Stunning Railroad Grade Waltham Pocket Watch Restoration!

Marshall's close family friend hands him a Waltham pocket watch from 1918, and he aims to restore it! It's running, but not very well, and has some issues that need his attention. Enjoy this journey as he restores a beautiful pocket watch!
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[@madeofscars9355]

That deserves to have a transparent back on it the attention to detail is absolutely beautiful.

[@chowardlaw8417]

On my RR watch (a Hamilton), front and back are same size and thread. A spare front bezel could be screwed on the back and you could watch it work. I've thought about doing that...

[@sam-jf6cq]

I have a great condition Waltham with glass on the back. Thing of beauty my friend.

[@J.DeLaPoer]

Waltham and Hamilton, among others, produced a very limited run of salesmen/dealer sample watches with crystals front and back in the 19th century. That way they could show off the movement to potential customers without ever exposing it to moisture, dust, damage, etc. These sample pieces are quite rare, but they do come up now and then if you have the money... It's insane the level of decoration they did just as a matter of course back then; simple good workmanship even though it'd never be seen except by the occasional watchmaker (this was long before the invention of acrylic or sapphire; so putting literal glass on the back just to show off the movement was a major potential damage liability for 99% of customers). Nowadays though they do sell new display backs with your choice of acrylic, mineral or sapphire crystal. Ebay has the most reasonable prices, just search for "exhibition" cases. If they don't have one for your brand/model, then you'll need the measurements and thread pitch to know which one to buy. Alternatively like @chowardlaw said, most case makers used identical threading front and back, and there's lots of vintage "parts" watches and cases you can get fairly cheaply. The upside is that'll match the rest of the watch well compared to a new, purpose-built exhibition back, but the downside is original glass is easily broken. Thus what I usually do is pull a vintage front bezel from a similar period case, and then fit a modern sapphire crystal in it. Problem solved, but not nearly as quick, easy or cheap as just sticking with the original glass. Also keep in mind for some case/watch combinations you'd need to replace the original crystal anyway, as the height isn't enough to clear the movement.

[@greenbow7888]

Yeah, so gorgeous.

[@wayneparris3439]

@@chowardlaw8417 My 992B is exactly that. When I belonged to a watch and clock association (we moved since then) a person attended a meeting to sell some inherited watches. I picked up a second 992B just to get the second bezel and crystal. It looks stunning. The second watch (in perfect running condition) has both "backs" on it to keep it in good condition. If you can locate a bezel, I advise you to buy it and install it. You will love the results.

[@John-do9ei]

I had my dad's old railroad watch serviced fairly recently after a long time of neglect (probably 40 years) and got it running. He was born in 1918 and his time with the railroad was during the 1940s (which kept him out of the war). I was about to explain the whole lever setting under the screw-down bezel aspect, but you got there right as I was starting to type. Thanks for passing along that history. I have a bit of an addition. They would set these in a central location to a standard clock, and they were sealed with wax (like a letter) to show whether they were tampered with or not, and then they would go out to the conductors. Part of their job was to wind their watches in very precise, standard ways to keep the watches as consistent as possible. Think about the importance of time keeping in this way: imagine two trains going opposite directions at speed on the same track. Each train has to hit certain mile markers at specific times so they can both both be in the right place at the right time so one train can pull over onto a siding while the other passes.

[@jamespurucker5607]

B

[@TheStefanskoglund1]

and this is too be able to save a lot of money and creating a more faster running railwal without LARGE investments in fixed equipment ie interlocking for all train tracks (passing tracks/switches to industrial sidings/etc) For a railway with a more controlled approach - fixed equipment preventing drivers from leaving an area without resetting and locking points in safe positions is feasible and profitable. Especially if a driver or local switchman risks losing their head to the executioner if they fail in their duty.

[@eolson1964]

Wow! Thank you for that information. It is truly great to learn more about the intricacy of the precision of time that had to have in the railroad system.

[@dfeuer]

@@TheStefanskoglund1 trains can always run late due to mechanical or other problems (e.g., cows on the tracks), so there's no way around needing reliable mechanisms to prevent collisions when schedules go off.

[@markespich8574]

That’s nuts my father was also born in 1918 and my grandparents gave him this watch in 1936 for his graduation gift and he gave it to me on my wedding day 7/4/1982. I still have the watch today and have been married for 40 years.

[@rkciwart6955]

Who ever thought watching someone fix watches would be enjoyable but this is absolutely therapeutic. I can't get enough. Thank you, Marshall.

