A Timeless Classic: Repairing & Gifting My Mom a 100 Year Old Elgin Pocket Watch

Рет қаралды 9,441

7 ай бұрын

Join me as we meticulously repair and breathe new life into a 1923 Elgin pocket watch, which has gracefully withstood a century of history. This timeless piece, now a centenarian, demanded careful attention due to multiple broken jewels and subpar prior service work. The ultimate aim is to present this revitalized pocket watch as a special and sentimental gift for my mother.
Adding an extra layer to the narrative, I'm also returning another Elgin pocket watch to my stepfather, which was a gift to him from my mother several years ago. With the completion of its repair, his watch is ready to be returned to him. As a surprise, my mother will receive her own matching vintage Elgin pocket watch, creating a meaningful connection between these horological treasures within our family.
Watch - Elgin
Grade - 478
Size - 16S
Jewels - 21
MFG Year - 1923
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Enjoy the video!
Here are some links to the microscope & camera/ lighting setup pieces I'm using. These are Amazon affiliate links. By using the affiliate link, you will not pay any more but I'll receive a very small commission on any sales.
Microscope Setup
► Microscope - amzn.to/4cfg9tX
► Camera - amzn.to/3Riczr1
► 0.5X Barlow Lens - amzn.to/3KGbky9
► Ring Light - amzn.to/3x9TKzs
► Adapter Mount - amzn.to/45lcUiz
► Adapter Shim - amzn.to/4bWz25a
Cameras & Lighting
► Nikon Z30 - body only - amzn.to/4esxr90
► Nikon Z30 w/Wide Angle Lens - amzn.to/4ekKj0D
► Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 - amzn.to/3Vkv8Md
► Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S - amzn.to/3XpbHo6
► Mini LED - amzn.to/3KJm1zL
► Architect Desk Lamp - amzn.to/3KAlMqO
► Desk Mount For Lighting - amzn.to/3Ro1Hbb
► Adjustable Mount For Bench Lighting - amzn.to/4aRrRKc
► Bench Lighting - amzn.to/3x38zns
► Tripod 1 - amzn.to/3Vhfotu
► Tripod 2 - amzn.to/3VhqsqG
► Ball Head Mount - amzn.to/3yVhKXH
I've also received several requests for a listing of tools, both essential and non-essential for starting out working on watches. While the list isn't 100% comprehensive, it'll get you 95% there! There are far too many items listed, along with notes on several pieces. You can see & download the full list of parts & links (not all affiliate links) here:
Full tools & parts breakdown:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Пікірлер: 86

@jdebultra 5 күн бұрын

I really enjoyed this production. I showed my youngest son (35) and sent him the link today (Father's day) I think he would make a really good watchmaker. He seemed interested. Your Mom absolutely will love it, really thoughtful of you. I gave him my grandfathers pocket watch but it doesn't work these days (I never serviced it). He could probably fix it with a little bit of youtube direction.

@WeekendWatchRepair 4 күн бұрын

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thank you.

@esotericman22 Ай бұрын

Gorgeous watch and great restoration. Thanks for sharing this.

@WeekendWatchRepair Ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you.

@GentlemensWatchServices 6 ай бұрын

There’s only one word to describe this video, absolutely completely bloody marvelous.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much.

@MichaelMitchell-vk9lk 7 ай бұрын

Very cool project, you’re a good son

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

I try. It's the least I could do.

@BestTimeWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Pocketwatches are some of our favorite pieces!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

I enjoy them as well, but they do pose their own set of challenges. I really need to find a good set of jewel rubbing tools if I am ever going to get to the point of replacing just the damaged jewels and not the full setting. It is nice working on larger parts sometimes though.

@adamtheminecrafter7877 26 күн бұрын

That's amazing to gift your mom a watch like this. I just found this channel and I also like repairing watches! Funny thing is my name is also Adam!!!

@WeekendWatchRepair 26 күн бұрын

Awesome!

@jeffreyhickman3871 3 ай бұрын

It would have been neat to refurbish one 😀 of these pocket watches ⌚️ for my mom 👩, but she died 😢 in 2016. Your friend, Jeff.

