Servicing of a 1962 Hamilton Gemini Electric watch w 505 movement

[@ronl7131]

Good restoration. Fine timepiece

[@wildernessofzinn17]

Well, I acquired a 500. It is not running, but appears to be in good overall shape. The wires, balance, and all seem to be good and intact. I am hoping it just needs cleaned and serviced. The balance tries to take off when a battery is installed. It does have a broken setting lever spring. The thin little finger that sticks out is broken off. I have the 500 service manual and, with luck, hope to get it running.

[@Antiqueexcavator]

I love the way you use the tweezers to stabilize the screwdriver! Great tip!!

[@maxbouch1128]

thank you for this moment of eternity

[@amphibiousone7972]

Outstanding work Boss 🫡

[@misteryman5109]

Outstanding! Also kudos on the superb ambient music choice.

[@Telssa1]

Great video. Prompted by the Rondeau book, and the section in the wonderful "American Wristwatches" (Faber and Unger), I have about 20 Hamilton electrics, a few of which still work. Madness of course, but I was collecting (in the UK) for the pleasure of it, and a love of the American aesthetic in this field. Were I a lot younger (than 75), I'd learn watchmaking, as I tinker around the edges fairly successfully.

[@sma1968]

Thank you. Yes indeed, they are wonderful crazy watches that require a certain amount of madness. :) I think 75 is the perfect age to learn about watchmaking and tinker. Why not, eh?

[@roadshowautosports]

Great video and explanation of functional aspects off this watch! Just one noticeable mistake 4:41 I also commit once in a while, is using a screw driver smaller than the screw I’m working on. It’s a bad habit out off our rush to see it working or laziness we have but it can lead to markings and dents on the screw head, even if it doesn’t slip, that won’t affect anything but appearance, and we all know when it comes to real or sentimental value, watch owners may actually open the watch to check for small imperfections on our work. It’s very hard to discipline ourselves to keep switching screwdrivers but it’s a necessary evil to avoid irreparable mistakes!

[@sma1968]

You are absolutely correct!

[@sugmasigma]

I can tell you that not one customer of mine has ever mentioned an imperfection on a screw. He did a great job with this. If you are or have that type of customer, it’s best not to do business with you or them.

[@roadshowautosports]

8:19 Where was you when I needed your advice? I’m still looking for the clip replacement for one watch!!! 😂😂😂😂

[@genebaptista5906]

Great job keeping this historical watch alive.

[@sma1968]

Thank you!

[@curtissilcox9088]

Great video. You wouldn't be interested in repairing a Old Vantage 130E electric watch I have it wants to run but won't. I would love to have it running.

[@keithschwartz7318]

Loved this video. The soothing music is a good compliment to the content. I once knew an auto upholstery man who listened to classical music while working. Do you have this playing while working?

[@sma1968]

haha. No, i work ini dead silence. that way, when a part goes flying, I can hopefully hear the barely audible sound of where it landed (quickly followed by my VERY audible swearing) -- and hopefully find it. :)

[@sonnymoorehouse1941]

fascinating watch. great video

[@roadshowautosports]

We all have our far share of flying spring phobia!!! 😂i😂😂 on the beginning ITs’ even more scary as it happens way more often! Spring flying phenomena it’s been studied for years but no explanation! My worst phobia is really tiny screws flying!!!! Working with tweezers is way harder than it looks and it’s very misleading as one will always believe “the harder you hold it, the firmer will hold!” when in reality that isn’t true! Great video

[@WristwatchMedic1953]

Great job. Good looking watch.

[@sma1968]

Thank you!!!

[@ForestWoodworks]

This was an awesome vid. Dang ❤it!

[@MarkJoseph-vv4pj]

Great work. Any idea what the purpose of the shunt bridge is? The Timex electrics have it. The watch will run without that bridge and I'm lost as to its purpose, except maybe to protect the balance wheel and hairspring.

[@sma1968]

Thanks! The shunt bridge seems to be there to even out the magnetism - so that the balance has a more even rate of motion instead of being driven by just two strong points of magnetism. But yeah - seems to work just fine without it. :)

[@MarkJoseph-vv4pj]

@@sma1968 Interesting. Thanks!

[@Wavewench]

Thanks for this, I’ve always wondered about these.

[@josephventura275]

Great Video. What oil and lube are you using on the movement? Looking forward to seeing the one on the 500 Movement.

[@sma1968]

9010 for the jeweled parts and 1300 for the metal to metal parts.

