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I have two - the black Bergeon and some cheaper green one. Bergeon is firmer and grips better. Bergeon didn't cost much either, I think everyone should have one.

I've been sitting on an Autocrat for over a year, it needs a balance staff after I replaced some jewels but the one I installed initially is incorrect and I have not returned to it. Finally a worthy contribution: $10 US, a "Splendor" skin diver in a monobloc case. I was hoping for an EB8800 movement, but could tell by the slow calendar change action that isn't it. I also assumed a 2 piece stem and firmly pulled a 1 piece stem right out! But apparently this is by design? It reinserts and still works correctly. Also expected a tension ring crystal I would have to blow out, but no it is a basic crystal removable with a lift tool. The dial is pretty marked up unfortunately, and the hands don't look great. The movement I expected was a Baumgartner 866, but I'm not sure yet what this thing is. Edit: Ah, the movement must be a Brac 500 series something or other.

@Neverenoughwatches, yea, I wish I ahd any idea where thia guy is. Don't even know the country. ANYWAY, I decided to move on with my life and put it in the category "lessons learnt". There's no point in dwelling. After a lot of back-and-forth thinking, and considering above Vibrasonics, the Indian Pearl, DIY builds, a half-functional Elma RM90, a Elma Super Automat and Nestromo machines... I was super lucky that a Elma Super Elite came on the local market (Facebook marketplace) yesterday. So back to what I originally wanted. I picked it up today and it's in excellent condition. Cost me 550 CHF / 590 EUR.

I agree with John; I think they may be using a stock image of the base component, but it will come with the stud attached.

usually a balance complete which is what this is would come with the stud attached. I would find it extremely unlikely that it did not have a stud. This is because hairsprings are vibrated to specific balance wheels and the stud is part of that it has to be in a very exact location so it's not really something that you could glue in place after the fact.

Oh, that's grand! Getting the little one's hope up, and then putting it back in the projects drawer? Are you really that cruel?

No, no, no...no more excuses

Bloody brilliant matey I'm so pleased for you , yep very annoying that you got stung....it happens.... but as well a lesson learnt. The universe sometimes shows us how it really has our best interests....that dont immediately seem clear to us...think of it as future plan to avoid something worse. Besides you now have a great working machine, exactly what you wanted for a good price......And the prick that ripped you off.....dont you worry about it....the universe has its own plan to deal with him .

yeahhhhhh...but i dont like where this is going It just heard me mentioning its name.....its now currently shaking in it's draw Shhhhh it's ok.....caseback was only joking. So here's the plan I've come up with.....i tell you want i need making and give you my address and we'll just take it from there .

The case is a Dennison Star which is their lowest grade of case and is Gold Filled as detailed in the link below. https://www.timewornwatches.co.uk/guides/the-dennison-watch-case-company/ The movement is after 1928 so quite a few years after Rolex started. Here's a couple of examples from the late 20s with 9ct Gold cases. https://www.dawsonsauctions.co.uk/auction/lot/263-a-camerer-cuss--co-double-signed-rolex/?lot=79671&sd=1 https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29889/lot/15/camerer-cuss-and-co-186-uxbridge-road-london-a-9k-gold-keyless-wind-open-face-pocket-watch-birmingham-hallmark-for-1926/

At the time this was made, early 1900’s Rolex was what we would now call a microbrand. They sourced movements from Switzerland and definitely sourced cases from Dennison. This may be a collaboration between the movement manufacturer and Rolex (Hans Wildorf), hard to say. As it’s a Dennison star case it is not high end in their range so maybe not worth as much as would be thought. Tom Oh, they were probably still based in London at this time, where they were founded.

This is Montilier movement, which is normal for Rolex pocket watch. Rolex never did pocket movements, but used Montilier, Cortebert and GT movements mainly.

What checks have you done Sizi ? Hope shouldn't come into the equation matey, to get good at watchrepair you should always aim for the knowing....not....the hoping. If you know you know...... if you only hope for a better outcome you'll never know what the problem was. Tell us about the checks you've made then lets go from there A disassemble and a re-clean may correct an unnoticed issue that reoccurs. And absolutely.......a less than spotless movement is an issue. So for me....I would want to pin point the problem....working through function groups.

