Practical watch repairing

What Hacker News says

1. icantdrive55Oct 2018
   Watch repair:

   The watch repair manual, by Fried

   Practical watch repairing, by De Carle

   The Swiss Watch repairer's manual, by Jendritzki (This book is great, but don't pay more than $75. After Fried's book it pulls in all the information nicely.)

   Bulova Repair Training Manual

   Chicago school of watchmaking (There's no copyright on this course. A guy on EBay has been scaring people for years. He does not own the copyright.)

   Bestfit encyclopedia of Watch Parts 1 & 2

   The clock and watch makers guide to gear making

   George Daniels Watchmaking

   I'll be writing my own book in the future. It will be a modern take on the repair of mechanical watches. It will have a lot of pictures. It will be direct, and to the point.

   If you are interested in watch repair; I would do it as a hobby. I couldn't imagine making a good living repairing watches.

   The bigger watch brands do not want to sell spare parts. That just might change in the future? Right now, it looks dim. Rolex, and the Swatch Group basically want to dictate whom, and where you can elect to get your watch repaired. Most times it the factory, at factory prices.

   If you get into watch repair throughly, your appreciation of watches might change. When there's no mystery, there's no magic, I guess?

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2. foodisloveMar 2018
   I've been making my own movements for fun for a while. Most of the parts you can print/order, but for accuracy purposes I tend to use an existing balance spring (generally sourced from any old Seiko movement).

   I recommend 2 books if you want to make your own movements

   1) Watchmaking by George Daniels 2) Practical Watch Repairing by Donald de Carle

   The first is a textbook and second deals with repairing, but actually taught me the more practical side of how to assemble & regulate a watch, and what makes a movement accurate.

   I've made my own hand-winding movement. It is within COSC specs but only when it's more than 75% wound, perfectly flat, and in a cool place. Oh did I mention it's the size of a ping pong bat. It makes me appreciate ETAs and their reliability even more now. It's time consuming and drives me nuts at times but totally worth it.

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3. marincountyOct 2015
   Balance wheel(oscillating wheel in demo. Its the brain. it keeps the time accurate)--->Lever escapement fork(looks like pin pallet. Your watch's fork looks more like a dinner fork)--->Escapement wheel--->Fourth wheel--->Third wheel--->Center wheel(holds the dial hands)---<>Barrel wheel(stores the power. connects to Center wheel). The small wheel connected to only the center wheel is the setting wheel.

   The animation makes the it so much easier than a verbal walk through. Couldn't stop chiming in; I am working on a pin pallet watch (Amida 542 movement) right now, and frustrated. The blue mainspring just broke, and its a weird size, measured in Dennison units. I need a social life.

   If interested in Watch repair buy Practical Watch Repairing by Donald De Carle, preferably 3rd. edition. to start your library. If you really want to build a watch from a chunk of brass, maybe a little gold, and watch lathe, buy George Daniels book Watchmaking. George Daniels invented the Co-axial escapement(an unusual escapement that Omega adopted, and might not need lubrication.), and was a great Watch Maker/machinist. He supposedly did his best work after 50.

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