Hello Mr. Marshall, I am just a random teenager who is interested in craftsmanship - I saw many videos of making things on the internet, but you are the best of them all. I was not bored of the hour-long video, not a single second of it! It somehow fascinates me so much. Maybe someday, I could gather some money and start restoring watches myself! Keep up your amazing work!
I'm a guy who loves to see things restored, be it furniture, paintings, guitars or watches. Whatever, I like to see old things fixed and I enjoy your enthusiasm in doing what you love to do. Fascinating.
I do not, he is watching his own recording and for some reason pretends not to know certain things even though it's not live at all. No need to fake the reactions at all.
HOW did you manage to suck me into watching a video on "fixin' an old timey watch?" DIABOLICAL! Perfect sound and video quality. Perfect editing. EVERY single thing that you did was explained both as to the how and the why of it. You have perfected the instructional/demonstrative video, and I could NOT stop watching. Thank you. Pure brilliance.
My first time here and have to agree, an absolutely awesome walk-through disassembling, cleaning, repair and assembling a beautiful vintage timepiece... Thank you... Subbed...
Hardly imagine that in this UA-cam era I could just sit tight for almost an hour and watch this whole clip of restoration till the end. I am deeply fascinated by the whole process of bringing this vintage piece back to live again
Videos such as this will stretch your attention span from a few minutes to an hour. It is an excellent mental exercise in this "social media" short attention span age.
Watches are fascinating, wonderful and although I will never get to fixing them, I too love watching how they are being fixed. I really like these magnified shots.
@Paul Humphreys because dials on old watches , the finish will flake off and ruin it. good luck trying to find a replacement that doesn't cost an arm and a leg
Hello marshal am Deepak from Mauritius and I really appreciate your videos on watches and I was repairing watches for my studies,I learned many tricks from your videos thank you lot
Your videos convinced me to find a non-runner on eBay. Picked up an Omega and learned a ton. Don't have all the equipment you have, but made do with that I did have. Got all the way to the end, and the balance would move a few times and then stop. Thanks to your videos, I was able to step through troubleshooting and found that being scared about oiling too much translated into not oiling the balance enough. Re-cleaned and re-oiled everything, and it fired up. So cool! The engineering in mechanical watches is fascinating.
Congratulations on getting it to work! I agree about the awesome engineering! I also love the similar engineering in mechanical film cameras (and the added bonus of taking pictures)! And windmills and sailing ships, and hydro-electric dams, and car engines, and machining tools, and sharpening systems, and microscopes, and ...
This might sound crazy, but I suffer from an anxiety disorder and your videos really calm me down. It's like having a prescription drug whenever I need it! Thanks again for all you do !
I never thought I'd spent just under an hour watching someone fix a pocket watch but I found myself fascinated by your video. Your explanation of every bit an piece of the workings made it very interesting and watchable. Thank you! I will have to start watching more of these.
Michael Landry Did you notice how you used the word "watch" three times? It's called a Freudian slip. 1) watching 2) watchable 3) watching So, next time watch out!
I've watched many of your videos but am now watching older ones. This is the first time I've seen you work on a balance. Was really satisfying seeing it spin so well after such a delicate fix.
I don't know if it's the exquisite time pieces, the insightful commentary, the meticulous patience you have, the brilliant photography or just watching the watch come back to life, but whatever it is you have all in spades and an hour watching one of your videos flies past so quickly. It is therapy for the mind.
The extent of my watchmaking abilities is to take a non running quartz watch (inexpensive type), remove the case back, spray in some electronics switch cleaner, then spray with some canned duster air. Put in new battery and cross my fingers. If it still doesn’t run rinse and repeat. If it still doesn’t work try a couple drops of lighter fluid and repeat the process. If it still doesn’t work………pitch it .
Corundum (AlO) is mohs hardness 9. Sapphire and Ruby are names given to corrundum based on colour. Ruby is deep red, sapphire is any colour (starting with pink) up to Blue. The color derives from any additional element from Iron to titanium iirc
I fell into the watch repair hole. I've never been interested in watches but came across one of your vintage repairs and I've managed to binge watch all of your repair videos now. They're mesmerizing to watch and to listen to you explain movements, tools and how you got in to it has been fun and really enjoyable. Keep up the great work you've well and truly earned your subscribers, all the best to you.
Four months ago I had never seen this channel, and hadn't worn a watch on my wrist in 38 years. Two weeks ago I plunked down some major coin for a Seiko Captain Willard.
i really hate watches, (they show me how my time on this earth is ticking away;))) but i love when things get repaired, so i fell ino the repair hole,;)
Just another stranger on the internet here. Found your videos while looking for things on older Citizens (the watches) as i scored one at a flea market for keeping the timewhile im in my last year of college (i used a digital but it became boring). I found your channel with a wealth of information on all watches and as someone who's interested in what makes things tick.... (im sorry) i could say that this channel... YOU...are a profound fount of wisdom and knowledge and your chuckles here and there really add to the "cuteness" of your videos. Wish you the best for all you are and all you do.
26:56 That's the best shot of you putting the barrel arbor back in I have seen you do. Its so clear exactly what its grabbing onto and I don't think your other videos showed it as well. Nice job!
Absolutely fascinating. My grandfather used to do this back in the 60's when I was growing up. He wasn't a jeweler (an aircraft engineer) and there was nothing he couldn't fix. It's great to watch you do this and it brings back many fond memories. Thanks for taking the time to explain what and how.
I am extremely fascinated of what and how you do minute parts of watch in proper places especially priceless virgin watches you encounter that even RENOWN WATCHMAKER ROLEX REFUSE TO DO. YOU ARE one rare OF A KIND KINDLY GIVE ME UR ADDRESS. Surely u may come very handy someday.
Have watched almost all of the videos and listened to you explain why the keyless works is called keyless works about 50 times. And I enjoy it everytime. The actual fixing of the watch is only half the joy of these videos. Your story telling is the other half. Keep up the good work.
Like mentioned before, Marshall is the Bob Ross of watch repair. Also, your commentary reminds me of a sportscaster, maybe golf. I love it. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Yeah , and commercials every f****** 20 seconds! like the worst TV ever. This is an opposite anticlimax to what people love about this channel. its Calm and focused, everything that Discovery and Nature channels has lost. They have now turned into fragment cutting action movies. I wonder what people do. I look away trying to stop it. Its out of control. The internet needs to evolve.
My grandfather was a watchmaker until the depression forced him into a factory job.He didn't talk much, so this is my introduction to watches and repair. Thank you for creating this channel.
Becoming one of my favorite channels. I inherited my grandfathers retirement watch (from the CHP). Very well worn. I live in a rural town so I have started researching reputable shops to get it back into shape.
Although have followed you for several months now, I appreciated the detailed descriptions of what each part does as well as the origin of the names of some.
Great to see the shockless balance taken apart with such great camera work. Am working on a 1950's watch with one where I have to remove wheel to remove the cap jewel as the screws are underneath now I've seen this It gives me the confidence to give it a go. Just a word to the absolute beginners get yourself a new seagull ST36 movement from eBay, Ali express or Cousins in the UK. It's a good copy of the Swiss 6947/8 pocket watch movement and almost exactly the same as Marshalls Omega. Very cheap and a perfect way to learn this wonderful hobby.
I'm a watch collector for over 30 years and this is one of the finest and more comprehensive videos on the subject. Congrats Marshall for the time and love you dedicate to this half technic half art passion.
