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.
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.