@r100curtaincall 5 ай бұрын

I love these old Elgins. They're simple and easy to work on, and they look amazing. Also, the reason the pallet looks the way it does, yes it is a counter balance. Elgin had what they called a 'Poised' pallet fork, and it was in most of their higher end movements.

@WeekendWatchRepair 5 ай бұрын

Excellent info, I appreciate you so much.

@user-qx7bf2oi2y 6 ай бұрын

great video and a very sweet idea. I had a situation where i had a seller said a pocket watch was serviced and its running well however on closer inspection when i got it i noticed a few screws missing namely the case and one of the balance cap jewel screws. not to mention it was running poorly. . the dial on my watch was drop dead gorgeous in great condition and the hands are in great shape. i am gating mine serviced by my trusted watchmaker.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thanks.

@elund408 6 ай бұрын

I have my Great Grand fathers pocket watch I need to restore. this video will be a big helpl

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

That's great to hear. Thank you.

@endy_fx 6 ай бұрын

Great work, and what a lovely gesture.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@Looey 4 ай бұрын

The photography is SUPER - what colors !

@WeekendWatchRepair 4 ай бұрын

Thank you very much.

@coetroy 6 ай бұрын

Beautiful pieces for sure. Great job on both. I loved how your stepfather’s movement had an almost pinstriped suit feel to its decoration and your mother’s was like a floral dress, so perfectly suited for each other, really awesome!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

I totally agree!

@mdimbler 6 ай бұрын

Adam, you are so inspiring to watch work! I'm in the process of cleaning and refurbishing an old Waltham pocket watch for my father-in-law for Christmas, and I can sense in your video the pride you take in your work, especially when it means so much to you and your family. My favorite part of the video was the polishing. Brought out the shine perfectly!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you Matt. I'm really glad you enjoyed the video. Good to hear from you!

@madr8b 6 ай бұрын

Wow absolutely beautiful. I think you did a excellent job. And at a time when I am in the hospital, it really helps to make the day so much better. Keep them coming Adam. Dan C

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you Dan. I hope you get better soon.

@donaldkgarman296 6 ай бұрын

THE PALLET FORK IS MADE IN THIS MANNER TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF OVERBANKING .

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for that into. I appreciate it.

@donaldkgarman296 6 ай бұрын

THE B.W. RAYMOND IS A RAILROAD WATCH , MADE IN 21J . 23J. AND 24 JEWEL GRADES IN THE MODEL YOU HAVE ...MADE BETWEEN 1900 - 1934 YOURS IS A MODEL 9.

@danistuart5897 6 ай бұрын

My heart is so full! I LOVE it! You’re amazing, thank you so much Adam!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Glad you like it.

@johnpinner1 6 ай бұрын

I'm sure mom will loved

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

She certainly did.

@mltrymn1213 6 ай бұрын

The purpose of the "mustache" on the pallet fork was used in early timepieces such as this in order to balance or "poise" the escape lever. This helped with keeping the watch accurate while being held in different positions.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for this info. I appreciate it very much.

@dennisallport5704 6 ай бұрын

The devil is in the details as you've proven with this service. The jewels need to inspected very closely as you've done here. Excellent work! Your care and handling of the parts is noteworthy. The final shot with both watches was so satisfying!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much.

@YorkshireLassCrochets 6 ай бұрын

Fabulous job. I'm like your mum and am just beginning to recognise the various bits and bobs of these wonderful little machines that I've taken for granted until I started watching watch restoration channels such as yours and our lovely Joe (The Nekkid Watchmaker) over here in the UK. Who'd have thought this 59 year old lady who normally crochets would find herself starting a little collection of watches just for fun. Nothing expensive, just little vintage ones a few not so vintage..from Rotary to Ingasoll to Sekonda etc.. There are some gorgeous old cocktail watches I just get for a few quid because they're quirky and pretty, plus they work!!! Bob's your uncle..as we say here. I loved seeing this pocket watch though as it's much easier to see the basic workings and related jobs the bits and bobs do. I'm sure your mum loved her present, I know I would if it were for me.😁😍 maybe at some point I'll try my hand at being an old lady tinkerer if my eyesight can cope! But theres always ways around crappy vision if the needs must! Sorry for the waffling. I've subscribed and am looking forward to seeing your next video. Until then I'll catch up on your previous ones and do a bit of binge watching..it's so relaxing. All the best. Kate xx