I'm not into watches....But now I'm "in to watching " the insides of them. How could I ever guess I'd be fascinated with simply watching you work on these works of art. I was trained in high school as a machinist, welding, casting parts, way back when that was a thing, but developed a reaction to the solvents, and pursued a different career. Having UA-cam and content creators to show us their talents and craft is such a great thing to have now. Very good job on your videos. Nice, clear and close up visuals and.....you could be the Bob Ross of watch repair with your soothing voice and demeanor.... :)
If you like watching the parts move, you might like skeleton back watches, which have a clear back and are designed so that you can wear the watch and still see the parts move. I personally like the repair and disassembly more, but just FYI.
Just ordered a Skeletal Automatic Mechanical watch after watch this channel too much, not brave enough to try and fix watches myself, but love seeing the mechanisms "alive". Also considering saving up for a "Bulova Lunar Pilot" based on the watch used on EVA during Apollo 15 when one of the team members broke their Omega Speedmaster on a previous EVA on the surface, it was apparently a prototype that had been competing with the Omega Speedmaster but didn't get chosen by NASA, so they gave one of the prototypes to one of the astronauts and it actually made it to the Moon's surface as his personal use watch I'm a huge space nerd but don't have the kind of money a Omega Speedmaster demands, yet the more obscure Bulova Lunar Pilot is much more attainable. It's thanks to this channel that I ended up falling down the rabbit hole to find all this, super happy to watch every new video, hard to believe they are all nearly sn hour with how fast they fly by
Thanks for showing this, it was fascinating. My grandfather carried a pocket watch much of his life and through out most of my childhood. Late in life he could not get it fixed he switched to a wrist watch. When he died I was 14 my grandmother gave the watch to my mom. When I was in my thirties it came to me. It ran but it did not keep time. After several attempts i found a watchmaker who correctly identified the problem as a kinked hair spring. Once replaced cleaned and lubricated it ran perfectly. When it did I realized how much I enjoyed the pocket watch that I had a chain made but was too nervous to routinely carry my grandfather's watch so I began to collect them. I found an excellent watch maker that keeps the collection running and when I have a watch on it is one of the pocket watches. I noticed the watch did not have the loop (not sure the right name) for the place one would put a chain or fob on. I loved this video and look forward to more and hope to find you working on more pocket watches.
you Sir are the Bob Ross of watches, while I could never do anything like this, due to shaking hands and poor eyes, i find this so relaxing to watch, can feel your excitement at seeing the watch again ticking away, thank you
I look at watches like this...the intricate construction..the craftsmanship in designing, building and maintaining them....and it's easier to understand why they are so expensive. Your skill is incredible.
Hello Marshall, thank you for this awesome new video. You are the best "watch youtuber" ever ! You always tell exactly what you are doing, even if you already said it in other projects. You repeat it and don't say "see my previous video in order to understand ....". The video/image work is awesome too : every frame is just perfect, no blur, no wrong angle. Because of you, I've bought my first tool set and a functional pocket watch in order to begin this incredible journey of watchmaking. You're such inspirational... Thank again for this marvelous content ! Cheers from France.
Dear Marshall I have inherited this same watch from my grandfather that I never knew. Ha was a train driver from the Portuguese railroads. I have known this watch since I was a young boy and it has sparked the interest in watches from the get go. Thank you so much for taking me on this journey with you reviving this exquisite piece of timing engineering!
I cannot believe I just watched this (listened while reloading 38spl cartridges) whole thing. I stopped and watched so many times, and seeing the heart just start beating as soon as you dropped it in place literally took my breath away. Amazing. Thank you for posting this. And thank you for keeping these old machines ticking.
I’ve loved watches for years. I’ve been buying old watches online since I was old enough to use eBay (obviously nothing fancy and rarely working). Lately I’ve been looking to get into repairing watches. This channel is a great place to start. I’ve binged most videos on this channel and can’t wait for more.
Not into myself doing the repair side of this, but I have always had a fascination with mechanical things and watches in general. You do a fantastic job and are very detailed explaining what you are doing. Keep it up because the hours of information are not a waste of my time.
It goes to show the skills used back when this timepiece was made that with your personal expertise it runs like new. I appreciate pocket watches, I even use an old Smiths as my everyday timepiece. Although I am getting on these days. You Sir are a pleasure to listen and watch. Thanks.
You just helped me remember some great memories of when I was little, living with my grandmother, who has recently departed. We would prepare for bed each night and part of that was winding the table clock. She would always let me do it :) A flood of other memories came in with it. Thank you.
Last week some burglars entered my home and stolen my grandpa’s pocket watch, among with other items. The watch was very similar to this one, if not the exact model. Nothing will ever replace it. Even worse, the feeling of having a criminal inside your home, is amazing scary. I’m devastated! Watching you repairing this watch brings me good feelings. Thanks for sharing it.
I wish you would restore more the dial cleaning it more or even painting it, but your work is really impressive and your knowledge is just off the charts. Congratulations on your channel !
As a absolute beginner in the watch collecting and repairing its very nice to see the watch that you out bid me on is being looked after way better than I could ever do myself . Thank You for all the great video's and education . Looking forward to your next one .
Besides the exceptional video and editing, the narration is just wonderful....taking the viewer on a full-fledged journey, instead of just showing the satisfying conclusion. Kudos to you, Sir!
Some of the new angles and zooms, such as the barrel arbor and putting in the crystal, really show what is happening now. Great production value! Also you have convinced me to have a go. I've got some tools on my Christmas list and I will be having a go at a pocket watch mechanism soon.
Hi, nice video! Here's a tip. The next time you replace the rivet, it is more convenient to place the punch machine on a flat hard surface and clamp it to the work table at the bottom of the machine. Because the machine moves and bounces a little bit (work/placemat) 16:48, you can easily hit the rivet in the balancestaff. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Love your videos!!! If I had the ability I would love to buy one of your pocket watches. Unfortunately I am a disabled veteran and my funds are calculated to the dollar. But I am just happy and content to sit and watch your videos! It brings very fond memories of my grandfather sitting at the kitchen table. He was a watchmaker and I truly regret not learning the trade!
@@danwilson7581 sir I am an old man! ( Older than 60). I am truly grateful for your concern and comments! However I do believe that I am ineligible for the program! Even if I was to qualify I would have to step aside for the young men coming up.
@@WristwatchRevival it is my honor sir! I spent 32 years in the marine corps. One of the greatest memories I have is watching my grandfather repair watches in a time where batteries for watches didn't exist!
Hello, found this video by accident today. I became aware of this because I also own the same watch from the 1930s. You explain everything very simply, precisely, calmly and it's fun to listen and watch the entire work steps. Thank you for your hard work and for sharing all of this with us!
This channel is amazing! I am not even sure why I am binge watching, but I am... I have two left hands, so could never attempt. I never wore wristwatches because for some reason they would always slow down or stop on my wrist. But the process is so compelling and fascinating! I can't stop...
Here i am a truck driver, ive just randomly came apon a video of yours and spent a whole hour watching you restore a watch that i have, absolutely no interest in....LOL I dont know why but now several videos later im still here, this is crazy. I know that watches had synthetic ruby's but i always thought they was just for decoration but to find they are used as a frictionless pivot point like a bearing is amazing. learn new things every day. This is eye candy :)
So happy to have found your channel. I’m the most “non-mechanical” guy on 🌎 but really enjoy “time” especially mechanical watches. We’ll be watching & following on Instagram
I really enjoyed watching this. I'm an old guy of 70 years so I can remember these watches being on a chain and worn on a mans waistcoat. Thanks for sharing and I'll be watching more of your videos.
