Birks Challenger Vintage Pocket Watch Restoration
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- čas přidán 11. 12. 2020
- Marshall finds a good deal on a pocket watch on eBay, it's broken but has some interesting history behind it as it turns out. This project pushes the boundaries of what he can do, and takes over a year to complete!
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These are Amazon affiliate links to some of the equipment used for these videos and purchasing anything through them helps support the channel.
WATCHMAKING TOOLS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:
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Dumont Tweezer #3: amzn.to/2YX4Hjl
Bergeon Springbar Tool: amzn.to/3jF8pX1
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Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine: amzn.to/3i6BBER
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Multifunction Timegrapher: amzn.to/344jw5I
CAMERAS AND AUDIO:
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When you described the Canon(spelling?) Pinion as the transmission, I suddenly got it. As in the pinion on a differential.
I'm a mechanic on cars, not watches, but watching you repair these relaxes me. I watch these videos at night and fall asleep. Maybe its the calm narraration.....
Very much enjoy these videos.
Excellent tutorial. Two points to note. First, good job aligning the impulse jewel with the balance arm. This dictates that the hairspring stud will be visible through the spring coils, which makes it easier to reattach the balance bridge. Not such a big deal with a pocket watch, but for my skill set it’s a big deal with a small wrist watch movement. Second, the inside of the case back says that it’s gold filled, not gold plated. Gold plating is extremely thin and will wear through even with normal wear. Gold filled is much thicker, and can be safely hand polished using a jeweler’s red rouge cloth. But don’t let it even get close to a buffing wheel. Please keep up the great stuff.
Man, watching this is crazy. I get so tensed up, every few minutes I have to tell myself to relax and unclench my fists. Love the background story and the repaired watch.
I wonder how many of your viewers just spent over$500 on watch repair tools after watching these videos? I know I did! It's such a fascinating hobby that I can't wait to start learning. Thanks Marshall for providing us with these awesome videos and inspiring us to tinker ourselves. I love the look of this movement by the way
I did but my kit was $15 including the rubber ball and free shipping....
Geeze! I'm way over $1000 in tools by now and it's all Marshall's fault! LOL! I'm also getting ready to replace a broken staff on a tiny balance wheel from a military A-11 watch. I just pulled the trigger on a K&D Inverto staking set, a vintage poising tool and a few other hand tools... (again, Marshall's fault). But how I love this hobby so far!
Indeed! Same here. I have started gathering all the tools and equipment to get started as well. While working at home, I have been watching the videos and really look forward in purchasing my first “non-working” watch to see if I can revive it.
@@mrld3005 it done thabe the tolls to schange your balance staff for sure so theya r euseless
Ahhh hehe...what new tools dear?😬
Loved watching a person admit they have limitations and are still learning but also for being proud but not boastful. First time watching a watch repair video. Thanks so much I learned a great deal. Keep at them!
Oh dear, how do you know which way to turn a watch screw if you don't know whether it has left or right threads? I love your movies
@@henkholdingastate usually, the LH tread screws have score lines on each side of the screw head slot which is the indicator. Also, I believe it's usually just for the reduction wheel.
You should do a follow-up video where you try to bring the balance wheel back into "balance" with respect of the horizontal plane. Long time ago, I used to fix bicycle wheels by tweaking the spokes back into alignment. Such will not be the case here. Anyway, I really enjoy you videos and your delivery style is top notch and professional. Keep them coming.
My Father started as a watch maker in the late 1920's. Most repairs were broken balance staffs. As there were no parts he hand turned balance staffs from steel rod. Real watchmaker.
Wow , that's utter skill ....good man.
I can't believe I wasn't breathing while watching you reassemble the balance and staff. It was like watching a suspense movie! I know I'm late to the party, but this was fantastic!
