Girard-Perregaux 1950s Vintage Dress Watch Restoration

[@infernalchaos1066]

You so consistently narrate what you are doing while naming the parts that I can now actually follow along without watching the videos, just by listening. But I prefer to watch. You are an awesome teacher. Thank you!

[@MrPleers]

I agree. There is another watchchannel that I follow. But on that one, there is no narration. So less interesting for me.

[@modergav]

I Say since his third video: The greatest thing about Marshall's channel is undoubtedly the the voice over work he put on his videos.

[@modergav]

@@MrPleers Nekkid watchmaker os also a great channel.

[@Tawnos_]

Marshall's great at that, whether he's drafting a Magic: The Gathering deck or reviving a watch, his buttery voice will give you great insight into each step of what he's thinking.

[@shannons1886]

I’m starting to learn the names of the parts with how methodical he works with them.

[@dusty975]

I never thought I would become hooked on 45-minute watch restoration videos, but there's something very comforting and spell-binding about them. Marshall is not only a master craftsman, but his voice and narration is absolutely the perfect match for these amazing time pieces.

[@Failed.painter..]

For real, i used to put these in when trying to sleep, now I can’t sleep if they are on

[@fredashay]

Same here! I love watching his videos, but I don't much care for watches or wearing them. As a result of his videos, I did buy a mechanical watch recently with a visible movement, just to admire the workmanship. But I hate having things dangling off my body. I tried wearing it one day, and it was so uncomfortable and constantly drawing my attention to it. I'm one of those people who has an accurate sense of time inside my brain, and so I never needed a watch.

[@nyckhampson792]

I totally agree ...

[@johnchristopherrobert1839]

One of things I love about watching your channel is that every time you take apart the watches you explain and repetition what you’re doing every episode. This is very helpful for the viewer to remember how these watches work and what are all the different parts. So thank you again love your contact

[@robrichardson1284]

Totally agree. 👍🏽

[@barruguet]

Totally agree

[@mgx8381]

I saw that hair and said wait, wait, wait! It was funny and you played it great, Marshall. I love your narrations. You are a natural at explaining things. Keep up the great work of your passion.

[@nailswood167]

He got me!

[@SUDS_N_DUDS]

You're a damn good narrator. I know you edit these videos but it feels like you're watching it right along with us. ASMR has nothing on you.

[@randyward2766]

This is one of the most relaxing things to watch on all of KZbin. This guy's voice is so relaxing. I also love the camera angles and in narration.

[@hippotek1]

The decay fo the radium might explain the corrossion of the dial face... I truly LOVE this video! Well done!!!

[@jeebusyaweirdo3733]

It will often burn faces too, very radioactive material and there isn’t even all that much in the paint really. It was also very inconsistent, some being so radioactive they’ve burned almost the entire face a dark brown.

[@stephenm5000]

I love the street view you get when he is at the ultrasonic machine, a true bit of urban Americana, coupled with the odd soundtrack of emergency sirens passing, just wonderful...

[@gootchimus]

You did genuinely get me with the hair, I honestly thought you didn't see it.

[@jeffberwick]

Man, your video editing is flawless and the closeups are so clear! I am amazed at events like the one at 20:27, how you shoot over what must take days (like when you need to order parts) but the video just flows effortlessly by without a seam. It is so instructive and I would love to try fixing a watch if I had the right setup.

[@bigaudioal]

I almost had a cow over that hair/fiber!!! Thanks for your videos. I have successfully serviced 5 vintage family pockets watches. They all run great. I have also purchased 4 vintage wrist watches. Two Enicars, a Raketa and a Buren. Hope to get those going soon too! Thanks for the inspiration and wonderful instruction.

[@daveyurik]

The hair wasn't funny Marshall !! I almost started yelling at the monitor !!

[@bigaudioal]

@@daveyurik I yelled too!

[@danijelvrhovec]

It's kind of funny, like after a year or so, but now it is not. I could not believe what I was seeing, it was a big WTF moment. OK, you've had your fun, now get your act together. Jeez...

