Let's see your mechanical watches

[Yahoody]

Indeed. The older rail road watches are true treasures for a mechanical movement. They have made them smaller in the modern world. But none more accurate.

 

[handymike]

Very happy with my latest acquisition:

 

[Zoo]

Very happy with my latest acquisition:
View attachment 284517

Very nice!

 

[Trenchfriend]

Very happy with my latest acquisition:
View attachment 284517

70s?

 

[handymike]

I think its mid-60s. I cant tell for sure. Closest I can find is an ad from ‘68 featuring their “Heavy-Duty” model with a similar dial.
I was looking for a replacement for my Omega which felt a bit too flashy, and I think this works nicely.

 

[Zoo]

I think its mid-60s. I cant tell for sure. Closest I can find is an ad from ‘68 featuring their “Heavy-Duty” model with a similar dial.
I was looking for a replacement for my Omega which felt a bit too flashy, and I think this works nicely.

It does work nicely. I like the Wyler watches with coffin markers; but have not picked up an original yet. I did make a couple of similar dials.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I think its mid-60s. I cant tell for sure. Closest I can find is an ad from ‘68 featuring their “Heavy-Duty” model with a similar dial.
I was looking for a replacement for my Omega which felt a bit too flashy, and I think this works nicely.

Nice - I would have guessed late 50's. Do you have someone to service your watches for a decent price, Mike?

 

[handymike]

No, but apparently it was serviced 2 years ago before the previous owner took possession. It comes in right at 36mm- just what I was looking for.

 

[alanfgag]

Happy to have this watch back from repair (pops a main spring every 5-10 years). It was a relatively inexpensive flea market purchase in the 1980s. I used to collect vintage watches prior to this one, which became my daily wearer ever since. Circa 1963-4.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Just for fun:

Miyota 825S >> Miyota 8215 >> Miyota 821A (second stop!)

 

[SpencerD.]

Although my Apple Watch gets most of the time in my wrist, my pride and joy is my 2019 Tudor Heritage Chrono.

 

[Trenchfriend]

This one Miyota 8215 got only 4 seconds daily drift forward!

 

[Turnip]

Omega 8500, about 0.7s/day ahead.

 

[Trenchfriend]

The forward drift of my Miyota 8215 seems to be constant. Circa 5 seconds, daily. Not bad!

 

[Turnip]

Yes, that’s really good. Do you take your watch off for sleeping? If so, did you already try different positions? You could possibly enhance the over all accuracy that way.

 

[Ayeteael]

My less common speedmaster

 

[handymike]

Has anyone used Polywatch plastic polish for their crystals? For a very long time I have only felt safe wearing Sapphire crystal watches because I scratch up mineral ones. Recently I’ve collected some older watches, and I want to wear them without the worry. I heard about this stuff and wondered if it’s any good.

 

[viclip]

Has anyone used Polywatch plastic polish for their crystals? For a very long time I have only felt safe wearing Sapphire crystal watches because I scratch up mineral ones. Recently I’ve collected some older watches, and I want to wear them without the worry. I heard about this stuff and wondered if it’s any good.

If you're considering using plastic polish on mineral glass, you'll find that it doesn't work, it's just not aggressive enough.

I'd recommend acquiring from someone like the Eastwood Company an automotive glass polishing kit. The polishing compound included can be applied with a wet fabric having "bite" such as gun cleaning patches, denim etc. This will take out light scratches; also to be used for final finishing following removal of deep gouges which affected crystals should first be wet sanded to an even surface level using automotive grade wet/dry sandpaper starting at 400 grit & working down to 1200# or so (NOTE that I'm referencing traditional American grit values as distinct from the P-metric designations).

All sanding & final polishing is done by me by hand & wet so there's no issue with breathing in glass particles &/or the polishing compound, nor any issue with cracking crystals due to heat buildup
& there's scant chance of creating "waves". This is a slow labour-intensive activity! Resort to your Dremel at your risk.

The kit-supplied polishing compounds may be silica based or may consist of a diamond compound.

I'm currently using a glass polishing compound found on eBay consisting of Cerium Oxide which is also applied with a wet cloth having some purchase. I've had excellent results with it.

Cleaning up crystals is a good chore to attend to while watching the evening news on the TV set so that the job is spread out over time. I routinely spend several months working on a single crystal about a half hour at a time ~ with me it's a labour of love of course.

If at all possible try to remove the crystal from a wristwatch so that the bezel doesn't interfere with the polishing &/or have its plating worn off in the process. The larger pocket watch crystals are generally easier to polish while still in the bezel. I like to use some closed cell foam to support the back of the crystal while sanding &/or polishing so as to guard against possibly cracking it due to the application of downward force.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I've always used Brasso on acrylic watch glass. Works wonderfully well. Buff off with a microfiber.

I've never really needed sapphire glass. In 30 years, I have never scratched mineral glass, it seems remarkably tough to me.

 

[viclip]

For plastic/acrylic crystals I like using Meguiar's "PlastX" , found in the automotive care products aisle.

It's formulated for restoration of clear automotive plastics such as headlights.

In particular, it doesn't include ammonia (which can cloud plastic).