I've been a mechanic, machinist, toolmaker, fifty plus years, and have done this a couple times, without certain knowledge, and that mainspring is very much reminiscent of reassembling an antique Harley transmission, that "decided clunk" of the spring setting home. I've gotten enormous satisfaction, watching it done with more knowledge than I've ever had. My grandfather was a watchmaker, as well as "sweeper, in boiler no 1" at the powerplant. I have several of his watches, to be "refurbished", just inherited from my father, who passed a couple years ago. This has been an awesome education, telling me what i was doing, when I didn't know, back then. Many of my tools are precisely as his, except weighting in a hundred times, and force, scaled equally. Thanks, now I get to figure out the same parts, in watches that look substantially different. Semper Fidelis, John McClain
John McClain....Ditto that❗️ union ironworker here‼️®™️
And now I understand the square of clear tape on your work surface: it marks the place that's in focus!
That fix on the balance staff , and the skill, caution was sublime. I like the way you air on the side of caution and never rest on your laurels , its what will make you a very good watch repairer/servicer. I'd happliy trust you as others will with high end timepieces.
Well done Marshall
a few advice for your future balance work:
-Mark the position of the collet in regards to the balance weel before dissasembling but also the position of the double roller.
- before fitting a balance clean the jewels to avoid transfer of any residue (a clean pivot in a dirty jewel becomes dirty)
-before puting the movement on the timegrapher make sure you have determined the correct lift angle otherwise your data will make no sense
- if you need to regulate it set your balance alone and make sure the roller jewel is perfectly align with the center of the banking pins on its resting position (with a bit of skill you can adjust the rolle position with a screwdriver by widening the collet, rotating the staff and straightening the collet) this is how you correct your beat error
-you'd be wise to invest in a poising tool to make sure your balance are at equilibrium.
Keep on the good work you are on the right track
Is lift angle something that can be measured by the watchmaker or is a published spec from the manufacturer (pardon my ignorance)?
@@ohger1 the lift angle is a data supplied by the manufacturer but you can determine it yourself
Ti do so you need to wind the watch until your balance has a 180 degree of amplitude
You put the watch on the timegrapher and you change the lift angle value until the timegrapher gives you a 180 degree of amplitude in it's result
@@kegluneqs1011 Thanks, I had to read that a few times but I think I get it. The balance wheel total rotational swing is determined by the energy from the mainspring, so adjusting the wind until we reach 180 degrees (I assume we mark a spot on the balance to see the swing rotation) is our starting point. Learning slowly..
@@ohger1 it is about right yeah
I want to start this hobby just for the reason of these great videos.
Me too but one thing I've noticed is there aren't many (or even any) lady watch repairers or not that I've seen so far. Maybe I'll be the first?
@@Pythonaria Maybe not in CZcams land, but in reality there are many Women involved within the watchmaking industry. I can see your advantages, smaller hands and a higher pain threshold. Deep level of patience is required and the ability not to be phased by having to do everything over again after you realise that something earlier was done wrongly.
Give it a go, you don't need a fortune to make an initial investment in tools and equipment, just avoid buying crappy cheap tools and progress at your own pace.
@@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968 Thanks Gary.
Same. Im going to get a small cheap kit and start learning how to take apart watches myself.
bro same
I watch a lot of these but do not comment much. Another one saved. Well done and new skills learnt!
Watching you do this, reliefs me from my depression of a break-up, how structurise the process, how you disassemble the watches, thanks i appreciate it!
for me this is a sort of meditation, and a learning process.. as i feel i want to repair old vintage watches myself. and by watching is a good learning process to understand all the small mechanical aspects of the watches.
Great video, what a beautiful watch with a lovely history. Also I really appreciate the clarity of the commentary and the excellent shots and editing. Thank you.
Mark taught me the lining up process of the impulse jewels. Great.
Congratulations Marshall, on getting that beautiful time piece ticking again!! Nicely done. Take care
1 year later, CZcams recomended this masterpiece to me, the back MUST BE transparent/clear to show how beautiful is! great job, +1 sub from Brazil!
