Waterbury long wind skeleton question ??

[Barry Parker]

Hi,


Can any owner of one of these tell me how the hands should be set to time please ?

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~barry_parker/bandbfrt.jpg

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~barry_parker/bandbdustcover.jpg

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,

[Barry Parker]

Hi,


Can any owner of one of these tell me how the hands should be set to time please ?

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~barry_parker/bandbfrt.jpg

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~barry_parker/bandbdustcover.jpg

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,

[Whit Joyner]

My understanding is that these watches were made to be set by (gently?) moving the hands with your finger! No kidding, that's how cheap they were -- anything to get the price down.

I have a long-wind "Old Honesty", and yes, that's the only way to set it.

I must add that your watch is a Benedict & Burnam, several notches above the Waterbury label products. Just look at the prices in the Shugart book.

Whit Joyner
The Ol' Tar Heel

[4thdimension]

Whit is quite right. It is easy to see in the
photograph that there is no winding train and no winding square on the front of the cannon pinion. On the plus side, it's one less thing that that can break. :wink:
-Cort

[Mike Kenley]

Barry,

I felt so stupid I decided to send this on a private email. My Waterburys set by pushing in on the crown and then turn the crown to set.

Don't laugh, just email me and let me know if this works.

[Mike Kenley]

Whit,

I know this sounds stupid but some of my Waterburys set by pressing down on the crown and turning.

[Barry Parker]

Thanks for this information guys.

The watch is still with my US friend and I have asked him to try pressing in the crown to set the time.

I will let you know if that suggestion works on this piece. It is not a watch which I would use on a daily basis so my question is rather academic.

I think that rather than try moving the hands to set it, I should perhaps wind it, then stop the movement, then wait till the normal time of day matches that shown on the watch and then re-start the mvt.
I would not like to risk breaking the hand.

Thanks to Whit for pointing out that it is in fact a Benedict & Burnham, looks like I have a win there.

I bought it described as;
“This is a rare Waterbury "Long-wind", or "poor-man's tourbillon". It is a Series A, six-spoke. Made by Benedict & Burhnam Mfg. Co., Waterbury, Conn. sometime between 1880-1898.”

Regards,

[Barry Parker]

Whit is correct. It is a Benedict & Burnham.

I just did a search and found the Waterbury Museum web site where they have pics of an almost identical piece.

http://www.geocities.com/waterburywatch/Longwinds/benedictandburnham.html

The differences to the Series A are evident on the museum gallery pics at;

http://www.geocities.com/waterburywatch/Longwinds/seriesa.html

Regards,

[4thdimension]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Kenley:
Whit,

I know this sounds stupid but some of my Waterburys set by pressing down on the crown and turning. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Most do.
-Cort
p.s.-Barry, Thanks for thinking of the Waterbury website. I think its a great site too and an excellent source of info on this co..-C

[Whit Joyner]

I'm looking at my long-wind ("manual setting") and my "Charles Benedict" (push setting), both Waterburys. I believe the latter type sold better and/or held up better than the long-winds, although I don't have a lot of data on that.

Ponder the American (Waltham) Model 70, a very high quality watch, which could be bought in any of five (5) different winding/setting configurations. That one might be the record.

Whit

[Oliver Mundy]

My Waterbury Series E (the last permutation of Daniel Buck's original long-wind design, whereas Barry's is one of the first) has no provision for setting whatsoever; clearly this could only be done by moving the hands.

By contrast, the Series L ladies' model (introduced in 1889 and therefore concurrent with the Series E) has push-in stem setting (as well as gilded plates, conventional spring-barrel, jewelled balance-staff bearings and a well-made enamel dial: all this for $4.00!

[Barry Parker]

Hi guys,

The watch arrived here yesterday and it does not set by depressing the crown.

Looks like the hand setting is the only way these work.

Thanks for the advice.

Regards,

[larry4duke]

Would any of you be able to send me a picture of how the mainspring winds around the large barrel in relation to what I think is the retchet whell (sorry for terminology as I am new to Horology). I have a E Series Long Wind that stops winding after about 10 turns with I know is way to few. Any help is greatly appricated as I have been :bang: for about 3 months on this.