404 Club

[AndyHull]

I had a quick look for a strap for the Casio MQ 24 in the previous post, and... picked up another complete watch for 0.99p

[spectre6000]

Real 404s do exist. 

[AndyHull]

7 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

Real 404s do exist. 

There are still quite a few around, but you have to be patient.

Edited June 19, 2024 by AndyHull

[Neverenoughwatches]

On 6/19/2024 at 9:39 PM, AndyHull said:

There are still quite a few around, but you have to be patient.

Absolutely they do, just because ebay doesn't cough up much these days Carboot day today,here are 4 that cost me 12 quid for all. The Sekonda is immaculate, had the back off and very possibly only a service required. Both timex also work, though the 70's style not for long the other has been running since 10.oclock this morning,  the dial of that one looks half decent the glass lets it down and the Limit quite poor but case is good and i have the same one in black. I was ten minutes late of picking up a non working Bulova for the same 3 quid, but these are good, I'm especially liking the retro Timex.  Yes the 404 are out there, and no postage with these,this thread lives on Andy

[AndyHull]

 

The 0.99p Casio MQ-24 turned up.

It is brand new, never worn, still with the plastic protection film on the front. RRP is apparently £59.00 but you can pick them up for less.

It did however have a flat battery, but since I have a bunch of brand new AG4, I picked up recently, that wasn't an issue.

Guess what I will be wearing in the garden tomorrow.

Edited June 21, 2024 by AndyHull

[AndyHull]

I had a spare 5 mins yesterday so I took a look at the first of the "three for a quid" I picked up recently.

 

A new battery, a new strap and a fumigation of the case and it looks like new.

Perhaps its most impressive feature is the lume. In the dark, it lights up like Hollywood nuclear spill, and even in daylight it has a slight glow. Well worth thirty three and a third pence I would say.

[AndyHull]

The second "three for a quid" got a new after-market band. I was going to go with a black one but plumped instead for a bright orange.

Described as "High Quality Rubber Wrist Strap For Casio MW-59 MW59 MQ-24 MQ24 MQ-71 MQ71 MQ-76 MQ76 Replacement Black Bracelet WatchBand Strap" on AliExpress, it cost a mere £1.75 plus vat, free shipping (as I was ordering other stuff, so combined shipping was free).

Add in a battery and I now have two MQ-24s that look like new.

[spectre6000]

Landed this Benrus within a quarter of the current 404 exchange rate, but with cheap shipping, so I'm counting it. Crystal is a lost cause, which sucks, because it's one of those that requires the ID and OD to match the case to close and seal... Bummer... Last time I attempted one of these, I had to find one with a slightly larger OD and shave it down, which was decidedly unfun. Kept would be vandals from opening/ruining it though, so that's a win! It's also missing the split stem crown, and the crown tube is somewhat less than circular. The case is all stainless though (one of my requirements to place any bid).

Inside is a 17 jewel ETA 1256, which is a pretty neat movement with some cool features. Very early automatic, evidenced by a lack of shock protection (it runs if you get it going, and has been running from the automatic wind during the time I've been typing this, so that bodes well). According to the link a few lines back there, it is the "prime father of all ETA selfwinding movements ever made". Neat! It has a "springless click reverser" with a "double click wheel". I'm not sure if that's exclusively dealing with the automatic works, or if it would wind both ways if I had a crown to wind it with. Very cool watch! If I can get the crystal and crown/stem sorted out, it'll make for a very nice watch! For now though, it goes into the project box.

[AndyHull]

I had some success paring down acrylic crystal lips by mounting a big blob of blue tack on the end of a cordless drill chuck.

You can centre it by squidging  the crystal around on the the blue tack till you are happy that it runs true.

Then its just a matter of using a little coarse sandpaper and some digital calipers to chase the size down to what you needed. Its a little crude, but since you are typically only removing a few tenths of a millimetre and acrylic sands down quickly, its is a lot easier than you might think. Practice on a few scrap crystals first.

The "blue tack chuck" also works for polishing acrylic crystals too. 

Hot glue might also work, as it parts company from whatever it is stuck to with a little isopropanol, which shouldn't damage the crystal. I may give that a try.

[gpraceman]

I guess these qualify as 404's.  Freebies from a watchmaker friend of mine.  I guess he doesn't think that I am busy enough.

Waltham automatic with PUW 1463 movement.  17 jewels.  It's a runner.

 

I don't know the manufacturer of the "Time is Money" pocket watch.  My first experience with a pin set movement.  Pallet fork is all metal.  A few jewels are evident.  Time sets fine.  Trying to wind the mainspring has no resistance, so maybe a broken mainspring.  Balance seems good.  Looks like a mucky mess around the ratchet wheel.