A young guy of 70! It’s so funny when you see old film of the gents with their pocket watches and every man in a crowd has a hat. Now everyone has a cell phone. How times have changed.
I am not "into" watches and don't care to try what you do, but I am fascinated by your work. I do love to see how things work and enjoy diy and taking things apart and either repairing or repurposing them. Keep up the great work!
Hello Sir, I'm also a (Ex) watchmaker and I was own shop till 2011. (Total 23 years) When the Mobile handset spread overall, then our assencial is came down. I appreciate your balance wheel stap replacement and hair spring bend removing.this is same to a eye operation. Totally this restoration work is very good. Good wishes.
Watching you repair this absolute beauty has been a delight. The love you have for watches and movements completely shines through in everything you do, but at the same time your voice, elocution and overall attitude - not to mention brilliant camera angles throughout all the bits of work you do - have just turned this channel into an instant favourite for me. Can't wait to dig in and view all the content that you've shared! As to this watch itself... Calibre 161 / LT 38.5 is gorgeous both for its looks, and its sound, as you aptly pointed out. And to me, it's even extra special. A slightly older version of the Omega you are restoring here is lying under a glass cover in my bedroom cabinet and is lovingly wound up every now and then. Ever-so-slightly-guilty admission: I did change the seconds hand with the exact same one, albeit gold-coloured, to make sure it matches the other two golden hands. It's always been such a pristine watch, I just felt the black small seconds hand took something away from its beauty. Funnily enough, I just introduced my two-year-old daughter to this watch a few weeks ago: she's always had a thing for my watches, but this one will probably end up being just that extra bit special for her as well. It came to me as soon as wifey found out about my love for watches (wasn't even officially "wifey" back then). The Omega had spent a few decades lying in storage alongside its original wearer's medals of honour - and you could say that it did in fact need a bit of a rest after having accompanied its White Guardsman owner almost a century back on a journey across half of Europe before he'd put down roots in a new homeland. Obviously, I never met wifey's great-granddad yet I can't help but feel connected to him whenever this one is ticking away in the palm of my hand. Very much a bridge to the past - the kind that's worth maintaining through the ages.
Absolutely mesmerizing. I can't stop watching (pardon the pun) this channel. I have 2 old pocket watches of my grandfathers that he used when he worked on the railroad. Now I know what went into restoring them to working order. Absolutely amazing, thanks for sharing these videos.
These vids are hypnotic! I'll never do watch repair myself (shaky hands) but it's quite soothing to see how the tiny engine comes apart and goes back together so nicely.
This video mesmerized me - and I found myself watching it in one sitting. Now I want to get into it. So, thank you - great to see a true craftsman at work!
I am happy to say I made the leap! I purchased my first broken pocket watch on eBay. This is my Christmas gift to myself. And so starts my little journey. ☺
I watched you open that package of assorted tools you got from ebay and have to mention that you have an awesome hobby bench. Also, I have several pocket watches and frequently carry them so keep on working on them. Best regards,
I've watched a couple of watch revivals of yours and your colleagues in the last couple of days, and I've learned a ton! Still I had some questions left, I decided that watching more videos would eventually answer more of my questions. This video was so insightful, so detailed and so well explained and narrated, it answered 90% of the questions I had left. Excellent work my good sir, thank you.
I was a watchmaker for 23 years. A couple observations here. First, when disassembling the watch for cleaning, you obviously do the balance jewels at this step. Not later. Second, when restaffing a balance wheel (I did hundreds), driving the old broken staff out of the wheel in the manor depicted can distort and bend the balance wheel and hole where the balance staff is staked, or riveted to the wheel. After removing the hairspring and roller table, the balance wheel should be chucked in a jeweler's lathe and the riveted part of the balance staff cut away first, then staked out. Third, after restaffing, the balance wheel should always be trued and poised. This is especially true for bimetalic (brass and steel) temperature compensating balance wheels as depicted in this video. The wheel should be put into a truing caliper and trued to make sure there is no radial or axial runout. I saw a little runout in the video. Then after reinstalling the roller table (and the roller jewel should always be perpendicular to the balance wheel arms) but before reinstalling the hairspring, the balance assembly should be put on a poising table to ensure that there are no "heavy" spots, i.e. that the balance assemble is "balanced". This is to negate the effect of gravity on the balance which will affect the timekeeping of the watch. Finally, one can obtain a friction jeweling kit to replace broken or cracked jewels. Friction jewels are available in any IDs to match the pivot and ODs to match the appropriate reamer needed.
my thoughts exactly but then again it requires tools only used for balance staff works and if he doesn't have a lathe and/or the skills to turn a balance staff then he will not need this type of equipement and his technique will "make do"
I've been looking at these videos just so I can do minor fixes to keep my collection nice, as someone who never did well learning things in a traditional way these videos are as good as it gets - how you keep your hands so steady is still a mystery, but keep up the good work, I'd venture to say you've cemented your place as a pillar of the community and rightfully so
I have the same (or very similar) watch which I got from my grand uncle in the 90's. He found it in a truck in WW2 on the eastern front in Europe. I'm having it serviced for the first time now
Even though your channel says wristwatch, I LOVE when you do these pocket watches! I have 2 non-functioning ones that I see every once in a while and I get closer and closer to wanting to just take the plunge. As a HO Scale train hobbyist I can relate to the "need the right tools" aspect of your hobby. ...but I soooo want to try. Thank you for your videos. GREAT narration with a touch of fun.
Best video yet! Great explanations of the added challenges faced in this "parts only" watch. Your beautiful restoration showed us viewers what tools and skills are needed to tackle these more complex repair issues. Thanks again for taking the time and energy to create such a professional video too.
Im not into watches, im not a watch guy and not a fan of them, but there's something special about you that makes me enjoy a one hour long video restoring a watch !! You're the reason i know about watches and their mechanism, i hope you the best
Fascinating to watch someone revive a watch! What's even more fascinating and intriguing is how someone figured this whole clockworks in the first place, long ago, with zero computers, just maybe some type of early paper to draw on...
Yay! I love watching your videos, and I respect your choice to keep the vintage patina of the faces, but I really enjoy seeing watches looking how the designer originally intended. Thank you for sharing one where you did a more thorough restoration.
Great video! Love watching them and learn a bunch as well! I'm not as good as you are at all this, but I've re-staffed a few pocket watches myself and just did one on a American one with a broken staff. Unfortunately the roller and other parts didn't line up from the start along with other gremlins. So for a tip for others that worked great for me: Install just pallet fork and it's bridge in the plate, then assemble balance minus hairspring in it's bridge in the plate as well. Gently move balance so it interacts with pallet fork and positions the fork between the banking pins(like you showed in the video), trace a line from where the hairspring stud would go to a spot directly across on the balance and super-gently mark it with a marker. Remove Balance and parts and install hairspring so stud matches the spot you marked. Won't be super accurate in beat, but you adjust that later if you can( I don't have a timegrapher so I use my ears). Got the idea from a blog somewhere and it blew my mind when it worked. Struggled badly with setting beat on these watches, so passing it on here.
