small
WS Benefactor
Posts: 2,438
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Post by small on May 31, 2017 16:09:54 GMT -8
Okay so ever since I picked up the Glycine with the AS1686 and saw then that one of my Gruen's had one, and a Caravelle, and some others I decided to try and chronicle all I could using a single source, eBay. To date I have listed more the 100 different watches. I have photographed many of them, when it dawned on me. Caravelle (Bulova) uses their own number on the bridge as do Elgin and Gruen. Elgin use both 7 and 17 jewel movements. Even at a few bucks to $10 a piece; there's no owning all of them (for me). So I have decided; I'll buy them when I see one in an all stainless case, a have to draw the line somewhere. The majority I've seen are chrome over brass and have tremendous wear. I also decided to buy any loose movements, that are packaged in a "lot", rather then one's and two's, since most try and sell those for more then complete watches. I should mention that there's another movement that might be even more popular and that's the AS 1187/9. So if you have wanted to try and service a watch (movement) but were too afraid to screw up a good watch. If its not going to be a Seiko 7009 to be your first project I suggest one of these little Swiss guys. So here is one with the Name "Admiration" on the dial, Reusser on the 17j Movement, cased by a French company Eldorado (Spanish?). Case back says Water-Proof; so I figure before 1970, also being a "ST" Vs. "AS" 1686 I it makes it a later production watch then those with the AS. I don't know what year that switch happened, but I'm told the parts from AS and ST are interchangeable. Truth told I think I have even seen a SU marked 1686. I would have loved to see the timegrapher readings before I started, but this guy wouldn't tick. Even tried coxing the balance. So the stripping commenced, and of course it started right up! As you can see there is a small amount of rust under the dial and on the setting bridge. Worried about getting those little screws out. Turned out to be a nonissue. There isn't much on the dial side as there's no calendar so its apart in a few minutes. Flipped it over and let down the power on the mainspring. Removed the balance, then the bridge, gear train next, then Palette fork...Nice thing about this is its a great beginners movement (At least it has been for me) there are only a few different size screws so not hard to ID them when putting them back. You can get by with a #3 tweezers, a .080 and 1.2 screw driver. Here it is 99% stripped. I will remove and clean the cap jewels individually as well as the click and spring. Pretty gummed up oil so its getting a few goes in the US with Naphtha. If anyone is interested in trying one of these send a PM as I have spare movements.
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solex
Timekeeper
Posts: 535
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Post by solex on Jun 1, 2017 6:22:28 GMT -8
nice one small, can wait to see the finished project
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small
WS Benefactor
Posts: 2,438
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Post by small on Jun 7, 2017 9:48:42 GMT -8
So I finished the going side up on Saturday wound it tight and let it run down. Did the same when I came in Monday. Monday night I let down the power and installed the stem and dial side gears. Wound it tight. Tuesday I came in and wound it yet again. Hoping to have the Mainspring spread the oil as I read should be done several times before its placed on the timer. I let the spring down, added the dial and hands and re-cased. I placed it on the timer and I thought I was going to cry. There was so much snow I couldn't tell what was going on. The timer couldn't even read the beat it would show 699 s/d and then *** BE was closer around 7. I took the back off and had it dial down to try and adjust the balance. I noticed that it had an adjustable stud carrier? Of all the 1686's I've done I have never seen one? I tried adjusting and I couldn't get it to slow down. Thinking maybe someone tried to add that from a different movement, and it wasn't right I looked for another. The hair spring looked good nothing touching, I'd given it a bath in one dip? I grabbed one from a donor and installed it. It wouldn't swing...I grabbed a second gave it a dip and it took off. Some of the cleanest lines I have ever gotten in all positions!! While the amp never got above 250° and it would drop in some positions to 165° I though t it was going to be okay. I pulled the cap jewel and oiled it since when I went DU I'd drop amps and it would run slower. Every time I'd nudge the balance to get it closer to zero it would move 40+ s/d or then 60- s/d. I was hardly moving it at all. I have never had a movement swing so much. I took the balance off and tried to get the hair spring closer to round as it looked as the the coils weren't even (Concentric). While no in contact with each other it seemed they were more to one side than the other. Same thing. I then, while the balance was installed and beating away, loosened and readjusted the hair spring stud and the B.E. dropped to around 1 and the S/d would move now +/- 5 s/d. It takes about 1-1/2 minutes for the graph to go from one side of the screen to the other. and it might start at 5 s/d and mid way through go to -5 s/d and then back again. It might go two or three rounds (3 -5 minutes) and stay a few seconds fast and have a straight line. I'm guessing the swinging up and down is because the Mainspring isn't as clean as it could be? I did my best but didn't want to force it and potential kink it...I gave it a full wind last night and left it dial up on the bench. Came in this morning and it was still right on the money. I think tonight I will go over the balance with the adjust able carrier and see whats up. As I was putting my spares away I notice another movement with one. So this must have been a change in the later years of the 1686's production. I imagine with an adjustable carrier I could dial this in even better. Any ideas as to why I would have seen so much snow and have it show that the movement was running so fast? Now that I see how its done overnight I wonder if maybe there was some interference? Or the watch wasn't seated properly? More of a technical glitch then something wrong with the movement. Any advice is always welcome.