[@GlennTillema]

Me seeing the hair almost trapped kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKHPdaSOn7Vri7c

[@duncanhendrick1950]

I absolutely was ready to quit watching if that wasn't addressed. Kudos, Marshall, you got me

[@terrygruver3896]

I have been a watch collector for forty years and have never seen a watch repaired until I stumbled upon your videos. I could not believe my good fortune. Not only are you an excellent teacher but a very easy to listen too narrator. I am totally hooked. Thank you and I hope to see you in the new year. Have a good one.

[@Altres]

Another fascinating video. I’d like to point out that after watching one of your timepiece deconstructions, cog ablutions, spring purifications, jewel rejuvenations, hand setting and crystal clarifications followed by a chronological reassembly and temporal restart, I feel like my mental health is better. Bizarre but true. Thank you.

[@Stettafire]

Sometimes theres nothing like just watching someone do some honest work :)

[@empireofpeaches]

Brian, your entertaining eloquence has made my mental health better. Cog ablutions!

[@auntkaz815]

You have basically brought the watch back to life and the inner workings look (and run) like new. But I’m so glad that you honor the age of the watch by keeping the original dial and often doing minimal manipulation of it. You fix up the case so the watch looks nice but you still can enjoy that it’s a vintage piece. Outstanding!

[@royseifert3078]

Marshall, in other industries we call that fancy work "jeweling", and you're right, it's done with a special tool. Thanks again for another great video.

[@camaroboy1968ss]

its also called "engine turning" within the automotive world.

[@fredk.2001]

@@camaroboy1968ss, that's what I'd call it.

[@devilsitez]

„You and me, we did it again!“ Absolutely! Can’t imagine what you would do without my help! 🤣 I really love your channel, the style you cut the video, your narration, your happiness if something works out or your persistence if something doesn’t. I love how you won’t get tired of mentioning that the sound of the mainspring clicking back into the barrel is your favorite part or how much you enjoy seeing it kicking back to life every time! It’s so easy to follow along your steps and really pushes me to try it myself. Absolutely one of my favorite channels! Keep up the good work, we can’t get enough of your joy of this beautiful hobby!

[@clarencewiles963]

At 31:31 on the upper left at about 10:30 location there’s a hairlike object. But a few seconds later I did not notice it. You got me on the removal of the other strand. Thanks again for your work today. It took 70 years to get that patina. Leave it, it’s just the travel of time.

[@aussiebloke609]

That was so evil of him - it really got me OCD fired up for a minute. :-P

[@muppet_magnet]

I like that phrase, "the travel of time", perfectly apt.

[@ryno101]

I’m so glad to see new techniques and tools… this is the first video of yours that I have seen where you use that jeweling tool. Keep up the good work, Marshall.

[@larryp.450]

Thank you for tackling this watch. I have my grandfather's late '50s GP in great shape and good running condition and have always thought Girard Perregaux to be an underrated watch maker.

[@lenhowl]

It’s cool watching you take these apart and all the special tools. I will never forget many years ago my brother took my fathers watch apart. When my father took it to get fixed and he told the man fixing it what happened he told him only two people will take apart a watch to fix it. A watchmaker and a fool. Cheers

[@ShiroArctic]

I was honestly a little skeptical about the dial at first, but it actually looks really good against the brown leather strap. Excellent work as always.

[@seanbrown9048]

That was an excellent video: great restoration.

[@wenomechainasama6161]

I think the dial also has radium tho

[@ShiroArctic]

@@wenomechainasama6161 if it does, then it's a really small amount. Plus, the real danger from radium is when it comes off and someone inhales it.

[@wenomechainasama6161]

@@ShiroArctic i know, it just seems he was completely oblivious about the dial but said he didn’t even want to mess with the hands.

[@UNSCPILOT]

I like that he's willing to keep a dial even with such a "severe" patina, it makes the watch far more unique watch with much more of a story to tell

[@robertpeluse3586]

Your videos are very outsider-friendly. I'm interested in watches, but I have no catalogue of knowledge so when you explain things like the origin of the term "keyless works" (ect) and how these parts work, it's really interesting. Your explanations are very intuitive and it is so refreshing. I wonder if one day I could do what you do. It seems very rewarding

[@corkymiller]

Hey Marshall I think that’s my favorite one of the 20! or so I’ve watched. As a videographer I heartily respect your storytelling and production value. You’re so likable, modest, and intrepid. With delight. It’s what the world needs now. It’s logical, it’s meditative. It’s a tale (the watch). Bravo.

