In this video I restore a Longines watch from 1915 that was sold in the Ottoman Empire. This watch was produced during World War I.
At the beginning, the watch worked but was in terrible condition, with damaged and worn parts, etc.
Instagram:
All the watch parts were pre-cleaned and then cleaned in my @UCwVVVMKqUpu7czw7kMbUD_Q . Some parts were also cleaned again in isopropyl alcohol later on.
I replaced the balance staff, lapped the balance cap jewels, polished the barrel and its hole (not shown in the video), changed the mainspring, polished the casing, blued the hands, changed the diameter of the collet to the hairspring (not shown in the video), and opened up the hole in the roller table (not shown in the video), among other tasks. This was a long journey for me.
After the restoration, the watch runs at around 3 seconds per day in the dial-down position (I made some slight adjustments to the lever, but didn’t film that part) and approximately 0 seconds per day in the vertical position (as it would be in the pocket, “pendulum up“). This is a very good result, quite surprising.
I took a risk and tested the watch with the damaged pallet fork, and it runs fine. I suspect someone had bent the pallet fork before, so the escape wheel now touches a different part of the stone, avoiding the damaged area. All other positions also ran fine. I couldn’t replace the pallet fork as I can’t find any spare parts for it.
During the restoration, I used my home-built DIY KiwiCleaner, which is a watch cleaner. Please check out the KiwiCleaner; this machine is fantastic and costs only about 15% of a new Elma cleaning machine (and it’s better than the Elma one!). KiwiCleaner: @UCwVVVMKqUpu7czw7kMbUD_Q
My gear and other products, affiliate links*:
Sony A7IV*:
Tamron 28-75 f2.8 sony e (Not G2)*:
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 dg macro sony e*:
Timegrapher*:
If you like this video, I’ll be very happy if you push the Like button (maybe put a comment?), more videos will come! Take care and thank you for your time!
This is not a tutorial video, I’m just a hobbyist and might do things incorrectly.
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Effects:
A big thanks to @ for making the effects in the video
Intro video:
Constantinople during 1910
Music intro:
- Desert Caravan
Music outro:
Joseph Happ on the piano plays:
- Clair De Lune - Debussy
Facts about the name on the watch dial:
@UCKA6gyyGsr963td7Ap_22Eg
Distributor of Longines brand watches (from 1880) during the Ottoman Empire from Armenian subjects, until 1960 in Turkish Republic. His surname means ’Son of coffee pot maker’. Djezveji (Cezveci:Turkish word) - ian (son of). That’s why many of their surnames are actually Turkish.
*LINKS USED IN THE DESCRIPTION MAY OR MAY NOT BE AFFILIATE LINKS
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