Delightful interlude when the quartz guy piped up. These wonderful videos are timeless, and fulfil the BBC's original aim: To inform, educate, and entertain'. Thanks Stian!
This is the first time I saw this video, although it is a year old. Gorgeous movement and highly professional service. Regarding the decoration on the back of the bridge- whether necessary or not? I remember having read about a carpenter who was making a wooden table. When he was making the drawers, he spent a lot of time filing the drawers with sandpaper and polishing them.The person who placed the order for the table wondered why he was spending so much time and energy on something which will remain closed most of the time (meaning the drawers). To this the carpenter replied that he knew what sort of a work he has done and everytime he thought about the table, a feeling of happiness and satisfaction would come upon him. That's what quality is all about. Thanks Stian for this lovely video. Hope you and your family stay safe. T A T A.
Another wonderful restoration! The finish is so impressive given that the watch owner would likely never see it (especially the inside of the mainspring barrel!). And that time grapher performance - it's likely to equal COSC specs for some time to come given the simplicity of the movement and the care you exerted. So glad you are bringing this level of watches to our attention.
It’s true, I have not seen any watch video that featured a Vacheron & Constantin being serviced! Excellent, thank you! I’m looking forward to the Patek!
Love your watchmaking philosophy! More please! My take on the care of the finishing of parts that will never be seen by the owner is that it speaks volumes about the care taken on everything done to that point. You can’t miss even minor mistakes on forming the part when you obviously care this much on finishing the part.
Hello Gavin, thanks for watching and for your comment! You're absolutely right, the level of finishing basically says that there's no further room for improvement on the part itself so now they will move on to making it look good :) This philosophy is exactly what has made the names for the highest level manufacturers.
What astonishing attention to detail on the finishes. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to see it. It would be nice to see you work on a Patek. Kind regards.
Your commentary about the highest luxury being the privilege to waste time recalls for me Thornstein Veblen's conspicuous leisure chapter of "The Theory of the Leisure Class." That chapter and the one about conspicuous consumption would be helpful reading to any watch collector trying to understand their impulse.
Absolutely stunning watch! Thanks for letting us see the inside of the watch. You're right, all that finishing inside not really necessary if never seen by the Owner. Imagine if this watch had a see through back?
VC is my grail brand. Not sure I'll ever get one, but I will keep looking for one. Excellent video, loved all the information about the VC brand. Your videos have become my favorite; technical, funny, informative, and very calming. I'm just starting towards watchmaking, hoping to make it a new career in the next 5 years though.
Some of them (like the one in the video) are getting pretty affordable. I just picked up a ref. 6399, with the same K1001 movement, at a good price. Hope you get yours.
Great program! Thanks for showing us the workmanship inside a Geneve' Hallmark watch.. Truly beautiful and it looked great on the timegrapher too. Can't wait to see what you've got next to work on.
Glad you enjoyed it, Randy! I'm starting to think I'm building expectations a bit too high here, maybe I'll just have to do a Russian or Eastern German watch next to sort of pour some cold water them!
Your audience is here to witness your skill and narration. I for one don't care which calibre of movement you are working on. No doubt a sentiment shared by the majority of your viewers. Keep up the good work. Karl
Really love your vids and comments, humour not at the expense of somebody else. Armin Strom has put effort into getting more precise with the mirrored force movement, so no need for a Casio to keep time correctly ;) Thank you for this channel!
The simple elegance of a high quality 12 hour, time-only movement never goes out of style. I don't like a lot of complications cluttering up a wristwatch and most people don't use those complications anyway. Nice watch. Great work!
I love your commentary. I don’t understand the fine points of watch mechanisms, so that stuff goes over my head, but I love the general mechanical notes and the history. That said, I have to disagree with you that there is “no practical reason” for the amazing finishing on parts that no one will see. The amazing finishing is what supports the VC legend, and that legend translates quite practically into thousands and thousands of dollars. ;-)
Hello Angelino, thanks for watching and for your comment! Yes, you're certainly right in your observation :) When saying it's for no practical reason I really meant functional reason, which is slightly different. But VC would indeed not be what it is with lower level finishing.
@@VintageWatchServices yeah I know I was just being picayune. It must be total fun working for VC and knowing that you’re leaving a little Easter eggs for watch repairmen.
Thanks Peter! VC, PP and AP really are at a fabulous level of watchmaking indeed and it's a joy working on them *though I very rarely have the chance to!)
We best not forget JLC for their 920 automatic movement, which was first used in the Royal Oak ref. 5402 back in 1972 and is still considered one of the best automatic movements ever made.
@4:16 Of course there was the Chrysler TC by Maserati which was jointly developed by Chrysler and Maserati. It was positioned as a grand tourer and introduced to the market in 1989. Some might say it was a masterpiece of automotive design, but shortly after they likely would be fitted with a jacket with extra long sleeves and carted off to a rubber room. Production ended in 1990.
Thanks for watching! I might have done that 🤔 My general guideline is to oil the hour wheel only if the movement has a date function, but sometimes I might just do things without fully thinking it through...
Lovely job. A question or two if you please. What type of crystal was original to this time piece, and what type did you use in it's replacement??? Because of the winding stem tunnel on the underside of the case for the stem, is there as gasket in said tunnel to keep out Dust/Dirt/DNA????
