The Master Wristwatch Thread

[HAC]

Gruen used quite a few different movements as base, including Felsa, A. Schild, Alpina, PUW, and even (and these are very rare) a few models with Rolex 200, 210, or 300 movements.
At a guess, its most likely your has an A.Schild in it, probably a 2063...

Nice vintage pieces!

Cheers
Harold

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

I just popped it off. It's one of those pesky pop offs masquerading as a screw back.

You were very close... it's a A.Schild 2066. They didn't even engrave their own name on it. It just says "A. Schild" on the rotor.

Any tips on seating the day wheel on the ETA? I think I got it this time, but it's been jumping track and stopping between days at the change.

[HAC]

A.Schild is a pretty good guess for most Gruens    I should have guessed the 2066, as looking at it now, it was the day/date movement, the 2063 was date only.. Too many movements, too little memory 

A.Aschild 20xx family:

2062: automatic
2063: automatic, date
2064: manual wind, day, date
2066: automatic, day, date


As far as the ETA.. Take a look at the 2678 in the technical documents section of the ETA site..

https://secure.eta.ch/CSP/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=3&tabid=28

I think its similar in design. The date corrector lever is the tricky bit, need to be seatedcorrectly, and properly lubed..

Cheers
Harold

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Hey Harold,
you have any idea where I can get a 3 jaw chuck for my jeweler's lathe? I checked dashto, but they don't have one. Any other suggestions?

[HAC]

Hey Harold,
you have any idea where I can get a 3 jaw chuck for my jeweler's lathe? I checked dashto, but they don't have one. Any other suggestions?

Try Uncle Larry... Tell him I sent you..

http://www.execulink.com/~lfoord/tools.html#lathe

Cheers
Harold

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Ahem.... please look here.

</shameless plug>

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Hey Harold,
you have any idea where I can get a 3 jaw chuck for my jeweler's lathe? I checked dashto, but they don't have one. Any other suggestions?

Try Uncle Larry... Tell him I sent you..

http://www.execulink.com/~lfoord/tools.html#lathe

Cheers
Harold

thanks for the tip. He has exactly what I'm looking for but can't afford, as well as something that'll work, that I can afford. Hopefully my wife will snag that box chuck for me for x-mas. Then I'll be able to turn stock up to about 14mm. I'm wanting to try turning a pen, but the tiny collets I have (size 50 is the largest, I'm guessing that 5mm) wont let me turn anything worthwhile.

Also, I'm about to try and replace the belt on my lathe. I have a new belt. Any tips on sizing? the one that's on there now seems excessively loose, as I have to loosen the headstock and lean it away from the motor to get enough tension on the belt to make turning possible. Is this normal watchmaker technique? Would a tighter fit on the belt harm the lathe? Is stretching normal for the (seems like a plastic-y) belt? The thing probably sat on a desk unused for a year or two (maybe more, I dont know how long ago the gentleman died/ stopped doing work).

Thanks
∞VonHart

[HAC]

Depends on the lathe, but there should be a slight bit of slack. My rule of thumb was that you should be able to push in on the belt and have it give slightly. You dont; want it so tight there's no give..

Cheers
Harold

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Thats what I was thinking. Thanks. I'm going to try and shorten the existing belt before I muck up the new one.

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Just won this guy on e-bay. Description says its a Valjoux 7750, but I'm skeptical it's a genuine VAL/ETA from the price. We'll see when it gets here.

[rogue_designer]

Just won this off the bay...


We'll see if the seller is up to snuff when it arrives.

Prof. VonHart - good looking watch, bonus if its a real Valjoux.

[HAC]

7750's have 3 chrono subdials, (60sec, 30min and 12Hour). There are some 2 register Valjoux chronos, but they have a different subdial layout..SO, I'm not sure what you snagged, nice looker, though. Let us know what's inside when you get it..

Cheers
Harold

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Just won this off the bay...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

We'll see if the seller is up to snuff when it arrives.

Prof. VonHart - good looking watch, bonus if its a real Valjoux.

I was pretty sure that was you. Let me know if you have any problems with it. I shipped it off yesterday.

[Genevieve Ozuna]

Hullo all, this happens to be my first post around these parts but as I recently inherited a ladies wristwatch after my grandmother's passing I decided this was as good a place as any to start.

Here is what I know of it:

• Bulova Watch Co.
• 7AM Model movement
• 17 Jewels
• Unadjusted
• 10K Rolled gold plate bezel
• Stainless back
• New York

Given the fact that: a. The watch was given to me and not my mother, b. My grandmother was never wealthy and often bought the cheapest models available in all products, and c. It still works quite well, I'm assuming it is neither valuable or terribly aged. I never knew much about my grandmother though, and am simply curious to know a little about the watch. I know absolutely nothing about watches in general, though I do find them interesting and would love to know more.

Here are some more things which may prove interesting, though due to my incredibly lacking understanding of watches I have no idea whether they will prove relevant. Inside the back cover there are a few things written—

Etched in by hand are:
"L43(some letter which I cannot make out, possible L)5860

L(maybe I) 1100

2-51-W-0(maybe 8)

21

5-130FV"

Stamped in are:
"BULOVA
10K ROLLEDGOLD PLATE BEZEL
STAINLESS BACK
NEW YORK"

The outside of the cover has "BULOVA 0347106"

On the movement there are a few more things written in various locations, including (all apparently stamped):
"BULOVA WATCH Co"

7AM

UNADJUSTED
SEVETEEN
17 JEWELS

SWISS

BXW"

I haven't the faintest idea whether any of that means something to you folks, though I hope it does. I've done a bit of poking around the net, though my searches have proved rather inconclusive. My camera refuses to focus on any of the details but I intend to break out the magnifying glass (as I did to decipher the various engravings) and attempt to photograph through it. Wish me luck, and thank you in advance to anyone who can aid this odd gal's curiosity.