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

What a wonderful and thoughtful comment. Thanks so much Kate! I really appreciate you taking the time write that out and for subscribing. We say 'Bob's your uncle' here too (at least in my little part of the central US)!

@YorkshireLassCrochets 6 ай бұрын

@@WeekendWatchRepair oh my goodness! Thanks for the reply. I never knew that Bob's your uncle is used over the pond. I've been watching a few (okay a lot) of your previous videos today, very nice voice to listen to while crocheting. I can't stand the regular TV over here it's just awful so I mainly watch a lot of KZfaq. I won another nice little vintage watch today (Seiko)? You've got me looking at pocket watches now so I may have to pick your brains if allowed about a good but not too expensive one 😁 have a great Sunday. Regards to your mum. Kate x

@michaellawrence6677 6 ай бұрын

You messed up the intake manifold….😂 did a great job on the watch though. Love that example of resonance. Keep up the great work.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Haha! Thanks.

@user-qx7bf2oi2y 6 ай бұрын

this watch here was "serviced" taken apart possibility oiled with god knows what that makes everything worse and then they put back together with little care and sold as a serviced watch. i got a few watches like this in the past always sold a serviced by a "master watchmaker". "its funny what some people call a service " a quote from my watchmaker.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Yes, unfortunately that seems to be the case far too often. I've had quite a few of those come across my bench as well. This one ended up being properly repaired and serviced in the end and is now running excellent. Thanks for watching and commenting.

@crashandburngaming5103 6 ай бұрын

Infind that when not sure if its reverse thread screw, wind it just a bit, the screw will generally unscrew the opposite way the wheel turns. I have a few Elgin with gold cases as well. Beautiful work. Awesome camera work too. I struggle with that lol

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

I struggle with some camera work as well. Sometimes when I get totally focused on working on the watch I might forget to adjust a camera. I'm trying to remember that I'm constantly filming, lol. Thanks for the kind words. That's also a helpful hint about determining if a screw is reverse threaded or not. I'll keep that trick in mind and will try it out on a future watch. Thank you.

@He11cth3r3 7 ай бұрын

This is really neat, good idea 👍

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@noexcuses6727 6 ай бұрын

Beautiful !

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@nickjohnson217 6 ай бұрын

Nice work, your camera skills are right up there with some of the best horological tinkerers on the tube, keep up with this calibre content and you will definitely get to 100k subs, takes a little time but I really do think you’ve got the gift of entertaining. Happy holidays to you from us over the pond. 🙏😉👌

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks so much. Very kind of you to say. Happy holidays to you as well.

@TimTellsTime 6 ай бұрын

The canon pinion usually pops up when you remove the hands. I find this happens quite often. Nice job on this one. Nicely decorated Elgin. Watches I service and sell always come with time graph data. Hope your mom loved the watch!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Good tip! She definitely loved the watch.

@slim2429 6 ай бұрын

The positional variances on this really impressive! Well done!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thanks, but it was mostly the watch, lol.

@slim2429 6 ай бұрын

True! But like a golfer and his swing technique (versus the club), your cleaning and care made that happen! @@WeekendWatchRepair

@keithwilliams2766 5 ай бұрын

I just received my first pocket watch as my Christmas gift. I've been on a KZfaq binge watching mission trying to learn as much as I can. I'm having a hard time trying to understand how the jewels can crack or chip on a mechanism so precise and delicate as a watch movement. Rookie question - What causes them to chip?

@WeekendWatchRepair 5 ай бұрын

The jewels are very hard, but as a consequence they are also brittle. They can chip if a large enough shock is applied to the watch, like dropping it, banging it against something, etc.