Ever since I was a child back in the fifties, I used to open up the wristwatch case to look inside. Always was fascinating. Now I get to see this in-depth view and it’s awesome. Thanks for the thrill and education.
I so enjoy the tech talk and history as you disassemble a timepiece. You've opened up a new world to me and I am hooked. Saving up for a new Longines automatic. Keep doing what you're doing...you are the BEST!
Hey Marshall. Don’t beat yourself up over the dial. Sometimes a clean will work. Sometimes not. Your craftsmanship is to be admired. Your videos are not only informative but inspiring.
Interesting piece this one. A lot of work went into a $68.00 watch but it is a nice piece of history. I often ask what if these watches could talk, what stories would they tell? Great work as always Marshall. Thanks for this one, very educational.
And thanks to this awesome work, these Watches will hopefully find many more stories to tell, getting another chance to dutifully track the time for a new generation
Fantastic work! As always! And your photography, depth of field, focus, etc. was exceptional in this video, I mean, on top of your normally high quality work! And such a beautiful watch! Thank you!
Just happened upon your video. Extremely interesting. My Grandmother gave me a Bulova Automatic watch for a graduation gift (many years ago) and wore it constantly. Some years went by and it stopped working. I would rewind it, but it would stop again. Brought it to a jeweler. When I went to pick it up he advised that it was dirty, he cleaned it, oiled it. He then advised me to bring it back about three years to have it checked again which I did. When I moved to another state years later, the same problem appeared. Took it to a jeweler and he had my watch for three months. He showed me the watch in pieces and said he couldn’t get the calendar to work. I told him to put it back together and give it to me. I happen to be going back to the old neighborhood and when I did I took the watch to the same jeweler (still there). FIXED!!!! Enjoyed the video. It takes a lot of patience to do that type of work.
Brilliant video. Appreciated the commentary and explanations. Particularly liked the explanation of the staking tool. Well filmed and informative. Fantastic craftsmanship! Thanks.
I 've always wondered what was actually done with a staking set. It falls into that mist of lathes, truing, and broken staffs close to the edge of the horosphere. Congrats on getting this one over the finish line!
18:40 When you started spinning that wheel it is unbelievable how precise this is for a "hammer-on" installation. There is not wobble, friction, it just spins. Amazing. Especially for something so old.
Marshall, these videos are extremely helpful and inspiring! I'm just getting to this hobby and it's SO extremely helpful when you explain what the part is, and what its function is in the watch movement. And you do that in every video which reinforces the knowledge. I'm a huge fan that appreciates your work both on the videos and the restorations themselves. Thanks for being a guide along this journey
Looks to be a very expensive hobby in tools alone! I’ll just keep satisfying my needs by watching you! 👍 Amazed by your knowledge but astounded by the original watch designers and part builders.
I remember my first pocket watch servicing. This video brought up so many memories and laugh. That "oups where that screws went", the jumpy little spring from the winding mechanism and the broken pivot... I had them all. 😂 Thanks so much for your videos !
This was a facinating video to watch. I have always been fascinated by such mechanisms ever since I worked on model 28 teletype machines in the military. You have a great way of describing what you do and make it look easy, which I am sure it is not. Your camera work is really great. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
You are on the right track. I think of how phones replaced entry level cameras & mirrorless cameras got much better. As an old school photographer, I hope the future holds a place for me, because I shoot film & digital photography
"If you're not that into watches..." Well...binging this channel got me into watches. I recently bought my first vintage watch to get into the hobby. A 1930s wristwatch, for $2. Though, turns out the dial has a ton of radium on it, so I left it to the side. Now I'm preparing to work on a NOS but non functional 1970s wristwatch, with a beautiful brown (yes, it exists) dial and white hands. Now just need to get me some nice tweezers and screwdrivers. I watched your video on the tools with all the different oils and greases you use. I do understand that they do the job awesomely to lube up a watch properly, but they are very costly. Are there any low cost options there you could recommend? Maybe they won't work as good, but at least may help a budding watch repairer get a few watches up and running, even if the watch will require going through earlier again than it would have otherwise?
a little radium is fine, just keep your area clean and wash anything that comes into contact with it with disposable materials ... and obviously your hands.
@@fiercenet it's not fine when you've already worked on it, cleaned it, contaminated your entire work surface, and THEN find out it's a radium dial. I know it's not the worst thing in the world, but I'd rather not take the risk of inhaling radium dust before I know fully what I'm dealing with.
Moebius 8000 is a natural oil that can be used for 90% of the watch’s pivots and posts. Otherwise 8200 is a grease that can be used for when grease is necessary. Both are very very reasonably priced compared to the synthetics.
Dude, I’ve become extremely fascinated with your channel! Purchase a box full of stuff at auction this past weekend for $35.00. In one of the bags of stuff, I found a pocket watch made in 1871 by the National Watch Co out of Illinois. It doesn’t work, missing the hands, second dial, second hand and crystal. It a Hunter style made from a coin silver case. I’m super stoked about restoring it.
Hello Mr. Marshall, I am just a random teenager who is interested in craftsmanship - I saw many videos of making things on the internet, but you are the best of them all. I was not bored of the hour-long video, not a single second of it! It somehow fascinates me so much. Maybe someday, I could gather some money and start restoring watches myself! Keep up your amazing work!
Hey that's awesome, I bet you could get into the hobby! Good luck with it and thanks for watching!
Lovely to hear from you. In the meantime would recommend reading up on the history and mechanics :D
I am as well
Mee to, just enjoyed the whole video. Not bored for a second!
P
I'm a guy who loves to see things restored, be it furniture, paintings, guitars or watches. Whatever, I like to see old things fixed and I enjoy your enthusiasm in doing what you love to do. Fascinating.
Who else finds his enthusiasm infectious? I'm rooting for him the the entire video! Thank you Marshall.
This is my 3rd video of his I've watched and I fully understand what you are saying.
His voice emits so much warmth and positive energy.
I do not, he is watching his own recording and for some reason pretends not to know certain things even though it's not live at all. No need to fake the reactions at all.
@@acemakerjay If you’ve watched three of his videos, it seems very strange that you have a problem with them. Some people like to complain. Sad.
@@thomasvaughan1247 I have no clue where you got the idea that I was complaining. I was responding to your original comment. I root for him as well.
HOW did you manage to suck me into watching a video on "fixin' an old timey watch?"
DIABOLICAL!
Perfect sound and video quality. Perfect editing.
EVERY single thing that you did was explained both as to the how and the why of it.
You have perfected the instructional/demonstrative video, and I could NOT stop watching.
Thank you. Pure brilliance.
i have the same issue, ive been watching these for HOURS!!!
hypnotism my dear watson! i have never bailed on this mans videos
My first time here and have to agree, an absolutely awesome walk-through disassembling, cleaning, repair and assembling a beautiful vintage timepiece... Thank you... Subbed...
it's the Subliminal messages he puts in there, I can hear it "watch to the end, watch to the end, you must" 😅😂🤣
Hardly imagine that in this UA-cam era I could just sit tight for almost an hour and watch this whole clip of restoration till the end. I am deeply fascinated by the whole process of bringing this vintage piece back to live again
Oh wow I did not even notice that the video is over 50 minutes long. Felt like 20 minutes.
Videos such as this will stretch your attention span from a few minutes to an hour. It is an excellent mental exercise in this "social media" short attention span age.
