Lord Elgin pocket

[Captain Lyerly]

From an informational database - note: year is approximate.

Serial Number 20325189
Grade:   451
Named for:   None
Grade 451 may be marked for Lord Elgin.
Description:   Grade 451, 12 size, 19 jewels, made about 1918.
Open faced movement. Pendant wind and set. Three-quarter plate.
Rate:   18,000 bph

Open-faced, grandfather's (or great-grandfather's, same initials) on back. 19 jewels, 8 adjustments.  Marked Lord Elgin; pat. Oct. 9, 17.  Watching it run now with the works exposed - mesmerizing, absolutely mesmerizing.

Here's the problem: case open, it runs fine.  Case closed, it staggers, loses rhythm, and stops.  Sometimes it starts again, sometimes not.  I open it back up, though... it runs fine.  I can't go 'round with my watch back open, it ain't nacheral!!!

Help?


Chas.

[Strapped-4-Cache]

Sounds like what you've got there is a classic case of vapor lock.  Unfortunately, it's a condition that usually can't be repaired without considerable expense.  I'd be willing to trade you a nearly-new Timex for that problem watch to ensure you'd have a fairly accurate timepiece on your person.

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist.  It does seem odd that it will only continue running if the dust cover isn't installed.  If it keeps accurate, consistent time when it's working your best bet would be to take it to a watchmaker to be serviced.  I'm wondering if snapping the dust cover in place might jar something loose which fouls up the gears, then gets knocked out of the gears when the dust cover is removed.  I admit that it's just a guess, though.  I think mechanical watches are purty and fascinating, but have no idea how to service them.

[Captain Lyerly]

Well, the way that it slows and stops - it is hard to say how, but it just seems to me that it imposes some drag on the mechanism.  It is a tight fit, of course, the back is hinged - but I wonder if it is inducing torque in the works somehow.  Just now I popped the back open and jiggled it slightly, and tictictic... ten it stopped again.

It probably just needs a 10,000 tick clean and service.  I need to find out if the old-guy-who-works-on-watches is still around.



Cheers!

Chas.

[MWBailey]

If there are any dents on the back cover (or anywhere else), that may indicate where the problem lies. It sounds to me as though the case being closed is causing something to either go out of kilter and/or be braked by the cover's pressure on some other part close by to a member of the main wheeltrain. Alternatively, it could also be something from the area of the back of the wheeltrain, escapement, or mainspring that is protruding above the back of the main works and being pressed by the cover. Best to take it to a watchmaker or service shop to get it looked at and fixed, but it could get expensive, especially if it's a thin-case model (more difficult to work on, or so I'm told).

[Abslomrob]

Pictures might help.  12s watches were "gentlemen's" dress watches, for the most part, and were usually designed to be as slim and elegant as possible.  So its not impossible that something is dragging.  However, if that's the case, you should be able to closely inspect the caseback to look for signs of rubbing.

[Captain Lyerly]

I thought of that, and looked very carefully - as soft as the case is (14K), there aren't any dents on the outside, and there doesn't seem to be any rubbing on the inside of the case back.  There seems to be sufficient clearance for everything - but it is a tight closure; it may just be a jar from the snap of closing that does it.

As I said, sometimes I can get it to run again after that, sometimes not; it isn't reliable once it does get going.  These watches weren't intended to run forever without some help; it's just time for a service.


Cheers - and thanks!



Chas.