We do see the odd fake here at the workshop, but as we don’t accept them knowingly, it doesn’t happen too often.
This Submariner came in, and on first sight, nothing was wrong with it…. Continue reading
Fake Rolex Submariner 114060
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Our best wishes for the New Year
Dear Customers and Readers,
The team at Watchguy wishes you a happy festive season, a merry Christmas if you celebrate it, and all the best for a happy, healthy and successful 2020.
Christian, Johannes & Ray
Repair: Lemania 2220 Nuclear Submarine Chronograph
We’ve had one of these before, and quite some time ago… These are quite rare, and were used in the British nuclear submarine fleet. As you can’t have luminous compound there (it would set off all sorts of radiation alarms), they have no luminous compound, but a while dial with black markings and hands, so that the watch can be read nicely in the low light conditions in a submarine.
BestFit Catalogues scanned and available for download, lots of other technical manuals …
It’s always been a thorn in my side that old BestFit catalogues go for a lot of money (I paid £60 for mine), and that they are hard to get.
Finally, I got around to cut mine up and scan them in. I also ran some ocr software over them, so they are searchable.
Update – there is a US company that holds the copyright for the Bestfit catalogues, and they have asked me kindly to remove the download link – no problem, and I wasn’t aware of the fact that someone had acquired the copyright to the catalogues. Please go to https://mccawcompany.com/featured-products/bestfit-encyclopedia-books-111-111a-digital-download-pdf-version.html of you want to buy their copy at a reasonable price.
Prototype: Omega Speedmaster Reduced Quartz / ETA 205.111 with Dubois Depraz chronograph module
On first sight, this looks like a normal Omega Speedmaster Reduced. The only give-away is the second hands that ticks twice per second – very odd for a mechanical movement! Continue reading
The tricky repair and service of a Rolex Submariner 1680
Peter recently sent his watch in for a service and a new crystal. I’m a big fan of Rolex Submariners and this nice example from 1977 also happens to be my birth year!
It was running when it came in so it was thought that just a routine service was needed so I proceeded to disassemble the movement. Continue reading
Cutting watch wheels on a CNC milling machine
With a brand spanking new fourth axis unit, I’m getting closer to my goal of cutting watch wheels….
How to fit a Seiko Shock Spring
I’ve got a new camera for my microscope, and I thought I’d put it to good use. Here is a video of me fitting the shock spring of a Seiko movement.
CNC Update
I’ve been busy with my CNC milling machine, and anything flat (minute recorder springs, setting lever springs, etc.) is no problem at all.
The final frontier are of course wheels and pinions. The fourth axis motor that came with the milling machine wasn’t very accurate, so I had to modify it in order to be usable for watch parts.
A good indicator how small you can machine is making a small pinion. The one in the photo measures 2.5mm across, and has 18 teeth, so that’s not bad for a start. Continue reading