Watches are fascinating, wonderful and although I will never get to fixing them, I too love watching how they are being fixed. I really like these magnified shots.
@Paul Humphreys because dials on old watches , the finish will flake off and ruin it. good luck trying to find a replacement that doesn't cost an arm and a leg
Hello marshal am Deepak from Mauritius and I really appreciate your videos on watches and I was repairing watches for my studies,I learned many tricks from your videos thank you lot
Your videos convinced me to find a non-runner on eBay. Picked up an Omega and learned a ton. Don't have all the equipment you have, but made do with that I did have. Got all the way to the end, and the balance would move a few times and then stop. Thanks to your videos, I was able to step through troubleshooting and found that being scared about oiling too much translated into not oiling the balance enough. Re-cleaned and re-oiled everything, and it fired up. So cool! The engineering in mechanical watches is fascinating.
Congratulations on getting it to work! I agree about the awesome engineering! I also love the similar engineering in mechanical film cameras (and the added bonus of taking pictures)! And windmills and sailing ships, and hydro-electric dams, and car engines, and machining tools, and sharpening systems, and microscopes, and ...
Thanks for giving me the confidence to try it myself.
Bravo !
Not only is your watch restoring hobby well mastered, but the whole video producing, editing and commentary is also of the finest craftsmanship.
Thank you :) I put a lot of time and effort into the videos so that means a lot!
Surgeon at work. You saved the patient.
This might sound crazy, but I suffer from an anxiety disorder and your videos really calm me down. It's like having a prescription drug whenever I need it! Thanks again for all you do !
Same here
p0
I agree 100%
Agree. His voice is like Bob Ross for a new generation.
Kinda ASMR indeed !.
I'm so glad I found your videos, I was a watch repairman for 8 years at a jewelry store, and it brought back a LOT of memories
I never thought I'd spent just under an hour watching someone fix a pocket watch but I found myself fascinated by your video. Your explanation of every bit an piece of the workings made it very interesting and watchable. Thank you! I will have to start watching more of these.
Michael Landry Did you notice how you used the word "watch" three times? It's called a Freudian slip.
1) watching
2) watchable
3) watching
So, next time watch out!
yes this is a great channel! another well made DIYER! channel!
@@musamor75 It's not really Freudian without sexual reference...
Can't stop watching fascinated
I've watched many of your videos but am now watching older ones. This is the first time I've seen you work on a balance. Was really satisfying seeing it spin so well after such a delicate fix.
I don't know if it's the exquisite time pieces, the insightful commentary, the meticulous patience you have, the brilliant photography or just watching the watch come back to life, but whatever it is you have all in spades and an hour watching one of your videos flies past so quickly.
It is therapy for the mind.
videography, not photography, but I agree
The extent of my watchmaking abilities is to take a non running quartz watch (inexpensive type), remove the case back, spray in some electronics switch cleaner, then spray with some canned duster air. Put in new battery and cross my fingers. If it still doesn’t run rinse and repeat. If it still doesn’t work try a couple drops of lighter fluid and repeat the process. If it still doesn’t work………pitch it .
Corundum (AlO) is mohs hardness 9. Sapphire and Ruby are names given to corrundum based on colour. Ruby is deep red, sapphire is any colour (starting with pink) up to Blue. The color derives from any additional element from Iron to titanium iirc
I fell into the watch repair hole. I've never been interested in watches but came across one of your vintage repairs and I've managed to binge watch all of your repair videos now. They're mesmerizing to watch and to listen to you explain movements, tools and how you got in to it has been fun and really enjoyable. Keep up the great work you've well and truly earned your subscribers, all the best to you.
Four months ago I had never seen this channel, and hadn't worn a watch on my wrist in 38 years. Two weeks ago I plunked down some major coin for a Seiko Captain Willard.
i really hate watches, (they show me how my time on this earth is ticking away;))) but i love when things get repaired, so i fell ino the repair hole,;)
Just another stranger on the internet here. Found your videos while looking for things on older Citizens (the watches) as i scored one at a flea market for keeping the timewhile im in my last year of college (i used a digital but it became boring). I found your channel with a wealth of information on all watches and as someone who's interested in what makes things tick.... (im sorry) i could say that this channel... YOU...are a profound fount of wisdom and knowledge and your chuckles here and there really add to the "cuteness" of your videos.
Wish you the best for all you are and all you do.
26:56 That's the best shot of you putting the barrel arbor back in I have seen you do. Its so clear exactly what its grabbing onto and I don't think your other videos showed it as well. Nice job!
Yeah it's so huge it made it easier
Yeah that felt like a great moment. I was curious if there was a new camera.
They don't all fit in, the same way, remember that. But the same concept is applied in a variety of ways.
Absolutely fascinating. My grandfather used to do this back in the 60's when I was growing up. He wasn't a jeweler (an aircraft engineer) and there was nothing he couldn't fix. It's great to watch you do this and it brings back many fond memories. Thanks for taking the time to explain what and how.
I am extremely fascinated of what and how you do minute parts of watch in proper places especially priceless virgin watches you encounter that even RENOWN WATCHMAKER ROLEX REFUSE TO DO. YOU ARE one rare OF A KIND
KINDLY GIVE ME UR ADDRESS. Surely u may come very handy someday.
Have watched almost all of the videos and listened to you explain why the keyless works is called keyless works about 50 times. And I enjoy it everytime. The actual fixing of the watch is only half the joy of these videos. Your story telling is the other half. Keep up the good work.
Like mentioned before, Marshall is the Bob Ross of watch repair. Also, your commentary reminds me of a sportscaster, maybe golf. I love it. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Yeah , and commercials every f****** 20 seconds! like the worst TV ever. This is an opposite anticlimax to what people love about this channel. its Calm and focused, everything that Discovery and Nature channels has lost. They have now turned into fragment cutting action movies. I wonder what people do. I look away trying to stop it. Its out of control. The internet needs to evolve.
My grandfather was a watchmaker until the depression forced him into a factory job.He didn't talk much, so this is my introduction to watches and repair. Thank you for creating this channel.
Becoming one of my favorite channels. I inherited my grandfathers retirement watch (from the CHP). Very well worn. I live in a rural town so I have started researching reputable shops to get it back into shape.
Although have followed you for several months now, I appreciated the detailed descriptions of what each part does as well as the origin of the names of some.
Great to see the shockless balance taken apart with such great camera work. Am working on a 1950's watch with one where I have to remove wheel to remove the cap jewel as the screws are underneath now I've seen this It gives me the confidence to give it a go.
Just a word to the absolute beginners get yourself a new seagull ST36 movement from eBay, Ali express or Cousins in the UK. It's a good copy of the Swiss 6947/8 pocket watch movement and almost exactly the same as Marshalls Omega. Very cheap and a perfect way to learn this wonderful hobby.
Thanks Marshall, I have no idea how I found your channel but I am so glad I did. You bring me peace.
I'm a watch collector for over 30 years and this is one of the finest and more comprehensive videos on the subject. Congrats Marshall for the time and love you dedicate to this half technic half art passion.
dial is just dooomed
I'm not into watches....But now I'm "in to watching " the insides of them. How could I ever guess I'd be fascinated with simply watching you work on these works of art. I was trained in high school as a machinist, welding, casting parts, way back when that was a thing, but developed a reaction to the solvents, and pursued a different career.
Having UA-cam and content creators to show us their talents and craft is such a great thing to have now.
