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Search results

  1. AbslomRob

    My new acquisition..Benrus

    The second one is in a "Liberty Watch Case Co." case, which was active at least between 1924 and 1936; don't know if they survived after.
  2. AbslomRob

    Tools: Where Do I Buy Quality Tools?

    Invest in a good oilstone and practice refining the tips of the screwdrivers. Even expensive screwdrivers need to have their tips dressed from time to time, and it's cheaper to make mistakes on a discount set when you're starting out. On cheap screwdrivers, you'll probably find you need to...
  3. AbslomRob

    Modern fusee?

    I think there are a couple of high-end modern watches that use a fusee-like arrangement to help with isochronism.
  4. AbslomRob

    I Don't Understand How It Is Allowed To Continue...

    The moral of that story is "don't give someone nearly $4000 without confirming the quality of the goods". Frankly, my first instinct is that the "real" dealer here is playing some sort of insurance fraud scheme. Then again, maybe I'm just cynical.
  5. AbslomRob

    I Don't Understand How It Is Allowed To Continue...

    That's what's known as "low hanging fruit". It's easy to get an intern to troll through ebay to compile a list of fakes and do all the paperwork in one big batch. Quick, easy money. But from spam emails? Or flea markets? In the first place, it's much harder for them to compile the...
  6. AbslomRob

    Please help identify my first pocketwatch!

    You have a very nice Swiss made watch from probably the late 1800's. The finishing is plain but nice and it looks to have been well cared for over its life. All those little numbers scratched inside the caseback represent the times that the owner took it to be repaired (kinda like the service...
  7. AbslomRob

    Help with this Bulova

    Most bulova's have a two-character date code on the case back...the first character gives you the decade (l-50's, M=60's, N=70's, etc) and the second is the year (so N4 would mean it was made in 1974, etc). Often there is a similar code on the movement itself. The Accuquartz was developed in...
  8. AbslomRob

    LANGEL 41 Jewel Watch

    Mikrolisk shows Langel as being a trademark registered to "Pierre & Chantal Braehm-Langel/Nachfolger von M. Raymond Langel" in Switzerland in 1954. The date of that registration somewhat matches the time frame of the "jewel wars" that saw watches being produced with a sometimes absurd number of...
  9. AbslomRob

    Hand installation question, trying to improve my skills

    I've used a normal staking set stake, but that can leave a mark too if you're not careful. Cheapest method is to drill an appropriately sized hole in a piece of peg wood.
  10. AbslomRob

    Tools: Where Do I Buy Quality Tools?

    Depends on how much money you want to spend, really. You can get a lot of "decent" tools from india/china via the web for a fraction of the cost of ordering from places like Otto Frei. Is the "better" stuff worth the cost? Usually, it depends on the tool. A mediocre tool used properly is as...
  11. AbslomRob

    American PW Waltham 1908 question

    Does it slip if you use a winding pin while the movement is out of the watch? Is it possible that the stem on this case simply isn't long enough?
  12. AbslomRob

    Electric WW Service Manuals for Accutron 219 and Accuquartz?

    Thanks to all that helped on this! My Accutron library will keep me occupied for a little bit now! :)
  13. AbslomRob

    omg, check this out

    I just took a quick look through ebay myself, and I'm actually quite suprised at what some of these might go for. Given that they're NOS, in box, you might actually get some decent money for some of them. If your guy has any documentation (bills of lading, etc) that might help too. It might...
  14. AbslomRob

    omg, check this out

    Your best bet for establishing "values" is ebay, and I'm afraid you're liable to be disappointed. Most of that lot look to be common quartz and ladies quartz watches that won't be of any particular interest to most people. The big Wittenaur looks neat, although I'm a bit confused by the...
  15. AbslomRob

    Electric WW Service Manuals for Accutron 219 and Accuquartz?

    Thanks Samantha, I'd appreciate that when you have the time! Yeah, I'm quite interested in taking one of these apart; they're one of the more interesting quartz variants (even if not the most practical). And they're quite thick compared to the Accutrons! Congrats on the grandchild, btw.
  16. AbslomRob

    Electric WW Service Manuals for Accutron 219 and Accuquartz?

    Thanks...PM sent! The Accuquartz's are 224 series; they're actual Bulova quartz (using the tuning fork as a stepper motor, essentially). Cousins doesn't even list it.
  17. AbslomRob

    What tools should I use

    While there's no doubt that good quality tweezers and screwdrivers are easier to use and less likely to damage the watches you're working on, you can start "tinkering" with dollar store "precision" sets and model tweezers. The trick is to also buy an oilstone (from home depot or the like) and...
  18. AbslomRob

    Electric WW Service Manuals for Accutron 219 and Accuquartz?

    I picked up a stack (7 drawers) of Bulova parts and a Watchmaster 700, and feel compelled to learn as much as I can about the various Accutron watches. I've managed to get a 218 working, and am now staring at a 219 (2193.10). Unlike the 218, I can't seem to find any documentation on the...
  19. AbslomRob

    Neat 1940s 14k Waltham Center Seconds 21j

    Many of these had a "hack" lever that stops the balance when you pull the crown out...can't tell from your movement photo if this has one or not.
  20. AbslomRob

    Need help finding information about this watch

    In the U.S., Hallmark (with the H and K connected) was originally registered to "United Jewelers, inc., Wilmington, DE". They filed for it in 1923, with use claimed since 1915. It was registered a second time in 1945 to "Aisenstein, Louis & Bros, NYC", also with use claimed since 1915. I...

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