How to Not Snap The Fusee Chain! - Fusee Pocket Watch Teardown
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- Опубликовано: 31 дек 2018
- This 1879 Fusee Pocket watch needs to be taken apart in a particular order or the risk of snapping the fusee chain becomes very high. In this video I show you the correct method for disassembling this type of watch so that if you attempt it when there is still tension in the mainspring you will be successful.
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Watches less than $200
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In the United Kingdom
Watches less than £60
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Invicta Pro Diver Quartz - 43mm - Stainless Steel & Leather Strap
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I have just bought a fusee and found this video very useful. It is beautifully filmed and explained, I´m very grateful to you for clarifying the structure and operation of this watch.
Hi Joe! You have there a beautiful thing sir! Richard
This is truly one of my most favorite watch channels on YT. Informative and entertaining. I'm just learning this beautiful art and I hope to be able to share a fraction of the knowledge that Richard has. With content like this, it can snow for years outside. Don't care. Got lots to watch..no pun intended :)
Glad to have found this channel, looking forward to future videos!
I was just wondering what no fusee meant on a pocket watch, and ended up wathing this entire vid. I found it absoulutely facinating. I just started fixing clocks, but enjoy watching true professionals. Thank you sir for sharing.
Richard Perrett is the Bob Ross of watchmaking, so relaxing, thank you.
Haha! I just googled him ... he looks cooler than me! Richard
So grateful to Richard for his generosity in sharing his expertise, showing us how to do the watchwork properly, and Richard I wish I knew how to make my hands as steady as yours , thanks again
Came across this by the random YT algorithm…..absolutely fascinating. Still can’t get my head around how ‘they’ made such intricate components (eg the chain as a prime example) back in their day with historic machinery. Thanks very much for sharing this. 👍
Splendid watch, splendid work on your part, and splendid Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto! Love your videos!!!
Tenby one of my favourite beach towns.
An amazing video, thank you, Richard. I really enjoy watching your channel videos and listening to your intelligent and informative commentary.
Fantastic video I have been enjoying getting clocks running as a novice for some years and bought a very old 1780s fusee pocket watch type carriage clock and found your channel in my research to decide weather to attempt a repair still not sure but I will enjoy your channel now. Maybe you can help with it .the workmanship is beautiful on the movement. Thanks again.
Richard
Thank you for sharing all the history and knowledge you have.
It will be great to start this a hobby.
I may do so.😊
Cheers and Thank you again.
Keep the great job.
Thank you so much for your posts. Very Detailed and video is great quality. Thank you.
Hi Kurtis, Thank you for this feedback and apologies for thr delay in response, I have been 'on the move; in a major way! Thanks again. Richard
Excellente émission ! Explications claires, puisque la théorie est expliquée et reliée directement à la pratique !
Thank you Richard for another great video. I’m going to keep an eye open for one on eBay. Will come in useful when I do. Interesting what you did and didn’t disassemble.
Thx Richard very thorough
Hi Richard. Hope you are well. Thank you for sharing this information. I also repair old fusee pocket watches. My 6 times great grandfather Kerby from 1750s was a watchmaker manufacturer. He started in London but moved to Coventry in Spon street. His Son Benjamin Kerby was a watch case manufacturer. His son was a watchmaker manufacturer Edward Rosser Kerby he employed 12 people. He worked along side Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome a well known watch manufacturer. I've enjoyed watch your Video Richard. I own some very old pair cased fusee pocket watches that I have to repair still. One from 1840 but might be a bit of a job as the balance wheel spring is missing. All the best And thanks for sharing this Richard. Stay safe and look forward to more of your work. PS I love the Invicta watches I have a few after watching your reviews on them. Great value Automatic. Pro Diver. Cheer's 👍👍 I've subscribed to your channel.
A very useful video. Many thanks. I'm very new to all of this. I have two fusee movements. One runs but loses time and the other, an Ebay purchase, is dead. Just hope it's complete and hasn't been messed around with! Now for part 2.