Hi DitzyDoo, vintage watches typically have plexiglass (plastic) crystals. These were called "unbreakable" when they were introduced as an improvement over the fragile actual glass crystals, which this watch originally had. Plexiglass crystals are domed and indeed difficult to break, but they are very easy to scratch. Hardened mineral glasses were introduced first on diver's watches in the 1960's and sapphire glasses started being used on high end watches in the 1980's. Both mineral and sapphire were only made as flat crystals until quite recently. For this watch, there is no gasket on the stem or in the tube, no. It has a "dust proof" crown, which is the lowest rate of proofing a watch against dirt and water, which is not that uncommon for old dress watches.
@@VintageWatchServices Thanks for creating sparks in generations today to also buy the best tools for watch parts making, repair and finishing. By the way what is the thickness of the plastic you use to pry of the second hands so its not scratched? What kind of plastic is it, if it's ok to ask? God bless, have a great day.
Hello, thanks for watching! The Memosail Regatta is indeed available, I just really hate taking photos so I haven't listed it :) You can contact me at stian@vintagewatchservices.eu if you are interested in it.
@@VintageWatchServices ofcourse I am. From day 1 after watching your video. Am dreaming of some day it will be my wrist. It's an art of engineering. I will mail you from my registered email id. Hope price will not burn my pockets.
I know I am not watching the videos in chronological order (you see what i did there?) but, the one before this was the Breitling where I remarked on the poor finish. I guess that's why this brand is part of the Holy Trinity. I'm going to search your content for a Patek Philippe now - if there's not one there, can I put in a request, please. Thanks for sharing, Stian.
With a movement finished to the highest standard as this one is, do you still wash the parts using the watch cleaning machine? I've always wondered if watch cleaning machines would cause damage to fine finishes due to their swishing of the basket causing the parts contained therein to bump into one another.
Thanks for watching! Yes, you would still use a cleaning machine. Newer cleaning machines are quite gentle in their action, and if you spread the parts out into various compartments they should be fine. If you were to compare the parts before and after cleaning under a microscope you might be able to see some tiny marks, but you would have to look very closely and you would not be able to see any with the naked eye.
There is a very good reason for the slightly rediculous level of finishing on parts that will only ever be seen by a watch maker. When it becomes known that they go to that level of finish on aesthetics they will also put the same effort into finishing the parts that effect the running of the watch
Thanks for watching, Nathan! Yes, that is certainly part of why these brands go that far, but it's also a big part of braggi g rights, I think, just to be able to talk about how ridiculously high quality the finishing of your watch is at. After all, Rolex, IWC, JLC, etc do not finish to this level and they still enjoy very high reputations for how their watches run. In the end, it's all about how much the customer is willing to pay 😉
In the same way that Santa Claus is about a Turkish priest, yes 😁 By that I mean that in the old days of watchmaking when the watches were pocket watches with little protection against dust, decoration had that purpose also. But nowadays it's almost purely cosmetic.
Hello Boyd, the crown wheel had a normal right handed screw but also a core around it. The direction of rotation also depends on which side of the crown wheel the ratchet wheel is on 😉
I buy them from material houses, such as CousinsUK or Horotec. For some of these you must have a company registration, but there are some you can buy from as a private person.
Thanks a lot! Unfortunately I simply do not have time to do servicing jobs.... the watches I service on the channel are almost exclusively watches I have bought in order to resell after repair/servicing.
@VintageWatchServices What would you estimate to be the servicing cost of a K1001 powered Vacheron? Assuming it needs nothing else other than just movement servicing. Can this service be performed by independent watch repair shops?
Hello Enrique, it depends :) The right price to charge for a product/service is what the customer is willing to pay, and for an expensive watch you can assume the owner is prepared to pay much more than if this was a Seagull-powered watch. I think you would probably have to pay some $500 for a simple service. Independent watchmakers can do it for sure but they would struggle more with finding spare parts if necessary.
Given the remarkable level of finish, even on surfaces that will never be seen except by a watchmaker, I expect the Maltese-cross-shaped spring in the shock setting is not by accident.
V&C... Wow. I admit, as a newbie, this is the first I'd ever heard of them. I took a look at their website and I'm still in a state of sticker shock. But I love my Seiko 5. Somebody somewhere on the Internet commented that the 5 would be everybody's go-to zombie apocalypse watch, and that seems pretty apt. It's unkillable. My fanciest watch is an Undone Basecamp special edition, which probably says a lot. I mean, I love it. But I don't see any V&Cs in my future.
😂 Yes, you certainly pay a steep premium for all that finishing work and if course for the outstanding quality. If it's really worth it is a whole other question, but that's their business model...
Wow! And to think it is almost as nice as a Seagull movement! 😝 But seriously what an awesome company with a tremendous history. I swear I have so many watches as it is but just like good Suisse watch tools , you can not just collect one. And when you see the extra finishing it went through in places where only a watch service center would ever see. Why is it called pearling rather than jeweling like what is found on firearms? I have to remember when I am watching your videos to turn down surround sound. My neighbors must think I love Psycho! That shower scene is on constant replay. 😮🙉
😂 Watch out for those neighbors! I honestly have no idea why it's called perlage/pearling in watchmaking and something different on firearms, but maybe it's due to where the industry is located? E.g. the French speaking world may use a different term than the German speaking world.
It’s nice to see a Vacheron dissected because I would never trust my own hands to take apart mine; it’s one thing to toy around with a mass produced watch. But touching my 6115 scares me, because it is more art than production.
I know what you mean, Jacob! What is interesting is that in many ways, these movements are easier to work on due to the excellent engineering, you just want to make sure your screwdriver does not slip 😉
Excellent restoration as usual! They really focused on attention to detail in this movement! Do you need to keep track of which is the upper and lower balance jewels or are they usually the same size in most watches? Also looking for a source for your curved brass tweezers. I checked several sources and all they seem to have have is the straight version. Thanks!