You did a great job, coming from a watchmaker. After replacing a balance staff you always have to rebalance it without and with the hairspring. Low amplitude most likely is from pivot wear, a weak non s main spring, arbor wear stuff like that. Hair springs always stay a little tricky, even after all my years of being a watchmaker. The key is to work from inwards to outwards, first make sure all the windings are evenly spaced, then make it flat, also don't forget to make it centered correctly :) . These old hair springs are always a bit finicky to adjust because theyre so weak in comparison of all the newer alloy hairsprings. Best to do is buy some old alarm clocks and practice hair spring bending with these, they are generally bigger on those kind of alarm clocks, so its easier on the eyes.
Thank you! Really appreciate the advice!
Marshall, your extra-pleasant delivery, commentary is such a joy, plus the effort made to share your humility and love for the horological work you do a great job producing! Very much appreciated!
Such a beautiful pocket watch! Its always good to see such beauty like this brought back to life again after decades. And also, beautiful movement, I love big pocket watch movement like this, nowaday they just dont make movement with separated bridges anymore. I also got one myself, its a Vulcain Grand prix pocket watch in all excellent condition, almost like a new old stock, the movement runs at a nice 280-290 amplitude on full wind, so good that I dont even have to service it, all that for just about 110$. I am also lucky to find a skilled watchmaker in my town, he once repaired and serviced a watch for me that its ended up took him to create a new balance staff (yes he did have to make a new one because couldnt find replacement part anymore). In the old days these staffs definitely get worn or broken alot since there was no shock protection systems invented yet, so I guess dealing with broken staff is really common for old watchmakers and even making new parts on their own, watchmakers are really so skilled back then. Now we have alot of people who try to charge you for a watch battery replacement job for 10$ :((
What a beautiful movement... Eterna : " I am the Legend".
Much respect for tackling the staff job i don't think i would in a million years & lovely watch with an interesting background and history .
Marshall congrats on that balance repair. I know your joy. I don't even breathe hard around a balance; the thought of disassembling one is mind-numbing. Nice work.
I don't see it as a waste of time. It's very soothing with a final since of joy when the watch comes to life. Thank you for posting.
You are such an inspiration for someone starting out on this amazing hobby, thank you.
I learned to repair old pocket watch movements pretty much the way you have, thru trial and error. I bought some excellent books and read them throughout before I even touched a screw. It's a delicate but exciting thing to replace a balance staff and get an old balance to vibrate again. Sometimes the staffs just aren't available and you have to find something close you can modify. Balance pivots, jewels and staffs also come in different sizes and the balance pivots need to be polished down for a proper fit. Every time I replace one I'm just as nervous as the first time I did it 40 years ago. I'm in awe of the old school watchmakers and the skill they possessed! I remember reading somewhere that ln the first decade of the 20th century there were only about a dozen watch adjusters known that could adjust a Railroad Watch to all positions. I'm happy just to get one to run well! Thanks for the great video. It's a pleasure to watch someone else repair a fine movement!
This is the first video I have ever watched on the repair and workings of a watch ever. For me to sit still and watch any you tube video without loosing interest is a feat in it self. Thanks you have added fuel to my interests in building a mechanical clock .
That's a truly beautiful movement, both sides of the main plate are decorated
I have a vintage Birks pocket watch that was presented to my Grandfather in 1954 on his 75th birthday. It appears to have spent all of its life in a drawer as it looks mint. It does run.
My grandfather worked for the railroads as a young boy, through WWII, and into the 1950s. When he died we found he had a beautiful Elgin watch with engraved hunters case and machine decoration on all the bridges. I’ve never seen anything as well in modern times.
About to clean my local consignment shop out of old watches just to open them and look at movements. In all seriousness, I don’t think I could sit for 45 minutes on a video, your channel is the only one I can commit to on that for the sake that I learn something new every time and you do such a great job at it. Keep going up and keep it up!
It always amazes me the age of theses watches and how very small and minut these parts are. How were these tiny parts made back a hundred or more years ago....and with the tolerances of those parts.
One of the best watch channels. Always a nice surprise.
