English watches

[cadmaster]

Can anyone recommend books (or videos) on repairing English pocketwatches, especially fusee?

[cadmaster]

Can anyone recommend books (or videos) on repairing English pocketwatches, especially fusee?

[Greg Crockett]

I hope you are extremely patient and dogged because these watches often require three times as much work as the usual Swiss or American watch. However, they are wonderfully hand-made. Intrinsically, I consider them worth the extra effort.

Practical Watch and Clock Repairing by DeCarle has a chapter on repairing English chain drive watches, at least the 3rd edition does. I consider it a good place to start.

Fixing the chains is troublesome; making hooks, riveting links together, etc... There have been some good articles about this process in past issues of the Bulletin. Check the on-line index and order these past issues from the library. It will be worth the trouble to get the info.

The AWI Journal has had a running series of articles on antique watch restoration. Probably some good advice may be found there although I can't recall which issues would be relevant.

Good luck!

[David Thomas]

Try to get early edition of
"The Watch Jobbers Handbook" by P.N.Hasluck. This gives a good overview of the subject.