Ooops! We know Part 2 didn't quite deliver for you! Hope you managed to get these watches going. Richard
I actually fell asleep 💤 drooling 🤤 and everything
That observation window is very smart. Not seen it like that before
greetings from the great LOCK-DOWN/QUARANTINE state of Cali., south......deep south. In the good ole U.S.A. Thank you for these gems that you produce. I just purchased my 1st 2 pockets 1 is a 18s the other is a 6s and a 6s case all 1895s-1905. I need to work on them. I've done clocks , taught me-self. OK on with your Emmy winning productions. I stopped at 4:05 to "COMMENT". I will be sharing.
Hi Artemus! A nice quiet day or month in with a pocket watch is probably a wise move at the moment. So pleased you are fi ding my stuff enjoyable and helpful. Thanks for the feedback. Richard
Awesome vid as usual. Looking forward to it being put back together and running. Rather new to the channel but hooked already and am bulk watching the vids Lol. Love tenby and go there once a year if I can. Im from the valleys, a town called maesteg. As always looking forward to your next vid 👍
Hi Jonathan ... you will be pleased to know that the watch is now re-assembled an ticking away strongly. I have got some post production to do on the footage I took of the reassembly but should have that all done so that the 'part 2' video can go out next week. Thanks so much for the positive feedback ... it's great for morale! Richard
Great video. Thanks
Hello Richard, as you can see from the comments below, there is much interest in fusee watches. It would be very useful for those of us lucky to possess such watches, to have a video from you explaining how to treat and look after such watches. Many thanks.
Amazing videos
I'm watching this yesterday thinking "I'll never need to disassemble a fusee watch" and just today I found a sterling cased Victorian lever watch for $75. Even with the Daniels book, this video will be indispensable when I finally get around to tackling the job. Also, my watch actually runs - with about 25 degrees of amplitude!
Hi Hugeshows! That's a good buy for 75 bucks! Often they are non-runners at that price. Yes, this video will certainly help a lot with the disassembly. The chain is under a lot of tension and it's important to release that under control. Just follow the steps I use and it will be fine. Good stuff! Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker Thanks again! I'll post a vid about it at some point. It's a strange watch in the sense that the dial simply says "5841" where the maker's name would usually be, and the movement is simply inscribed "5841" on the back of the plate. I wonder if it is a prototype or something. No idea.
Oh Hai, isaw your web page the other day, And now your video gets put in my queue, what a coincidence.
Hi Mostly Weed ... Very wise the system is to place such amazingly relevant content right in front you! Richard
you sir are an artisan. that watch is absolutely stunningly beautiful, well done.
Thanks truckernige! Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker you’re very welcome sir.
Brilliant. I have to do one of these soon so I am nervously awaiting its arrival.
Hi Avian Fish ... no need for nerves, excitement yes, but not nerves! You will do fine with the watch and you will enjoy it and learn loads for sure. The important thing is just to start and keep moving forward. Good luck! Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker Thanks I bought a couple of wrecks to practice on too...
I'm looking forward to seeing it all cleaned up and running again. Thanks Richard.
Hi, yes it's all running strongly now and I will have the footage edited by next week. It so nice to se it looking lovely and working as it should again. Thanks for the feedback. Richard
Brilliant video there Richard, one of the most in-depth videos on the fusses movement I’ve come across, I’ve just got a couple of questions about the process and the watch. One being, I can’t seem to see my fussee chain at all, I don’t know if that means it’s just a different mechanism or what, but I’m certain that it is a fussee and also at the beginning you said to wind the chain are you meaning that the watch needs to be ticking/ wound up before disassembling? Cheers
It's absolutely astonishing to me that watches like this were possible back in the late 1800s to produce.in my opinion the level of craftsmanship on these old pocket watches is unparalleled to movements of today.im guessing the fusee chain is handmade and if so to me that's a remarkable task in itself.as always great video and awesome work.videos are always relaxing not to mention I'm learning a lot buy watching your videos.sure I'll never have the need to know how to service a fusee watch but extremely informative.
It is amazing that someone thought that making that chain was the answer rather than a direct gear connection.
@@jeffbisscrx With a direct gear connection you lose the important functionality of the cone that the chain is wound onto. The cone is needed for the watch to run at a stable rate, regardless of whether it is fully wound or close to unwound.