Hello John, the cap jewels are either the same or they're not 😉 Meaning that unless you can see that they're different, they aren't and are thus interchangeable. You will quite often find that the top side (balance side) cap jewel is either a bit thicker or wider. That's because it is the one the balance is most likely to rest on when the watch receives a shock.
I noticed you wear the watch very close to your hand. If you bend your wrist, the crown pushes into your skin. Wearing a watch on the other side of the head of the ulna is much more comfortable and it looks much better.
It's all a matter of what you're used to and prefer! When you're wearing a shirt the watch needs to be closer to the hand and that's how I got used to wearing it. To each their own :)
hello, i like your movies very much, could you say something about the methods of washing parts? what do you use machine? liquid? proportions ? maybe something about oils? what and where ... many watchmakers hide cleaning methods. some are ashamed of the ultrasonic cleaner and others do not want to reveal secrets :) best regards
Hello Karol, thanks so much for your comment! I have an Elma ultrasonic and an Elma watch cleaning machine. The fluids I use are from Boley. I use essence of Renata for degreasing and cleaning and also alcohol, benzine and acetone for different purposes. No secrets, just patience and hard work :)
@@VintageWatchServices thanks for the answer, what alcohol do you use? I use isopropyl to wash all parts after washing liquid at the end of the balance and pallet in very pure white spirit. or better at the end- Essence of Renata? to hairspring? I'm learning all the time and I have many more questions :) I'm looking for the best solutions. but you will not put the balance and pallet fork in the ultrasonic cleaner? I read a lot that the ultrasonic washer is not suitable for vintage watches and the main springs ? it's true? and washing the main spring in white spirit and alcohol? also not allowed?
Thanks Frank! NevrDull is a bit too aggressive for hands in fine condition, but could be used on hands that are rusted, for instance. For this one I used a spongy kind of cleaning stick but a normal q-tip would work also.
Certamente nem sempre é fácil aqui! Eu uso bastante casas de materiais como cousinsuk, eBay e também grupos do Facebook e minha rede. Quase todos esses são recursos globais, mas os custos de envio para o Brasil podem ser altos.
Hello, that comparison between VC and JLC was hard, I am a JLC fan, so the quality is so different between them? JLC is the watchmaker watchmakers? How it's possible? But it's a nice video !
Sorry Tiberiu, I didn't mean to dump on JLC 😂 The main difference between the JLC 818 and the V&C 1001 is that the V&C 1001 is finished to a much higher level and also adjusted in all positions and for temperature. In later versions they also had a free sprung balance. JLC is of course a very high quality brand, it's just that V&C takes it to an even higher level. Maybe a better comparison would have been a Ferrari versus a Pagani?
Hello Michael, thanks for watching! With most dials I simply use warm water and a q-tip. Dials are typically made of brass, layered with a finishing material on top, and are then pad-printed with the logo, text etc before a protective coat of varnish is applied. A bit simplified as there could be dozens of steps :) The main issue is that if you run off the varnish, the underlying print will easily come off. So with this type of dial, just water and very gentle rubbing with something very soft like a q-tip. There's no magical essence that will clean off dirt and leave the rest, unfortunately. If there were, there wouldn't be a very lucrative refinishing industry.
I enjoyed this. I have got myself two of them, one overseas and an other a dress watch with leather strap. Too expensive to service them. The leather strap one needs repairing as it fast two minutes a week. I keep wearing it as it is and I will see when I an repairing it.
Hello Evangelos, thanks for watching! If a Vacheron is running two minutes fast a week, it is asking for a service :) Normally watches will run slower when the lubrication inside degrades, but a V&C should run much better than this. The issue with watches going too long without a service is that wear builds stronger and stronger with each day. As the lubrication degrades and more tiny debris enters the watch case and the lubrication, it turns into an abrasive. That might lead to a far bigger bill down the road than a simple service now. Having to replace several wheels and pinions because they are too worn is much, much more expensive. Thus I would certainly suggest a service if your watches do not run well and you know it's been a long time since they have been cleaned and oiled.
As always, lovely to see that balance kick back into motion. Next time my wife asks me what I'm doing at 2 in the morning I can tell her I'm watching "Watch Porn". I had a bit of a flashback to my Vostoks and their "finishing" when the "washerwoman" was removing ketchup from the dishes. The horror....The horror....
the only reason besides posterity to decorate parts nobody will see is that these finishes trap dust somewhat, keeping it out of the important parts of the movement. geneva stripes seem to do the best job at it, but anything highly figured works.
I have never understood the brands mentioned everywhere in the "Holy Trinity of watchmaking". While it makes sense to honour Patek Philippe and maybe Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet never struck me as a truly innovative watchmaker. Here in Switzerland - and we are only talking about the over 100-year-old companies - Breguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre have a much larger claim to fame. Why is this so?
