Odd movement

[Kevg]

Hi
I posted this one up a while back and had a lot of replies but no firm answer so thought I'd give it another shot. Has been suggested elsewhere it could have been an apprentice's movement and had an old face put on it. Thoughts?? got to admit it does look hand made,saying that it keeps good time

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr135/Kevg_album/Hamilton.jpg

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr135/Kevg_album/Hamilton2.jpg

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr135/Kevg_album/IMG_0280.jpg

[Somewhere else]

I hate to tell you this, but this is not a mystery movement at all. It is a one jewel pin lever watch, and the "jewel" is actually a bearing. It was C-H-E-A-P when it was made and still is.

All that said and done, Timex was also a type of pin lever, and they made some fine watches. The watch looks like it is in good condition and is collectable. At one time, pin levers probably constituted 40% of the watches made world wide before the advent of quartz. None of them are around anymore, because quartz or jeweled lever watches are much more satisfactory time keepers.

But if you have a modest budget for collecting, they're very interesting and worth while watches.

[Kevg]

Thanks for the reply can you now tell me something I don't know. Like who made it.Pin Pallets are fine I have at least a dozen that's one of the reasons I bought this one.

[Somewhere else]

Thanks for the reply can you now tell me something I don't know. Like who made it.Pin Pallets are fine I have at least a dozen that's one of the reasons I bought this one.

Aurora was not registered as a brand name in Switzerland as far as I can tell. The HM under a star is pretty baffling too. The nearest to it is Aster.I think that it is not a Swiss made pin lever, but rather German made from the Pforzheim area, not a Theil.

As Sherlock Holmes stated, "Other than that, I can tell you absolutely nothing about it"

[erasuretim]

Aurora was a sub brand of Junghans, the Star is a mark for Junghans as well.

Regards

Tim

[AbslomRob]

I thought Junghans used a eight-pointed star? Champ (Aster) used a 5 pointed star, but I've never seen one of their movments.

[Kevg]

Whole thing looks as if it's been made using hand tools, looks even cruder in the flesh. The base of the movement looks as if it's been cut off a block of brass with a hacksaw and left as is, this is where the idea it may have been an apprentice's piece came from. When I said it looked handmade I didn't mean as by an artisan more like me making a bookcase(if I touch wood it gets woodworm) Any how link to the previous thread http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=315135
any help in identifying it would be gratefully received.

Kev

[Somewhere else]

Whole thing looks as if it's been made using hand tools, looks even cruder in the flesh. The base of the movement looks as if it's been cut off a block of brass with a hacksaw and left as is, this is where the idea it may have been an apprentice's piece came from. When I said it looked handmade I didn't mean as by an artisan more like me making a bookcase(if I touch wood it gets woodworm) Any how link to the previous thread http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=315135
any help in identifying it would be gratefully received.

Kev

Some pin levers can be very crude. I mentioned Theil, for example, and then there were also, back during Communism, Ruhla pin levers. From what I can see in your photo, your pin lever is much less crude than that.

Also, why in the world would an apprentice work on a pin lever? I never touched one, nor have I ever heard of anyone else working on them during an apprenticeship. Almost all watch shops refuse pin levers to begin with (except some alarm clocks) and definitely don't let apprentices work on them because they will waste their time and get absolutely nowhere at all.

I don't think there is any mystery about this movement at all. You probably have a German made pin lever from the Pforzheim area, and if you go on a German forum, probably someone can identify it for you quickly.

[lowme55]

Some pin levers can be very crude. I mentioned Theil, for example, and then there were also, back during Communism, Ruhla pin levers. From what I can see in your photo, your pin lever is much less crude than that.

Also, why in the world would an apprentice work on a pin lever? I never touched one, nor have I ever heard of anyone else working on them during an apprenticeship. Almost all watch shops refuse pin levers to begin with (except some alarm clocks) and definitely don't let apprentices work on them because they will waste their time and get absolutely nowhere at all.

I don't think there is any mystery about this movement at all. You probably have a German made pin lever from the Pforzheim area, and if you go on a German forum, probably someone can identify it for you quickly.

Youve got to be kidding. Why would an apprentice work on a pin lever? because every watch will need repaired sometime. Quartz watches are repaired even though the movement is worth a dime. There is sentimental reasons for some. My local watchmaker charges less to fix simple movements. Waste their time? That is what apprenticeship is for, take your time to learn something.

[Chascomm]

Some pin levers can be very crude. I mentioned Theil, for example, and then there were also, back during Communism, Ruhla pin levers. From what I can see in your photo, your pin lever is much less crude than that.

Also, why in the world would an apprentice work on a pin lever? I never touched one, nor have I ever heard of anyone else working on them during an apprenticeship. Almost all watch shops refuse pin levers to begin with (except some alarm clocks) and definitely don't let apprentices work on them because they will waste their time and get absolutely nowhere at all.

I don't think there is any mystery about this movement at all. You probably have a German made pin lever from the Pforzheim area, and if you go on a German forum, probably someone can identify it for you quickly.I think you're missing the point here.

There is a mystery because the movement has not yet been identified. The value (or lack of value) of the movement does not make it less of a mystery, mere less interesting to somebody like yourself.

It is not a Thiel/Ruhla design, but I agree with you that it is certainly German in style. The best site I know of for this type of movement is Christoph Lorenz's Metatechnical Cabinet (http://www.christophlorenz.de/watch/movements/index.php?l=en), but I have not found a match there.

My limited experience of German forums is that they tend to focus more on the higher end watches.

As far as who would bother working on it? Many watchmakers would and many more would not. It is simply a matter of making a few calls until you find one. Back when this kind of watch was common, it would make perfect sense for an apprentice to work on it as it would be the kind of watch they would most likely see in the business.

[Kevg]

Thanks for that at least it's blown another theory out and possibly narrowed the search down to an area. I have a couple of Rhula and it's nothing like them.so the search goes on. As far as value is concerned it's not relevant as I have no intention of selling it, same as all my other watches I can't seem to let them go.