Teardown: Hamilton Myron

[wilderbeest]

Last but not least (for today), a nice blog post about taking apart a Hamilton Myron from the 1940s. A beautiful movement!

Teardown + Service: Hamilton Myron calibre 980 | Watch Guy

As usual, lots of photos if you follow the link.

Enjoy,

Christian

[Kungfucowboy]

Thanks for posting all these tear downs. I love the look of those old Hamilton movements. If only they had been a little bigger or my wrist was thinner...

[wilderbeest]

... and the watch is back together: Reassembly: Hamilton Myron calibre 980 | Watch Guy

[Eeeb]

Yummy! I only wish more appreciated what you have. These vintage Hamiltons are gems...

[skywatch]

Lovely article. Thank you. My grandfather's Hamilton is a similar era - 1936, and my watchmaker actually discouraged me from having him refurbish it, as he was unsure that he could get a new mainspring. I see that you succeeded. That's very encouraging!

[cedargrove]

Very cool. Love the teardown threads. Thanks for posting.

[wilderbeest]

Lovely article. Thank you. My grandfather's Hamilton is a similar era - 1936, and my watchmaker actually discouraged me from having him refurbish it, as he was unsure that he could get a new mainspring. I see that you succeeded. That's very encouraging!

If it's the same movement, I still have 2 spare ones! Happy to send you one.

[vbomega]

Christian, I was surprised that you oiled the cap directly and not by pushing oil through the hole when the cap is back in place. This method works too, but it is a lot harder to place the cap precisely without smearing the oil drop in the process...

[wilderbeest]

Christian, I was surprised that you oiled the cap directly and not by pushing oil through the hole when the cap is back in place. This method works too, but it is a lot harder to place the cap precisely without smearing the oil drop in the process...

Hmmm... a bit of a religious discussion here. I used to do it your way, until my master watchmaker, from whom I take tuition, showed me how to do it the way I do it now. I'd say your chances of smearing the oil are just the same if you oil the jewel rather than the cap. In both cases, you have to place the cap in the middle or you smear the oil.

There are even people oiling the jewel and the cap, and I can't really say what's best. The result counts - e.g. a nice round blob of oil visible after assembly and a good amplitude.

I'm in no position to favour any method, but I personally like to do it the way I'm doing it now. Come back in a year and I might have changed my mind

Best regards,

Christian

[vbomega]

Hmmm... a bit of a religious discussion here. I used to do it your way, until my master watchmaker, from whom I take tuition, showed me how to do it the way I do it now. I'd say your chances of smearing the oil are just the same if you oil the jewel rather than the cap. In both cases, you have to place the cap in the middle or you smear the oil.

There are even people oiling the jewel and the cap, and I can't really say what's best. The result counts - e.g. a nice round blob of oil visible after assembly and a good amplitude.

I'm in no position to favour any method, but I personally like to do it the way I'm doing it now. Come back in a year and I might have changed my mind

Best regards,

Christian

It's not really my way, but a common way (pretty much any book on watchmaking recommends it). There is a zero chance of smearing the oil, because it is inserted through the jewel hole while the cap is already in place, screwed in. There are 2 ways of getting the oil through the hole: 1) by dropping oil in the jewel cup and then pushing through with oil inserter, or 2) by using a special oiler that can reach through the hole.

I actually used to do it like you do until I tried the other method. Nothing wrong with yours, just more risk.