[@adjoho1]

Always take a moment, Marshall, to let the movement run free. Love it.

[@loudizzle]

Always look forward to your new videos. You’ve gotten me into the hobby and I’ve dismantled my first pocket watch. I’m not ready to spring for a watch cleaning machine just yet, so I’d love to see a video describing the process of cleaning the parts in an ultrasonic cleaner. What solutions to use, drying process, etc. I’ve seen some other KZbin videos on the topic, but I don’t trust those guys. ;)

[@bigaudioal]

I second the request for a video explaining how to properly clean a movement using an ultrasonic cleaner. I know there are more steps involved than using a watch cleaning machine and it takes more time, but would really like to be shown how that works, and what is needed.

[@mjay4700]

Same. The ultrasonic cleaner method is one I see asked about a lot on this channel. It seems like many of us viewers are interested in restoring/servicing/cleaning watches, but can't afford the expensive machines and Swiss tools. One of the reasons many of us get into cleaning/repairing watches is to save money over buying the item at full retail cost. It's nice to watch those who are more well-equipped work on things, but there's definitely a demand for more "watchmaking on a budget" type of content.

[@bobgreystoke316]

On the channel My Retro Watches, on his parts cleaning video, you can see in the comments where Marshall is asking His advice on cleaning. It’s a couple years ago but he obviously trusted him.

[@FernandoelChachi]

That's exactly what I was thinking. BTW, I love his English: I understand it all.

[@jesterr7133]

I know the feeling of getting something going again like that. It feels awesome. I had a friend who had a small engine repair business, and he had a mower that he was never able to properly troubleshoot. The owner gave up on it and just left it with them, and then it just sat in his back yard for several years. He eventually told me that he thought the engine was locked up, and gave it to me as a parts machine. It sat in my yard for a year or so while having parts robbed off of it before I actually took the time to fully inspect it, and then I found it was not locked due to internal failure. I spent several months working on it before diagnosing the issue and fixing it. After that it took me another year to replace the parts I robbed from it and repair the damage from it sitting all those years. I remember the thrill of hearing the engine run for the first time, and the bigger thrill of actually being able to use it for the first time.

Your amount of passion and patience are totally amazing. This is a class A channel.

[@ramanshah7627]

Marshall, your bubbly narration never ceases to cheer me up :) One highly accessible place to find that satisfaction of completely disassembling and cleaning up a piece of machinery is rebuilding the hubs and other bearing assemblies of an old bicycle. That kind of overhaul was the very first stage in my lifelong love of hands-on stuff. Most such assemblies are very simple. Internal-gear hubs have more going on and are fascinating.

[@decoydave]

Nice work Marshall. I really like your commentary, it's clear, precise and pleasant to listen to.

[@BrodyLodmell]

I love that the videos feature the finished product on its little adventures. On the Brick, by the window etc. It's a satisfying way to end it

[@noahbohl2127]

I recently discovered an old Waltham pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather at one point. I had it restored and it’s from 1902 or 1903. Absolutely love seeing how these old watches function and are restored

[@ixeroi]

Thank you Marshall for taking the time to troubleshoot with us! it truly makes the viewing educational and entertaining! you actually inspired me to get into watch repair as a hobby. only been doing it for a few months but you definitely have taught me more than you know sir! thank you 😊

[@flatearthbear4077]

Another exceptional restoration with stellar narration ! watching you work on these time pieces and listening to your play by play is most instructive. I’ve been amassing tools since Christmas and I’m almost ready to begin my first complete restoration. I’ve read multiple books, watched 200 hours of video ( yours by far are the most straightforward and comprehensive, with Kalle from Chronoglide a very close second ) and spent a ridiculous amount of money procuring the necessary tools for repair. Thank you for showing me how ! 🍻Cheers

[@walt5797]

I never thought that I would find it so satisfying watching someone repairing watches. Thank you for helping me to broaden my knowledge.