Impressed or what! I have been trying refurbish watches as a hobby for about 4 years now, all completely due to watching Mark Lovick with his remarkable skill. Watching you replacing the balance arbor was way ahead of where I am and I commend you for that, simply we'll done! I still quake at oiling the end stone's. Very impressed!
I am not a watchmaker, but I have done some minor repairs on two of my watches in the past. Both were Casio Jogger watches from the 1980's. I watch you do these repairs because it is relaxing. When you got to the part @10:00 and couldn't remember the part name, I was saying Yoke Spring like you could hear me. I have only watched you do approx. 8 repairs. I also watch you as a memory building exercise because I have had a few mini strokes. You have helped me tremendously, so I will return the favor and subscribe. Thank you Marshall.
Edit: When you mentioned what part is satisfying, mine was when one of the several super tiny c-clips fell out of my Casio Jogger watches when I opened it to change the battery, it flew off the table and landed on the carpet. The c-clip was the size of a pin head, and the same color of the grey carpet. It only took me 15 minutes thankfully.
I'm a simple man. I see a new Wristwatch Revival video and I click like.
See that's why I like you Goose
It's the done thing because its always deserved.
**casually rewatchs all your videos due to 'mild' obsession with watches due to your videos-**
best part about having faulty brain wiring is unless I hear/see something 3 times or more I will not remember it in a week ✋😌
To me, the engraving makes the watch even more desirable. So he was 57 years old when he was presented with the watch. How cool would it be to track down his grand kids, if his daughter had children, to show them grandpa's restored pocket watch.
Sir, the tools and supplies you use in your work are amazing. Some of them I never knew exsisted. Thank you for sharing this.
Such a joy to repair one that’s broken.
I think you're a better person knowing your boundaries, 10 seconds, honestly it's a pocket watch, to be set every morning anyway. Great great job!! So much fun watching your channel Thank You!!
I started watching your videos very recently and every one is as interesting as the last one. You are so honest with your progress and steps you take throughout the process.
9:30 - I see so many watch channels using autofocus for filming. Glad you figured it out! Manual all the way.
Good resto as a Canadian, I am proud of your work
Thank you :)
hello Marchall, i am patrick from holland, and i watched almost all your meditating video's.
yeh it is very relax, and helps me to remind myself ,who watches are so not easy to esamble, and i do lighterbuilding (porsche desing lighters) and i have notist that it go's whe easyer!!!building.
So thx to you, greeting from holland,....patrick
Nice enough to make you go out and buy waistcoat and chain! Love your videos, thank you.
Watching this for the seond or third time, I'm pleased once more by your respect and enthusiasm for the history of these timepieces. Also impressed (again) by the extraordinarily good macrophotography as well as overall production values. Thanks for making these civilized and absorbing videos available!
Thank you again Marshall you're a true artisan
I found your channel a week ago. I am now having itchy fingers wanting to buy a pocket watch and some tools, just to see the inside for myself.
Love your channel, I learned all by myself the same as you did and I really enjoy your videos. I personally dont care much about protecting watch parts during disassembly if im going to wash it right afterwards. And if I may give just one advice, maybe the base of your stacking tool is not the best place to assemble cleaned parts, in your great macro shots you can see the holes accumulate particles and actually one tiny fiber was transfered to your cleaned, freshly oiled balance components.
what i enjoyed about this restro was you did not make out that you was super human, you admitted it took time and that you had messed up the 1st attempt and had to reseach and find out a correct method . kudos for doing so
i have a friend here in my country.. he is a watchmaker olso... certified swiss watchmaker....he was in school in Switzerland... i often go to see him and watch him fix or service watches... what a blast... 2 days ago he serviced a 35k euro breitling... i was like a kid watching him service that watch
Observations: 1) patience of Job 2) photographic memory 3) very efficient, thorough, methodical 4) excellent teacher. More but I can’t remember! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you :)
To be fair, as Marshall has explained in a few of his other videos, “photographic memory” is accomplished via a photographic camera lol.