[@Waldemord]

You right, special against tausends news about wars

[@Looey]

Yes! I watch these videos at the expense of mind-numbing TV.

[@MrArtVendelay]

Im with you. I will never ever do this myself. I don't even wear a watch but this is facinating to watch. I am enjoying this channel.

[@NoobsofFredo]

As a person who unironically carries a pocket watch as my daily, I love these pocket watch restoration videos. Always a pleasure to see them!

[@winstonlanda7731]

Hey Marshall, Your videos directly contributed to me taking on an apprenticeship with a master watchmaker here in Los Angeles. Thanks for your contributions to the community, Winston

[@WristwatchRevival]

Awesome, you'll be teaching me soon Winston!

[@winstonlanda7731]

@@WristwatchRevival Naw man I owe you a burrito when you get to LA for all the stuff you've taught me via youtube!

[@aaroncastellanos3421]

@@winstonlanda7731 through which company in LA?

[@roryvonbrutt7302]

that's why I rewatch these over and over again this is the second time for this one what an interesting barrel besides the whole watch being interesting in itself‼️®™️

[@adrianbirkett594]

Hi Marshall, great job. Apparently in the late 1800s,there was a bad train crash causing loss of life. This was down to a stopped pocket watch!, so the train company had to up their game with time pieces. They approached a few companies to make really high end pocket watches with all of the standards you mentioned for their workers, these really were the rolexes of the day!. I own an 1918 Illinois pocket watch, love it to bits!. Thanks a lot. Adrian.

[@stayingsane5213]

The railroad drove the watch industry forward, like you said. I own a Hamilton railroad watch, and it's a thing of beauty.

[@adrianbirkett594]

@@stayingsane5213 when excellence was just standard!. 👍

[@RockHudrock]

Then came Armitron

[@ritaloy8338]

I have my Grandfather's Washington Watch Company Lafayette 24 jewel which was made for Montgomery Ward by Illinois Watch Company. I love it also. The Lafayette was the premium watch sold by Montgomery Ward. I do understand the problem that Marshall had on setting the hands. I had to figure that out myself.

[@cynaptyc]

@@stayingsane5213 ⁴m r÷we ee×5ew52

[@rayjohnson4395]

I'm always blown away by the fact that these 100 plus year old watches, not just because their beauty, but because someone made all those very tiny very accurate parts many by hand. Imagine making those tiny screws and threading them. And small pivot shafts. The talent they had back then. I'd love to see a video for how they built the watches

[@mrsaizo0000]

A piece of art actually, some people get a watch for the brand, how it looks like etc. I have a Seiko 5 Automatic. It's almost 30 years old today. Got it for my 18 birthday from my father, only item I will never sell in my life..

[@torbenleimmer]

Thats what i ask my everytime. How did they make that tiny screws over 100 years ago? What a shame i broke my m4 screw tap so many times…😅

[@youregrammersucks]

100 years ago there were screw making machines. I mean, ingenious, complex mechanical machines, but still… Invented somewhere around 1870 I think, and companies like Waltham were all in on the automation.

[@freeradical5535]

@rayjohnson4395 Ask and you shall receive! I know your comment is pretty old, but this is an in-depth look at how watches were made by an industry leader in the 1920s. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5rZkqKdrrFngac As another commenter pointed out, they're not machining screws, but a lot of the automation that is in place is still overseen by a human hand. For example, the train assembly is made up of parts stamped from a sheet of metal, but there's a person manually feeding the sheet and pulling the lever. I imagine they would catch defects a lot more quickly, and there would be some hand finishing of edges to remove burrs and other imperfections that may cause extra friction or mechanical impedance.

[@xa9590]

I’ve watched a couple guys working on watches and they wear the finger gloves, can anyone explain why?

[@garyadels1]

Your videos are entrancing and enjoyable. Your work on this Waltham Railroad connected me more with my grandfather's 1918 Waltham 14k pocket watch with a beautifully engraved 225 movement. What a wonderful thing!

