What's your favourite YouTube watch repair channel?

[VWatchie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3b3tT4fVjM

I was about to show this to someone, but it turns out Kalle has decided his content is now a Netflix-style subscription service. Can’t say I’m thrilled 

[nickelsilver]

1 hour ago, VWatchie said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3b3tT4fVjM

I was about to show this to someone, but it turns out Kalle has decided his content is now a Netflix-style subscription service. Can’t say I’m thrilled 

Just looked at their vid "Balance staff repair- the easy way". Yikes. The balance arms are visibly more true before he removes the staff than after (punched out without any special tool like the K&D/Platax) , and he says it looks pretty good on the truing caliper, when it's off a mile. Yuk.

Edited February 28 by nickelsilver

[mbwatch]

2 hours ago, VWatchie said:

has decided

This isn't a new change as far as I remember. I think the livestreams older than the most recent 10 or so have always been members-ony.

[praezis]

5 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

Just looked at their vid "Balance staff repair- the easy way". Yikes. The balance arms are visibly more true before he removes the staff than after (punched out without any special tool like the K&D/Platax) , and he says it looks pretty good on the truing caliper, when it's off a mile. Yuk.

That must be the video where I got my judgement about that person (Neverenoughwatches knows … ).

Frank

[Neverenoughwatches]

" it could be worse "  wow just...wow Kalle, I'm  not sure how it could though, maybe if it were like the front wheel of an eight year old's push bike after he'd just rammed it up a six inch kerb. Really surprising this video, I'm no artist but my daughter's pet Husky could draw or a more balance staff looking balance staff than this. I stopped watching Chronoglide when it was FREE .

[VWatchie]

18 hours ago, mbwatch said:

This isn't a new change as far as I remember.

The membership option has been around for a long time. What annoys me is that already published and what used to be free videos have now been hidden on his new Netflix-style channel.

20 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

he says it looks pretty good on the truing caliper, when it's off a mile. Yuk.

Yes, he generally doesn't seem particularly concerned with the truth and has no hesitation in winging it when he's unsure how things work, like pushing out a jewel while banging the pusher into the decorated bridge!? Horrific if you ask me.

I shouldn't complain too much, though, as I've picked up quite a bit of useful stuff on his channel, and I'm very grateful for that, so thank you, Kalle!

21 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

punched out without any special tool like the K&D/Platax

He doesn't show it, but I'm pretty sure he banged the stake so hard into the balance arm that he didn't include it in the video. It's no wonder the balance wheel looks the way it does after the staff has been replaced.

[Knebo]

 

A great example of how NOT to lubricate Rolex reversing wheels. 

Edited April 1 by Knebo

[GuyMontag]

1 hour ago, Knebo said:

 

A great example of how NOT to lubricate Rolex reversing wheels. 

I've never done one of these, what is the correct method?

[rehajm]

17 hours ago, Knebo said:

 

A great example of how NOT to lubricate Rolex reversing wheels. 

I watched this last night and thought the same thing. There were big quantities of oil and grease going everywhere. Off his game a bit…

[JohnR725]

On 2/28/2025 at 4:03 AM, nickelsilver said:

Just looked at their vid "Balance staff repair- the easy way". Yikes. The balance arms are visibly more true before he removes the staff than after (punched out without any special tool like the K&D/Platax) , and he says it looks pretty good on the truing caliper, when it's off a mile. Yuk.

Yes this particular video of his is rather peculiar as well he's definitely not at his best today. Peculiar aspects is he talks about removing the roller and then does not which I think is part of his problem. If the roller is removed the hole for driving the staff out in the staking would be much smaller. Then yes the much bigger hole and not holding the arms down nice and tight definitely leads to bad very bad distortion of the balance wheel as this is a bimetallic balance wheel.. Right after he does it you can see that the arms are no longer in alignment as he's warped the balance wheel. It's always bad if you can notice it before it's on the truing caliper. 

18 hours ago, Knebo said:

A great example of how NOT to lubricate Rolex reversing wheels. 

Are you suggesting that someone that has over 900,000 subscribers, a video that's only been out 20 hours as over 100,000 views that is not lubricating as Rolex correctly? Plus it is a heck of a lot a credit to Mark who is responsible for starting this message board and claimed he watched every single one of his videos. So basically it's how he learned watch repair except did he learn watch repair? He doesn't believe in reading the service manual if he even had one.