@whitneyallison3717 6 ай бұрын

I look at another watch repair channel, and he use denture cleaner on enameled dials. When he has a cracked dial, it cleans it out perfectly, and you cannot even see the crack in the dial.

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

That works really well. I didn't see a need to do it on this dial though, as it wasn't that dirty. It is a good technique to use though.

@whitneyallison3717 6 ай бұрын

@WeekendWatchRepair agreed! BTW...really like your channel! Love your honesty!!! 😄

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@IShootWatches 7 ай бұрын

Ha! I beat you by two years! My next video is a complete revision of my recently aquired 1921 FHF Robert ligne 10 5 '"! I can't wait to see yours!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

I'm looking forward to watching it! Thanks Dayton!

@ericclayton6287 6 ай бұрын

They were using natural jewels.

@THOMMGB 5 ай бұрын

Hi, I'm still learning, but yesterday I won one of these watches (For repair or parts). I intend to follow along with your video and make it right again just as you did. Thank you very much for doing this watch and showing all the small details. Where did you get your replacement jewels and replacement crystal from? - Thomas

@WeekendWatchRepair 5 ай бұрын

That's great to hear. I bought my jewels from a seller I found on eBay, but if you measure the jewel OD and pivot width, you can order them from one of a couple parts supply houses. I believe I got the crystal from Esslinger or Otto Frei.

@THOMMGB 5 ай бұрын

@@WeekendWatchRepair Thanks so much for the quick reply. I’m a very mechanical-kind of guy so this should be interesting. But I do have to admit, that’s a LOT of parts! That’s why I’m so glad for your video. Don’t worry though, I plan to take lots of pictures and do some drawings as well.

@sirbc 4 ай бұрын

Stellar video production! I only work on wristwatches and was wondering why you removed the hole jewels from the mainplate after removing the cap jewels? Is there a benefit to cleaning them while out of the mainplate vs. leaving them in situ?

@WeekendWatchRepair 4 ай бұрын

Mainly because I did not want them to come out during the wash. With the cap jewels removed, they could potentially come out, and with each jewel being specific to each position it was a way to keep them all organized during the cleaning process.

@five_star_images3019 4 ай бұрын

I just got a Bulova pocket watch and the crystal fell right out when I took the watch out the package. I’m trying to figure out how to put it back. Looks like a drop in style. Are these things secured with glue or press fit? There is a lip that it sits on. When I drop it in. Need a little help. Any tips would help.

@WeekendWatchRepair 4 ай бұрын

Some are tension fit, and others are attached with adhesive. It just depends. Is there a slight lip that the crystal would slide under? If it just rests on top, it would likely use adhesive. G-S Hypo Cement works well.

@five_star_images3019 4 ай бұрын

@@WeekendWatchRepair thank you I will try that. I will really take another good look at the way the bezel is designed. It maybe the wrong size crystal on there. I noticed the long hand is slightly bent in a bit. Not sure it it’s suppose to be like that. Doesn’t seem to rub on the dial. But I can see a few scratches at the tippy end. So brings me back to thinking it may need a higher dome crystal. It’s my first pocket watch too. I’ll double check when I get off work. But thanks for your help. Appreciate it.

@timothyagus2111 6 ай бұрын

Sir I am an amateur watchmaker from Singapore learning how to repair pocket watches too. I have one pocketwatch that i have hit a roadblock on and would like you to service as a video ! How can this wish of mine come true ?

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

I do appreciate you reaching out to me, but at this time unfortunately I am unable to accept commissions. There are a few things I need to get put in place before I can accept incoming watch shipments. Thank you though. It means a lot that you'd think of me for this project.

@timothyagus2111 6 ай бұрын

@@WeekendWatchRepair thank you very much sir for replying to me ! I really appreciate you trying to help me and I understand that at the moment it’s not possible for me ! Thank you so much and I would like to say I learnt a lot from my watchmaking journey watching your videos sir !!

@WeekendWatchRepair 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much.