Five Are Officially Finished

[thor447]

Just wanted to take a moment to show the group here my recent projects. I'm not sold on the color of the straps on 2 of these, but one of them is starting to grow on me a little bit.

From left to right:
1. Jerome Piquot - Manual Wind (French watch - dates to late 50's or early 60's judging by the service marks and model of the movement inside). This one was a challenge, but I'm really liking this watch now that it is done. When you look closely at it you see that the indices are cut into the brass on the dial, then plated and polished out. Something you just don't see today.
2. 1975 Seiko 6109-8009 - Bought this one as a parts watch to fix #3, but like #3 when I pulled the dial out of the beaten up case it was flawless so I decided to restore it as well.
3. 1975 Seiko 'FrankenSeiko' - As previously posted on OSA - upgraded to 25 jewel movement built from the guts of a few different spare parts watches, but running perfectly now.
4. 1974 Seiko Lord Matic 5606-8130 (rare green dial) - briefly posted on OSA.
5. 1974 Seiko 7006-8079 - briefly posted on OSA about this one as well during the rebuild.

I'm probably going to be putting #5, as well as the one in the background (top right) currently being rebuilt on eBay soon. They were/are fun projects, and taught me a lot, just not my style personally. I have 1 more old Seiko that could be rebuilt, but it is still keeping good time so it's not a priority at the moment. All of the watches thus far have been complete non-runners, and were good candidates for full rebuilds. The last Seiko, while somewhat beaten up, is still in fair condition for it's age (nearly 50 years), and keeping accurate time. When I run out of others to work on, I'll restore the final Seiko. I recently scored a deal on eBay and picked up a vintage Rado Purple Horse and an old Rado Matterhorn that are going to make for spectacular watches when they are done. I always wanted a Rado automatic, but just could not justify paying the cost for a new one or a restored vintage model. I think I'm to the point where I can tackle one. After the Seiko on the top right of the pic is finished, it's Rado time. Stepping up my game a little bit!

 

[AKguy1985]

Very nice

 

[thor447]

Very nice

Thank you.

 

[THAT Gurl]

That is SO cool!! I'm glad you are having fun!!

 

[Bocephus123]

Just wanted to take a moment to show the group here my recent projects. I'm not sold on the color of the straps on 2 of these, but one of them is starting to grow on me a little bit.

View attachment 306040

From left to right:
1. Jerome Piquot - Manual Wind (French watch - dates to late 50's or early 60's judging by the service marks and model of the movement inside). This one was a challenge, but I'm really liking this watch now that it is done. When you look closely at it you see that the indices are cut into the brass on the dial, then plated and polished out. Something you just don't see today.
2. 1975 Seiko 6109-8009 - Bought this one as a parts watch to fix #3, but like #3 when I pulled the dial out of the beaten up case it was flawless so I decided to restore it as well.
3. 1975 Seiko 'FrankenSeiko' - As previously posted on OSA - upgraded to 25 jewel movement built from the guts of a few different spare parts watches, but running perfectly now.
4. 1974 Seiko Lord Matic 5606-8130 (rare green dial) - briefly posted on OSA.
5. 1974 Seiko 7006-8079 - briefly posted on OSA about this one as well during the rebuild.

I'm probably going to be putting #5, as well as the one in the background (top right) currently being rebuilt on eBay soon. They were/are fun projects, and taught me a lot, just not my style personally. I have 1 more old Seiko that could be rebuilt, but it is still keeping good time so it's not a priority at the moment. All of the watches thus far have been complete non-runners, and were good candidates for full rebuilds. The last Seiko, while somewhat beaten up, is still in fair condition for it's age (nearly 50 years), and keeping accurate time. When I run out of others to work on, I'll restore the final Seiko. I recently scored a deal on eBay and picked up a vintage Rado Purple Horse and an old Rado Matterhorn that are going to make for spectacular watches when they are done. I always wanted a Rado automatic, but just could not justify paying the cost for a new one or a restored vintage model. I think I'm to the point where I can tackle one. After the Seiko on the top right of the pic is finished, it's Rado time. Stepping up my game a little bit!

someone here probably love to have one.. i kill watches but they turned out real nice.

 

[Mr.Glock]

You sir are a Patient Man! Looks like some good work!

 

[thor447]

someone here probably love to have one.. i kill watches but they turned out real nice.

You were right. It looks like #5 isn’t going to make it to eBay after all. An OSA’er PM’d me inquiring about it. We came to a quick agreement that I think is very fair for both parties. Hope to meet with them soon, I always enjoy meeting members of the forum.

 

[Bocephus123]

You were right. It looks like #5 isn’t going to make it to eBay after all. An OSA’er PM’d me inquiring about it. We came to a quick agreement that I think it’s very fair for both parties. Hope to meet with them soon, I always enjoy meeting members of the forum.

That's the one i liked funny it went first good deal.

 

[Snattlerake]

Hey, school me about jewels please. I know they are rubies or synthetic but why not use diamonds if they are the hardest stone in the gem class? It would seem to me that you would want a material that did not wear as a bearing surface. Or is that the exact reason they are not used because they would wear down the pivot pin resting on it?

 

[thor447]

Hey, school me about jewels please. I know they are rubies or synthetic but why not use diamonds if they are the hardest stone in the gem class? It would seem to me that you would want a material that did not wear as a bearing surface. Or is that the exact reason they are not used because they would wear down the pivot pin resting on it?

The rubies are synthetic. On the Mohs hardness scale, diamonds are at the very top with a rating of 10. Rubies, which are sapphires, are 2nd hardest at number 9. It is still much harder than the stainless steel which it acts as the bearing surface for. The rubies are intricately shaped, have very tiny holes drilled through them, etc. All of the manufacturing of these rubies, including shaping them, drilling, etc. has to be done using diamond tools. The rubies themselves are fairly inexpensive to manufacture. It would be unbelievably more expensive to use a diamond for the same task, and since the ruby is harder than the stainless steel pivots which it is used for (Mohs of 5-6.5 depending on the specific alloy), and harder than the brass or any other alloy are used in the main plates or bridges in which they are set, there’s really no need to use a diamond. The ruby will never wear out from a stainless steel pivot, but rather the other way around. They will wear out pivots on watches, and themselves be in perfect condition. The only downside against them is that they are so hard in fact that they can shatter. You rarely ever see that though, and most of the time when it does happen its during installation or end shake adjustment, not during its life inside the watch.