Jump to content

Pierce 134 / 130 Chronograph Servicing

jnash

By jnash
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

jnash Super WRT Addict

jnash

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have a few of these watches and spare parts if have been hoarding, They have a vertical clutch system and use a rubber spacer that gets worn easily that is not available. a while ago i restored two of these however struggled to configure the chronograph due to the amount of tweaking that was required.

 

Once if get through a few jobs ive got to do (personal projects ) ill have a go and try again.. 

 

just wondered if anyone has worked with them, tricky little suckers!

 

Thanks

 

Jonathan

 

PierceChronoCalAngle.jpg

 

PierceChronoCalClose.jpg

Edited by jnash
Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted (edited)

That's a nice looking movement Jonathan. I've not worked on a Pierce, but I have worked on Landeron and Seiko movements. My preference is for the column wheel movements like the one you have here. If you don't already have one, acquire a book dedicated to chronograph movements, you'll find it invaluable.

Edited by Geo
jnash Super WRT Addict

jnash

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Geo

 

I have ample books for chronographs, they seem to be my choice. just wanted to see if there was anyone else i could rant with over the Pierce in house movement.  Seiko adapted this later on , i noticed that lots of watchmakers declined to work on these due to the configuration needed to set up.

 

It comes in a single and double pusher, 

 

Thanks 

 

Jonathan

clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

Posted
Posted

Geo,

If you had a choice what would be the best chronograph book to purchase. Being pestered at present about what I would like for Xmas and watch & clock books are on my radar.

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted (edited)

As I only have two books that delve into the mysteries of chronographs, So I can't give a definitive best.

The best book that I have is 'Complicated Watches and their repair" by Donald de Carle F.B.H.I. This is an excellent book covering a whole array of complications from automatics to moon phase triple dates.

The other book only touches on them briefly and that is "Mechanical and Quartz Watch Repair" by Mick Watters F.B.H.I.

Edited by Geo
  • Like 1
Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

That's an excellent find Clockboy. I couldn't load it on my IPad from your link, but managed to get if from searching Google. Guess what I'll be reading tonight!

jnash Super WRT Addict

jnash

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Found this on the net

 

ESEMBL-O-GRAPF

Illustrated text book. Could be useful as a reference

 

 

 

attachicon.gifChronograph.pdf

 

Yep this is what i use when working on it, valuable source of info,   Thanks for sharing - forgot about those!

Marc Distinguished Member

Marc

Posted
Posted

That Esembl-O-Graph link is is actually only 1 of a set of 28 volumes of which 2 are general to most chrono movements dealing with adjustments and repairs, and each of the remaining 26 is a detailed, blow by blow strip down of the chrono works of specific movements (including the Pierce 134). They even include a description of the function of each part, and oiling requirements. I bought a CD a while ago with all 28 volumes on it and find it an excellent resource, I would say that if you are into vintage chronographs then it's a must have. Search eBay for Esembl-O-Graph and you should be able to get it for less than £20.

  • Like 1
jnash Super WRT Addict

jnash

Posted
  • Author
Posted

That Esembl-O-Graph link is is actually only 1 of a set of 28 volumes of which 2 are general to most chrono movements dealing with adjustments and repairs, and each of the remaining 26 is a detailed, blow by blow strip down of the chrono works of specific movements (including the Pierce 134). They even include a description of the function of each part, and oiling requirements. I bought a CD a while ago with all 28 volumes on it and find it an excellent resource, I would say that if you are into vintage chronographs then it's a must have. Search eBay for Esembl-O-Graph and you should be able to get it for less than £20.

Yeah that's what I have, so invaluable
Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

Search eBay for Esembl-O-Graph and you should be able to get it for less than £20.

Thanks for the heads up Marc, I've just ordered a copy!

  • 6 months later...
StuartBaker104 Distinguished Member

StuartBaker104

Posted
Posted

Hi JNash,

 

How did you get on with your service?

 

I have a single pusher version which I have been working on. Esembl-o-graph was invaluable to me, and I found with this that the adjustment of the chrono mechanism was pretty straightforward.