The mainspring exerts much more force when it is fully wound versus when it is almost unwound. If not for the cone, this would cause the watch to run slower and slower through the day as the spring unwinds.
The fusee cone presents a smaller radius when the chain is fully wound, increasing the force needed to turn it, and that radius slowly increases as the watch winds down, so the force needed to turn the cone decreases as the mainspring unwinds because the larger radius gives the mainspring more leverage.
@@mercuriall2810 It still amazes me! Whoever it was had to have the understanding that you just laid out and the skill to make such a small chain!
@@jeffbisscrx I agree. The more I look into how these old machines work and how they were made, the more I find that astonishes me.
The first pocket watch I purchased a few years ago is a fusee, it is getting difficult to find anyone to get it serviced.
It is a beautiful watch, relegated to my cabinet, it only comes out for weddings. last serviced about 5 years ago, I have not used it since.
Nice video.
They can be tricky to do ... Maybe good just to give a wind once a month to distribute the lubricants and stop it from gumming up. Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker Thank you, still watching the video. When I remember I do wind them up every now and then, the wife does not like the ticking, I find it relaxing, helps me to sleep.
First, thank you for sharing your time, effort and knowledge with us. (Particularly about caution needed for letting down tension on chain). Question: I have two fusee watches likely same age as your Needham. Occasionally trot out and use. Is it a good idea NOT to fully wind up? Go, say about halfway instead? Less stress on a very old chain? If you have a minute, appreciate your opinion.
Hi marty ... I would say this is only partially accurate and not for a very helpful reason. The purpose of the fusee cone is to equal out the tension in the mechanism throughout the entire length so regardless of the state of wind the tension should be the same. Statistically however if you never release half of the chain from the fusee cone that section of chain will never be under as much tension and therefore it there is a flaw in that half of the chain then this approach is maybe beneficial. The problem with this approach is that you can estrapolate it and say the advantage against failure is inversely proportionla to the percentage of wind. This is not very helpful becuase if we want to achieve 100% protection value we don't wind the watch at all! I would always wind the watch all the way and if the chain snaps (unlikley if properly fitted) I would replace it. Hope this helps. Richard
WoW. I've never seen a dust cover with a window like that. Pretty
Hi Richard,
Greetings from Hungary! Thank you so much for making this video, it's awesome
Just bought a non working silver dial fusee pocket watch which has the fusee chain broken. Can it be repaired? Or if not do you have any tips where to buy a new chain?
Thanks :)
Do you think the complete mechanism was built by the marked maker or were part of the works bought in ?
I have a chain drive fusee & verge escapement pocket watch in need of crystal. Can you help me.
So what was wrong that it didn’t run? Love all your videos.
Did you work on the older version of this fuse movement that has the oldest balance wheel ?
I have a 1740 English pocket watch. Can you take one apart, clean it, then reassemble - maybe three little videos? this wpould be a HOT set of vids to watch. Thanks
Good morning Richard - hope you are well. I have just begun to attempt to explore the fusee watch. I have been a collector/repairman of mechanical watches for 14 years. I have a fusee which is working, but the hour and minute hands are missing. Were the wheels standardized or made by each maker? I have seen them available on ebay. Your video will allow me to transfer my skills from more modern watches, and I have warned my wife that I am about to go where few people go these days!
I have a 1814 fusee needs work do I need to send it to him ?
Hello do you know what the numbers mean on the movement mean under the dial
Tanks. I have the same with a locked chain. Cannot find anyone to look at it.
Hello Richard.
That was a beautifil watch,, I have a thing for roman numerals and small seconds hand.
Just came to think of something. I have an old pocket watch in a box somewhere, it's an old Helvetia my mother gave me. I will find it and send some pictuers of it.
Hi Peder .... I know what you mean .... Roman numerals and a sub dial is classy and classic. And sure mail me the photos please .... richard@richardperrett.com. Thanks for the feedback. Richard
I have a 1880s, British watch company pocket watch and I can't find any information on it. Where do you look to find information on the old pocket watches?