Very good job on your videos. Nice, clear and close up visuals and.....you could be the Bob Ross of watch repair with your soothing voice and demeanor.... :)
If you like watching the parts move, you might like skeleton back watches, which have a clear back and are designed so that you can wear the watch and still see the parts move. I personally like the repair and disassembly more, but just FYI.
Next step: watch addiction! It's only a matter of time.
Just ordered a Skeletal Automatic Mechanical watch after watch this channel too much, not brave enough to try and fix watches myself, but love seeing the mechanisms "alive".
Also considering saving up for a "Bulova Lunar Pilot" based on the watch used on EVA during Apollo 15 when one of the team members broke their Omega Speedmaster on a previous EVA on the surface, it was apparently a prototype that had been competing with the Omega Speedmaster but didn't get chosen by NASA, so they gave one of the prototypes to one of the astronauts and it actually made it to the Moon's surface as his personal use watch
I'm a huge space nerd but don't have the kind of money a Omega Speedmaster demands, yet the more obscure Bulova Lunar Pilot is much more attainable.
It's thanks to this channel that I ended up falling down the rabbit hole to find all this, super happy to watch every new video, hard to believe they are all nearly sn hour with how fast they fly by
As a kid I listened limited resources. Now as a father and craftsman myself I watch your watch repair channel. Life is funny.
Thanks for showing this, it was fascinating. My grandfather carried a pocket watch much of his life and through out most of my childhood. Late in life he could not get it fixed he switched to a wrist watch. When he died I was 14 my grandmother gave the watch to my mom. When I was in my thirties it came to me. It ran but it did not keep time. After several attempts i found a watchmaker who correctly identified the problem as a kinked hair spring. Once replaced cleaned and lubricated it ran perfectly.
When it did I realized how much I enjoyed the pocket watch that I had a chain made but was too nervous to routinely carry my grandfather's watch so I began to collect them. I found an excellent watch maker that keeps the collection running and when I have a watch on it is one of the pocket watches. I noticed the watch did not have the loop (not sure the right name) for the place one would put a chain or fob on. I loved this video and look forward to more and hope to find you working on more pocket watches.
you Sir are the Bob Ross of watches, while I could never do anything like this, due to shaking hands and poor eyes, i find this so relaxing to watch, can feel your excitement at seeing the watch again ticking away, thank you
My eyesight is garbage but I think I'd be ok if I got a lense or something to make everything look bigger :)
I'll take it! Thanks :)
My wife started watching these videos with me and finds it relaxing due to the care you made editing with voiceover. Thanks!
I look at watches like this...the intricate construction..the craftsmanship in designing, building and maintaining them....and it's easier to understand why they are so expensive. Your skill is incredible.
Hello Marshall, thank you for this awesome new video. You are the best "watch youtuber" ever !
You always tell exactly what you are doing, even if you already said it in other projects. You repeat it and don't say "see my previous video in order to understand ....". The video/image work is awesome too : every frame is just perfect, no blur, no wrong angle.
Because of you, I've bought my first tool set and a functional pocket watch in order to begin this incredible journey of watchmaking. You're such inspirational...
Thank again for this marvelous content !
Cheers from France.
I'm a retired Mechanical Engineer and your videos are AWESOME.
I've watched cobblers, car detailers, painters...nothing comes even close to this level of craftsmanship (for me)! Awesome video !
What a lovely pocket watch. The engineering that went into them fascinates me!
Dear Marshall I have inherited this same watch from my grandfather that I never knew. Ha was a train driver from the Portuguese railroads. I have known this watch since I was a young boy and it has sparked the interest in watches from the get go. Thank you so much for taking me on this journey with you reviving this exquisite piece of timing engineering!
Wow it makes so much more sense when watching you do a larger movement like this pocket watch, you can actually understand how things works together!
I cannot believe I just watched this (listened while reloading 38spl cartridges) whole thing. I stopped and watched so many times, and seeing the heart just start beating as soon as you dropped it in place literally took my breath away.
Amazing. Thank you for posting this. And thank you for keeping these old machines ticking.
I watch these while I'm reloading as well. I bet there are a lot of handloaders that can appreciate the precision of mechanical watches.
The fiber at 31:15 got locked between those gears and it bugged me so much lol. I love these videos and the beautiful time pieces you work on!
I’ve loved watches for years. I’ve been buying old watches online since I was old enough to use eBay (obviously nothing fancy and rarely working). Lately I’ve been looking to get into repairing watches. This channel is a great place to start. I’ve binged most videos on this channel and can’t wait for more.
Not into myself doing the repair side of this, but I have always had a fascination with mechanical things and watches in general. You do a fantastic job and are very detailed explaining what you are doing. Keep it up because the hours of information are not a waste of my time.
What I love about pocket watches is the movements are so big.
It goes to show the skills used back when this timepiece was made that with your personal expertise it runs like new. I appreciate pocket watches, I even use an old Smiths as my everyday timepiece. Although I am getting on these days.
You Sir are a pleasure to listen and watch.
Thanks.
You just helped me remember some great memories of when I was little, living with my grandmother, who has recently departed. We would prepare for bed each night and part of that was winding the table clock. She would always let me do it :) A flood of other memories came in with it. Thank you.
Last week some burglars entered my home and stolen my grandpa’s pocket watch, among with other items. The watch was very similar to this one, if not the exact model. Nothing will ever replace it. Even worse, the feeling of having a criminal inside your home, is amazing scary. I’m devastated! Watching you repairing this watch brings me good feelings. Thanks for sharing it.
Wristwatch revival is the fence ..
Where you live?
I wish you would restore more the dial cleaning it more or even painting it, but your work is really impressive and your knowledge is just off the charts. Congratulations on your channel !
Cleaning it could cause more damage, and painting it would just destroy the watch. The patina has character.
I know I felt the same way
Hearing the passion in your voice and seeing how happy it makes you, when a refurbished movement kicks to life, is pretty awesome!
As a absolute beginner in the watch collecting and repairing its very nice to see the watch that you out bid me on is being looked after way better than I could ever do myself . Thank You for all the great video's and education . Looking forward to your next one .
Besides the exceptional video and editing, the narration is just wonderful....taking the viewer on a full-fledged journey, instead of just showing the satisfying conclusion. Kudos to you, Sir!
Some of the new angles and zooms, such as the barrel arbor and putting in the crystal, really show what is happening now. Great production value!
Also you have convinced me to have a go. I've got some tools on my Christmas list and I will be having a go at a pocket watch mechanism soon.
Hi, nice video! Here's a tip. The next time you replace the rivet, it is more convenient to place the punch machine on a flat hard surface and clamp it to the work table at the bottom of the machine. Because the machine moves and bounces a little bit (work/placemat) 16:48, you can easily hit the rivet in the balancestaff. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Love your videos!!! If I had the ability I would love to buy one of your pocket watches. Unfortunately I am a disabled veteran and my funds are calculated to the dollar. But I am just happy and content to sit and watch your videos! It brings very fond memories of my grandfather sitting at the kitchen table. He was a watchmaker and I truly regret not learning the trade!
Jarhead, there is a program available for veterans to learn watchmaking. If you're interested I can find my links
@@danwilson7581 sir I am an old man! ( Older than 60). I am truly grateful for your concern and comments! However I do believe that I am ineligible for the program! Even if I was to qualify I would have to step aside for the young men coming up.
Really appreciate you watching the videos, and your service! Thank you.