The holy trinity moniker is in my view a bit outdated as well and it is of course a subjective name. I think Patek and Vacheron for sure are of the highest quality possible, but would put Lange over AP for instance. AP has been boxed into only making Royal Oaks... Breguet himself was probably the most talented watchmaker ever, and the brand certainly keeps the tradition in place. For most of us mere mortals it doesn't make that much of a difference anyway, I suppose, given that the prices for any of these watches are too high 😁
@@VintageWatchServices Thank you for gracing me with answer. I just bought a tourbillon for less than $800 and made myself a pariah here in the watch collecting community in Switzerland, because it comes from China. But I do not care. I just adore and like well-built watches with in-house movements and have followed the history of the industry for a very long time. In your answer, you do not mention Jaeger-LeCoultre at all. Here, it is called the watchmakers' brand: while not cheap, it is still the best and most innovative brand you can get for your money, so most people in the industry wear one of their models. And yes, prices are very high, but so are wages, locations and machines. It may console you to know that Swiss watches are far more expensive here in Switzerland than in any other part of the world. So much for being Swiss. And Audemars Piguet is just considered a one trick pony in Switzerland, too; not an elegant or significant one at that (big ugly watches for people who drive SUVs, go to suntan parlors and are desperately trying to get members of any kind of a golf club that will take them). Aficionados never ever talk about this company and most people do not know it even exists. So, why they are so well-regarded out there, will forever be a mystery to me . Do you know when the term "holy trinity in watch-making" was coined, by whom and why it has been perpetually replayed ever since? To me the holy trinity should be a quintet: Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, Jager-Lecoultre and - I totally agree with you here - Lange & Söhne. No AP in sight for a long stretch. How did they do it? Please let me know if you know anything ... and thank you for all of your wonderful videos. I just love them. All the best.
@@ygrbooks Seems kinda mean to H. Moser and Cie, Jaquet Droz, even stuff like Credor. Though credor's funny, normally they make tacky jewelry watches. Then sometimes they make something like the Eichii and blow everyone away.
Not sure if the Swiss hated Seiko, but they got caught with their pants down by the business acumen of Seiko for sure. The ruclips.net/video/HF9ZvXs5LD8/видео.html video goes into some detail on that story.
Sorry to the makers, but I can't handle the idea of having such an extremely well made watch, and then providing no marks for the minutes or seconds on the dial.
Don't like the fact that old those nice watches did not come with a display back to see the beautiful movement, only the watchmaker can have a nice view.
It's only a matter of time before cheaper watch brands get wise to all this writing on the bridges: 'Adjusted to five (5) positions. 1) On my bedside table 2) In it's box 3) On my wife's bedside table 4) In the bank's security box 5) On the 'au pair'
Delightful interlude when the quartz guy piped up. These wonderful videos are timeless, and fulfil the BBC's original aim: To inform, educate, and entertain'. Thanks Stian!
Many thanks! 😁👍
Another priceless blend of the sublime and the profane.
Don't ever stop making these blogs.
This is the first time I saw this video, although it is a year old. Gorgeous movement and highly professional service.
Regarding the decoration on the back of the bridge- whether necessary or not? I remember having read about a carpenter who was making a wooden table. When he was making the drawers, he spent a lot of time filing the drawers with sandpaper and polishing them.The person who placed the order for the table wondered why he was spending so much time and energy on something which will remain closed most of the time (meaning the drawers).
To this the carpenter replied that he knew what sort of a work he has done and everytime he thought about the table, a feeling of happiness and satisfaction would come upon him. That's what quality is all about.
Thanks Stian for this lovely video. Hope you and your family stay safe. T A T A.
Such attention to detail that will never be seen....the finish on this watch is crazy amazing.
Beautiful watch and gorgeous movement!
Thanks for sharing the video!
VC is really in a different league indeed 😍
Beautiful movement in many ways. Fabulous quality
Thanks for watching! It is indeed beautiful, very simple but so fabulously made and finished.
It is the zen of watchmaking. I appreciate the candor.
Another wonderful restoration! The finish is so impressive given that the watch owner would likely never see it (especially the inside of the mainspring barrel!). And that time grapher performance - it's likely to equal COSC specs for some time to come given the simplicity of the movement and the care you exerted. So glad you are bringing this level of watches to our attention.
Thanks Daniel! It's cool to work on something like this and also nice to watch :)
It’s true, I have not seen any watch video that featured a Vacheron & Constantin being serviced! Excellent, thank you! I’m looking forward to the Patek!
Me too! 😂
Love your watchmaking philosophy! More please!
My take on the care of the finishing of parts that will never be seen by the owner is that it speaks volumes about the care taken on everything done to that point. You can’t miss even minor mistakes on forming the part when you obviously care this much on finishing the part.
Hello Gavin, thanks for watching and for your comment! You're absolutely right, the level of finishing basically says that there's no further room for improvement on the part itself so now they will move on to making it look good :)
This philosophy is exactly what has made the names for the highest level manufacturers.
Wow...what a beautiful watch and its movement. The detail is gorgeous. Just fabulous. Thanks for the tour.
Kudos
These brands are something else entirely... 😍
Incredible watch finishing on this movement. 😍 Also, you are correct in saying the most valuable commodity in these days is time!
It really is!
Thanks for showing the undersurfaces; so nice to see
Thanks Stian for this wonderfull treat..Brilliant as usual.
My pleasure!
What astonishing attention to detail on the finishes. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to see it. It would be nice to see you work on a Patek. Kind regards.
One is coming shortly 😁
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
Oh yes, and watches at these levels are something very special!
Wonderfully intelligent watch maker who recognises the beauty and quality of fine timepieces . Where are you mon ami ??
Thanks! I'm located close to Lausanne
What a beautiful movement.
Absolutely insightful words. Another great video. Thank you!
Your commentary about the highest luxury being the privilege to waste time recalls for me Thornstein Veblen's conspicuous leisure chapter of "The Theory of the Leisure Class." That chapter and the one about conspicuous consumption would be helpful reading to any watch collector trying to understand their impulse.
Absolutely stunning watch! Thanks for letting us see the inside of the watch. You're right, all that finishing inside not really necessary if never seen by the Owner. Imagine if this watch had a see through back?
Yep, it would be nice with a see-through back. But back in those days sapphire crystals weren't available, unfortunately.