[@daveyoder9231]

The railroads and time-keeping are intimately connected. Our time zones were a result of railroad lobbying. Engineers and conductors had to have their watches inspected on a regular basis. Accurate timekeeping was necessary to avoid train collisions. I am a big fan of the Montgomery dial. Railroad watch collecting is its own separate rabbit hole.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

it’s fitting that this watch was literally made across the river from a major railroad line

[@meeker03]

@@bostonrailfan2427 I lived in Waltham very near the old Watch Factory for about 14 years. I remember when they redid the site to become office space and residential lofts. One of the biggest issues with the renovation was when they found barrels of radioactive luminous material buried under the floor. Keep in mind the Watch Factory literally sits on the river. So the material was no more than 200 feet from an active waterway. It delayed the project heavily and increased cost by quite a bit to properly remove and dispose of it.

[@alexsis1778]

It actually wasn't so much railroad lobbying as it was just general convenience. Originally when the railroads transitioned to the timezone system in 1883 the Postmaster General made an announcement that those were only a railroad thing and that the government was going to continue with the old system. He then proceeded to go miss his train because he was using the wrong time. It wasn't until 1918 that the US government officially adopted the timezone system. Prior to that most major towns and cities would calculate their exact local time controlled by a famous clock in the area as the master time keeper and the surrounding area around them would all use that time. Which was obviously a nightmare for the railroads trying to run a train through dozens of these mini-timezones.

[@davekoenig9935]

You can water witch with this PW. I believe the blued hair spring is the key. Cases don’t seem to matter. You put a silk pocket square across your palm and slowly walk over the terrain. Water veins and metal pipes carrying liquids will momentarily freeze your second hand. So be approaching and egressing the target you declared, means the PW runs normally. You are dowsing, flowing waters, not just water tables. The neato part of this is a gentleman discreetly carries these two implements c without raising bystanders’ curiosity, and stiff breezes don’t affect the second hand inside the crystal face. My PW is a 21j BW Raymond movement in a cheap gold filled case, marked Elgin, without any RR approved banner on it’s face. Benjamin Wright Raymond founded the Illinois Watch Co. and his name on a movement meant it is their very best. And yes it has a lever set, and spade hands. Mine was made in 1937, before they went to silver non magnetic hair springs. An old water witch showed my seven year old dad this bit of the Art, in 1923, witching flowing water veins at the top of a buried muskeg, seventy feet down. The water flowed like veins in a leaf, and previous well holes got plugged with mud in the first five minutes.

[@TheStefanskoglund1]

AT least in the case of Sweden, the railway meant that society for the first time in our history had a demand for a fixed time reference for a whole country. Before that everyone used 'sun time' ie they sat the clock to 1200 when the sun was in its highest position.

[@bullnose01]

Gorgeous watch that exemplifies the epitome of American watchmaking -- mass produced, high quality, exquisitely accurate timepieces. It's a shame that it doesn't have an exhibition back so the owner can be mesmerized by the beauty beneath the case. Fine job, Marshall.

[@Mrcaffinebean]

It’s funny to think all that effort went into making a gorgeous movement that very few people ever saw, and certainly not the owner.

[@janbaer3241]

@@Mrcaffinebean I had one which had the hidden inside cover enameled and set with citrines and rubies.

[@jdebultra]

Wow! What a gorgeous movement!

[@alberttkamomilla9426]

After the Kipton train crash of 1891, American watchmaking was spurred on to create ever more reliable and accurate watches. Very well-finished aesthetically and technically ahead of Swiss watchmaking. For this I love them very much. Thanks Marshall because you are a point of reference for me.

[@hgbarnes1584]

You opened that case and my jaw dropped. They must have done that to keep the watch servicers motivated. Great show, thank you.

[@drewbarker8504]

These old railroad spec watches are really a gem.

[@denisblaise4341]

Thanks much for all the disassembly/reassembly details and excellent video quality. I'm ready to go and find a pocket watch as my first project!

[@stoundingresults]

Having Wristwatch Revival as a relative is like having a car mechanic in the family. What a blessing.

[@SGM260190]

The blued hands are absolutely stunning. I can't get enough of them! The movement is also a work of art. Beautiful craftsmanship.

[@j.p.9522]

I wonder if the bluing could be touched up with another heat treatment.

[@mauer594]

That kind of bluing looks like a type that is no longer possible due to the chemicals used in said process being effectively banned by the EPA.

[@aberdeenbelfry316]

I have a soft spot in my heart for Waltham watches. Such beautiful simplicity.

[@dexterford8094]

I find it amazing that the old tradesmen would intricately decorate gear wheels that hardly anyone would ever see. What beautiful workmanship.

[@davidtran588]

I've heard that movements were often sold separate from cases and thus were damascened/damaskeened to make them more attractive.

