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yes the microscope the absolute must have because you must have one or else it allows you to do everything better than everything else in the universe except. Somewhere in the discussion group I just pointed out the flaw of using a microscope. Yes microscopes have their purpose but there's a reason watchmakers didn't adopt microscopes from the beginning of time and why they sit where they can look into their work rather than down on their work. then of course I like to joke that microscopes make things bigger they don't necessarily allow you to see things better especially if you do not grasp what it is you're looking for in the first place. Then you also have to have a microscope that has proper depth of field then you'll definitely have problems if you don't have a decent depth of field. at least yours is out maybe it gets use? My telescopes are all hidden in their boxes sealed up even disassembled the main telescope mount as it was getting in the way so it's in a separate box in another room. as annoying as it is to wear glasses there are quite a few times in my life for having them was nice as things were flying where they shouldn't be flying. Knocking out a lens in a glasses frame is a lot nicer than knocking out a eyeball.

basically what else is more than you have money for as watch repair tends to be very specialized at times tool intensive. on your initial list in the beginning I don't see movement holder's? somebody I'll says recommended the French set the problem with Bergeon is basically the very expensive. Doesn't mean they don't have good tools are just expensive and some other tools at least up until relatively recently they used to purchase from other people also occasionally will find other suppliers selling the exact same thing. Although is looking at the website it looks like their manufacturing more and more their stuff probably as the other suppliers go out of business. then as far as screwdrivers go it's also a personal choice and I've attached a PDF of the article reviewing screwdrivers from a long time ago. Then depending upon which sets you purchase some of them will come with replacement blades to get you started. telescope I like that astronomy and watch repair. one of the problems with the type for glasses are you might get used to one because your frames have been the same for centuries and then you get new frames and now the loop is crap. So I can't get my loop to work at all it just becomes a source of frustration because it doesn't want to stay in place on the frames. So you want to make sure you get the right one for the frames you have. then it's amazing what you can do with DIY bike raising a bench up a relatively simple fashion so it's higher like a watchmakers bench that can be homemade. Lighting for your bench could come from an office supply store are probably Amazon now. Storage boxes and possibly other stuff they don't have to come from Switzerland at a high price they can be purchased alternative sources at least some of it. BHI September 2008 Screwdrivers.PDF

In many ways the best kind, you won't forget it in a hurry, and best of all there's no harm done.

OK so here is what I figured out by switching and swapping my dials and movements at home: 7009, 7Sx6 (3.8 stem location) and NH36 (3.8 stem location) are fully interchangeable So is the NH35, but you would have a blank/cover-up where the day should be depending on which way around 7Sx6 (3.0 stem location) and NH36 (3.0 stem location) are fully interchangeable So is the NH35, but you would have a blank/cover-up where the day should be depending on which way around The 7009, 7Sx6 (3.8 stem location) and NH36 (3.8 stem location) movements can use a 3.0 dial, but the dial feet will need to be moved, and visa versa So is the NH35, but you would have a blank/cover-up where the day should be depending on which way around The 6309 movement and dials are incompatable with all versions of the 7009, 7Sx6, NH36 and NH35 Note, the spacer rings on the above movements are cal. specific but each will accept a dial from another movement type, for example, a 7S26 (3.8) movement with a 7S26 spacer ring (Black) will take; 7009, 7S26 (3.8), 7S36 (3.8), NH36 (3.8) and a NH35 (3.8) dials without any modification (but you would cover up the day ring on a NH35 dial) Clear as mud? Maybe this helps?

One of these http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&Smiths_12_15

I sometimes think microscopes are a crutch--my dad never used one. But, in reality, they are extremely useful. Beyond magnetism, my ring light illuminates under the plates when I am setting the train wheels. So, I concede to the utility of my microscope.

You can get 1.25x readers. That works fine. But suit yourself.

the reason I asked about a microscope is that it has issues. I was in a classroom teaching watch repair and one of the students put the fourth wheel and upside down and couldn't figure out what the problem was. So then I took pictures of the classroom and gave a lecture on how to sit at their watch bench. The problem was he was sitting up way too high looking straight down. Often times people with their microscopes are looking straight down if you're looking straight down you can't see which you need to see in watch repair it's why watchmakers sit so they can look into the watch it allows you to see things better than looking straight down. ideally would like to position the microscope so that you could look in at an angle as it lets you see things better.

I bought a little Longines 370 from a dealer, sold as seen. I was expecting it to be running like a bag of spanners. Now, confession time, I was originally going to send it to a repairer I know. But some of the work required he cannot do, so I decided that I would consider this my first refurb project. Brave for someone with virtually no tools! The first challenge I faced (as a newby) was that the strap was very snug and looked like an open-ended / glued one. I thought therefore that the watch would have fixed bars. The strap is new, so I didn't want to trash it. The next challenge was that the case back has no opening slot. I have never opened a gold watch that did not have one. Whilst I pondered my next steps I put the watch on the time grapher and was pleasantly surprised. The rate was off, but good amplitude. Too good perhaps? I gingerly had a look at whether the case would open with a sharper blade, but decided that the case, my fingers or both could end up damaged. To attack the problem with lower risk the strap would need to come off. A concerted effort revealed that actually there were spring bars and off came the strap. It was also possible to get a sharp blade in a tiny gap in the case back and carefully lever against the adjacent lug, removing the back. The movement was marked "370" but I cannot find the correct lift angle for it. Most other Longines seem to be 50 degrees, so that is what I assume is good for this one. I adjusted the regulator and have got it sitting on test. The amplitude seems very high to my (untrained) eye for a watch bought "as seen". I have bought "newly serviced" watches far worse. So, it looks to me as though the watch doesn't require much in the way of intervention. However I stand to be advised otherwise.