VC is my grail brand. Not sure I'll ever get one, but I will keep looking for one. Excellent video, loved all the information about the VC brand. Your videos have become my favorite; technical, funny, informative, and very calming. I'm just starting towards watchmaking, hoping to make it a new career in the next 5 years though.
Very nice to hear!
Some of them (like the one in the video) are getting pretty affordable. I just picked up a ref. 6399, with the same K1001 movement, at a good price. Hope you get yours.
Thank You, For a very enjoyable 36 minutes and 48 Seconds.
Thanks for watching! More coming up, so stay tuned :)
Like the VC cal. 1001 & 1003 a lot!
Thanks for the video!
Beautiful reflection on how to save time...!
Fantastic presentation. Thank you.
I completely agree with your comments on decorating and finishing surfaces only a watchmaker will see.
Great program! Thanks for showing us the workmanship inside a Geneve' Hallmark watch.. Truly beautiful and it looked great on the timegrapher too.
Can't wait to see what you've got next to work on.
Glad you enjoyed it, Randy! I'm starting to think I'm building expectations a bit too high here, maybe I'll just have to do a Russian or Eastern German watch next to sort of pour some cold water them!
@@VintageWatchServices Goodie! I'm a big fan of Vostok, have 3. I even regulated one to help it along. ;-)
Your audience is here to witness your skill and narration. I for one don't care which calibre of movement you are working on. No doubt a sentiment shared by the majority of your viewers. Keep up the good work. Karl
Another thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying video! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really love your vids and comments, humour not at the expense of somebody else. Armin Strom has put effort into getting more precise with the mirrored force movement, so no need for a Casio to keep time correctly ;) Thank you for this channel!
Glad you like them!
*Almost as young as me, but MUCH more beautiful.* *_GREAT WORK_*
Thank you! 😊
The simple elegance of a high quality 12 hour, time-only movement never goes out of style. I don't like a lot of complications cluttering up a wristwatch and most people don't use those complications anyway. Nice watch. Great work!
Thanks! It's a fabulous watch to work on :)
Good work and a nice piece!
Glad you like it!
Beautiful watch 👍
It really is!
That movement truly is a work of art. You can see why they're so expensive 😍
Thanks for watching, Morgan! Yep, there's a massive amount of manual work going into these kinds of movements and that makes it very expensive :)
I love your commentary. I don’t understand the fine points of watch mechanisms, so that stuff goes over my head, but I love the general mechanical notes and the history.
That said, I have to disagree with you that there is “no practical reason” for the amazing finishing on parts that no one will see. The amazing finishing is what supports the VC legend, and that legend translates quite practically into thousands and thousands of dollars. ;-)
Hello Angelino, thanks for watching and for your comment! Yes, you're certainly right in your observation :) When saying it's for no practical reason I really meant functional reason, which is slightly different. But VC would indeed not be what it is with lower level finishing.
@@VintageWatchServices yeah I know I was just being picayune. It must be total fun working for VC and knowing that you’re leaving a little Easter eggs for watch repairmen.
Wow what a surprise! You're right the Holy Grail!!!!
Fabulous watch
Thanks Peter! VC, PP and AP really are at a fabulous level of watchmaking indeed and it's a joy working on them *though I very rarely have the chance to!)
Wonderful!
We best not forget JLC for their 920 automatic movement, which was first used in the Royal Oak ref. 5402 back in 1972 and is still considered one of the best automatic movements ever made.
Oh yes, the 920 is a legendary movement for sure. I'd be very happy to get my hands on one :)
Absolutely fabulous great video 👍 thanks
Thanks so much, James!
Simply beautiful 🤓❤️
Great job. Beautiful machine.❤️👏🏻
Thanks! The level of workmanship in these high level watches really is something else...
Wow! I'd love to get a look at a geneva seal watch one day...
They're something else indeed!
@4:16 Of course there was the Chrysler TC by Maserati which was jointly developed by Chrysler and Maserati. It was positioned as a grand tourer and introduced to the market in 1989. Some might say it was a masterpiece of automotive design, but shortly after they likely would be fitted with a jacket with extra long sleeves and carted off to a rubber room. Production ended in 1990.
Yep! Maserati has a mottled history for sure but they're my favorite brand anyways :)
Very great caliber how it is finished. Maybe not so great as k543/3BW or k1007, but very nice. Many Thanks
Thanks for watching! This is indeed an "entry level" Vacheron, but it's still something special :)
Entry level is most brands best level, yes that includes Rolex
@@VintageWatchServices according to you what is the difference of quality with Iwc cal. 89? Thanks
Wondering if the dial is also 18ct gold.
ELEGANTE RELOJ , EXELENTE MARCA .
👍
Stunning, the watch wasn’t bad also.
😂
Gimme, Gimme (even though I don't like gold watches and prefer dark dials)! Astounding hidden finishing and so thin.
Yes, this is about as nice as it gets :) Vacheron, Patek and AP don't skimp on the finishing 😂
Great video of a even so great brand. I saw you lubricated the hourwheel. Correct? Never did that myself...
Thanks for watching! I might have done that 🤔 My general guideline is to oil the hour wheel only if the movement has a date function, but sometimes I might just do things without fully thinking it through...
Lovely job. A question or two if you please.
What type of crystal was original to this time piece, and what type did you use in it's replacement???
Because of the winding stem tunnel on the underside of the case for the stem, is there as gasket in said tunnel to keep out Dust/Dirt/DNA????