[@johncarver2527]

pride in craftmanship I aver

[@ekut1922]

When you opened that case and I saw the movement, I literally thought I should buy this watch right now, it is super pretty!

[@willnewcomer2125]

You’re not the only one my man!

[@tradde11]

Gorgeous insides when he showed the movement. I can understand his enthusiasm.

[@edwells4769]

Ive picked up a few different makes at auction, a few in lots of 3. Honestly, extremely cheap. A Waltham 7 day for 35 bucks, lot of 3 hamiltons for 250, Elgins, 3 Hunter Case. All amazing. Just keep your eyes open.

[@jakelabete7412]

I'm a relatively late addition to the army of your admirers. I enjoy your channel very much. Although not a future watch repairman, or watch anything, I still enjoy watching. Keep it up and thank you.

[@swj719]

There is a zen to this sort of thing I love. I found a shoe repair channel during lockdown, and I've just added this to the list of "apparently I'm a watcher now. I didn't know that about myself before" channels. 😃

[@anthonyrodriguez2570]

Same I’m a newcomer and it’s so relaxing at the end of the day!

[@Bird.757]

Check out Tring Shoe Repair and Key Shop's channel.

[@Ces1um]

@@swj719 glad to hear I’m not the only one!

[@Henry-lk2be]

Same here - it’s mesmerizing for some reason. 😆

[@jonasholzem2909]

30 seconds in two weeks, that is just incredible! What a stunning piece with a lot of history!

[@PaulJWells]

This is now my favourite channel! It's a bit like watching Bob Ross; every video is similar to the last one, but it is so relaxing to watch and always amazing t see the finished projects.

[@mah_eyes]

This has to be one of the most beautiful pocket watches ive ever seen, thank you for keeping this beauty alive

[@ProactiveYellow]

The moment you noticed the lever-set I thought "oh the mainspring must be snapped from folks trying to set it too much." I'm glad to see it wasn't catastrophic, just a simple replacement. Gorgeous piece of engineering!

[@Ceodayone]

That movement is so gorgeous. Art!

[@1978garfield]

So much detail on the inside that the average consumer would never see. Truly a work of art that works.

[@stevezozuk9622]

What a stunning piece of art wrapped in time . Nice to see another great service Marshall . I now have some tools , and am looking for a microscope and a few more important tools, before I decide to tackle my first opening . I've always known that one day I would try . So I have a handful that I've collected over the years . You'll laugh because one of the ladies watches fits on the tip of my baby finger , soooo , I'll be patient and wait . See you soon Marshall . Cheers

[@nigelfranklin3845]

I Started watching your watch revivals about two weeks ago and i am hooked on them. I have a few non running watches and have been tempted to have a go at reviving them but my eyes are not what they used to be and some of those parts are way to small. But really enjoy watching these. As for the waltham pocket watch, that movement is amazing and is crying out for a glass case back. Well done marshall.

[@merrillfinlayson2180]

As a 12-13 year old, I ruined my father's and my watch, by taking them apart to "clean, oil and adjust" them, but got the parts to both mixed up and also lost a few parts. My father's watch was a pocket watch and mine was a wrist watch. My father took the bag of parts to an old watchmaker and got his reassembled, but I never saw my watch again. Needless to say, he wasn't very happy with me. I'm almost 80 years old now and remember it as if it were yesterday!

[@tjlovesrachel]

@@merrillfinlayson2180 he used yours to help pay for his

[@merrillfinlayson2180]

@@tjlovesrachel Probably true.lol

[@tjlovesrachel]

@@merrillfinlayson2180 lolll

[@onlyonestinger]

We need more people younger that can learn to service this history and keep it alive! Im 64 and I want to learn

[@mlbabineaux]

Gorgeous piece, Marshall

[@mskinch9]

That pocket watch just screams out for a clear back to the case! Just gorgeous!! But I totally get not replacing it and using the original. Keep up the good work!

[@Hvtesla]

Yes & no. I have an 18S 23J Waltham that has a clear back, or 'Display' case as its generally known, and the worry has always been when putting the watch down on a hard surface, especially since it has a (maybe original?) glass crystal.

[@UNSCPILOT]

@@Hvtesla I would probably want to get a acrylic caseback crystal so it's easy to polish, idealy. Or *maybe* Sapphire if scratches were the only major concern for the use case

[@davidmack2423]

You're like the Bob Ross of watch makers. Love watching you work. Keep it up.

