Paul sent this nice Patek Phillipe in for a service. He bought it from eBay in Italy, which does make the hair on my neck stand up a bit…
The case is in very good condition, with just a few scratches where the slot for removing the case back is.
The movement has a lot of fine scratches.
And the famous damage by using a screwdriver that’s too wide when removing the winding stem, which scratches the wheel bridge badly. This is something I don’t understand. You have a Patek in front of you, but not a screwdriver that fits. Do you:
a.) mangle the bridge of a watch that’s worth several thousand pounds?
b.) step back from the watch and let somebody with the right screwdriver do the work?
I thought it was obvious, but apparently, it isn’t 😉
Some blue grease on the wheel bridge… sign of a very sloppy service.
All the jewels have considerable amounts of dirt in them.
Paul was complaining that the watch was several minutes fast per day, and with a timegrapher image like that, and the dirt everywhere, that’s quite probable.
The back of the dial – looks like it’s been restored at one point.
You got to admit that Patek Phillipe knows how to decorate a watch!
Even the underside of the wheel bridge has perlage decoration. As this movement has the Geneva seal, there are no wire springs – check out the click spring!
The barrel is of course also decorated.
The usual old grease. As the movement had a good amplitude, and I can’t get a mainspring in exactly the right dimensions, I will reuse the old one.
Anglage, Perlage, beautiful finishes throughout.
Epilame treatment for the usual suspects.
As I am reusing the old mainspring, I clean and grease it.
Now we’re ready for reassembly.
I start off with the barrel and wheel train.
And then put together the bottom plate.
The balance goes in – let’s see where we are.
The beat error needs adjusting, and that’s done on the collet for the rough adjustment.
After an hour of collet turning, using the hairspring stud adjustment, and the little weights on the balance, I am where I want to be.
Now I can put the dial back on.With a new crystal, the watch is looking great!
What is the typical cost of service for a 23-300PM movement
Hi from Germany,
just bought a Calatrava today with inside 23-300.
So i found your page.
Wonderful pictures and such wonderful informations and text.
1000 thanks for your site.
Andi
Love the new crystal.
This watch looks fantastic.
what is pp worth now. thank you
I do not do valuations. Just check completed auctions on eBay.
Hello!
What a beautiful movement! I just love the individual bridges (or cocks) on the fourth and the escapement wheels.
I understand it is a free sprung balance, wright?
How is the hairspring balance caught to the cock? Do you have, by any chance a picture with the underside of the balance cock?
Great work!
Bogdan
I checked, but I’m afraid I don’t have a photo of that.
Thank you!
Bogdan
Hi I was interested in your very detailed and informative write up on the 2588J, I am considering purchasing one…I have been unable to find any information on the years of manufacture of this model and any price range …it seems that they are apprx £3000? This is around my budget figure and it seems a good. Entry point for a Patek given my financial resources are limited….several I have seen have no papers or box but appear to come from legitimate jewellery dealers in Europe . Or USA.any other pitfalls to look out would appreciated and is it recommended and acceptable to ask for some photos of the watch I may purchase “with movement” showing eg case back removed ? Thanks
I don’t really recommend buying one of those. No spare parts are available, and if you need anything, you have to send your watch off to PP, which will require re-mortgaging your house. Buy a nice Nomos 😉
I agree with Cirrus, when buying a used PP the only way i would is if im able to see it in my hand before i pay for it. I had one bad experience on ebay and wont by much on there anymore but this is a great piece. I would say whoever “serviced” this before should be ashamed at their work. Sloppy! When I service any type of watch i treat it like it was a Patek and the more i read and look at the work Christain does i think he has the same mind set. Great Work!
The watch looks really nice and stylish. I like this watch because I think its classically elegant design.
I think Christian is of german origin…so one can expect precision work from them.
Really nice, your site is such a great resource. The pictures are great, do you mind me asking what type of camera you use to take them?
I use a Canon Ixus.
Cool, thanks!
hello Christian, not all Italians are dishonest people, and not all Italian watchmakers destroy the screws … 😉
congratulations for the work
Greetings from Milan
federico
Hi Federico,
Sorry if that came across wrongly. I’m absolutely not making any assumptions about the honesty of Italians. There is just a fair amount of mail insurance fraud going on – so a lot of UK eBayers don’t ship to Italy. I guess that taints a bit.
I have Italian customers as well, and all of them are very nice and honest people.
Greetings from Stroud,
Christian
That does look great – the dial especially is lovely… but buying a PP off eBay? From eBay.it?? Paul is a braver man than I 😉
The little PacMan weights on the balance – how do you adjust them? Just by turning?
Yes, you turn them in pairs – always one and the one opposite. Moving the slit inwards makes the watch slower, moving the slit outwards makes it faster.
Such a tiny difference in balance… just goes to show how little it takes to affect – or impair – the operation of a watch movement.