Hi DitzyDoo, vintage watches typically have plexiglass (plastic) crystals. These were called "unbreakable" when they were introduced as an improvement over the fragile actual glass crystals, which this watch originally had. Plexiglass crystals are domed and indeed difficult to break, but they are very easy to scratch. Hardened mineral glasses were introduced first on diver's watches in the 1960's and sapphire glasses started being used on high end watches in the 1980's. Both mineral and sapphire were only made as flat crystals until quite recently.
For this watch, there is no gasket on the stem or in the tube, no. It has a "dust proof" crown, which is the lowest rate of proofing a watch against dirt and water, which is not that uncommon for old dress watches.
@@VintageWatchServices Thank you, I've learned something new. ^~^
Very nice, those slight silvery rays on the dial.
What solution or liquid is used for the cleaning of the dial?
God bless.
Thanks for watching! Dials are extremely fragile, so I only use water with a tiny drop of soap
@@VintageWatchServices Thanks for creating sparks in generations today to also buy the best tools for watch parts making, repair and finishing.
By the way what is the thickness of the plastic you use to pry of the second hands so its not scratched? What kind of plastic is it, if it's ok to ask?
God bless, have a great day.
Alas! I don't find Memosail Regatta chronograph in your website. Am interested in it.
Hello, thanks for watching! The Memosail Regatta is indeed available, I just really hate taking photos so I haven't listed it :) You can contact me at stian@vintagewatchservices.eu if you are interested in it.
@@VintageWatchServices ofcourse I am. From day 1 after watching your video. Am dreaming of some day it will be my wrist. It's an art of engineering. I will mail you from my registered email id. Hope price will not burn my pockets.
I know I am not watching the videos in chronological order (you see what i did there?) but, the one before this was the Breitling where I remarked on the poor finish. I guess that's why this brand is part of the Holy Trinity. I'm going to search your content for a Patek Philippe now - if there's not one there, can I put in a request, please. Thanks for sharing, Stian.
With a movement finished to the highest standard as this one is, do you still wash the parts using the watch cleaning machine? I've always wondered if watch cleaning machines would cause damage to fine finishes due to their swishing of the basket causing the parts contained therein to bump into one another.
Thanks for watching! Yes, you would still use a cleaning machine. Newer cleaning machines are quite gentle in their action, and if you spread the parts out into various compartments they should be fine.
If you were to compare the parts before and after cleaning under a microscope you might be able to see some tiny marks, but you would have to look very closely and you would not be able to see any with the naked eye.
More a work of art than a watch. I think the answer to the question of why is why not
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LINDO RELÓGIO BEAUTIFUL WATCHE from Brasil
Thanks, Kleytons!
Did you manage to source a replacement mainspring easily.
Hello David, no, it wasn't really easy, I had to look for a long time. I think I ultimately bought it from urdelar.se
What’s is the correct crown dimensions for this VC?
That would depend on the case, but these are typically quite small crowns, likely some 4-ish mm.
There is a very good reason for the slightly rediculous level of finishing on parts that will only ever be seen by a watch maker. When it becomes known that they go to that level of finish on aesthetics they will also put the same effort into finishing the parts that effect the running of the watch
Thanks for watching, Nathan! Yes, that is certainly part of why these brands go that far, but it's also a big part of braggi g rights, I think, just to be able to talk about how ridiculously high quality the finishing of your watch is at. After all, Rolex, IWC, JLC, etc do not finish to this level and they still enjoy very high reputations for how their watches run. In the end, it's all about how much the customer is willing to pay 😉
isn't perlage made to trap fine particles so they won't find their way onto the gear train?
In the same way that Santa Claus is about a Turkish priest, yes 😁 By that I mean that in the old days of watchmaking when the watches were pocket watches with little protection against dust, decoration had that purpose also. But nowadays it's almost purely cosmetic.
Wow! Given that the crown wheel was under the barrel bridge, was its screw left hand like most movements, or right hand because it’s upside down?
Hello Boyd, the crown wheel had a normal right handed screw but also a core around it. The direction of rotation also depends on which side of the crown wheel the ratchet wheel is on 😉
I wonder if Nevr-Dull is the same as Duraglit 🤔 Also, slightly more abrasive, but a wonderful polish is Solvol Autosol.
Autosol is indeed great. Duraglit should indeed be quite comparable to Nevr-dull but they're not the same
How do you find the crystal for any watch you service?
I buy them from material houses, such as CousinsUK or Horotec. For some of these you must have a company registration, but there are some you can buy from as a private person.
Amazing work! Could you service mine?
Thanks a lot! Unfortunately I simply do not have time to do servicing jobs.... the watches I service on the channel are almost exclusively watches I have bought in order to resell after repair/servicing.
@VintageWatchServices What would you estimate to be the servicing cost of a K1001 powered Vacheron? Assuming it needs nothing else other than just movement servicing. Can this service be performed by independent watch repair shops?
Hello Enrique, it depends :) The right price to charge for a product/service is what the customer is willing to pay, and for an expensive watch you can assume the owner is prepared to pay much more than if this was a Seagull-powered watch. I think you would probably have to pay some $500 for a simple service. Independent watchmakers can do it for sure but they would struggle more with finding spare parts if necessary.
Given the remarkable level of finish, even on surfaces that will never be seen except by a watchmaker, I expect the Maltese-cross-shaped spring in the shock setting is not by accident.
Spot on, Frank! I don't think these guys do much by accident indeed :)
How much would you say, past that review, that the watch is worth in mint condition right now?
Very difficult to say, but somewhere around €10000 I'd say, if truly mint
V&C... Wow. I admit, as a newbie, this is the first I'd ever heard of them. I took a look at their website and I'm still in a state of sticker shock.