[@WristwatchRevival]

Ha, thanks, I like that

[@Jerhevon]

Oh gads, been to the Watchcity Museum of Industry in Waltham a couple times during the Watchcity Steampunk Festival. They're really proud of their part in America's Industrial Revolution, starting with the water powered factories. And their really proud of being at the fore front of applying industrial practices to mass producing time pieces. Totally makes sense they'd be into railroad timepieces. One thing I hadn't got in their display pieces of clock faces and tiny lathes was just how much extra finesse they put into manufacturing these internals. The little extra detailing, and all the inscriptions. Just wow, they went the extra mile in these timepieces. This is all so amazing. Thank you for sharing!

[@leslieschramm6252]

I've been watching for ages, hoping to see that perfect , for me, pocket watch . Everything around just now seems all glitz and glitter. But that's beautiful, that's the right sort of watch. Thank you letting me join you on the journey.

[@edwells4769]

Ive purchased over a dozen pocket watches at auction for cheap. Have several Walthams, Hamiltons, Elgins, Hunter Cas etc. None ran me more than 200. Got some in lots of threes for $30 a piece. Keep your eyes open.

[@leslieschramm6252]

@@edwells4769 Sounds perfect. Will keep a look out. Thank you.

[@michaelpthompson]

I'm not too big on wristwatches, so I really love the treat when you do a pocket watch. Excellent work.

[@gregkingsley3309]

Years ago, I was given a non-working Elgin pocket watch my grandfather was given by his dad in 1927. Kids had played with it. I took it apart in 2002. I knew there was nothing I could do until I learned about watch making and bought necessary tooling. 21 years later, I am nearly ready to start. I purchased several similar Elgin movements on EBay in preparation. Thanks for your videos-they have helped me get to this point

[@mothsprojects]

wishing you luck!!

[@auntkaz815]

Absolutely gorgeous watch! I literally gasped when you opened the case. It’s so nice to see a thing of such beauty that has been around for so long restored to working order!

[@ammo381]

Waltham has some really good wrist watch movements as well. One of the best American brands for sure!

[@longsilver2646]

awesome restoration! I just love all the perlage and attention to details back in the days, very beautiful movement

[@kickit59]

Marshall you made the restoration look easy! Well done!

[@radardoug]

My father's lifelong hobby was collecting and repairing antique pocket watches and clocks. He recently moved into assisted living and gave me his remaining watch collection. He had been selling them off for years but demand had dropped off to the point that he had quite a few left. There is quite a variety of beautiful railroad watches, open and closed face watches, key wind watches, and even a repeater. I love getting them out and looking at them. I was surprised this watch had an acrylic crystal. All of mine are glass and I remember my Dad had a large multi-drawer cabinet full of replacement glass crystals which he did manage to sell.

[@librab103]

Such a beautiful watch internally and externally.

[@jimh4375]

My grandfather was a telegraph operator for the railroad from the 1920's to the 1950's. I have his Waltham watch. How I would love to see it work again. The train on the front dial is a steam train, and on the back is a Diesel Streamliner .

[@davidcooper8480]

As always, love watching you appreciate and gently clean this Wal-tham railroad watch (Massachusetts accent application :).

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Beautiful timepiece and as always you did a wonderful job restoring it and walking us through the process!

[@deefdragon]

Id normally prefer you go further when it comes to cleaning up weathering, but this is one watch where I saw that back and *Immediately* went "please keep all of that."

[@MBhammer89]

Right

[@maggs131]

I wonder why he never showed its accuracy after the cleaning 🤔

[@graemehansell7642]

@@maggs131 he did. He put it on the time graphed at 31.40.

[@maggs131]

@@graemehansell7642 where was I that I missed it?

[@rvoisey]

@@graemehansell7642 a different edit must have been uploaded. There's no final time grapher now, at 31:40 he's fitting the crystal.

[@floydian06]

Great video, Marshall. As a Massachusetts native aware of Waltham, Massachusetts' watchmaking history, this was really cool to watch. One tiny little thing, though: Waltham is pronounced "Wal-thAM'", not "Wal-thum". Great video, great content, love the channel!

[@glennash4606]

The Waltham in the UK is his current pronunciation mind you. They had a pretty famous railway from the mid 1800's to 1900's

[@judithfairchild8620]

Thanks for the info. It will be cool to Google the story of Waltham

[@UncleDonut66]

@@glennash4606 Yes, but he's working on a Waltham, Massachusetts watch.