Then lubrication questions I wonder how we lubricated the escapement? But the instant the watch ran it's on the timing machine and those lines do not look impressive at all which would indicate a lubrication or some other escapement issue? Although he just started the watch running and it's only run for a few seconds?

Okay I guess I got the answer to my question he must've actually lubricated in the lubrication has now migrated around as the lines are looking better not outstanding. Then yes eventually puts it in beat but he never does put it in any other position at least initially on the timing machine.

16 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

what is the correct method

I was thinking I can see skipping steps because it be hard to show every single step every single lubrication point these are really not meant to be step-by-step how to do a Rolex they're meant to be more entertaining. So it looks like in the image the Oilers just about the touch and it's going to leave a big puddle of oil right there which is a really interesting place

Would have to study the Rolex manual in more detail for every single lubrication point but the basics would be epilam is applied because as you can see in the image the only thing that gets oiled is the center wheel post. With very clearly my interpretation of the drawing versus the video up above we have a conflict of that is definitely not where you're supposed to place the oil. But for entertaining video do we really care?

 

 

 

[rehajm]

1 hour ago, JohnR725 said:

was thinking I can see skipping steps because it be hard to show every single step every single lubrication point these are really not meant to be step-by-step how to do a Rolex they're meant to be more entertaining.

Yes, that’s for sure- more ASMR for the masses than instructional. Always from the perspective of a novice, too.  

[tomh207]

I think we should really cut Marshall some slack here. Mark’s videos and courses are not Rolex specific. He also says every video that he is a hobbyist, same as most of us here. Going by several comments from newcomers here he has done a lot more than most to promote watch repair as a hobby. He does have a bit of an advantage in that he comes from an entertainment background I believe and has a huge following from “magic the gathering “ commentary and YouTube videos which from what I have seen is most of his followers on the watch channel is from that.

Just my opinion for what it’s worth. He is a member here, doesn’t participate anymore for whatever reason but does visit.

Tom

[Kalanag]

I‘d want to mention that even Mark does not oil the Rolex reversers correctly…

[JohnR725]

5 hours ago, tomh207 said:

I think we should really cut Marshall some slack here.

His videos should be looked at as entertainment not as an instructional video. So as long as you look at it as entertainment and not as an instructional video you'll be fine.

 

[VWatchie]

On 4/2/2025 at 7:55 PM, JohnR725 said:

His videos should be looked at as entertainment not as an instructional video. So as long as you look at it as entertainment and not as an instructional video you'll be fine.

 

For this reason, I believe that every video should begin with a clear disclaimer stating that viewers should not assume the content reflects best practices and that the content is primarily intended for entertainment.

My approach may come across as unnecessarily harsh, but this is to prevent those poor souls who actually want to learn and develop their knowledge and skills from being misled into thinking they've found an educational channel.

Why do I care, and should I care, you might wonder. Well, because servicing and repairing movements is complex and challenging enough without the enthusiastic beginner having to struggle with methods that can unnecessarily lead to failures and various inconveniences.

That said, most channels seem to offer a few golden nuggets, but to understand what a golden nugget is and isn’t, you first need to have a reasonably solid and sound foundation to stand on, and that foundation is not easily found on many YouTube channels.

On 4/2/2025 at 3:59 PM, Kalanag said:

I‘d want to mention that even Mark does not oil the Rolex reversers correctly…

It’s true, but I generally regard Mark as an exceptionally knowledgeable and skilled repairer, and this is probably the exception that proves the rule. I can’t recall seeing anything else he has done that is even remotely "blameworthy."  I have no problem turning a blind eye to this.

[RichardHarris123]

22 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

That said, most channels seem to offer a few golden nuggets, but to understand what a golden nugget is and isn’t, you first need to have a reasonably solid and sound foundation to stand on, and that foundation is not easily found on many YouTube channels.

Correct, the problem is gaining enough knowledge to know what the nuggets are and what to ignore. 

[Kalanag]

I like watching youtube videos. You can learn a lot even from mistakes other people make. There is much more to win than to loose imho.

Edited Sunday at 12:20 PM by Kalanag

[Neverenoughwatches]

Better to learn from other people's mistakes and not your own. You do need some knowledge to know what is worth holding on to.  When I started I made a list of all the tips and tricks that come my way via books, youtube and forum groups.