Anatomy of a LIP Super Nautic Ski "Electronic"

[marc_wl]

After the Nautic-Ski, here is the "Super Nautic-Ski" () of the French manufacture Lip which ceased its industrial production in Besançon, France, in 1976 (the brand still exists however).

Same dial but the case is now rounded and larger, embedding the two crowns that are square-matriced here

The Nautic series were initially released by Lip in 1938 with mechanical movements. In the 60's they were fitted with the new electromechanical Lip R148 caliber, beating at 18 000 bpm with a normal balance wheel, impulsed by an induced magnetic field generated by an electrical pulse contact and a solenoid (). To prevent the electrical arc at the contact, Lip included a diode and called its caliber "Electronic" retaining the flash as a logo.

In this late 70's version (likely the last Nautic-Ski series), the case is still a Swiss production of which I have now more details due to the kindness of a French seller who published that data on the bay.

"EPSA" stands for E. Piquerez SA, a Swiss company specialized in the manufacture of diving watch cases. In the 60's they had 3 types of cases called the "Compressor", "Compressor 2" and "Super-Compressor" :

EPSA sold their cases to the most prestigious brands and manufactures as Enicar, IWC, Bulova, Hamilton, Omega Longines, Lip, Universal, Tissot, Eterna, Jaeger Le Coultre, Zenith, Zodiac and many others.

The essential and most fragile part of the watch (the two contact hairs) is unfortunately broken. I can service the movement but I will need a replacement part to run the watch (). The 2 caliber fixation screws on the holding ring are also missing. According to the Lip maintenance sheets, the hands should be removed one by one because there is no canon pignon in this watch and would damaged if remove all at once.

The dato is extremely simple to remove and the wheels stay on the date disk.

It turns on a plate that covers the hands mechanism

The caliber is a R148 series N (there was incremental improvements from letter A to R or S at least between 1962 and 1976) with the blue diode that is older than the black one (see the pages of Jef06 from a clear description). The caliber is likely older than the case and may be swapped from another watch. Here it is after the train dismounted and the balance wheel with its magnetic surface.

Some enscriptions are embossed on the battery upper contact. R148 were 12 then 11 jewels. I am not sure that this indications match the series N however (I will count he jewels...)

("Q watch" ? )

On the picture below I indicated where the two contact hairs should be (dashed red lines), aligned with the lower pivot of the balance. An impulse jewel encounters the hairs causing a pulse contact generating the impulse field. The balance wheel is both regulatory and motor with a second jewel impulsing the second wheel escapment (direct one based on the "lost impulse" system). A third jewed is used to limit the amplitude with a lever. The second wheel is stepped with a micro magnet (B-)).

The complete original Lip technical data are available on the Jef06 web pages.

Well, I should now find the electrical contacts either from a furniture provider or vampirized in another R148 caliber. Lip sold the contact already mounted on the contact plate as part. I may try to reconstruct the thing but the wire look so tiny. May be from an electronic lab...

Cheers,

[marc_wl]

Just succeeded to source the parts from a very kind furniture company located in Morteau, in the French Jura. They located in a minute the drawer concerned for the 148 calibers. We discussed a bit about the part by phone. They still have 20 of them in stock. Nice!

[JohnF]

Hi -

Congratulations on getting the parts! Beautifully researched on the case as well...

JohnF

[marc_wl]

I received the parts necessary to repair the watch

I ordered 2 to keep one as spare. Here is that delicate contact hairs on their plate holding also the contact racket.

The exchange does need to remove something else and I could keep the stator in place.

The balance wheel can be remount with its 3 jewels (1 for the contact hairs, 1 for the second wheel and 1 for the amplitude limitation fork). Here is a more commented view of the specific topology of the R148 :

The spiral will need to be a bit recentered that is easy to set. The LR43 battery can be now installed (contact open with the stem pulled). Push the stem and it goes!

I could tune the amplitude by moving slightly the contact racket, then adjust the frequency for a first test. Everything OK, the dial and hands are remounted and the movement recased.

Everything looks good. I can finish the polish of the crystal. Since there was still some deep scratches, I proceeded more drastically. First like this with a kind of Scotchbrite...:oops:

Then the regular Brasso treatment to give that :

The watch is keeping normally the time. I will adjust it after some days of observation.

A bit more massive than the other Nautic Ski that I found the design a bit more equilibrated B-)

[Henry Hatem]

Great luck finding the parts! That is a neat movement.

[marc_wl]

Great luck finding the parts! That is a neat movement.

Many :thanks Henry.

What your experience about the crown gasket of diving watches?. Should I seek for an original gasket set or would it be possible to adapt generic ones?

Regards,

Marc

[Henry Hatem]

Alway attempt to acquire the original parts for watches. And as a last resort if you must get the generic. Silicone grease is preferred