[@Sort1908]

Fantastic video very therapeutic, I just purchased a similar Waltham made in 1934.

[@angron666]

It amazes me that we had engineering this precise 104 years ago, thanks for the upload.

[@matthewholzner9526]

Wonderful video! As I understood it, lever-set models were set-up that way to avoid accidentally pulling out the crown and messing up the time while in the pocket. I was honored to inherit my great-grandfather's railroad watch from the 30's. He said before he got that one, he was issued a pocket watch from the railroad and only the station master could adjust it (with a key). It was required that they report to the station master once a day to have the time reset for accuracy to the second. Failure to do this would result in a fine garnished from their pay. A sticker seal was put on the watch case when given back to the user, so if the worker forgot to have it set and opened it themselves, the station master would know. Keep up the great videos!

[@andykeck6018]

You’re exactly correct. I have two railroad-grade pocket watches and both have the lever set mechanism protected by the bezel like that. You could never accidentally change the time setting by fumbling around in your pocket. They require that very deliberate removal of the bezel to be approved for use on the railroad.

[@xusmico187]

great work. the multi position for timing, the railroad time telegraph with stations and railroad authorized watch service Jewlers is a real part of history

[@G0ogs]

Truly remarkable the engineering in that 100 year old pocket watch

[@brian_atc]

Yes! It IS criminal to cover up the movement on that watch. Simply beautiful.

[@bl4ck0blivion]

Bro! What a privilege to watch you do what you do. You had my full attention. Thank you for sharing your hobby with us. 😑 🙏🏽

[@paulbergendahl1362]

Marshall: love your site and love watching you! ❤️ FYI: the maker is pronounced "wall-tham, rhyming with ham". The watch factory building in Waltham MA is still standing, and is beautiful ❤️

[@UncleDonut66]

Thank you! I was looking to see if someone would correct him. I saw the title and said to myself "I bet he mispronounces it" I grew up near and worked in Waltham for 20 yrs.

[@RWeeks-hx9ut]

Thanks for the great video. Just started getting into pocket watches and wanted to really see/explore the inner workings. I have purchased my first one; a Waltham 1894, 12s w/ 15 jewels manufactured in 1917. Looking forward to getting it cleaned up and serviced and carrying it daily. I really want to add a railroad grade piece to my collection.

[@mrbussey]

That is a beautiful watch! Even more so how the movement is so decorated and was really only done so for the watchsmith to see!!

[@will01quinn]

Perfect timing! I just found an old Waltham Traveller belonging to my dad a couple of days ago with broken hands. I’ve ordered up replacements and will refer to your video should I need to! The watch isn’t a railroad grade watch but the engraving on the movement is very ornate. Thanks for the videos ;)

[@josephasghar]

That really is a thing of beauty. Looks lovely in it’s worn state.

[@JosephBenRobert]

Beautiful watch! Loved watching you clean and service it!

[@mehedihassan8944]

your videos are not only restoration or repair,it also feels like podcast.

[@bantha001]

Greetings from Scotland. Thank you, Marshall, for these amazing videos - I am obsessed with them! I await each new video with mounting excitement. Funnily enough, I am one of those people that routinely carry a pocket watch - it sits nicely in my waistcoat pocket and is so much quicker to glance at than my phone. I have a 1918 Waltham 17-Jewel movement in a Dennison Moon case and it is beautiful, though I must get round to having it serviced as it can lose as much as 5 minutes a day at the moment..!

[@gothgurlclique]

Gotta love these videos rn I am working on a Seiko 7548-700b quartz

[@darkember9429]

I've spent the past 5 hours watching this guy repair these absolutely stunning pieces of craftsmanship and am... amazed. That railroad watch, if cared for, can last for several more centuries to come in the right hands. You just.... don't really get that sort of thing anymore. Really makes me want to start collecting these. Beautiful, and stunning. Living testaments to the ingenuity and skill of the people who designed and made these.

[@thethirdman225]

I’m going to say that I’ve never been a fan of American watchmaking but these old railroad grade watches are something else. There were so many great ones: the Hamilton 990/992, Waltham, Elgin, South Bend, Illinois, Ball and Hampden. They were all brilliantly engineered for their time and can be very accurate even today. They are not without their problems - they have no shock protection and spares can be hard to find - but they were all good.

