Damaged Alpha Vintage Watch Restoration - AS 970 movement

Vintage Alpha watch on the desk with a few hidden gremlins, can we get this thing back to life? #Vintage #watch #restoration
Movement is a AS970 17 Jewel
Details of the movement can be found via the good guys over at the Ranfft website:
www.ranfft.de/c...

[@robertjordan7323]

I'm always amazed on how nice these older movements look and none of the owners ever get to see it.

[@walther9161]

It’s an Aldolph Schild movement. That click spring is notoriously hard to keep track of😊 nice job !!

[@100amps]

'AS' is A. Schilde, a well known Swiss OEM movement maker that was acquired by ETA a few decades back.

[@hisstorymn]

Working on a A Schild 970 right now. My version, there are three I have found, do not have that handy dandy seperate escape bridge. All the parts in other movements look HUGE now!😅😂

[@carlrees5574]

Hi Justin Nice job!! You do have the tools to do the beat error, also the rate can improve if you clean and oil the balance jewel. while the hair spring is off you can adjust the collet with a small screwdriver to improve the beat error.

[@jsgwatches]

Thanks Carl, I'm slowly improving my skills and learning that the tiniest of improvements in technique can drastically improve the end result! Main thing i've noticed, is a super clean hair spring provides a nicer timegrapher plot. JSG

[@hisstorymn]

I know it is the best course of action, but I have never really touched hairsprings like this or a movement this small. Someone on another board said better to leave it alone, clean as best you can. Oil the pivot hole I can access and it should be fine, not proper but fine. He said its better to do what you can rather than destroy someone else's watch.

[@scottieh83]

Great work! Always good to see an improvement on the timegrapher.

[@jsgwatches]

The initial start of the watch got me nervous, I thought I’d made this one worse after servicing it 🥵

[@lobdsk]

I love AS movements. This watch was neglected for a long time which can effect the tuning of it. I think you might find it running better later on

[@jsgwatches]

This is a good point. I’ve found it common for watches to run better after some initial run in time 👍🏻

[@steveblake8766]

180 Thumbs up Did you take apart the balance? You have that jewel on top.

[@alanmckinnon6791]

Great job Justin, it's always a pleasure to see these old tickers come to life and still work. About that cracked jewel - are we going to see the purchase of a staking set in your immediate future? :-)

[@jsgwatches]

Absolutely! I’ve been searching for a staking set over the last few days, should have one to add to the tool set soon 👌🏻

[@jpperry1433]

I have a watch that looks very similar to this Alfa your work on. The balance wheel come undone, diamonds fell out, its either gold or bronze. I would like to get it fixed can you help me out? I can send pictures if interested. JP.

[@fraserp2377]

Really enjoyed this thanks. I can't imagine it's easy but the view feels a bit too far out.

[@jsgwatches]

Thanks for the support 🙏 I’ll keep this in mind for the next one. This movement was half the size of the previous ones I had the camera set up for and I didn’t make any camera adjustments 😩, I’ll definitely lower the camera down a bit for the next small movement to make sure it covers 2/3 of the screen 👍🏻

[@narendravara5134]

Loved your videoa as a newbir you are doing well. I did not see you clean the cap jewel. Do you clean this in Essence of Renata for watches and hairspring? Essence of Renata is available on ebay UK

[@jsgwatches]

I’ve tried to source some cleaning fluids where I live, buT due to them being hazardous substances, I’m unable to get them delivered. The cap jewels I give a rinse in IPA, and the hairspring I clean in lighter fluid, then a brief dip in IPA to prevent the shellac from dissolving. I’m still sourcing some Renata, hoping to find some locally 🙏

[@100amps]

@@jsgwatches I recommend you keep the shellaced parts (balance wheel and pallet fork) far away from IPA or any form of alcohol. It dissolves the shellac VERY quickly. Naptha (lighter fluid, old style camp stove fuel) is fine, it's very gentle. I don't know what Renata is, since we don't have it here (at least under that name), but I've heard other UK watchmakers recommending it. OneDip is also a good option.

[@hisstorymn]

@@jsgwatches One-Dip is basically the same as Hexane, just keep it locked tight. It evaporates fast and can be harmfull if inhaled too long. Just dip and shut tight. A quick dip in IPA (I do no more than 15 seconds and immediate drying and it should be fine. Is like the man who fell out of a 20 story building said to the people watching on the way down, "So far, so good"

[@mwint1982]

"Purple looking jewels" aka synthetic rubies

[@thegrassyknoll7792]

Alfa omega is that i never heard about alfa, but alot about omega 😏👍🏻

[@chronotimebr]

Bro use finger cots. ;)

[@unclekevin5094]

Did you watch the video until the end ?. At 13.06 when he starts the rebuild the watch he does.