Louis Jacot Kocle 18 Size Hunter Key Wound PW

[finiteguy]

Why was my post moved without notifying me? Very confusing

 

[Skutt50]

When you say "Stops on occation" do you mean that it actually stops or are you assuming it is stopping because it is behind when you check time?

- It could be as simple as the hands slipping behind because of the low resistance you experience when setting the watch!

When you test it on a table do you check it in various positions i.e. Dial up and down and pendant up, down, left right?

- If it slows down or you have bad amplitude of the balance in one position, that may be a hint to what's wrong.

 

[finiteguy]

When you say "Stops on occation" do you mean that it actually stops or are you assuming it is stopping because it is behind when you check time?

- It could be as simple as the hands slipping behind because of the low resistance you experience when setting the watch!

When you test it on a table do you check it in various positions i.e. Dial up and down and pendant up, down, left right?

- If it slows down or you have bad amplitude of the balance in one position, that may be a hint to what's wrong.

It definitely stops. I don't really notice bad amplitude in any particular position, but I looked at it under a microscope and it appears that the escapement wheel jewel could be worn because it looks like the pivot wobbles a bit in the jewel bore. Sorry, I'm not great with technical terms here. If it is that jewel, it will more than likely cost more that the watch is worth to have it professionally repaired.

 

[Skutt50]

The wobbeling and stopping could also be caused by a bent pivot. You need to have the balance removed and the jewels and pivots inspected.

The behavior is typical for a watch that has been dropped and often both the balanse pivot is bent and the jewel is damaged..... What talks against this is the fact that it keeps time in all positions....

 

[gmorse]

Hi finiteguy,

...but I looked at it under a microscope and it appears that the escapement wheel jewel could be worn because it looks like the pivot wobbles a bit in the jewel bore. Sorry, I'm not great with technical terms here. If it is that jewel, it will more than likely cost more that the watch is worth to have it professionally repaired.

The balance wheel is the one with the red circle, the escape wheel is the green one. As Skutt says, the pivots could be just worn if the watch is willing to run in all positions but occasionally stops. Although jewels can be cracked or otherwise damaged, they don't wear much in normal use, it's the steel pivots which suffer. However, he's quite right that it really needs inspecting properly. You're also quite right that the cost of any repairs would exceed its monetary value, but it would be a good learning opportunity for you if you're so inclined, to go through the diagnostic processes with guidance from here.

Regards,

Graham

 

[Skutt50]

Thanks for chipping in Graham,

I now realise that I read the post too quick and answered as if finiteguy was taking about the balance wheel even if he wrote escape wheel.....

 

[gmorse]

Hi Skutt,

I wasn't sure which wheel he was meaning, so I thought we should be clear on some names to start with.

Regards,

Graham

 

[finiteguy]

Hi Skutt,

I wasn't sure which wheel he was meaning, so I thought we should be clear on some names to start with.

Regards,

Graham

Hi Skutt and Graham, thanks for your replies here and your help. I will take the watch apart again and inspect it. I will be retiring in a few months and it would be a great project for me....I will need to fill my spare time. I also found that the movement does not fit very tightly in the case...it rattles a bit because it's held by only one screw. I also noticed that when I removed the dial, there was no gold washer on the hour hand minute hand shaft. Could that also be an issue?

 

[richiec]

That is probably the cannon pinion which would not be gilt so consider it normal.

 

[finiteguy]

That is probably the cannon pinion which would not be gilt so consider it normal.

Yes, cannon pinion....sorry for the bad terminology. Thank you for the reply

 

[Skutt50]

I removed the dial, there was no gold washer on the hour hand minute hand shaft. Could that also be an issue?

That is probably a brass washer called Dial Washer which function is to prevent the hour wheel from rising and disengaging from the pinion on the minute wheel. I don't think that will cause the watch to stop and the minute hand should basically do the same........