[@UnoriginalElephant]

I just started getting into this hobby, and I told my brother, "If you feel like you're not swearing enough, you should try watchmaking." I always seem to grip the tweezers too hard and send those tiny screws flying!

[@mysticmike9778]

The amount of embellishment simply stunning when you removed the back

[@richardferguson6893]

Was definitely thinking that as well considering that it was a utilitarian piece. Just crazy.

[@glennscott3267]

Such a beautiful piece! Thanks for showing it!

[@jatco84]

Beautiful watch and a great service job to bring that one back to life. Thanks for the journey. Kudos

[@magnusosmond1835]

I'm always kinda surprised with how fast the washer shakes the parts to clean them

[@NathanChisholm041]

I love all the tooling decoration on this watch.

[@Mrlownly2]

Question , is it not bad for the balance wheel/hairspring assembly to e “free to move” in the parts cleaner. I feel like the force of the cleaning liquid and turning motion could cause the hairspring to be “over-sprung”

[@stayingsane5213]

You would think so. The spring is the only thing stopping the balance from spinning all the way around, but for some reason it does not harm it. Not sure what the physics behind it is, but it's a safe way to clean the balance assembly. 😕

[@2076649]

The cleaning fluid hits both sides at the same time, canceling the rotation force.

[@arancourt5623]

@@2076649 I figured it would be the way the cleaning machine works. 14:19, you can see the machine in action and at .25 playback speed its only rotating three or four times before it goes the other way. Probably not putting too much pressure on the spring before losing the tension and stretching it out again.

[@mrrobot6757]

Nobodies talking about the shellac on escape levers and roller tables and the respective jewels popping out cuz some idiot put them in the wash... 😆😆😆 the balance swishing in the machine is a hazard... but amateurs dont know what Bergeon one dip is... and dont like servicing the cap jewels... Again this is not a professional channel... Duh... Dude said he researched the movement but didnt know that it was lever set... again ameture 😆😆😆🇨🇦🌍☮️

[@arancourt5623]

@@mrrobot6757 dude. He uses one one dip in several videos

[@GumbootZone]

An excellent explanation of what you were doing too!

[@drjmansplace5174]

Certainly one of the finest pocket watches featured on this channel so far.

[@maggs131]

Have you ever serviced a small clock or would that require a totally different set of tools?

[@Bird.757]

No.

[@maggs131]

@@Bird.757 why haven't you serviced clocks person I didn't ask?

[@a1nelson]

Generally, no. Depending on the specific clock, some components may require a larger cleaning machine/setup or more manual cleaning steps. For example, my commercial (e.g., old dental) ultrasonic is great, but it has a relatively small, roughly 3”x3”x3” usable area (volume). Then again, you said “small”, so I’m guessing you’ll be just fine. Some components, such as the power source/winding mechanism may be different, but the basic design should be recognizable. Long story short, given the large available size in the case & movement, there’s no real need to have speck of dust-sized screws and springs. So, overall, servicing & repair will simply be easier - more akin to pocket watches than ladies wristwatches. It’s worth noting that some clocks use actual watch movements, just making the dial and hands larger. The project on my bench right now is a clock that was constructed using this very technique.

[@WristwatchRevival]

I never have, I've never found myself interested in clocks for some reason. And the tools are similar but much bigger so I would need to track those down as well yeah.

[@entropyachieved750]

Awesome channel! Regarding time graph machine, do all watches run at the same amplitude its different depending on brand or size? Hello from Newcasle NSW Australia

[@WristwatchRevival]

They have a different lift angle, but as long as they are Swiss lever escapements it can read it.

[@DarthEcoli]

Aww man! Upon binge watching these for the last few days, you're really making me want an old pocket watch, and not even necessarily to restore. I just always liked pocket watches.

[@mikemcnamara3777]

Gorgeous movement. Well done by the men who built it!

[@delgadokd]

Has the cleaning process ever broken any delicate parts? Seems like spinning it back and forth with a bunch of tiny parts seems rough.

[@snott971]

You can kind of see that the spinning basket slows down gradually before it spins the other direction. I think this is by design, so that pieces are shuffled/orientated differently, but it doesn't become a rock tumbler 🤔

[@WristwatchRevival]

Never once. They are suspended in liquid so it's much safer than you'd think

[@johnrendle8840]

Usually I find your videos fascinating, soothing, and engaging....this one excites me very much as just a few days ago I found my great grandfathers Waltham railroad grade watch from the Lehigh Valley Railroad...Im hopeful I can find someone nearby who is as good as you are to get it cleaned up and running. It has the same wear in the gold plating but also has the Lehigh Valley flag and laurel decoration on the face between the 12 and the hands. The lever for setting it does move but springs right back in. The current situation is that turning the crown just moves the hour and minute hands with the lever in and doesnt wind as I think its overwound. Not sure what the problem is but I aint gonna venture a tool myself....not with my 10 thumbs and bad eyes. Thanks for this video man! I now have hope for it!

