English Verge / Fusee Pocketwatches (service and repair)

If that works, its going to look pretty wild!

 

Too bad about the center but it looks like the right call - fit and finish is more important than bells and whistles.

 

Well... I know where there are more old pair cased watches and we now know someone who can apply shagreen... :^) So if you want to keep your first watch covering job intact...

Oh, BTW, it looks really cool!

I think this one is approaching the home stretch!

Regards,

Art S.

 

1. It looks really cool!

2. Does the edge need to be 'finished'? I haven't researched how the shagreen should be maintained.

3. It looks really cool!

 

I put this in the watch videos thread but it should be here as well.

Tompion!

 

Can you guys tell me about this pocketwatch?
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks! A couple guys asked about pics, so I figured I'd post them here. I can wind it, and it works, but cannot change the time. I tried to pull the crown out,m but could not.

 

Such a dial!

 

Although it's neither English, nor a fusee, I'll try to fill you in.

The watch movement was made in 1914. It is decent quality, 17 jewel is normally considered fully jeweled in US movements but, in reality, 15 jewels or even less is plenty to insure maximum accuracy. However, the movement is 'unadjusted' which means it isn't factory tuned to chronometer standard (an over simplified explanation).

The dial is an optional upgrade - they figured out how to fire in those designs into the enamel glass of the dial in a production manner, which would cost thousands (or a lot) to produce in that quality today.

Although I can't see the markings on the inside of the case panels covering the movement, it has the sense of a gold filled case. That means a heavy plating, but not in the modern sense - it is thick enough that it will test at 14K (which is what you are touching) even though it isn't solid gold. It's actually made of relatively thick sheets of 14k bonded using a special technique to a brass core (which provides stability and strength without excessive weight and cost). There is a stamp that probably says '25 years' in the inner back cover. This means the case was guaranteed to not wear through for 25 years of use (a bit of false advertising but you get the idea considering yours hasn't worn through yet).

Overall, it's a nice middle class American dress watch from the Edwardian (pre- World War One) era. The 12 size is a smaller end watch from the period (smaller cost more back then). It would fit subtly in your vest pocket without being heavy or bulky. It will fit nicely in the watch pocket of your jeans today. If serviced, it can tell accurate time for an evening out (it won't go a week or a month without adjusting the time like American railroad watches or European chronometers would but it was perfect for purpose - a stylish watch for an evening out or a church service.

Remember to push the button down when closing the front the same way you do when opening it - that satisfying 'click' you hear when snapping the front closed is the sound of the polished steel catch wearing out the brass and gold case lid lip. Regarding setting the time, the crown should pop out; its listed as pennant set movement, but may require a bit more force to get it to go. The watch hasn't been serviced in a long time and the crown is spring loaded to NOT pop up easily. That said, there is a dark smudge along the bezel between 4 and 5 O'clock. That is approximately where the lip of a lever setting mechanism should be. Put your fingernail behind the smudge and pull out; if a little metal thingy comes out, you can now turn the crown to set the watch. If not, wash the fleck of dirt off your hand and go back to pulling on the crown... :^)

Get it serviced, get a chain or strap for it and enjoy it - its a great little watch!

Regards,

Art S.

PS. you take better pictures of watches than me and Rich do!

 

I love the Fchat brain trust! Thanks guys! I shall take a closer look at the watch today.

 

A pretty good video describing what Rich is up against. Mind you, the watches Rich is fiddling with are older, which means more complex and trickier. Because of the components are unique, rather than mass produced (at least not in the way we think of mass production) there are no off the shelf replacement parts. Also, the overall timekeeping solution and its tuning and adjustment techniques make this a watchmaking comparison to an old Ferrari's Webber carbs vs. modern fuel injection - fuel injection is simpler and better but not nearly as cool! Finally, nearly 300 years of wear doesn't help.

 

Just to tempt Walnut. A Tompion in Shagreen:

Image Unavailable, Please Login
Science Museum Group / The Clockmakers' Museum © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Although this has a variety, they spend a while on the early stuff. It's striking to me that the first watch shown was made during the rule of King William of William & Mary (late 1600s - early 1700s). It's amazing to see a small finely hand made machine that's well over 300 years old and still running!

 

For those interested in what a fusee/chain system is, it's been reincorporated into a Zenith movement so there are nice CAD drawings and good explanations of how it works:

 

I love this thread. Keep up the great work work!!!