[@M0onflow3r]

Your videos are literally like therapy to me haha, there are days when I'm coming home from work and literally can't wait to just get home and have a cup of coffee to one of these videos, please never stop making them lol and you're so good at narration and the editing, it's all just so satisfying. Especially that moment the movement starts running again

[@halukanlar]

You’re the man, Marshall! Thank you! It’s just best free time spent watching you perform. Got myself some tools for the trade already and it’s great fun.

[@MrDanielmahaniel]

BIG fan of the strap on this one, a really good project as always!

[@levydan4370]

Amazing Marshal; I’ve been a collector for many years; and now I love the work you do. When a movement starts again. I feel the same joy that you manifest in you narrative. Thank you Marshal.

[@CarnivoreRonin]

Yay! What a great way to start my day before work. Great job on the watch! The hair was stressing me out too. 😂

[@sylversyrfer6894]

Respect for your perseverance in getting that one bridge to fit into place!

[@citizaniac149]

So I watched this a second time and Marshall, I have to tell you that at 6:54 and 8:53 you can clearly see that the pivot from the escape wheel was still there. And the moment you destroyed it, was in the washer! When watching this the first time I thought "wow, he's really filling up that basket" and yes, that were too many heavy parts for the wheel pivots. When I clean them, I always put the escape wheel and pallet for separately because they are so delicate. Most of the time I only clean them in Isopropyl to avoid the washer (or the ultrasonic). Well, but thats how we learn ;)

[@flowgeek706]

actually at 18:40 it still seems intact...

[@99jp99]

If it broke inside the watch, wouldn't the broken tip have been found inside the watch? But if it broke in the washer the tip would still be in the basket? A WhoDunIt inside a watch restoration video!

[@citizaniac149]

@@flowgeek706 you are right

[@yessanknow302]

You're right. Marshall is incompetent.

[@anissez2893]

@@yessanknow302 Even if you were better, which I doubt, you dont say this kind of stuff. Gtfo somewhere else with your hate and let us enjoy.

[@mgee669]

Love watching these fascinating procedures!

[@Loren_Law]

I love that you still call it a hobby despite being surrounded by thousands of dollars worth of equipment and having paying customers. love that energy.

[@fredashay]

If this is a hobby, he obviously makes bank in his day job!

[@TacoTuesdey]

This is my new favorite channel! When I'm having a bad day or stressed out I just listen to you and watch you restore these old watches and all my troubles go away!

[@francispalmer9737]

You did get me, I was screaming hair can't you see it, lol. Great job and so relaxing to watch. Cheers.

[@interpolagent9]

I thoroughly enjoy your videos for so many reasons. What I love most is that you try to keep these gorgeous timepieces as original as possible. This watch is gorgeous. Fantastic work, Marshall.

[@comradechris7975]

Well one good thing that came out of me getting a chest infection is stumbling across your channel whilst stuck at home recovering, solid work with not only the time pieces but overall videos. Been on a video binge and diffidently subbed to you now, solid work!

[@ly776]

My mother gave my father this watch in 1955, for their first anniversary. My father wore the watch until he was in his 80s and stopped wearing it only because he could no longer see it. I have it now, and it still runs and keeps accurate time. The self-winding part doesn't work too well, but winding by hand it works fine. I have had it serviced twice - but my impression was that it was not given the kind of attention that you do!

[@Sizukun1]

I look forward to your videos every week! They're so calming and interesting to look at and has me on the hunt for some affordable vintage watches in pawn shops and antique stores!

[@joseortiz183]

I think we’re on the same page😬

[@tomp538]

Motorcycle and car guy here; your channel popped up in the you might like this column. Must say it was very interesting to watch from start to finish the rehabilitation of that old watch.

[@BenjaminVaterlaus]

These are so cool! I'm catching up on your back catalog... do you sell your watches on ebay once you've restored them? These are so interesting to see you service them! Thanks for sharing your hobby and talent!

[@robertwhitcomb6105]

I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we’d like to see your own watch rundown. Excellent content!

[@ianclough1476]

Great video, love them all. Did you need to replace the little o ring between the case and the back? or was it no longer needed?