[@wildernessofzinn17]

Thank you for this very well-made and informative video. May I ask, is the precursor to this one, the 500, similar in its set up, and does it have the same issue with that same part on the balance?. I know the battery set up is different with that wire they used, but is it basically the same other than that?.

[@sma1968]

Thank you for the compliment. The 500 is different with the battery clip but much more significantly, the contact mechanism is totally different. It uses two tiny wires (same size and thickness as a some (smaller) hairsprings) that touch and separate when their position is shifted by the balance, thus creating the circuit. This also means that the contact on the pivot is different. Interestingly, though this is a more fragile and sensitive design, it's also less prone to wear out than the 505... silver lining. I'm working on a video for the 500 - but the big problem with them now is that these contact wires are even harder to find than the 505 parts - basically they need to be harvested from donor movements, which are also getting harder to find.

[@wildernessofzinn17]

@@sma1968 Wow!. I knew those wires were important, but why couldn't you use some other kind of thin wire besides using a donor movement?. It's a special shellac coated wire or something?.

[@sma1968]

@@wildernessofzinn17 Actually... and keep fingers crossed that I am successful -- I AM trying to see if it's possible to make these contact wires. If it were, it would be a real game changer for the 500 movement. To be honest, I don't think there's anything inherently difficult about making them (as compared to other micro-sized/watch parts. It's not coated in any shellac, It's basically made of flat wire - .04mm thick, .14mm in width. They are bent in very specific ways and there is some micro soldering involved. Where it gets a bit tricky is they need to be a non-magnetic alloy stiff enough to be a spring - so not pure copper. (the devil is in the details (the microscopic details). :)

[@wildernessofzinn17]

@@sma1968 Wow...thanks. Interesting stuff. You know your proverbial poopy about these watches. In other words, those wires are like tiny mainsprings with thickness and width and length. That's cool. I have a 1958 Hamilton Electric watch repair manual by William O. Smith Jr. Thought I would put it to use if I ever get the chance. I am anxious to see your 500 video when you get a chance to release it.

[@anthonycaryl1079]

I wonder if you could laser weld more material onto the worn end of the contact?

[@sma1968]

Yes, I think It might be possible.

[@Antiqueexcavator]

I just checked the Hamilton parts list and you’ll be shocked to know that duck looking piece is actually called “duck billed looking lever”!

[@sma1968]

@@Antiqueexcavator Ha. 😀

[@sugmasigma]

God I hate these… I have one that runs consistently and keeps good time but the balance is very sluggish and doesn’t get full action. Suggestions? (I haven’t cleaned it yet but the movement looks fairly clean).

[@sma1968]

If it's running consistently, it would seem that you're, happily, in good shape. Definitely sounds like a cleaning and proper lubrication will be what it needs. As you saw in the video, it doesn't take much dirt or too much oil to make these run badly.

[@sugmasigma]

@@sma1968 I’ll try that… I had a really great running donor watch and of course I dropped it and broke the balance staff.

[@davidtebera4488]

Have they tried dielectric grease for the contact?

[@sma1968]

Interesting thought. My guess though is it would be way too viscous for a watch.

[@davidtebera4488]

@@sma1968 Something to try. I was trying to see the difference between a worn out contact and the new. Hard to see. If you do more videos might you add a side by side comparison? I have a non working 505 that I am trying to troubleshoot from the outside. Thanks for the videos!

[@jimmyjam209]

Hello, thank you for posting this video. I have a Hamilton 505 which runs and then dies shortly after running for about 15 mins. It is probably filthy inside and that is what is gumming up the mechanism causing it to run hard and sapping the battery. The watch I have has a black face with a cool read lightning bolt second hand. It is 10k filled gold and I am trying to identify it and if I should fix it or sell. Any tips? Would you like to see a photo?

[@sma1968]

If you want to post some pics, learn what it is and probably causes and solutions, I highly recommend joining our Facebook group... :) facebook.com/groups/2527996874150372

[@jimmyjam209]

@@sma1968 joined. thank you

[@safeharbor3931]

Stefan, Would you be interested in working on my Hamilton RR Special 505? It appears to need this contact.

[@x201t]

👏👏👏

[@jonconlon5440]

nice job. what battery does the 505 use?

[@sma1968]

Thank you. Battery - 387s

[@clemfandango2749]

I have one my wife inherited from her mother. It does not work and the battery leaked acid. I would love to have it restored for her. Is this a service you offer?

[@sma1968]

Hi, I believe you are on our FB group. I sent you a FB Message. :)

[@bradsprung3623]

The name of this model watch is GEMINI Electric

[@sma1968]

Um. Yes. Yes it is. Hence the name of the video. Thank you.