But I love my Seiko 5. Somebody somewhere on the Internet commented that the 5 would be everybody's go-to zombie apocalypse watch, and that seems pretty apt. It's unkillable.
My fanciest watch is an Undone Basecamp special edition, which probably says a lot. I mean, I love it. But I don't see any V&Cs in my future.
😂 Yes, you certainly pay a steep premium for all that finishing work and if course for the outstanding quality. If it's really worth it is a whole other question, but that's their business model...
Wow! And to think it is almost as nice as a Seagull movement! 😝
But seriously what an awesome company with a tremendous history.
I swear I have so many watches as it is but just like good Suisse watch tools , you can not just collect one.
And when you see the extra finishing it went through in places where only a watch service center would ever see.
Why is it called pearling rather than jeweling like what is found on firearms?
I have to remember when I am watching your videos to turn down surround sound. My neighbors must think I love Psycho! That shower scene is on constant replay. 😮🙉
😂 Watch out for those neighbors! I honestly have no idea why it's called perlage/pearling in watchmaking and something different on firearms, but maybe it's due to where the industry is located? E.g. the French speaking world may use a different term than the German speaking world.
It’s nice to see a Vacheron dissected because I would never trust my own hands to take apart mine; it’s one thing to toy around with a mass produced watch. But touching my 6115 scares me, because it is more art than production.
I know what you mean, Jacob! What is interesting is that in many ways, these movements are easier to work on due to the excellent engineering, you just want to make sure your screwdriver does not slip 😉
Excellent restoration as usual! They really focused on attention to detail in this movement! Do you need to keep track of which is the upper and lower balance jewels or are they usually the same size in most watches? Also looking for a source for your curved brass tweezers. I checked several sources and all they seem to have have is the straight version. Thanks!
Hello John, the cap jewels are either the same or they're not 😉 Meaning that unless you can see that they're different, they aren't and are thus interchangeable. You will quite often find that the top side (balance side) cap jewel is either a bit thicker or wider. That's because it is the one the balance is most likely to rest on when the watch receives a shock.
@@VintageWatchServices Thank you for your answer! I will make sure they are marked and kept separate when removing for cleaning.
I noticed you wear the watch very close to your hand. If you bend your wrist, the crown pushes into your skin. Wearing a watch on the other side of the head of the ulna is much more comfortable and it looks much better.
It's all a matter of what you're used to and prefer! When you're wearing a shirt the watch needs to be closer to the hand and that's how I got used to wearing it. To each their own :)
hello, i like your movies very much, could you say something about the methods of washing parts? what do you use machine? liquid? proportions ? maybe something about oils? what and where ... many watchmakers hide cleaning methods. some are ashamed of the ultrasonic cleaner and others do not want to reveal secrets :) best regards
Hello Karol, thanks so much for your comment! I have an Elma ultrasonic and an Elma watch cleaning machine. The fluids I use are from Boley. I use essence of Renata for degreasing and cleaning and also alcohol, benzine and acetone for different purposes. No secrets, just patience and hard work :)
@@VintageWatchServices thanks for the answer, what alcohol do you use? I use isopropyl to wash all parts after washing liquid at the end of the balance and pallet in very pure white spirit. or better at the end- Essence of Renata? to hairspring? I'm learning all the time and I have many more questions :) I'm looking for the best solutions. but you will not put the balance and pallet fork in the ultrasonic cleaner? I read a lot that the ultrasonic washer is not suitable for vintage watches and the main springs ? it's true? and washing the main spring in white spirit and alcohol? also not allowed?
Love the video!👍
What were you using to clean the hands? And, is Never Dull appropriate for use on the hands?
Thanking you in advance for your reply.
Thanks Frank! NevrDull is a bit too aggressive for hands in fine condition, but could be used on hands that are rusted, for instance. For this one I used a spongy kind of cleaning stick but a normal q-tip would work also.
Sorry for the rush in writing. I mean servicing it. I would appreciate your opinion about the need for servicing
Hello Evangelos, not sure why this comment was hidden from me for so long, let me know if you still have a question!
The answer to that is simply, "I take pride in my work".
NA EUROPA ACHA TODAS AS PECAS Q PRECISA, NO BRASIL NÃO ACHA NADA
Certamente nem sempre é fácil aqui! Eu uso bastante casas de materiais como cousinsuk, eBay e também grupos do Facebook e minha rede. Quase todos esses são recursos globais, mas os custos de envio para o Brasil podem ser altos.
Hello, that comparison between VC and JLC was hard, I am a JLC fan, so the quality is so different between them? JLC is the watchmaker watchmakers? How it's possible? But it's a nice video !
Sorry Tiberiu, I didn't mean to dump on JLC 😂 The main difference between the JLC 818 and the V&C 1001 is that the V&C 1001 is finished to a much higher level and also adjusted in all positions and for temperature. In later versions they also had a free sprung balance. JLC is of course a very high quality brand, it's just that V&C takes it to an even higher level.
Maybe a better comparison would have been a Ferrari versus a Pagani?
Gorgeous watch and wonderful work, as usual. Quick question: when gently cleaning the dial, what are you using?
Hello Michael, thanks for watching! With most dials I simply use warm water and a q-tip. Dials are typically made of brass, layered with a finishing material on top, and are then pad-printed with the logo, text etc before a protective coat of varnish is applied. A bit simplified as there could be dozens of steps :)
The main issue is that if you run off the varnish, the underlying print will easily come off. So with this type of dial, just water and very gentle rubbing with something very soft like a q-tip. There's no magical essence that will clean off dirt and leave the rest, unfortunately. If there were, there wouldn't be a very lucrative refinishing industry.