@@WristwatchRevival it is my honor sir! I spent 32 years in the marine corps. One of the greatest memories I have is watching my grandfather repair watches in a time where batteries for watches didn't exist!
Hello, found this video by accident today. I became aware of this because I also own the same watch from the 1930s. You explain everything very simply, precisely, calmly and it's fun to listen and watch the entire work steps. Thank you for your hard work and for sharing all of this with us!
Pocket watches are my favorites. They just seem so full of history. Fabulous restoration repair as always!
This channel is amazing! I am not even sure why I am binge watching, but I am... I have two left hands, so could never attempt. I never wore wristwatches because for some reason they would always slow down or stop on my wrist. But the process is so compelling and fascinating! I can't stop...
check this also: ua-cam.com/users/Clickspring
Here i am a truck driver, ive just randomly came apon a video of yours and spent a whole hour watching you restore a watch that i have, absolutely no interest in....LOL
I dont know why but now several videos later im still here, this is crazy.
I know that watches had synthetic ruby's but i always thought they was just for decoration but to find they are used as a frictionless pivot point like a bearing is amazing.
learn new things every day.
This is eye candy :)
So happy to have found your channel. I’m the most “non-mechanical” guy on 🌎 but really enjoy “time” especially mechanical watches. We’ll be watching & following on Instagram
I really enjoyed watching this. I'm an old guy of 70 years so I can remember these watches being on a chain and worn on a mans waistcoat. Thanks for sharing and I'll be watching more of your videos.
A young guy of 70! It’s so funny when you see old film of the gents with their pocket watches and every man in a crowd has a hat. Now everyone has a cell phone. How times have changed.
I was sweating watching you repair the balance wheel, what a relief to see it spinning perfectly! Truly masterful work.
Your repair on the balance wheel was the most exciting thing I've seen on UA-cam in a long time 😉
I am not "into" watches and don't care to try what you do, but I am fascinated by your work. I do love to see how things work and enjoy diy and taking things apart and either repairing or repurposing them. Keep up the great work!
Hello Sir, I'm also a (Ex) watchmaker and I was own shop till 2011. (Total 23 years) When the Mobile handset spread overall, then our assencial is came down.
I appreciate your balance wheel stap replacement and hair spring bend removing.this is same to a eye operation. Totally this restoration work is very good.
Good wishes.
Watching you repair this absolute beauty has been a delight. The love you have for watches and movements completely shines through in everything you do, but at the same time your voice, elocution and overall attitude - not to mention brilliant camera angles throughout all the bits of work you do - have just turned this channel into an instant favourite for me. Can't wait to dig in and view all the content that you've shared!
As to this watch itself... Calibre 161 / LT 38.5 is gorgeous both for its looks, and its sound, as you aptly pointed out. And to me, it's even extra special. A slightly older version of the Omega you are restoring here is lying under a glass cover in my bedroom cabinet and is lovingly wound up every now and then. Ever-so-slightly-guilty admission: I did change the seconds hand with the exact same one, albeit gold-coloured, to make sure it matches the other two golden hands. It's always been such a pristine watch, I just felt the black small seconds hand took something away from its beauty.
Funnily enough, I just introduced my two-year-old daughter to this watch a few weeks ago: she's always had a thing for my watches, but this one will probably end up being just that extra bit special for her as well. It came to me as soon as wifey found out about my love for watches (wasn't even officially "wifey" back then). The Omega had spent a few decades lying in storage alongside its original wearer's medals of honour - and you could say that it did in fact need a bit of a rest after having accompanied its White Guardsman owner almost a century back on a journey across half of Europe before he'd put down roots in a new homeland. Obviously, I never met wifey's great-granddad yet I can't help but feel connected to him whenever this one is ticking away in the palm of my hand. Very much a bridge to the past - the kind that's worth maintaining through the ages.
Absolutely mesmerizing. I can't stop watching (pardon the pun) this channel. I have 2 old pocket watches of my grandfathers that he used when he worked on the railroad. Now I know what went into restoring them to working order. Absolutely amazing, thanks for sharing these videos.
Watches are so delicate and intricately designed, so I have intense respect and admiration for AMZWATCH watch makers
These vids are hypnotic! I'll never do watch repair myself (shaky hands) but it's quite soothing to see how the tiny engine comes apart and goes back together so nicely.
This video mesmerized me - and I found myself watching it in one sitting. Now I want to get into it. So, thank you - great to see a true craftsman at work!
I am happy to say I made the leap! I purchased my first broken pocket watch on eBay. This is my Christmas gift to myself. And so starts my little journey. ☺
Marshall, you are incredible. Thank you for preserving history and caring for watches.
I watched you open that package of assorted tools you got from ebay and have to mention that you have an awesome hobby bench. Also, I have several pocket watches and frequently carry them so keep on working on them. Best regards,
If you like please SUBSCRIBE and LIKE and SHARE with your friends it help me to continue
ua-cam.com/video/vXj2wYGm-zg/v-deo.html
It's definitly less popular but some people do legitimately carry these
I've watched a couple of watch revivals of yours and your colleagues in the last couple of days, and I've learned a ton! Still I had some questions left, I decided that watching more videos would eventually answer more of my questions. This video was so insightful, so detailed and so well explained and narrated, it answered 90% of the questions I had left. Excellent work my good sir, thank you.
I was a watchmaker for 23 years. A couple observations here. First, when disassembling the watch for cleaning, you obviously do the balance jewels at this step. Not later. Second, when restaffing a balance wheel (I did hundreds), driving the old broken staff out of the wheel in the manor depicted can distort and bend the balance wheel and hole where the balance staff is staked, or riveted to the wheel. After removing the hairspring and roller table, the balance wheel should be chucked in a jeweler's lathe and the riveted part of the balance staff cut away first, then staked out. Third, after restaffing, the balance wheel should always be trued and poised. This is especially true for bimetalic (brass and steel) temperature compensating balance wheels as depicted in this video. The wheel should be put into a truing caliper and trued to make sure there is no radial or axial runout. I saw a little runout in the video. Then after reinstalling the roller table (and the roller jewel should always be perpendicular to the balance wheel arms) but before reinstalling the hairspring, the balance assembly should be put on a poising table to ensure that there are no "heavy" spots, i.e. that the balance assemble is "balanced". This is to negate the effect of gravity on the balance which will affect the timekeeping of the watch. Finally, one can obtain a friction jeweling kit to replace broken or cracked jewels. Friction jewels are available in any IDs to match the pivot and ODs to match the appropriate reamer needed.
my thoughts exactly but then again it requires tools only used for balance staff works and if he doesn't have a lathe and/or the skills to turn a balance staff then he will not need this type of equipement and his technique will "make do"
I've been looking at these videos just so I can do minor fixes to keep my collection nice, as someone who never did well learning things in a traditional way these videos are as good as it gets - how you keep your hands so steady is still a mystery, but keep up the good work, I'd venture to say you've cemented your place as a pillar of the community and rightfully so
I have the same (or very similar) watch which I got from my grand uncle in the 90's. He found it in a truck in WW2 on the eastern front in Europe. I'm having it serviced for the first time now
Even though your channel says wristwatch, I LOVE when you do these pocket watches! I have 2 non-functioning ones that I see every once in a while and I get closer and closer to wanting to just take the plunge. As a HO Scale train hobbyist I can relate to the "need the right tools" aspect of your hobby. ...but I soooo want to try. Thank you for your videos. GREAT narration with a touch of fun.
