JohnF
March 5th, 2006, 20:32
This is the saddest story I've had to date. I bought a Stowa Seatimer on eBay and not only was the description wrong (the watch was sold as being in working order, but doesn't run at all, plus the hands turn in only one direction) but the seller was an absolute b*stard about it: he was insulting and belligerent.
Sigh. I put it down to the learning curve, it hadn't been that much. I had intended it as a watch for my dear and loving wife, but that got put on hold.
So the watch has been kicking around in my drawer for a while with the other basket cases.
Until today. I decided it was time to take a closer look at what was going on with the watch.
The movement, the classic PUW 1560, just plain doesn't work. I've tried winding it up, but there is no power heading out to the balance, or rather there isn't much at all heading there. The balance spring itself also seems to be lopsided, meaning that there is probably a problem here as well. If I give the balance a small shove, it moves freely, but lacks any power.
So over the next several weeks, when I've got some time, I'll be taking it apart to see what is going on. It's not the first watch I've taken apart (and gotten back togethe to actually work!), but it will be the first automatic.
I know that the second hand is broken and will have to be replaced, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to do that fairly easily. The face of the dial is in very nice shape (lume is so-so) and I'll have to get some new tools to work further on the watch: a crystal puller and a hands puller...
This will be my first real watch project: it'll also be nice to give my wife as a suprise present (so nobody tell her!).
JohnF
Sigh. I put it down to the learning curve, it hadn't been that much. I had intended it as a watch for my dear and loving wife, but that got put on hold.
So the watch has been kicking around in my drawer for a while with the other basket cases.
Until today. I decided it was time to take a closer look at what was going on with the watch.
The movement, the classic PUW 1560, just plain doesn't work. I've tried winding it up, but there is no power heading out to the balance, or rather there isn't much at all heading there. The balance spring itself also seems to be lopsided, meaning that there is probably a problem here as well. If I give the balance a small shove, it moves freely, but lacks any power.
So over the next several weeks, when I've got some time, I'll be taking it apart to see what is going on. It's not the first watch I've taken apart (and gotten back togethe to actually work!), but it will be the first automatic.
I know that the second hand is broken and will have to be replaced, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to do that fairly easily. The face of the dial is in very nice shape (lume is so-so) and I'll have to get some new tools to work further on the watch: a crystal puller and a hands puller...
This will be my first real watch project: it'll also be nice to give my wife as a suprise present (so nobody tell her!).
JohnF