Bro In Laws Knock Off

[Vich]

Ok it was a copy and bought in Spain or Greece for the equivalent of about £10.00.  It does (did) work however, but the date would not turn either with the winder or at the end of the day so he gave it to me to fix (?).  I thought I would inspect it at length and the wise heads always say start with something of little value so here it is. Have not been able to decide why the date would not turn so started trawling through Marks videos and stripping it down at the same time seemed like it would be fun so what the hell.  Took pictures before and after each bit came off so heres hoping.

 

Have just ordered the BM1 Microscope from Brunel it should arrive tomorrow and with what I am getting it will give me 10x, 20x and 35x magnification the latter being what I need for the Accutrons - thanks to Lee for answering my questions on the way.  As I said to him, I was having difficulty choosing which of the bags under my eye to wedge the loupe into, my spectacle loupes gave good magnification but no space to work and I kept walking into walls.

 

The relevance of the different coloured trays is Semi Skimmed, One Percent and Skimmed - cost nowt and works for me.

 

Geo will probably run the book but if he gives 10 to 1 against I will be "most miffed" (translated from the original geordie which would have got me in trouble with Mark)

 

Cheers, Vic

 

[Geo]

The relevance of the different coloured trays is Semi Skimmed, One Percent and Skimmed - cost nowt and works for me.

Geo will probably run the book but if he gives 10 to 1 against I will be "most miffed"

I recon you've secretary been watching Bunnspecial videos on you tube going by the milk bottle tops!

OK, I'll give you 10 to 1 for, I'm ever the optimist. :-)

Edited August 19, 2014 by Geo

[bobm12]

I think you missed whole milk (maybe the gold one? :)

[Vich]

That was orange juice - one of my five a day - one juice and four beers (:-))

[Vich]

The Brunel BM1 Scope arrived today and I am well pleased.  I wear glasses for Long distance and Reading glasses for close examination as well, so I am well short of 20x20.  However, the clarity and magnification of the scope are a considerable aid and the diopter setting essential from my point of view.  I was horrified to see all the metal shavings and minute threads of steel in the movement of the watch I am working on.  The pallet stones look like saucers but the finishing off of the metalwork of the movement is obviously rough and poor as you may expect from a fake Rolex.  None of that was so vividly visible through the loupe.  Lee praised the clarity and said it was a pleasure to work with and I totally agree with him.

 

The working space even at 35x magnification is easily enough to get your screwdrivers and pegwood in.  For some inexplicable reason my hand seems quite steady - I always had difficulty working with a loupe keeping it steady but this scope may give me a bit of help in that area.  It may be because I am not trying to focus on one little bit and the whole thing is there in its entirety and easily visible.  Other units are available to increase magnification further - up to 70x though I would think that would be bound to decrease the working space available.

 

There are attachments to facilitate both photos and videos but that is something to look into on a future occasion.  I tried focusing my iPad and iPhone through the lens but the results were poor and would give the wrong impression. I am now looking at the aluminium storage case as I do not have a permanent workbench.

 

As an aside my lovely wife has had a good look at her diamond  rings through the scope and immediately got the ultrasonic cleaner out.  I was making pasta yesterday which involved me in some heavy kneading and I am ashamed to say that even though my hands were thoroughly washed before and after there were still traces of dough in one of my rings today that were not visible to the naked eye.  Next time the rings come off (except for the wedding ring of course which has never been off since it went on in the Church).

 

Cheers,  Vic

[Geo]

Thanks for the second opinion regarding the scope. I said a while ago that I had been considering one, but hadn't made the move yet. I may treat myself to one for my Christmas.

[bobm12]

Me too, and my b'day is this month! Let's see what surprise I get!

[Vich]

When I first went onto the Brunel site I found that on face value, you currently do not get the 3.5x objective lens as part of the package.  Yet I noticed in Lee's review that there was a picture of it and the price is the same as it is now suggesting it was included. 

To buy the 3.5 objective lens separately is about £40.00 inclusive of VAT. 