Edited August 9, 2024 by gpraceman

[spectre6000]

Looking at it (the pin set) on this bigger screen, that center pivot is really hanging out there! I want to see more of that movement... Especially the all-metal pallet fork and the keyless works. Also, looks like she might have lost some balance screws along the way...

Edited August 9, 2024 by spectre6000

[gpraceman]

18 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

Looking at it (the pin set) on this bigger screen, that center pivot is really hanging out there! I want to see more of that movement... Especially the all-metal pallet fork and the keyless works. Also, looks like she might have lost some balance screws along the way...

No missing balance screws.  No other markings to identify the manufacturer by.  Might be awhile before I get around to this project to see how it is constructed.

[spectre6000]

Oh wow! I didn't understand the "Time is Money" comment until that last photo. That is interesting... We need a date on that. Reminds me of this 19th century portrait of a guy with Jetsons glasses (actually for protection from the harmful effects of the light from whale oil lamps, whatever those effects were purported to be):

Edited August 10, 2024 by spectre6000

[gpraceman]

On 8/10/2024 at 9:41 AM, spectre6000 said:

Oh wow! I didn't understand the "Time is Money" comment until that last photo. That is interesting... We need a date on that.

It's also on the back of the case.

[AndyHull]

This "twofer" just arrived. The Amida runs, but needs serviced and the Timex stutters forward a couple of seconds after a shake but doesn't run.  I suspect both will work just fine after a little TLC. I'll keep you posted on progress.

[AndyHull]

A 1972 Timex is on its way. Listed as "not working" (no surprise there) and "automatic" (it isn't).
It looks to be in reasonable condition, but pretty filthy (also no surprise).

This one came in at exactly £4.04 plus postage.

Edited August 31, 2024 by AndyHull

[rehajm]

1 hour ago, AndyHull said:

and "automatic" (it isn't)

…automatically manual winding

[mbwatch]

6 hours ago, AndyHull said:

A 1972 Timex is on its way

This is such a nice model. Timex couldn't make a bad looking watch between 1968 and 1974 if they tried. (they absolutely could in 1975 and beyond though)

[JerseyMo]

1 hour ago, mbwatch said:

This is such a nice model. Timex couldn't make a bad looking watch between 1968 and 1974 if they tried. (they absolutely could in 1975 and beyond though)

how about an example of said ugly watch from 1975 and beyond!

[mbwatch]

1 hour ago, JerseyMo said:

how about an example of said ugly watch from 1975 and beyond!

Well okay it's out of scope for 404 but here are a handful of winners from the 1976 catalog. (I should add, they couldn't make a bad one before 1968 either, but they just didn't swing for the fences with as much variety)

I have never seen 475521 in the metal, but from auction photos it's pretty puzzling what they were reaching for with that dial. If you have one in your collection and can produce a good looking photo, I'm happy to be proven wrong!

Edited August 31, 2024 by mbwatch

[ManSkirtBrew]

My first foray into the 404 club is an accidental one.

My girlfriend's 13 year old daughter picked up this cute little Timex at a thrift store for $1. She'd been wearing it semi-ironically as a fashion statement and I asked if she'd like it to work. "Sure." So I took it home, tried a battery, and it lit right up! So of course I had to clean it up, polish the crystal, and lubricate the stem.

 

Not bad for $1! I made a little video of it functioning:

 

Then while searching for an instruction manual for her, I found this:

And this was her response via text:

[spectre6000]

12 hours ago, ManSkirtBrew said:

And this was her response via text:

Wise beyond her years!

[JerseyMo]

On 8/31/2024 at 2:14 PM, mbwatch said:

Well okay it's out of scope for 404 but here are a handful of winners from the 1976 catalog. (I should add, they couldn't make a bad one before 1968 either, but they just didn't swing for the fences with as much variety)

I have never seen 475521 in the metal, but from auction photos it's pretty puzzling what they were reaching for with that dial. If you have one in your collection and can produce a good looking photo, I'm happy to be proven wrong!

It is a Camouflaged dial.  Here is one in the waiting to be repaired file.  BTW I do agree that not all the dials or even case styles were interesting.  You can see that Timex put more effort into the Electric and early quartz starting in the late 70's.  

 

[ManSkirtBrew]

16 minutes ago, JerseyMo said:

It is a Camouflaged dial.

Well it worked, because I was sitting here trying to figure out how I could see the carpet through the back of the watch.

[AndyHull]

For 0.99p who (other than every sane person on ebay obviously) could possibly resist.
A non working Newmark with fixed lugs, probably from the late fifties or early sixties.