I some how managed to loose the second hand ! I opened the glass and it must have fell off and I didn't notice until too late ! After many hours with magnets on my hands and knees I gave up ! But it's the same year as the one your fixing in the video . Just not sure how to get another second hand that will fit , as I'm not a watch maker ! 😢 I'm gutted ! Do people like you keep spare hands and other parts in stock ?
I've managed to remove many fusee chains correctly using this method, but sadly I ended up snapping a chain last night. Can you tell me what my issue was? I followed these steps exactly, but after removing the wheel with the watch in the key and clamp, there was no tension trying to unwind the watch. The chain was nearly completely unwound off the fusee without the mainspring barrel moving. All of a sudden the mainspring barrel quickly unwound and snapped it in half. Is it just a matter of the mainspring barrel pivots being so dirty that they didn't even want to move?
Richard, this video was fantastic. I just purchased a fusee pocket watch while in the Cotswolds on holiday. Thank you for showing me all of the interesting parts and how they all work. A question for you: Would my watch also wind counter clockwise? It runs but I was having some trouble winding it up. Thank you sir!
Hi Michael... So sorry for the delay in response. So unless the movement has any extra wheels your watch should wind in the same direction. The barrel has no teeth so the fusee cone is the first wheel (counter clockwise), 2nd c, 3rd cc, 4th clockwise. The subdial hand is attached to the 4th wheel so that is going to need to go clockwise. From first principles we arrive at the answer! Hope this is helpful. Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker Thank you! This was most helpful!
I dont have a click sound when winding and the chain spins back onto the barrel. Any idea why?
Hi there... Sure, the ratchet inside the fusee cone is not working. You will need to disassemble it to diagnose why. Hope this helps. Richard
I leave the pin and take off the balance with the spring holder
Richard, how did you clean and reoil the fusee chain? did it go into the ultrasonic along with the other parts?
High C S Spinner. Yes, cleaned in the ultrasonic cleaner and then left to soak in some light lubricant. Hope this is helpful. Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker thank you! I really enjoyed the video, especially as I prepare to tackle my first fusee. For the wind down, on most watches you can hold back the click while winding it down. Is that not the case for this design?
Richard I've just had a go at an old 1861 fussee I have and I was wondering if there was any where I could buy the pins ready made? I have resembled without breaking the chain but that was a trial the chain had got itself well and truly wedged at the top of the cone so it came to bits a lite bit different to the video but to bits it came.
Hi Peter yes you can buy assorted brass pins. I use Cousins in the UK. Just google 'Cousins watch and jewelry supplies'. Hope this helps. Richard
@@richardperrettwatchmaker I looked on the Cousins site and could only find bracelet pins, are they the same? I have to say they look too big to me ?
Hi I am watching your video and wonder if you could look at my pocket watch that I am trying to take apart? Julie
Hi Julie ... sure, please contact me on richard@richardperrett.com and hopefully I can assist. Richard
That chain is insane. How did they produce that in this time period. Honestly would be fascinated to know.
They were made by child labour, as the children had the necessary eyesight, manual dexterity and small fingers. In France there were orphanages where the orphans made fusee chains to earn their keep, I’m unsure if the same happened in England, but it may well have.
I dont know how old it is... No 5108 Oswestry Geo E Evans... Silver case blue hands original dial and movement with replaced acrilic crystal... Plystal 😏?
Hello 👋 i have a watch just like this bought in 1900 by my great grandfather. Are your services for hire?
Can I ask if the tool you use to extract the taper pins is a tweezers or a pliers and where did you get it?
Hi Seamus...I use tweezers or pliers or clippers (these give best grip) depending on the force required. I use Cousins in UK to supply these. Hope this is helpful. Richard
Thanks Richard. I'm working on my first pocket watch having only worked on clocks so far. The watch is a fusee driven one probably made by David Lark around 1856 and is pretty much exactly like the one in your video. So I'm using your video as a guide on how to disassemble, service and rebuild the watch. The fusee chain is broken so I'm trying to find a replacement for it. The reason I asked about your tools is that when trying to remove the taper pins that hold on the dial I found that the ones I have for my clock repair are too big so I probably need ones more suited to working on the much smaller pins etc in watches. I have used Cousins as well for the bits and pieces that I need (there are no clock/watch suppliers in Ireland). Could you recommend the best tweezers, pliers and clippers to use , maybe with the Cousins item numbers if you know them. Many thanks, Seamus
I am not familiar with watches of this age, but why don't you release the mainspring by releasing the click? Pulling the third wheel seems a bit risky for most of us "all thumbs" hobbyists.
