This is a very unusual piece, and Michael gave it to me for a service, as it didn’t reset properly to 0, and sometimes stopped when running. You can see that the minute recorder (the red hand) hasn’t re-set to 0.
Michael bought this stop watch at Zurich Airport probably 40 or so years ago, as he was involved in car racing.
A closer look… The second recorder hand turns once every 10 seconds, and the movement beats at 36,000 b.p.h., so the stop watch can accurately time 1/10s.
The case back with the reference number C35700.
The top plate of the movement. Only the balance is jewelled.
The bottom plate with the chronograph mechanism. The hammers to reset the second and minute recorder to 0 have pretty impressive spring, and you wouldn’t want to stand in the way of them 😉
The movement looks pristine. No wonder, as Michael has owned the stop watch from new.
The pallet fork staff isn’t jewelled, either.
That’s a mainspring and a half!
Now I can take the chronograph bits apart.
There is a lot of solidified grease, and that’s what made the watch work properly.
More solidified grease on the column wheel.
Hour and minute recorders.
I give the movement 15 minutes in the cleaning machine to get rid of all the solidified grease.
I start reassembly with the barrel and gear train.
The base movement is beating again, and I can now put together the chronograph.
The movement looks great – clean lines, nice finishes.
I start with the bottom plate.
The hammers are back in place.
Now I can put the dial ring on.
Time to case the movement.This is a great little stop watch, and probably a very desirable piece for stop watch collectors. It’s great how fast the second hand runs – one turn every 10 seconds. And you can hear the 100 ticks for those 10 seconds very clearly.
As requested, I’ve added a video showing the stop watch in action:
Hello!
I realize it is a stupid question: are you sure it is a 36000 bph? It sure sounds a lot faster 🙂
Thank you,
Bogdan
Really interesting – a lovely piece
and the one owner provenance is fascinating
lovely piece, love the second hand flying around the dial!
Yeah – really rather speedy 😉
You got the maker’s name wrong in the title Christian, it’s Heuer not TAG!
You are of course right! Thanks for pointing out my mistake, I have now corrected it.
That’s what good marketing does – the name “TAG Heuer” is etched into my brain 😉
Very nice – can we have a video of it in operation..?
🙂
What is the Turler bit in reference to?
Ah – seems they are very posh Swiss jewellers!
Yes, in headier days, big jewellers got their own name on the dial.