Lee suggested contacting them and I did asking if it would be included and received a mail from Alan R Potter (MBE,MPhil,DSc(Hon),CSci,FIBMS) Managing Director" I advised him that a friend had purchased the scope in April and had the 3.5 objective lens included he said : Hi Vic, It wouldn't be fair not to offer you the same deal as your friend - so yes it would.Best regards, Alan.

This is quite important as it raises the Mag of the original package from 20x to 35x - a significant jump.  They are obviously not obliged to include it and it shows good customer appreciation which I have not seen from a company in a long time.  It may be prudent to have regard to this posting and make a similar enquiry if you get around to putting in the order - which by the way was delivered in 24 hours.

cheers, Vic

 

[Vich]

Finished with the fake Rolex. Stripped down, cleaned, broken bits for the calendar change replaced from another broken fake which seems to have been a just about identical movement, oiled and greased and to my amazement it worked.  Can't help but wish it was a decent watch considering all the work but it was my first mechanical auto movement and I did learn quite a bit from the exercise. 

It was astonishing how poor the workmanship  was. Inside there were metal shavings all over the place and yet it worked when bought.  There was next to no lubrication in the watch and it appears it could have been put together dry.  No identifying marks but I am pretty sure it was a Chinese ST6 type used in loads of fakes as I was able to find a tear down of one used in a fake Omega.

I feel a bit more confident tackling a watch for my son now, ANACB Bulova - should be fun, got a working movement for £14.00 and found a chunky case to fit.

 

 

[Geo]

Well done Vic, there will be no holding you back now. Once you get the first couple behind you it just gets easier, You will soon be working on chronographs!

[bobm12]

Congratulations Vick, well done!

 

You said you could get the tech data for the ST 6? If so, can you post the link and/or pdf? Thanks in advance.

Edited September 1, 2014 by bobm12

[Vich]

Hello Bob,

 I only found a tear down or staged dismantling  the link is:-

 

http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/WatchSchool/Servicing%20a%20Chinese%20AutoST6%20Movement/ServicingAChineseST6.htm

 

hope that helps,

 

Cheers,

 

Vic

[bobm12]

Thanks Vich, great link. I believe I can use it too. I have a chinese watch I've been planning to study that uses the same movement. I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers.

[Vich]

One thing that puzzled me was the spring I have arrowed from step 10.  It was not in the watch I worked on and I could not see where it came from in the dismantling process either.  Needless to say it is not in the watch that is still ticking away after 24 hours on its first wind so I must assume the watch in the guidance was slightly different to the fake rolex movement I worked on.  I am curious however, so if you come across it can you advise me what its from.  The one next to it is from the calendar wheel.  It may be a spring for the lever if so it is definitely different from mine which was the more traditional U shape.

 

Cheers,  Vic

[Geo]

It does look bit like a date jump spring to me. Hard to say when it's a pile of bits!

[frenchie]

Looks like the a spring that latches on to the date wheel teeth

[Vich]

I know what you mean but the spring at its right in that pic is the date jump I have arrowed it in the pic below and you can just make out the flag shape at the top end which I was fiddling about with to get it to locate in the groove behind the screw. I finally gave up and took the calendar wheel off then located the flag end before putting the calendar back on then the other end of the spring was much easier to put into the calendar teeth - I won't make that mistake again.  I have looked around for the lever spring the same U shape as the one I fitted without success so by default thats my best guess - odd though as all other parts are identical to the two watches I had. 

 

Cheers,  Vic

 

 

[bobm12]

Hi Vich, it is definitely a date spring as Geo and frenchie said. On a lighter side, to explain the guide's contradiction, I started to think it was a fake ST6 made by Rolex to pretend it was a Chinese fake...no I haven't had too many beers yet! :)

[Vich]

Cheers Bob,

 

Curiouser and curiouser two date springs on the one date wheel - I give up, where are those cans of Newcastle Brown Ale.

[bobm12]

Oh yeah, keep them coming! It is Heineken for me here (very few good options where I live).

[Vich]

When I visited my son in LA I was amazed to see Newcastle Brown Ale on sale in all the large supermarkets and a lot of the petrol station stores. Also, a while ago when visiting Vegas the taxi's were emblazoned with the Brown Ale label - used to be my area was only famous for coal (before the pits closed)