I’ve heard many other watchmakers say that (at least in the beginning) it really pays off to take pictures or videos of what you’re doing every step of the way, in order to make it easier to put things back the way you’ve found them. From there, it only takes some decent editing skills and a good personality to narrate your way into having a successful CZcams channel!
I understand your joy. I have been a watchmaker for 30 plus years.
fantastic video , gorgeous watch , i could watch you work all day , brilliant .
One of my favourite channels...this man gives me heart...currently servicing an skxoo7 and on a journey of discovery. This chap, The Nekkid Watchmaker and Mark Lovick are my total inspriration.
Nice one Marshall. That base plate was a work of art.
Gradually catching up with your videos Marshall. have to say they are very satisfying and love the anticipation of seeing these old watches come back to life.
When you took the back off the watch my reaction was "Oh wow! PRETTY". Thank you for uploading this video.
So nice to learn a new skill for you - balance staff replacement!
To watch you, is for me like a Vacation.
Greetings from Germany
Michael
Beautiful pocket watch, and with an awesome history. I picked up several pocket watches by chance. One 1909 Elgin I wish I could send him to get fixed... and see how he fixes it/what is broken within. Like to hear his analysis process when he approaches a new challenge.
Oh man LOL we use the same analogy,,,, para- "Cant get mad and throw things. Its satisfying to throw a wrench in auto repair."
Good job
I used to own my grandfather's Elgin pocket watch from the late 1800's. Sadly I can no longer find it. I'll keep looking and hopeful will be able to service it someday. Good vid. Keep at it!
Gorgeous indeed. That row of bridges so nicely lined up, I think that that is simply unique?
I totally agree with you seeing the watch kick in is the best feeling.
What a wonderful 55 minutes of enjoyment. Don’t worry about the accuracy...... she is a beautiful object as she is.
33:46 A bigger plate takes less time to install in a factory, Great video! It’s good to see you evolve in this grade hubby👍
Ah good point!
Lovely watch sympathetically restored.
I just love pieces that have a wonderful story that you can trace back, it adds such character & colour to an object 🤍 I just wish there was a way to move the hands to the back & use that beautifully engineered movement as the dial.... allow you to see all the wheels & springs working in all their vintage glory!
I wish I could find a watch where I could see the internals from the back. I think they're more beautiful than the rest of the watch, usually.
That was amazing how the crown was installed without having to remove the back again! ;) Love your videos, fantastic work! You're also close to home, mayhaps I'll see if I can send you something someday. I love all things mechanical, particularly petrol powered devices but the miniature workings in time pieces have always fascinated me.
I would very much like you to work on my old pocket watch. I had a so called repair shop work on it abou 30 years ago and it didn't even run for a month,when I took it back they said their repair person had quit and they would look at it. So I just put it up. I have not located anyone in my area that still works on them. I would like to get it working to give to give to my youngest grandson for his graduation. I have had this watch for more than 60 years. It was given to me by an old man that was just like a father to me.
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Great job...I just acquired an Inverto staking set and am going to attempt my first balance staff replacement tomorrow. Wish me luck. Thanks for the instruction.
Congrats. You pushed your boundaries now you reap the reward in the satisfaction of a job really well done. This video really came at an excellent time as I recently purchased a Timothy Eaton railroad grade watch from the turn of the century. It has a Gallet movement which is keeping time to within two seconds per day after I had it cleaned, oiled and adjusted. As you probably know, Eatons was a Canadian retailer no longer in business. I’m looking forward to more videos of yours. Keep them coming.
Fantastic work. I really enjoyed watching and listening to your explanations. Well done.
I got onto this hobby from your videos. It is so relaxing and stressful at the same time. I have shot so many screws across the room trying this lol. I also prefer hand winding the mainsprings though myself. Thanks for all the knowledge you have passed on inadvertently.
*- "A huge step for me." What fun for us. Congratulations ! ! !*
Thank you so much for the wonderful detail you put into videoing, editing and narrationg of your videos. I have slowly purchased some tools and have just completed my first successful restoration. 1:2. Patience is key.
