On first sight, you wonder what the strange central chronograph second hand is for … On the right of the needle, there is a scale with 9 graduations. After about 5 seconds of thinking, the light went on, and I realized that this was a vernier scale, just like on a caliper. This allows you to read 1/10s of time elapsed… well it would, if the movement beat at 36,000 b.p.h, but this one only does 6 beats a second, so there are in reality on 6 different positions on which the watch can stop to give different 1/10s readings.
Nevertheless a lovely feature, and a pretty rare one. The augmented mass of the central hand isn’t ideal, and it can come off quite easily when the chronograph is reset.
The Valjoux calibre 726, here branded as Longines 332.
The amplitude is so weak that the timegrapher can’t pick it up.
The centrail second hand is loose.
The bottom plate with the hour recorder.
I start off with the chronograph layer on the top plate.
A very traditional construction, and a very nice chronograph movement.
At the top, you can see the column wheel.
The gear train visible.
Now it’s time to take the bottom plate apart.
Only the setting mechanism left.
The parts are cleaned and ready for reassembly.
The plate is slightly bent where the barrel sits, and there are slight traces of friction. I bend the plate back using the staking set.
A new mainspring for the barrel.
The gear train is back on the plate.
The basic movement is back together and beating.
That looks very good indeed – typical Valjoux performance!
Now I can put the chronograph layer back on.
Last but not least, the hour recorder is assembled again.
The hands and dial go back on.
And I case the movement.
Check out the second recorder in this photo – it’s 25 seconds and 5/10th, as the 5 on the nonius scale lines up with the 30 second mark on the outer ring. It’s the only marker that lines up directly with a marker on the outer ring. As the movement beats 6 times per second, it can show the 5/10s exactly, as it’s 3/6 beats.
Good afternoon. I would like to inquire about the Longines 8225-2, which is very similar to the present model. Could someone explain to me how the movement is removed from the inside of the box? I ask because although I suppose it must be removed from the top of the case, I have not managed to remove the bezel of the watch. I have come to suppose that said bezel was screwed but it does not rotate in any sense, neither clockwise, nor counterclockwise. I thought it might be a press-fit bezel but I have not wanted to risk damaging the bezel with some futile effort. Any help that any of those present could give me will be well received and you will receive my eternal gratitude.
Muy buenas tardes. Quisiera consultar sobre el Longines 8225-2, el cual es muy similar al modelo presente. ¿Alguien pudiese explicarme como se retira el movimiento del interior de la caja? Lo pregunto pues aunque supongo debe extraerse por la parte superior de la caja, no he logrado retirar el bisel del reloj. He llegado a suponer que dicho bisel fuese atornillado pero no gira en ningún sentido, ni horario, ni antihorario. Pense que pudiese ser un bisel colocado a presión pero no he querido arriesgarme a dañar dicho bisel con algún esfuerzo vano. Alguna ayuda que pudiese prestarme alguno de los presentes será por demás bien recibida y recibira mi agradecimiento eterno.
Would that measure be 25.5 seconds and not 20.5 seconds?
You are of course right, and I have corrected the post. That’s what you get when you concentrate too hard on the 1/10s!
Are the orange chronograph hand and the vernier scale on a transparant disk or something so that they turn together?
It’s just one part made from metal.
It’s truly inspiring to watch Christian find the problem like the bent plate and fix the problem in the best possible way without damaging the watch! And yesterday I was stuck on how to reshape a hairspring for over 60min after 10min with Christian it was sorted out. Still the Padawan has much to learn from the master!:)
I’d never seen this Longines model before. Then, earlier this week, a watch dealer/repairer that I know had one to show me. Very interesting watch. Although, his piece has a single sub-dial on it.