Best video yet! Great explanations of the added challenges faced in this "parts only" watch. Your beautiful restoration showed us viewers what tools and skills are needed to tackle these more complex repair issues. Thanks again for taking the time and energy to create such a professional video too.
Im not into watches, im not a watch guy and not a fan of them, but there's something special about you that makes me enjoy a one hour long video restoring a watch !! You're the reason i know about watches and their mechanism, i hope you the best
Yet another amazing machine brought back to life by our man Marshall. Thanks for all you do, sir.
Fascinating to watch someone revive a watch!
What's even more fascinating and intriguing is how someone figured this whole clockworks in the first place, long ago, with zero computers, just maybe some type of early paper to draw on...
Yay! I love watching your videos, and I respect your choice to keep the vintage patina of the faces, but I really enjoy seeing watches looking how the designer originally intended. Thank you for sharing one where you did a more thorough restoration.
Great video! Love watching them and learn a bunch as well! I'm not as good as you are at all this, but I've re-staffed a few pocket watches myself and just did one on a American one with a broken staff. Unfortunately the roller and other parts didn't line up from the start along with other gremlins. So for a tip for others that worked great for me: Install just pallet fork and it's bridge in the plate, then assemble balance minus hairspring in it's bridge in the plate as well. Gently move balance so it interacts with pallet fork and positions the fork between the banking pins(like you showed in the video), trace a line from where the hairspring stud would go to a spot directly across on the balance and super-gently mark it with a marker. Remove Balance and parts and install hairspring so stud matches the spot you marked. Won't be super accurate in beat, but you adjust that later if you can( I don't have a timegrapher so I use my ears). Got the idea from a blog somewhere and it blew my mind when it worked. Struggled badly with setting beat on these watches, so passing it on here.
I will never work on a watch but enjoy watching this guy. He’s like the Bob Ross of watch repair.
Ever since I was a child back in the fifties, I used to open up the wristwatch case to look inside. Always was fascinating. Now I get to see this in-depth view and it’s awesome. Thanks for the thrill and education.
I so enjoy the tech talk and history as you disassemble a timepiece. You've opened up a new world to me and I am hooked. Saving up for a new Longines automatic. Keep doing what you're doing...you are the BEST!
Hey Marshall. Don’t beat yourself up over the dial. Sometimes a clean will work. Sometimes not. Your craftsmanship is to be admired.
Your videos are not only informative but inspiring.
Interesting piece this one. A lot of work went into a $68.00 watch but it is a nice piece of history. I often ask what if these watches could talk, what stories would they tell? Great work as always Marshall. Thanks for this one, very educational.
Yeah I don't mind trading my time to restore something like this even if financially it's not that sensible :)
And thanks to this awesome work, these Watches will hopefully find many more stories to tell, getting another chance to dutifully track the time for a new generation
Fantastic work! As always!
And your photography, depth of field, focus, etc. was exceptional in this video, I mean, on top of your normally high quality work!
And such a beautiful watch!
Thank you!
Thanks!
Just happened upon your video. Extremely interesting. My Grandmother gave me a Bulova Automatic watch for a graduation gift (many years ago) and wore it constantly. Some years went by and it stopped working. I would rewind it, but it would stop again. Brought it to a jeweler. When I went to pick it up he advised that it was dirty, he cleaned it, oiled it. He then advised me to bring it back about three years to have it checked again which I did. When I moved to another state years later, the same problem appeared. Took it to a jeweler and he had my watch for three months. He showed me the watch in pieces and said he couldn’t get the calendar to work. I told him to put it back together and give it to me. I happen to be going back to the old neighborhood and when I did I took the watch to the same jeweler (still there). FIXED!!!! Enjoyed the video. It takes a lot of patience to do that type of work.
Brilliant video. Appreciated the commentary and explanations. Particularly liked the explanation of the staking tool. Well filmed and informative. Fantastic craftsmanship! Thanks.
I 've always wondered what was actually done with a staking set. It falls into that mist of lathes, truing, and broken staffs close to the edge of the horosphere. Congrats on getting this one over the finish line!
18:40 When you started spinning that wheel it is unbelievable how precise this is for a "hammer-on" installation. There is not wobble, friction, it just spins. Amazing. Especially for something so old.
Marshall, these videos are extremely helpful and inspiring! I'm just getting to this hobby and it's SO extremely helpful when you explain what the part is, and what its function is in the watch movement. And you do that in every video which reinforces the knowledge. I'm a huge fan that appreciates your work both on the videos and the restorations themselves. Thanks for being a guide along this journey
Looks to be a very expensive hobby in tools alone! I’ll just keep satisfying my needs by watching you! 👍 Amazed by your knowledge but astounded by the original watch designers and part builders.
I remember my first pocket watch servicing. This video brought up so many memories and laugh. That "oups where that screws went", the jumpy little spring from the winding mechanism and the broken pivot... I had them all. 😂
Thanks so much for your videos !
I was going to ff this video but became so mesmerized with the entire process i couldn't help but watch it entirely. Wow, I'm blown away. ❤️
This was a facinating video to watch. I have always been fascinated by such mechanisms ever since I worked on model 28 teletype machines in the military. You have a great way of describing what you do and make it look easy, which I am sure it is not. Your camera work is really great. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
You are on the right track. I think of how phones replaced entry level cameras & mirrorless cameras got much better. As an old school photographer, I hope the future holds a place for me, because I shoot film & digital photography
"If you're not that into watches..."
Well...binging this channel got me into watches. I recently bought my first vintage watch to get into the hobby. A 1930s wristwatch, for $2. Though, turns out the dial has a ton of radium on it, so I left it to the side. Now I'm preparing to work on a NOS but non functional 1970s wristwatch, with a beautiful brown (yes, it exists) dial and white hands. Now just need to get me some nice tweezers and screwdrivers.
I watched your video on the tools with all the different oils and greases you use. I do understand that they do the job awesomely to lube up a watch properly, but they are very costly. Are there any low cost options there you could recommend? Maybe they won't work as good, but at least may help a budding watch repairer get a few watches up and running, even if the watch will require going through earlier again than it would have otherwise?
Most places sell a thing called just “watch oil” that seems to be kind of an in the middle viscosity oil. It’s cheap.
@@WristwatchRevival I will look for it, thank you very much! 😊
a little radium is fine, just keep your area clean and wash anything that comes into contact with it with disposable materials ... and obviously your hands.
@@fiercenet it's not fine when you've already worked on it, cleaned it, contaminated your entire work surface, and THEN find out it's a radium dial. I know it's not the worst thing in the world, but I'd rather not take the risk of inhaling radium dust before I know fully what I'm dealing with.
Moebius 8000 is a natural oil that can be used for 90% of the watch’s pivots and posts. Otherwise 8200 is a grease that can be used for when grease is necessary. Both are very very reasonably priced compared to the synthetics.
I am not into watches but this was very enjoyable to see. Great camera work, great commentary. Highly recommended. Well done sir!
Dude, I’ve become extremely fascinated with your channel! Purchase a box full of stuff at auction this past weekend for $35.00. In one of the bags of stuff, I found a pocket watch made in 1871 by the National Watch Co out of Illinois.
It doesn’t work, missing the hands, second dial, second hand and crystal. It a Hunter style made from a coin silver case. I’m super stoked about restoring it.