Really good video, and some interesting history behind a lovely movement, thank you for sharing, as always very enjoyable to watch.
If I would have stuck with this hobby from when I started as a kids I might be able to make my own parts by now.
It's a funny story how I started. I hung up. a Fix-It sign on my bedroom door as a kid.
So I was brought a box of cuckoo clocks to play with before they went to the dump.
I don't know what was better the satisfaction of returning most of them to life or the joy of the owner to get her cuckoo clocks back in working order.
Thanks for your great videos.
You have remarkably steady hands… and patience…
Awesome watch and history. Thanks for showing and sharing.
We won't talk about @53:41. Overall excellent work and content. Many more years of success to you.
This is so cool, my Mom's uncle was a Head Designer for Birks in Montreal, about the 1920's-30's and now I am a hand engraver. Maybe Uncle Max actually hand engraved that watch. Very cool. Thank you.
I’m so impressed with the craftsmanship…..something I could never accomplish.
You are an inspiration, Marshall! Really appreciate your explanations. Your vids are some of the best infotainment on the web! Just me, but would love to see a tour of your tools and explanations on how and why you chose what you did. Thanks for putting so much time and attention into your hobby!
You got it, I'm working on just such a video now!
The magic of the timepiece, for me, lies in the mainspring and hair spring. The Je ne sais quoi of 'spring' in spring steel.
I have always loved to take things apart, including watches just to see what makes them go , never in my wildest dreams would I attempt to try to put it back together . . . . . .soooooo who wants all my watch parts :)
Cause I get almost as much pleasure watching you do this and explain each part and sometimes what their particular job is because that may help me to identify what each thing and what it does and that will help me decide where it goes , cause I need to know what it does to know where it goes :)
Hi Marshall, I really enjoy your channel - thank you for sharing these videos with us. I especially enjoyed this Birks watch episode, as I also received a Birks (wrist)watch on my 25th service anniversary with Bell Canada (kinda like the AT&T of Canada) in 2006.
Eternal movement, beautiful.. can't break them.. love your good touch and care... great work my fellow horologist.
This is a really super video! Especially as (by your own admission) you are learning rather than a lifelong expert with 40 years in the craft. I'm a lifelong engineer, machinist etc (mainly bigger things) but as a real beginner in this field I really appreciate what I have seen here.
I have always made very small parts when projects have called for them but watch movements are a further leap into the next stage of accuracy and delicacy. My first time piece was actually a ships clock, (family clock) and I made a new escapement wheel from scratch in Nickel, took me ages and ages! Problem was I had only a damaged original to copy and most teeth were damaged. Actually made three to get one to run properly, but oh my lord how satisfying that when the clock has run it's eight days and needs rewinding the very first click of the ratchet and the clock starts! I jumped up and down in my workshop like a kid at Christmas. Although the clock is very large in comparison to the watches of course the part I made was only 5/16th" in diameter and the shaft at the smallest diameters was only 0.017". I am an instant supporter and have subscribed! Thank you so much.
I have always enjoyed your journey! I'm learning from you. Thanx!!
Good presentation, very personable delivery.
Really enjoy your work on these pocket watches. Would love to see you restore a railroad PW, such as a Hamilton or Ball. So much history with these fine machines. Thanks of the lesson!
Amazing. I am going to get a friend to my Speedmaster. Maybe a Rolex, IWC, or his brother, or whatever, as long as it ticks. I hope they will not fight :-) On a serious note, I watched the channel for hours. It's not about watches or gadgets. It's about human souls...I mean wonderful people who spend their lives to make a wonder.
Very cool. Would be so nice if you can find his grandchildren or great-grandchildren.
It should, there is a lot of Cartier around Drummondville !
I would love that yeah, but I'm not so great with that kind of stuff
Your channel is the best, very nice videos, good explanations, no music. Love it!
Amazing video, love your mad skilz & honesty!