I have here at the other end of the empire, on the edge of the endless sea, a sibling of this very case and mech. Sans that beautiful ball.wheel porthole, but + one tourbillon in rough seating, (or more hopefully, shabby facing).
Assembled 1913 in Aukland Aotearoa, now receiving my attention in Melbourne, both this and the example in your SUPERB vid. possess an additional operation lever not addressed in the story above. It's a flattened dark metal tang? lever? strip of spring-steel looking stuff, that can be hooked out with fingernail or prytool maybe (I've not dared budge mine from its tensioned mech. It sits in a slot at 90 degrees to the plate (not flat to it like a USA setting lever), in a tiny block of brasswork clinging to the edge of the baseplate, down near the point where the pivot-hinge to the whole works is sighted (not meaning the sprung release-catch, this is on the opposite side). Its action disappears from view into the interior. I'm sure I can see this actuation in extended, (pulled outwards from the rim) play, in the collection of fully dissembled pieces, and I see it recessed in its block when you're showing us the chain on the barrel. Can I ask what it is & how it's used, especially if there are any precautions to when it can be pried-out (operated), without calamity to watch-workings, or finger-trimming as occurred when I dissembled the fully- wound Bolex camera, oy vey.
So many thanks for the posting, glad you kept the slightly patina-ed crystals.
Loup-observation may be suggesting it's not an actionable control, but the pinned anchorpoint of a spring-member that extends along the baseplate face to another, this time screwed, anchorpoint the other side of the fusee!
And maybe it's not a tourbillon, but an otherwise sectioned-out minutehand mini-dial....
Oh the humiliation, to have dreamt of tourbillons where was just failed shellac. But why were they cut out at all?
Truly fascinating video. But why would they spend so much time and effort making such an intricate chain, rather than making screws instead of pegs!
Hi Tim, I guess the pegs worked quite well but the mainsprings were pretty inaccurate and really needed the fusee cone and chain to bring them into usable accuracy. An accurate watch was really useful and would sell well. Plus it was children often making the chains and there is nothing like 'Free Labour Capitalism' for making high profits! Good question, hope this answres it. Richard
It's rather perverse that screws were perceived as too difficult/expensive to make but fusée chain, no problem!
Well, I liked the video until you decided not to check the internal of the fusse cone(ratchet) and the mainspring. One of the most critical parts of the watch IMO. What made you not check those? Grease inside could be getting gummy. Also if you had those components in the ultrasound you probably used a waterbased cleaner which might be still inside even if rinsed with alcohol...
I agree. To see that done is one of the reasons I watched the video.
Must be hard making that chain.
They used to have children make them as they are generally so dextrous and have great eyesight. Good to hear from you! Richard
I know videos can get long especially in horology. But I wish the people making these watch disassembly & assembly videos wouldn't bloody keep skipping forward all the time!!!!! Drives me bloody crazy when I'm trying to follow them with a half dismantled watch in front of me!!!
Hello Richard , I’ve messaged you via your website but as yet not received any reply. Would it be possible for you to acknowledge if you are receiving my messages ok either via this comment or by my email address thanks , ps great video
Hi Martin ... Hope all is good up there in Scotland. It is far too long since I was there! Apologies for missing you message sent via my website. I am normally pretty good at picking up these as they come through so sorry I missed it. Anyway, I have now located it, read it and responded. Thanks for nudging me here. Richard
those gloves cause fibers and fuzz to get into the watches, you should wear rubber gloves.
I do it differently, first a release all the tension off the fussee, then I release the prewind off the barrel and the chain falls off. Just another way of doing it.
Your way I will have to try.