Complicated
Watch Repair
Complicated
Watch Repair and Unusual Watch Repair requires a thorough understanding
of the mechanisms. The diversity of mechanisms invented by
watchmaking geniuses over the centuries is amazing.
Complicated
watches may chime, play music, record elapsed time, show phases
of the moon, have special calendar mechanisms, display astronomical
time, have an equation of solar time feature, have moving figures
and do many other things. There are other unusual watches
that employ special mechanisms designed to be very accurate or unique.
Sometimes they are one of a kind. This page shares some of
the Complicated
Watches and Unusual Watches we have restored.
Please,
consider carefully who you will trust with your Complicated Watch
Repair, Rolex repair, Hamilton Watch Repair, pocket watch repair
or Unusual Watch Repair to.
The
watch shown is a "Wandering Hour" with a "Quarter
Hour Repeater" mechanism that is visible through the crystal
dust cover in the back. Normally the repeater mechanism is hidden
under the dial. When we received this watch there were a number
of things out of order including a broken crystal dust cover.
Note the winding holes to accommodate the key winding in the dust
cover. The blued steel plate underlying the repeater mechanism
was also scratched and deteriorated. We refinished and re-blued
the plate to match the ornate spiral blued serpentine gongs.
This watch is once again absolutely spectacular and functioning as
it did a couple hundred years ago.
Shown on the left
is the calendar mechanism that is hidden under the dial of a Charles
Frodsham Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater. Shown on the
right is the repeater mechanism that is hidden under the calendar
mechanism shown on the left. This watch has a wheel that rotates
once in four years allowing the display of February 29 once every
four years. It also strikes the time to the nearest minute
when the repeater mechanism is activated.
This Audemars Piguet
is a self winding wrist watch with a perpetual calendar mechanism
similar to the larger watch above. There is about a hundred
years difference in the age. It uses a wheel that rotates
once a year and caries a planetary wheel that rotates a quarter
turn each time the year wheel turns, thereby showing Feb 29
during the leap wear. It must be carefully cleaned and lubricated
by hand with a modern lubricant during servicing.
Below is the chronograph
mechanism of a Patek Philippe Minute Repeater with Chronograph.
The balance has been removed from the watch. On the right
is a modern skeletonized Chronoswiss wristwatch movement with
dial and hands. Both of these chronograph watches are able
to record lapsed time like a timer or stopwatch. Again there
is about a century difference in the age.
This is a picture
of a Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater dismantled for cleaning.
All of the old oil and dirt is removed and the parts are inspected
for defects. The parts must go back together exactly as they
were intended. Even the small screws vary in shape and size
and must not be mistakenly placed incorrectly. The proper
type and amount of lubricant must be put in the many places where
it is needed an not where it will cause sticking or other problems.
The job requires much skill, knowledge, and attention to detail.
There are also many adjustments to the fit and interaction of the
parts They must function as a symphony of mechanical art, all performing
as intended.