 

I had to make a new washer for the chrono clutch.  I broadly followed the advice from Roland Ranfft elsewhere on the net, who advised using a watch glass protector sticker.  I didn't have one of those but used a car windscreen sticker instead, and punched it out with a staking set.  Contrary to Roland's advice, I did find that the mechanism is sensitive to the thickness of this and ended up with a double thickness to get it to work, otherwise the minute advance lever on the chrono staff didn't engage with the minute wheel.

 

I found a brand new balance complete on Cousins website at a reasonable price, but they have limited other parts.  I'm still looking for a new regulator arm as mine really needs a new boot and curb pin, if anyone knows where I can lay my hands on one then I'd be very grateful as I can't regulate it properly at the moment.  Other than that it works fine...

 

Stuart

  • 4 years later...
RyMoeller Super WRT Addict

RyMoeller

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, GleaveandCoLuke said:

Hi, does anyone have the chronograph.pdf attachment listed above.  Just doing some reseach into this calibre and can't find much on the internet for parts sheets etc.  Many Thanks.

I think the PDF was a reference to the Esemble-O-Graf service manual for the Pierce 134 (volume 15).  I did a bit of hunting on the internet and cannot find pdf's of the Esembl-O-Grafs anymore.  You can purchase them secondhand from eBay though.  I would suggest the CD version which has a PDF of each of the 28 volumes.

  • 3 weeks later...
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • BobG
      Etachron regulation system

      By BobG · Posted

      Alex mentions the coils below the stud should remain the same as you move the regulator block along the terminal curve.  Mine do that. What he doesn’t discuss and is used in the other video is how the regulator block is used to adjust rate and positional error.  He also doesn’t mention how opening and closing the pins could and in my case does, alter amplitude  In Alex’s video once he sets the stud he never adjusts the regulator pins yet every new movement I get have the pins signing closed. 
    • Mercurial
      Etachron regulation system

      By Mercurial · Posted

      The video I linked above does mention the spacing of the hairspring coils, and the importance of the regulator being able to move through its full range without distorting the hairspring - the terminal curve of the hairspring must be concentric with the regulator pins throughout the regulator’s range.  If you meticulously follow every step in this video, the regulator system should behave as intended, regardless of the brand of the movement.  Best Regards, Mark
    • coreymsnow
      Very Old Watch- "Echappement A Ancre", "13 Rubis" on the case

      By coreymsnow · Posted

      Hi friends! My mother got a bunch of old watches from a horologist who was retiring, and he subsequently passed away. It's been in her studio for years, and she showed it to me today and I just fell in love with it. Sadly, I don't know a darn thing about it yet. It's quite old, or at least seems to be. It has two winding arbors, but the key is missing. The crystal appears to be some kind of yellowed plastic, which is odd- I think it was replaced at some point to possibly protect it or something. If I had to guess, it's from the mid-19th century, given that it has no keyless works and that it says "Anchor Escapement" in French. It looks to be about 18 ligne, and the case fob is positioned in the upper right corner. The face is missing the dial, the hands, and a couple of the wheels that drive the hands- I think. But the movement itself seems to be in excellent shape. The serial number on the movement matches the number on the case- it's stamped on the movement and on the case in two places. I haven't started any disassembly yet, but I'm wondering if anyone can give me some idea of what kind of movement it is, and where I might look to see what parts are missing from the face. i may even have a dial that would fit it. It's in good enough shape that I think I could get it running, assuming I could find the missing parts. Any insights are vastly appreciated and thank you! Addendum: The inside of the case has some *very* tiny scratched numbers and letters in it, but I am having an extremely hard time seeing what they are. Like "N 99" and "No192X", They were clearly done with some kind of sharp stylus and maybe they mean when it was serviced or by who? Addendum the second: At least one of the scratches seems to say "N1921X" or maybe "W1921X". Serviced in 1921? And the inside lid of the case has the letters R H with a star between them, and a very tiny mark that says "ARGENT" in a u-shape.
    • BobG
      Etachron regulation system

      By BobG · Posted

      I’ve watched every video I can find on YouTube. Some of the info is contradictory and none mention  the effect on amplitude or spring coil spacing which I observed. I was hoping someone here is a Seiko expert and knows these inside out.   
    • Mercurial
      Etachron regulation system

      By Mercurial · Posted

      This video explains how to set up and adjust the etachron regulator :   I hope that helps, Mark
×
×
  • Create New...