[@mattboudreau2364]

I must say, I think the movement of this watch was one of the most beautiful I’ve seen on the channel. And even with the corrosion on the dial, the watch looked amazing once the new crystal was installed.

[@mikeg6418]

Thank you for the video. I enjoy these very much. I remember back in the 1970's wearing my father's old watch that I found had radium in it when I was in my high school physics class. We were studying radiation using a Gieger counter and my watch was making it go crazy. It was mostly Alpha rays as a paper filter was enough to bring the reading back to just background level. You mentioned the radium in the hands, but the numbers also glow in the dark, so the dial is also radioactive. Would it not be just as bad to use it as the hands?

[@NomadicPhoton]

The luminous paint on the dial is also radioactive, however generally radium on the dial is accepted as something that can’t be changed without damage to the dial. However, re-lumeingthe hands is regarded as a good compromise and does reduce overall radiation levels.

[@CrimFerret]

Based on watches with radium dials I've seen worked on on other channels. Most of it was in the hands. Nothing that used radium paint will still be glowing. The phosphors in the paint get burned out by the radiation. The radium itself is barely less radioactive than when it was first applied though and you really don't want to breath any of the dust in. Without some additional safety equipment like a fume extractor and a quality resperator mask, I wouldn't mess with it.

[@bluebox303]

Marshall want might to get a geiger counter so he can check for himself whether certain watches have radium or not. A good number of them aren't clearly marked.

[@coopdivi]

When cased up properly (e.g. no cracks in the crystal, etc.) there is no danger of radium radiation escaping from the watch. The danger comes from working on exposed hands and dials, and ingesting radioactive dust through the nose and/or mouth. You probably have heard of 'the radium girls', who in the 1920s were employed to paint watch hands and dials with radium paint. The girls were told the paint was perfectly safe, and their supervisors even encouraged them to lick the ends of their brushes to achieve a fine point for neater work. When the girls began to get very sick and even die from radium poisoning, the bosses didn't want to know and fought tooth and nail in the courts to avoid paying compensation. Eventually the girls won their case and were compensated, but they paid a high price in ill-health. One good thing to come out of it was that the danger was recognised and labour laws introduced to establish work safety practices. Believe it or not, radium paint was still used in watches into the 1970s!

[@stevebrown2538]

I love the close up of the jewels when you take them out and oil them, very satisfying.

[@max16]

its a bummer you never noticed that when you took the barrel bridge off they actually unwound the spring. so the spring was holding power the whole time.

[@yoyex2009]

I am a watch collector myself, I came interested in vintage watches since they have history about how movements started and had improving themselves. Kind of very interesting work you are doing and now I might start doing the same, try to learn how to restore vintage watches.

[@Musketeer009]

Interesting video. Could the face's patina be a result of the radiation from the radium on the original hands? On disassembly, you found a curved bit that you didn't talk about after finding it. Was it a bit of the crystal? Was it an intruder? Was it an alien spaceship?

[@sukioku8784]

it will be if patina dust not try to settle in one place marking position this watch been kept. on the other note - both fixing case screw missing XD

[@alastairheptonstall7982]

Radium usually burns in a pattern on the dial from where the hands have been sitting (if the watch is left not running), so I’d guess that wasn’t the cause here.

[@yessanknow302]

Does this mean Marshall is riddled with cancer?

[@alastairheptonstall7982]

The exposure you get from a radium dial/hands is tiny when you consider the amount of time he has the dial and hands exposed and not behind the crystal. The crystal absorbs most of the radiation. The real risk is from ingesting it, so you need to be careful if it’s deteriorated, and coming off the dial, not to get it on your hands (typically wearing gloves), and then to wash carefully before eating. You get a higher exposure to radiation every time you take a plane ride.

[@UNSCPILOT]

@@alastairheptonstall7982 100% The biggest risk would be inhaling the dust, handling it safely (especially as a once-in-a-blue-moon occurance) won't give you a meaningful exposure, you'll probably get more radiation from the mildly radioactive isotopes in fruits such as Bananas, and even that is well within tolerance for our bodies to handle. Even before "the atomic age" we were getting small amounts of radiation exposure all the time from natural sources, no one cared until nukes and Nuclear accidents made radiation scary and a bit better understood. Course, now people will also overreact even to safe uses of radioactive elements, including modern reactor designs that would prevent the disasters of the past while also replacing the need for fossil fuel power plants. Sorry for the tangent, I just find it an interesting topic as a bit of a space/futurism nerd who's only recently stumbled into the watch hobby

[@Element4ry]

This dial looks amazing with so evenly distributed corrosion.

