I won it for 60 Euros from the bay : a French Lip "Nautic-Ski" likely produced between 1970 and 1975. The case is a 20 atm resistant Swiss "Super-Compressor" also used by other manufactures as Jaeger-Le Coultre for their diving watches. The watch has an internal rotating bezel commanded by the crown at 2.
The watch was normaly worn and in external good condition. The scratches on the acrylic cristal will be easy to remove.
Internally, the electromechanical Lip R148 (letter J) is clean, but the central contact of the battery is broken (:-S) and the magnetic balance wheel is missing (O|). The "Electronic" stand for the single diode of the system but the system is based on magnetic impluses (a single per altenance) of a balance wheel + hairspring (called "spirorotor" by Lip 
...). The impulse are generated by a flexible contact animated by a hair contact touched by a ellipse and a magnetic stator. There 3 different impulse jewels on the balance wheel : 1 for the electrical contact , 1 for the direct escapment, and 1 for an amplitude limiting fork...
Lip parts can be still sourced and I have ordered one. Unfortunately, there was something wrong in the preparation of the order and I received something that better looks to a balance wheel of the ancestor elctromechanical Lip R27 (1958)...
Incidentally this morning at the flea market I found another solution: another R148 (letter R) in a cheaper case in poor external condition. A perfect donnor 
. These calibers were produced by Lip from 1962 to 1976 and are very rugged. They were jeweled with 13 then 11 stones. As quartz step motors the movement is less subjected to internal forces and very easy to maintain.
Complete dismount of the initial Nautic-Ski Lip R148 caliber and the wrong balance wheel (red box)
For the second caliber I did not dismount the stator and electrical circuitry because it needs an additionnal setting there after. All the jewels can be washed independentlly of the main plate. Due to the kindness of "Jef06", the complete original Lip instructions for maintenance are available (this link).
After a careful remount and oiling (take a special care not to distord the electrical contact hairs near the balance wheel), let's try a new bayyery (type "386" or LR43 1.5V). Contact... the balance is moving and it runs!
There is always something very emotional to see an old caliber beating again.
The small lever near the electrical contac and the balance wheel is used to adjust the balance amplitude.
I swapped then that movement to the Nautic-Ski. The dato wheel is installed on the dial side directly on the plate that covers the hour setting mechanism. The caliber is easily cased from the back side with the help a rigid ring and two screws + plates to hold it in the case body.
The watch is 37.5mm large (without the crowns), 41.5 mm long to the lugs and 15 mm thick. I installed a navy blue silicon band that came from a Casio watch. I changed the plastic buckle for a stainsless stell one.
I find very elegant the dial with that anthracite disk circled by a grey-blue stain, the black/orange index. The central second hand has a lumed palet and a counterpoise flash shapped, typical of the
Electronic Lip wtaches. The lume is in a perfect condition.
I will try to regulate it after some days of observation. After that I may consider to restore the water resistance (the gasket in the crown turned to a gum)...
Kind regards,
Marc
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