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longbike
Is a Permanent Fixture
Aqualand Addict
Posts: 6,371
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Post by longbike on Jun 19, 2017 20:04:57 GMT -8
Aloha Sir, Checked on your posting of your .... " Admiration Sample ", and it looks great and well done. Well it is running and it got another chance to continue on and hat is very good. I recently got this one done but I have another yet to do. I like doing them just to get them going again, but the problem is they are a little small for me. This one is a ....DOXA S.A. , 11 1/2 - 1147 ..... that was dead and now going good. Louis
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small
WS Benefactor
Posts: 2,438
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Post by small on Jun 20, 2017 3:26:51 GMT -8
Aloha Sir, Checked on your posting of your .... " Admiration Sample ", and it looks great and well done. Well it is running and it got another chance to continue on and hat is very good. I recently got this one done but I have another yet to do. I like doing them just to get them going again, but the problem is they are a little small for me. This one is a ....DOXA S.A. , 11 1/2 - 1147 ..... that was dead and now going good. Louis Very nice Louis! That is the typical style that men wore for years, working men...Great to see these brought back to life. So much smaller than what we see today for watches. In their time 31-32 mm weren't considered small watches. Now I see those sizes listed as "boys" or "midsize".
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2017 8:16:37 GMT -8
Small, I like these as well. This was one of my very first eBay purchases; $0.99 shipped! I was told that Alprosa was a sub brand of Enicar.
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small
WS Benefactor
Posts: 2,438
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Post by small on Jun 20, 2017 9:14:46 GMT -8
Small, I like these as well. This was one of my very first eBay purchases; $0.99 shipped! I was told that Alprosa was a sub brand of Enicar. AHH Yes the early days of the eBay. I remember looking through each page of the Watch listings... there were three! Those little guys were, and at times still are, refereed to as Nurses Watches. I'm guessing because of the red seconds hand...When time permits maybe I'll post some photos of these little guys. My second line of collecting will be any stainless sporting the 1686...Its going to be quite a challenge.
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Post by joker68 on Jan 16, 2019 18:22:47 GMT -8
One of my favorite movements next to the AS 1187/94
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small
WS Benefactor
Posts: 2,438
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Post by small on Jan 16, 2019 19:10:40 GMT -8
One of my favorite movements next to the AS 1187/94 Hey Joker yes it's a nice movement to learn on that's for sure and its popularity, no telling where it might pop up. Had I been just looking for a abundant movement to work on I would have selected the 1887/94 as they seem even more common. Somewhere in a save hard drive I've cataloged over 100 watch brands with the 7 and 17 jewel AS/ST 1686 inside with almost as many markings on the movements themselves. One member on here had even thought it could be 5x's that many... Don't be shy lets see what you have.
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Post by joker68 on Jan 17, 2019 17:23:17 GMT -8
Ok Most recent Louis w/AS 1194 Just serviced. Also recent AS 1187/94 lot, with 25 movements most have dials and hands. I have plenty parts movements to learn on.
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small
WS Benefactor
Posts: 2,438
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Post by small on Jan 18, 2019 10:14:43 GMT -8
Ok Most recent Louis w/AS 1194 Just serviced. Also recent AS 1187/94 lot, with 25 movements most have dials and hands. I have plenty parts movements to learn on. Holy Smokes...
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