[@judithfairchild8620]

Would like to see a picture of your watch sounds like a great one

[@wimpyboy7215]

man i would love a pocket watch like that. i work for the railroad and miss those analog watches

[@artswri]

Beautiful! Thanks for another excellent presentation and video! I'd like one for my desk!

[@davidsimmonds7250]

I've had a beautiful Waltham model 92 lever set for about 40 years, and it really needs a service. Can you recommend who I might turn to? I'm in the northern rockies / pacific northwest. I would probably carry it often, as I don't like wearing wristwatches but need a good timepiece as a private pilot.

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Would be too fragile for everyday use

[@lwilton]

@@oscarosullivan4513 Why? Railroad watches were carried by the engineer and conductor every working day of their lives, and in 1912 train crews served 16 hour days, usually about 5 days a week. Trains of that era were a fairly harsh environment in regards to dirt, being bumped around continuously, and temperature changes. I don't know why flying an airplane should be any worse.

[@yourmom-vn9ky]

@@oscarosullivan4513 I have to disagree on it being to fragile for everyday use. Just make sure you have a good chain so it won't accidently fall and use the pocket watch pocket in your jeans.

[@DailyBanter96]

Paul Davis is the guy for the job, hes well known on the facebook groups for his work, he often is used by collectors and also for auction houses that sell these types of watches. I'd link his site but i think yt still doesnt allow links to be posted.

[@oscarosullivan4513]

As watches age like cars and planes they get less useful for every day situations due to them becoming more fragile. Also magnetic fields.

[@brucejenner4800]

Yes, you can see a lot of love and expertise went into the manufacture of this watch, I enjoy seeing you watch engineers doing your stuff!

[@leonelalmeida7921]

This machinery is so amazing! To be honest, I would like to put a crystal in the back too, just to "watch the watch" works 😅 Beautiful 👏👏👏👏

[@mortimergladbreath]

I just found I have 3 railroad watches that belonged to my great grandfather - 2 Hamilton's and a Waltham like this one. One Hamilton is running! The insides of the Waltham are just like your example with all the ornate workings, but the case is silver plated and still in great shape. I inherited these in 1998 and haven't thought about them since. Thank you for piquing my interest!

[@glennrabb]

Nice editing, showing the cleaner spinning back and forth for the time it takes to run Patreon names.

[@andyf-d4222]

Beautiful timepiece. Really enjoy these videos, watching someone with great skill and knowledge is very calming. Thank you.

[@Keith80027]

My dad was a watchmaker for years when I was a kid and your videos bring back those memories. I can tell that you are very good at this based on how you use your tools.

[@noirmagique]

Wow! It's gorgeous!

[@UNSCPILOT]

The gorgeous finishing on that movement really makes me wish it had a exhibition caseback, dear goodness it's beautiful. You've already convinced me to collect a few mechanical watches, but now I must hunt down a nice pocket watch for sure

[@artguy3604]

The inside is an amazing piece of art in itself

[@samharper4289]

Beautiful movement and work done!

[@mglmouser]

I have a Caliber 610 Waltham built in 1917. I can hear it across the room! I made a superficial fix (dislodge a micro shard of enamels from the balance wheel) and made it work again. But it really needs a full service - for which I'm not equipped - as it can only tick for 23h on a full wind.

[@penguinjonesesq]

These videos have become the highlight of my Monday mornings. Mondays are the first day of *my* weekend, and I love waking up, sitting down with a cup of coffee or three, and watching a WR video. So chill and stress free. This channel really given me a huge sense of appreciation for the craftsmanship in these watches, so much so I recently got my first one.

[@joelp6197]

Wow nice job, I do like old pocket watches.

[@TXLorenzo]

Was not expecting such a gorgeous movement.

[@judithfairchild8620]

The innards look brand new. One beautifully made watch. I really enjoyed this.

[@Bucket_Boy101]

I love that the gears are so shiny that you can see your and your camera's reflection in them. Lovely movement.