I enjoyed this. I have got myself two of them, one overseas and an other a dress watch with leather strap. Too expensive to service them. The leather strap one needs repairing as it fast two minutes a week. I keep wearing it as it is and I will see when I an repairing it.
Hello Evangelos, thanks for watching! If a Vacheron is running two minutes fast a week, it is asking for a service :) Normally watches will run slower when the lubrication inside degrades, but a V&C should run much better than this.
The issue with watches going too long without a service is that wear builds stronger and stronger with each day. As the lubrication degrades and more tiny debris enters the watch case and the lubrication, it turns into an abrasive. That might lead to a far bigger bill down the road than a simple service now. Having to replace several wheels and pinions because they are too worn is much, much more expensive. Thus I would certainly suggest a service if your watches do not run well and you know it's been a long time since they have been cleaned and oiled.
As always, lovely to see that balance kick back into motion. Next time my wife asks me what I'm doing at 2 in the morning I can tell her I'm watching "Watch Porn". I had a bit of a flashback to my Vostoks and their "finishing" when the "washerwoman" was removing ketchup from the dishes. The horror....The horror....
🤣 Watch porn it is!
the only reason besides posterity to decorate parts nobody will see is that these finishes trap dust somewhat, keeping it out of the important parts of the movement. geneva stripes seem to do the best job at it, but anything highly figured works.
I have never understood the brands mentioned everywhere in the "Holy Trinity of watchmaking". While it makes sense to honour Patek Philippe and maybe Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet never struck me as a truly innovative watchmaker. Here in Switzerland - and we are only talking about the over 100-year-old companies - Breguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre have a much larger claim to fame. Why is this so?
The holy trinity moniker is in my view a bit outdated as well and it is of course a subjective name. I think Patek and Vacheron for sure are of the highest quality possible, but would put Lange over AP for instance. AP has been boxed into only making Royal Oaks... Breguet himself was probably the most talented watchmaker ever, and the brand certainly keeps the tradition in place.
For most of us mere mortals it doesn't make that much of a difference anyway, I suppose, given that the prices for any of these watches are too high 😁
@@VintageWatchServices Thank you for gracing me with answer.
I just bought a tourbillon for less than $800 and made myself a pariah here in the watch collecting community in Switzerland, because it comes from China. But I do not care. I just adore and like well-built watches with in-house movements and have followed the history of the industry for a very long time.
In your answer, you do not mention Jaeger-LeCoultre at all. Here, it is called the watchmakers' brand: while not cheap, it is still the best and most innovative brand you can get for your money, so most people in the industry wear one of their models. And yes, prices are very high, but so are wages, locations and machines. It may console you to know that Swiss watches are far more expensive here in Switzerland than in any other part of the world. So much for being Swiss.
And Audemars Piguet is just considered a one trick pony in Switzerland, too; not an elegant or significant one at that (big ugly watches for people who drive SUVs, go to suntan parlors and are desperately trying to get members of any kind of a golf club that will take them). Aficionados never ever talk about this company and most people do not know it even exists. So, why they are so well-regarded out there, will forever be a mystery to me .
Do you know when the term "holy trinity in watch-making" was coined, by whom and why it has been perpetually replayed ever since? To me the holy trinity should be a quintet: Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, Jager-Lecoultre and - I totally agree with you here - Lange & Söhne. No AP in sight for a long stretch. How did they do it? Please let me know if you know anything ... and thank you for all of your wonderful videos. I just love them. All the best.
@@ygrbooks Seems kinda mean to H. Moser and Cie, Jaquet Droz, even stuff like Credor. Though credor's funny, normally they make tacky jewelry watches. Then sometimes they make something like the Eichii and blow everyone away.
The oldest watch company in the world and yet still very revelant.
Oh yes, they make some fantastic watches and should have a good future as part of the Richemont group.
It's no wonder the Swiss hated Seiko. Quite different plans of attack.
Not sure if the Swiss hated Seiko, but they got caught with their pants down by the business acumen of Seiko for sure. The ruclips.net/video/HF9ZvXs5LD8/видео.html video goes into some detail on that story.
I‘m a bit disappointed that your tool holding the movement does not have any embossing on it - the contrast is just too much ;-)
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Thanks!
New subscriber here.
Welcome aboard!
Sorry to the makers, but I can't handle the idea of having such an extremely well made watch, and then providing no marks for the minutes or seconds on the dial.
Kind of looks like a pocket watch movement
(Of a VAcheron CONSTANTIN 6456) The finishing of this watch is . . . "good". ~ Vintage Watch Services c. 09/03/2021
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Don't like the fact that old those nice watches did not come with a display back to see the beautiful movement, only the watchmaker can have a nice view.
That is a shame indeed, but sapphire glass only became available in the 1980s 😊
"Finishing porn", great line!
That was the best way to described it, I felt 😁
The most precise watch is a broken one it gives the exact time 2X a day🤣
I think a lot of people would claim that's not a very precise watch 😉
@@VintageWatchServices Haha.. Thanks for your nice work.
Thanks Erik! More to come, so stay tuned :)
#175 thumbs uP
Thanks, Steve!
It's only a matter of time before cheaper watch brands get wise to all this writing on the bridges:
'Adjusted to five (5) positions.
1) On my bedside table
2) In it's box
3) On my wife's bedside table
4) In the bank's security box
5) On the 'au pair'
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:-)
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And to me I know they build they own movement and all but don't justify the price of any of them.