[@ajacks1349]

Another great video by Marshall...thanks. Wonder IF the hour dots on the dial are also RADIUM compound? I think the aggressive emissions from Radium hastens the corrosion processes, which might be a contributory factor in the state of that dial? Have you got a geiger counter?

[@alastairheptonstall7982]

It certainly looks like radium on those dial spots.

[@helenthomas6716]

Found your channel by fortunate happenstance. I love older things. The watches are such beautiful examples of workmanship. Thank you for sharing.

[@vezokpiraka]

Marshal handling a pair of radium watch hands: "they are toxic and dangerous, I'd rather not work with them" NileRed handling a hundred or more Radium watch hands: "Yo look at the sound my Geiger counter does when I shove these watch hands near it." Cool video as always. It was really cool to debug the watch and fix.

[@a1nelson]

My brain _immediately_ went to the exact same place. I suspect that the real danger is if the radium paint loom were to fracture, and the restorer were to inadvertently inhale some of the particles. Obviously, two whole generations people had these time pieces on their wrists and in their pockets, without many, if any, issues. After all, the watch case is a pretty good barrier to radiation. I must be some kind of maniac, because I’m looking to replace the non-radium hands on one of my projects with vintage radium hands. Even though the glow on another watch in my collection is very faint, it’s still a cool effect, visually and historically.

[@joelhanawalt5660]

So, when radium (probably radium-226) decays, it releases alpha particles. These are slow, high energy particles of ionizing radiation. So, if they get into sensitive places like lung tissue, it can be really bad. On the other hand, the watch glass (even being plastic) is enough to stop those alphas from going anywhere. Also, skin, clothing, even enough air particles, are enough to stop alpha particles. So, radioactive yes, necessarily bad for you, probably not.

[@9019828585]

Not a watch lover , watch repairing is not a hobby but still i am here to listen to his wonderful commentary of the repairing process . Well done 👌!

[@MultiThimo]

Really like your videos. Just one thing. I cant really belief that you can keep track of all these screws. like where which screw goes. maybe you can talk a bit about that. like are these screws all the same and you can just use whichever you like?

[@infernalchaos1066]

I don't know about Marshall, but a lot of the restoration channels took video of the disassembly so they could keep track of what went where. That's what I did when cleaning laptops. But then they decided to upload it to KZbin to help others.

[@witlesscord903]

There are also these things called screw organizers that make it so you can label your screws

[@ashedinthewoods]

He said in other videos that he actually looks at his own recordings when he looses track of parts :) (in that case, after dropping the whole lot of a watch on the way to the cleaning machine onto his carpet... the pain...). So I guess it's a combination of good memory and having a video. I take videos/tons of pictures of everything I disassemble, too, be it motorbikes or smaller things. It not only shows what goes where, but also how it was placed exactly (top/bottom sides, orientations, seals, ...)

[@TheDunadan01]

Marshall doesn't do this but some watchmakers replace the screws after removing what they're holding down. There's no need in cleaning the threads or thread holes so you can just put it through the cleaners with the screws in. That way you always know where they go. Tip of the day.

[@JoLowden-oz9no]

Hello Marshall, you call what you do a hobby but you approach your work like a true professional. Kudos.

[@nolongeramused8135]

Three issues concentrated in one area - something happened that affected the jewel depth, broke the escape wheel spindle, and unseated the mainspring arbor all at the same time. It might also be what put that stress fracture in the crystal so that it broke so easily once removed. I'd guess that the watch was dropped onto a hard surface.

[@auntkaz815]

The problem solving on this one was fascinating. And it was definitely a triumph when the movement kicked in! Well done!