stopping the same place every time is always good versus random which becomes very very difficult to find if the picture is of the watch stopped looks like the secondhand may be touching the minute hand. Occasionally you'll find that the spacing of the hands on one side of the dial are greater than the other side which should be but sometimes it is

Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum. We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. You might find this helpful. 704789946_TZIllustratedGlossary(2).pdf

other than the new old style which is just the thickness. There are all identical other than the material that they were made out of. wheel is a pallet stones and early American watches you find is limited choices. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they purchased their pallet stones from somewhere else initially before they started manufacturing. I remember on some not a full plate something I swapped pallet stones from a different manufacture because they looked identical and that worked fine. Fear Palestine should work fine and initially I would just push them all the way back in and see how it works. then everybody tends to have their own obsessions and watch repair my obsession is on American pocket watches always check your banking pins. Especially on a full plate where they tend to be visible on the backside versus hidden on the other side were there less likely to be played with. But typically people like to move them around. it looks like they're expanding their online presence because I don't remember seeing this before but it looks like you get parts for your watch here https://www.ofrei.com/page1759.html then looks like they have some of the pallet fork. A lot of the early 18 size for instance pallet forks tend to not be one piece and they can be disassembled. Waltham is very bad for this because you end up with lots and lots and lots of variations even though the parts book doesn't say that. Elgin tends to be little better here so it looks like you could get the stones already in place

I'm glad you've resolved the issue but I'm confused. Which wheel was upside down and how could the wheel train run backwards?

Welcome to the WRT forum.

unfortunately usually the hard lessons result in damage being done and those you tend to remember forever.

Hello and welcome. Ask away, we're here to help.

I think I foud problem--had a wheel inserted upside down. Didn't know you can do that,,,,testing now. Wow, that was a hard lesson--I actually had a wheel upside down and the train was running in reverse (hence the pallet arbor wasn't sticking). Could have been an expensive mistake but now I know and hopefully someone else can avoid this.

Hi. I guessed the name was the retailers but had a look any way but no reference. Most likley as Old Hippy said a generic movement sold to any body unmarked which allows them to case it up and put their name on the front.

It is probably a mass produced movement.

Sure. When I move stones, I do an initial check on a Hauser measuring microscope. Go on heater, move, and note the change in length on the microscope. Except- sometimes it has visually moved when pushing around (but shellac is bubbling), and rechecking the move on the scope- nothing moved. #1 reason I believe it's money better spent on a toolmaker's scope than a Bergeon escapement meter. I use that scope daily for all kinds of stuff.

The name on the dial is not the name of the maker of the clock. It is the person who had a shop that sold it.

Hi Willow been through Baillies book of clock makers nothing so far, try shining a UV light on the dial to see if it reveals anymore of the characters. looked up under Nathan and Nathanial nothing .

depending upon how old the original plastic is it can do all kinds of things with time. Like a lot of the early plastic crystals are made out of cellulose nitrate and it produces nasty fumes and will rust the hands right off the dial. the later crystals of course don't do that if it's a plastic crystal I prefer it to be pressure fit. Not necessarily press fit but pressure fit this is where you put the plastic crystal in your crystal press ill hold it by the outer edge near the outer edge on one side you press on the inside and the crystal itself will bow in word you put the bezel first before you do this so basically the crystal shrinks and you push the bezel down and then when you release the crystal is held nice and tight so it's not pressed in because usually the or sometimes the bezels are slightly tapered the hold the plastic crystals that way suppressing isn't what you want to do I don't know where you'd get a sapphire crystal from that would be the right shape and size I don't think they may come normally for pocket watches. Here's a place that has glass crystals they should have which you want http://whitescrystals.com/

I think the name is Natinal Swarly

Hi. Just serviced a very slim Mappin and Webb 1970s gold dress watch. This is a 25 years service presentation watch which jeweller's used to supply back in the day. To my delight it had a Favre Leuba twin barrel 255 hiding inside - my favourite movment. A deeply clever design and a joy to work on. Despite clear evidence of at least two services, it ran at very poor amplitude. However the trace was clean so after a good scrub and lubrication the mainsprings were extracted. I've done three of these over the years and every time old mainsprings had been left by servicing watchmakers. This is unfortunate since the layout allows the two barrels to be removed in seconds. Jeweled barrel bridge - posh eh ? The barrel design is unusual because the winding ratchet wheel forms the top cover and arbor thus saving height and complication - see pic. A different approach is needed to replace them which seems to deter servicing watchmakers. The replacements should be 1.50 * 0.07 * 285 at 7.0 mm diameter - GR 4052 will do. The excellent Gleaves & Co supplied mine. The fun starts when you find the central coil is too large for the arbor hook to engage. I use two methods. The strong cheap flat tweezers fit inside the small barrel and careful squeezing will allow you to tighten that curve enough. The internal post in the barrel will help prevent snapping the spring - be gentle. Plan B is to temper the spring fixing point to a brown colour using a temperature controlled soldering iron and then bend it around a drill shank slightly smaller than the desired end loop size. Both work with patience. Hope that helps guys.

I think the 7s26/36 etc. use a different dial ring than the NH3X movements. I have seen I’m sure information about this on modding forums. The NH3X movements come with a grey ring and this needs to be swapped for the 7sxx black ring if replacing in an existing watch. Tom