I presume a pivot of your staff is broken, in which case this balance can be re-staffed, but if you don't have the required tools, get a studded balance complete. Didn't know there are still sold without stud. I am not sure if they can be called balance COMPLETE, perhaps a studless balance complete. The glue dissolves in acetone.

Welcome from your neighbor in South Carolina!

Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum. We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. If there is anything we can help you with don’t be afraid to ask. Nice clear photos can help a lot.

Hello and Welcome to the WRT forum.

Cheers Richard, I've seen cheap Burgeon Chinese copies on Ali express that to me look Identical. Only fair to assume these have made their way onto Ebay/Amazon UK. Cause of this and the fact that Black doesn't show the dirt as good I've just gone for a Cheap Blue one. As a matter of fact I got that and a £30 pile of other cheap chinese tools/accessories off of Temu Click and Collect. Can't go wrong!

Hello and welcome from Leeds, England.

If you check the drills, you'll see they have a peculiar shape at the business end. These tools were bow driven, so the drills cut (or more like scrape) in both directions.

I have the bergeon, it was only a few quid more than the cheap ones Agree with the rest quite useful but sometimes not enough.

Cheers Tom Thanks Waggy Cheers for the advice Andy Thanks Knebo Sounds good advice Geotex, Thanks. Thanks for the advice Vwatchie. I'll have a look at Vid in a bit. Thanks Mbwatch, much appreciated.

Regarding the less expensive (non-Bergeon) balls... I have an unbranded ball I probably bought from Esslinger when starting out. I believe it is 10-15mm smaller in diameter than the Bergeon 8008 and I do think that makes a difference. There are some casebacks I cannot get good purchase against even though they are not tightly screwed down. So if others are saying 80% success, I would put my cheaper one at only about 65%. Get the 8008 (or figure out its size and buy a generic one that size). I have not spent the $10 to upgrade my inferior ball because I don't actually work on many screwback cases. It's mainly snap cases or the 2 piece screw down ring on older Russian watches.

YouTube the home of tools that are interesting but not necessarily practical.

Got a submission for the club, as previously featured on the what's coming in the post, this Citizen Valiant So price criteria met It's either 1963 or 1973, with the plastic movement ring will probably go for 73, and the movement is the 1802. I've had dealings with this movement before, it's one of those that just will not sit nicely in the movement holder so you end up fiddling around with it until you tighten onto the balance, then you hear the pop and your heart sinks. Learnt my lesson there so made sure the balance was out whilst on the dial side. Only part purchased was the crystal, replaced the crown which I have a bag full, and the strap was a freebie from cousins. Cleaned up the case, didn't go to town on it but now looks a little more respectable. Beat error was really out and took an age to bring back but fluked a 0.0. I do wonder how fixed stud balances get so far out, this one certainly wasn't loose. End result +5/6, 270, 0.0 Believe it or not, that was the time I took the picture, although I did wait a couple of minutes.

I guess this qualifies, as I paid $80 for a lot of 8 watches. While some will make good projects, the one that really caught my eye is the one with the scalloped case. It's an Elgin with a Grade 524 movement from 1937. I got the lot many months back and finally got around to working on it. It turned out quite nice, I think. Though, the balance gave me fits with several issues. I got a donor movement and swapping out the balance didn't help much. The donor itself ran better, so I did a movement swap until I can work through the issues with the original movement.

I've had a rough time the past few months, I recently lost my job so lost my mojo in repairing watches for a few weeks, then I had a run of 4 or 5 watches that would just not work, and spare parts lost in the post etc.... anyway long story short, not a great watch repair time. However the watch below has broken my unlucky streak and I'm 'back on the horse' The watch is a Clinton and was won on eBay and was 1 in a lot of 2, so he price is $10.00 US each, so below the £10.10 threshold. It was quite beaten up and non-runner. Here are the before and after pictures: Here is the front of the watch, the crystal was destroyed, and the case dirty and in need of some TLC: Here is the back of the watch, complete with free arm cheese, there were no marks inside the caseback: Here is the movement I needed to replace the stem and crown due to rust, and the crystal (obviously), I also played around with straps, but all the ones I had were either too sporty or too formal, so in the end decided to splash out on a bracelet. I decided not to re-lume the hands as this would have contrasted with the look of the watch and the existing lume was stable (good call? - let me know!): And here is the timegrapher result let me know what you think