up the great work! Its always nice to see someone else who really loves watchmaking!
Hi Marshal, your posts and video are something else. I am personally addicted to your channel and posts.
By the way, you are the most likeable person in RUclips.
The way you talk and explain as well as special moments that it kills us but you immediately go for it to fix, like the extra glow that we all wait for you to clean it of. It's so enjoyable.
Thank you, ❤
Tip: When putting a screw in, loosen the screw til it clicks and "seats" in the threads. It'll prevent cross threading, especially in those tiny screws where feeling is hard to get.
Super cool to see that tiny find in there! That is wild.
Another great video Marshall. Love the presentation. I have a Montine watch with an AS movement. It was my father in law's but I've looked at prices and you can get them for less than £25. Quite a bargain in the current climate.
Yeah if you can get a good case/dial combo anything with an AS in it will likely be quite good quality!
I love working with detailed stuff. ( Building ship models & tying sail knots ) but this is another planet level. Man how do You ever learn where all that goes ???
Another question. Do you think you’d be able to do a video on a classic Vostok watch? They’re pretty cheap but they have a pretty huge cult fan base and it’s my understanding that they have some unusual quirks that you may find interesting
Yeah I bet I will some day. I've done a Raketa and it was sweet.
Yes please, vostok watches are awesome!
Me too. I doubt many of the modern day 24xx movements get serviced now. It's about £25 for a new one.
I love it. Well done
@@WristwatchRevival I've got a CCCP issued Vostok Komandirskie that I think the mainspring broke on, if you ever want to repair one. I wore it for a long time and was really sad when it broke, it's a beautiful looking Soviet watch.
It's 2am but I will still watch it :D
"Watch" it 🤣
2-24 for me 😂
Haha 😄 me too
All of these videos have an extremely calming effect on me. Everytime. A joy to watch.
Do you do any pocketwatch restorations? We have one that we would love to have restored and being able to see the restoration would be a dream.
Yes, he did some early one. An Elgin and I think there was another. Check the channel videos. There aren't that many, so it should be easy to find them.
@@two_tier_gary_rumain Mine is an Elgin also. I'm having a hard time finding someone to repair it. As I said I'd love to see the repair performed as it has more sentimental value than monetary value. Still willing to pay to have it repaired tho...cheers
How in the world do they make screws that small? That's amazing in itself
also how do you even draw up the specs for them?
I have watched this with lots of interest, even holding my breath whilst the fiddly bits were reassembled. When I was 14 yrs old, I used to get lots of chain-Driven Pocket Watches, and many of these had silver cases. I had some success in getting these going again, the main issue being dirt ingress. Clocks are definitely easier to fix! But there was one process in the rebuilding of this watch that I did not understand. I would have cleaned the face of this watch (before replacing the hands) with some alcohol. Perhaps (back then) this watch had a painted face - long before anodising. Perhaps it would have been a risky business to attempt to clean the face, in case the whole lot disappeared! Great to see an expert at work! Greetings from Australia.
Can you “Frankenstein“ a quartz watch to an automatic watch, using the same face, hands, crown, and case. I assume finding the movement that fits into the case would be the biggest challenge.
the hands may not fit the stem as well. Movement can be placed in a movement spacer but the height may be an issue. Clipping the dial feet will be neccessary.
You can if you are willing to put the time and money into it and if the case/movement are compatible at all. It's a HUGE pain though.
"They're all technically synthetic sapphire"
That'd be because technically, rubies are just a specific color of sapphire.
Exactly right
So my red sapphires are rubies ?
It's very satisfying to watch and listen to your play by play as you restore these watches. Thank you, and God bless you sir.
Question from someone with no experience in any of this: won't the plating flaking off get into the movement? You showed how the tiniest stuff can block the movement working properly, or is the plating so thin it's relatively not a concern?
I don't have any experience either but plating on metal that small is probably really, REALLY brittle. Ever touched old paint? Like on some old wood or something like that?
When you see jewels with painted backs, they are just glass.
I'd love to see a video on your watch collection! I'm always catching super quick glimpses of some great timepieces. Your gold Breguet La Tradition is no exception!
Thanks for another exciting watch repair/restoration adventure, Marshall! My only question relates to the broken pivot in the lower balance jewel. A chunk that size taken off the balance staff pivot would, I expect, have been a lethal injury. Even if a portion of the pivot was still intact, the vertical play would allow the balance to hit something (or allow the tapered section of the pivot to jam into the jewel hole). So was the balance staff replaced before and the broken piece left in the jewel? (Seems really unlikely). So I’m still trying to figure out where that chunk came from, and why the watch worked after the jewel was cleared. Does this make sense?
I was thinking the same. I could not see clearly the balance staff on recorded images. But I could bet that the metal piece is from that pivot.
I believe it came from the original balance staff or one before it, I tried out a balances from the donors and only after i got that piece out did it work!
Hello how are you doing. I believe you are healthy and also having a nice weather where you are. I live in Virginia USA and I'm looking for a new friend Ok!
That watch was missing a screw and little gems. Someone not very good was in there before. I would not look for any further explanation for the piece of metal
Why didn't you clean the dial?
Was nice seeing such a different watch than what we are used to today. Even the diamonds are cut totally different.
It would have changed the style of the watch to replace the two missing ones with modern brilliant-cut diamonds, so you & your aunt got extremely lucky to find matching ones by chance. Like 1/1,000,000, jaw-dropping lucky!
I'm a little late to the party but glad I found your videos!! I will probably never work on watches, but I can't stop watching. The videos are so well done. Thanks, Marshall!
Marshall, you have a great attitude to learning and you have enthusiasm & tenacity. So you will continue doing well & learning. Cheers from Oz 🇦🇺👍
The watch is great! And the bonus of the jewels from the parts movement, is always a joy to have happen!
Aunt Kathy's joy is also reward for such a fine job!
I literally clapped, applauded right after you finished restoring this piece. Wow, big respect sir.
You are very humble when you say your just a hobbyist. The stuff you do is amazing! Really beautiful prodject!
i love taking things apart, deep cleaning and re assemble them.
these older machines are quite amazing when you take them apart and observe their functions
I have to tell you Marshall. I have followed another RUclips Channel with a wonderful lady and her sheep and Farmer husband Mark and their kids for the better part of 3 yrs. I didn't know I wanted or needed to know about sheep farming and corn/wheat/oat and all things agriculture but boy am I glad I do. Same with your channel. I didn't know I needed to know about all things watch restoring.. But you explain all the parts and what they are for and it IS so very facinating and yes satisfying as well when it all comes back to life.