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

All the hand engraved things are likely repair marks. Repair people will mark when they service a watch. The markings on the movement itself are simply make and model. (BXW is bulova's code among swiss watchmakers, I believe). There should be a number on the outside of the caseback which has a letter and a number (i.e. L5). The letter signifies the decade, the number signifies the year of that decade. L0 is 1950. M5 is 1965 etc. . Most of the ladies movements aren't worth a whole lot, but it's always nice to have something ticking.

[Genevieve Ozuna]

After scouring the entire watch backways, frontways, and sideways for any sign of an "L," "M," or any other letter, I finally turned to the interwebs to see how Bulova marked their movements prior to 1948 (as I already read about the lettering system post-1948). After learning that they used symbols, I did another search of the watch and— lo and behold! An asterisk. Could only find 2 sites that even mentioned the asterisk but apparently it signifies being made in 1941. Meaning this thing is about 67 years old, that's older than my parents. Pretty wicked to someone who's barely shy of 18, haha.

[HAC]

The Bulova 7Ax series are partially based on an ETA 735 Swiss movement, and are very nice movements. As far as dating, you are correct, however, Bulova also used the asterisk in 1924. The 7Ax movements date from 1940 until well into the mid 1950's for a production range. They differ from the ETA mainly in having a Breguet style hairsping, and range in jewel cound from 17 to 21.

Would love to see some pics..

Cheers
Harold

[rogue_designer]

I was pretty sure that was you. Let me know if you have any problems with it. I shipped it off yesterday.

Arrived today!

Looks quite good. I still have to decide if I want to recase, or just find a new band for this one. But it's running strong. Thankee Prof.

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Glad you like it. It got a good deal of wrist time from me. Nice reliable runner, it was. I had it on a cuff style band (with leather between the wrist and watch) and that sucker ticked LOUD.

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Well, I received that Wittau Automatic Chrono yesterday. I cant get the damn back off the thing to see if it's a <i>real</i> 7750, but it certainly feels like one. The thing is friggin huge. It's got that "wobble" from the uni-directional winding rotor. It's got a smooth (28,800bph, I believe) second sweep.

Harold or others, Are there any 2 register automatic chronograph movements out there that don't have a constant second? The listing says "Looks exactly like the IWC Portuguese", So I wonder if the maker intentionally removed the constant seconds to make it look similar. Regardless, I like it.

For those with auto chrono's: when you wear them, do you have the chrono running all the time, or stopped at 12?

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Also just won (well, but it now), one of these.



I got the "code Blue". This'll be the first quartz watch I've bought in probably 10 years.

[HAC]

Well, I received that Wittau Automatic Chrono yesterday. I cant get the damn back off the thing to see if it's a <i>real</i> 7750, but it certainly feels like one. The thing is friggin huge. It's got that "wobble" from the uni-directional winding rotor. It's got a smooth (28,800bph, I believe) second sweep.

Harold or others, Are there any 2 register automatic chronograph movements out there that don't have a constant second? The listing says "Looks exactly like the IWC Portuguese", So I wonder if the maker intentionally removed the constant seconds to make it look similar. Regardless, I like it.

For those with auto chrono's: when you wear them, do you have the chrono running all the time, or stopped at 12?

It's quite possible that the movement is a modifed 7750, or it could be one of MillionSmart's chrono movements, as some of them are loosely based on the Valjoux, and exhibit the famous "wobble".
As far as rnning the chrono, its up to you, it doesn't affect accuracy that much, just shortens the power reserve when its not being worn. I generally  don;t run the chrono all the time, but will engage it and leave running for a few hours every once in a while, to keep the lubrication in good shape...

Cheers
Harold

[Prof. Friedrich VonHart, PhD]

Just received the H3 watch. Those little vials are cool. Perpetual self powered radioactive glowing. I like the sterile dial and the overall look. I should be getting a Bond NATO strap for it soon.


My wife thinks I'm crazy for buying all these watches, but such is life. And she's probably right.

[K. D. R. Tempus]

Wow. You guys are the coolest. You inspired me to actually *look* at my Bulova 23 jewel automatic.  So the 'L9' means 1959!  I wonder why it would have what looks like a serial number too? 6319551 is stamped right above the L9. 

Years ago I worked at a JC Penney jewelry and watch repair dept. and an older gentleman brought it in for repair; I ended up buying it from him for about $20. Had it cleaned and it worked fine. I pulled it out again when my Casio broke and I love it; just need to get it to a watch guy to adjust it as it gains a minute or two a day. Unfortunately I can't find the camera to post pics. It's not fancy, but it's got character. And an acrylic crystal, but tough; I'm poor.

Korina

[HAC]

Just received the H3 watch. Those little vials are cool. Perpetual self powered radioactive glowing. I like the sterile dial and the overall look. I should be getting a Bond NATO strap for it soon.


My wife thinks I'm crazy for buying all these watches, but such is life. And she's probably right.

Tritium watches are pretty neat.. Here's a 15 second exposure photo  in the dark.. Great beater watches for the backcountry..



I currently have this one in the pile..




Cheers
Harold