Can always a pocket watch be repaired?

[kronos]

Hello

LEt´s imagine a pocket late 19th pocket watch in which some parts are missing and the other parts are present and ok: wheel, axis or balance(where the wheel is inserted in)hairspring...Can be always repaired(restored) or not always?

[kronos]

Hello

LEt´s imagine a pocket late 19th pocket watch in which some parts are missing and the other parts are present and ok: wheel, axis or balance(where the wheel is inserted in)hairspring...Can be always repaired(restored) or not always?

[Tom McIntyre]

Anything made by man can be remade or repaired. The question is the economic value of the repaired item. Or the increase in value for whatever purpose from the repair.

In particular there are many people who can make a verge staff or fit a balance. You can have a contrate wheel adapted or made and the same is true for all the other wheels and elements.

The watch plates and dials are the most difficult to completely restore or replace, but those can be done also.

The number of people doing good work on flat polished steel is relatively small. This is especially true on very high end work where the edges are rounded and polished on a very tight radius and the steel piece itself is curved.

Most collectors feel there is a reasonable limit on how much restoration can be done and have the piece still retain authenticity.

[kronos]

Hello: this is the watch I am talking about. Do you think is worth repairing?

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/9738/14jp3.jpg


http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4431/24fa.jpg

[kronos]

watch is 5cm diameter and 1.5 thick. Hallmarked, 1890

[107WestStreet]

It is usually cheaper to find a similiar watch and replace the parts that are missing than to make new parts from scratch, unless they are very simple parts. Usually this is done when the watch has great sentimental value. I assume that watch is NOT American made. The major American made watches are much easier to get parts for than the Swiss/European watches. If it is Swiss then you may have to have the missing parts custom made.
Who is the manufacturer, give the serial number.
Is it a Fusee?

[mersus99]

I recently attended the joint meeting of three Maryland NAWCC chapters, at which the speaker was George Thomas, principal of the Towson Watch Company. His slide presentation and talk was titled “Restoration of the World’s Oldest Watch” and showed the restoration work he did on the 1530 Melanchthons Watch, which may be the oldest existing watch. Obviously, any watch can be repaired.

Information and some pictures are at http://www.scherr-usa.us/NAWCC/2006%20Joint%20Meeting.htm

[mikeh]

This may be more than a little tangential, but somewhere on the web there is a pictoral of a watchmaker making a compensating balance wheel from scratch.

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

I doubt it is anything I would ever undertake, but like the case making video, I thought it was very interesting but I can't find it now.

[Tom McIntyre]

Not that I would attempt it, but it is not a big deal in principle to make a balance. My web page (http://www.awco.org/Literature/MakeBalance/makebalance.htm) with a collection of the steps shows how it would be done.

[Wes]

I think the answer to the question "Can always a Pocket Watch be repaired?" would be "if you have enough money".
Sometimes it is no financially feasable to do such.