[@TheLionsShow]

"... brought back to life right here on the channel..." *me stuffing my mouth with a big chunk of chocolate* "... you and me, we did it again..." *me nodding with my mouth full* Yes we did 😂

[@bigchiefleatherworks7245]

I really didn't think I was going to like the new hands or patina, but once you got it back together it looked great. I could imagine that as a conversation starter. Well done with the troubleshooting.

[@moncorp1]

I watch these and think of the paper and pencil, possibly with a slide rule, engineering that went on when watches were designed. Then the meticulous hand machining done. Watches are truly incredible little pieces of machinery. Designed by some incredible minds.

[@frankierzucekjr]

The last part is like putting the heart in and letting it tick again. Very cool

[@Caleb_son_of_God]

Man, watching you is so cathartic, I could easily binge watch your videos over and over.

[@anthonycalia1317]

I find your enthusiasm infectious. It shows the passion you have for your work.

[@krisaaron5771]

I was about five or six when I was given a glow-in-the-dark ring... the most magical thing I'd ever seen! My mother was a nurse and instead of taking that radium-saturated piece of jewelry away she told me the story of the Radium Girls and what happened to their faces. It was the first time I was given a choice about something with potentially serious consequences, and even though it left me in tears (I LOVED that ring!) I put the radioactive ring away, never to wear it again. Those destroyed faces have haunted me for 70 years; you made the best choice by not using the hands, although they'd be authentic and possibly increase the watch's value. Love your videos! It's a miniature version of working on a Bugatti or Ferrari race car, and incredibly logical.

[@giovanni_a67]

These are the only videos on YT with not one but two climactic moments, well spaced apart. The first one, physical, when the spring clicks into place and the second, more evocative, when the jewels get oiled :-D Relaxing and very well explained

[@greggmoldovan255]

The decorations, in gunsmithing, is called jeweling. As I was told, it's there to collect dust. I love watching your videos. I've learned so much. Keep it up.

[@smgw15]

Im not a watch guy, Im more of an engineering type of person but these videos are so relaxing to watch and I love the craftsmanship in the watch and the way you restore them

[@jerrylumihay4515]

I haven't checked the duration when I started watching, and when the video ends, I was like "I'm watching this for almost an hour?". It feels so short when you enjoy watching.

[@trainerskulb00d]

It should be criminal how these movements don't get more appreciated (not seen with case on), they are sooooo beuatiful :)

[@radwanderer6165]

Still can't believe I watch things from a very different sector (learned to work on cars; now I'm working on bicycles) for about 3/4 of an hour each time...but even more unbelievable is you buying "crap" and turning it into something precious and characterful again 🤩 Yet there's a happy end every time which I really enjoy 😊

[@indiandoc2]

Marshall thank you. Your calming voice relaxes me. The other videos just don’t have you. You talk & explain what you are doing, you explain what each part does. How long have you been involved in the hobby. Your knowledge of watches is amazing, how much research you do before cracking open each watch may help. I have an old Elgin pocket watch that doesn’t run. If I ever find it. I’ve owned it since 74, paid $20 for it. I took it in for cleaning & was told it needed a new spring. Then he couldn’t get it to run right. He sent it to some expert, who said the spring was wrong. Never ran right again. I always tried to wind it before I went to bed. It had ran perfectly for 6-7 years. Don’t worry about my watch it would take a month to find it.

[@P40WarHawk]

Everytime I watch this channels I wonder how he know what screw goes to where when he reassemble watches. Seems like some kind of superpower to me.

[@kevinmcginley9140]

Enormously relaxing listening to you as you work on the watch.

[@stonecutter2]

I've managed to resurrect some pocket watches thanks to your excellent explanations of parts and function, and tools. Thank you so much for this excellent content!

[@xminusone1]

I have one from 1961. It was my father's watch. I have it cleaned and it's still very nice to wear. Good to see another one. They're not so common.

[@john-paulsilke893]

Watches like this need a glass back. So beautiful to look at.

[@ixoye56]

Beautiful watch! I really like the old patina look, the strap was a perfect match.

[@frankjames7247]

Just enjoy the moments when you solve a serious problem also your videos are very instructive.

[@edieparastatides9403]

First time watching your video. I have no experience fixing watches, but your narration, your camera shots and your expertise make for a great product. Very enjoyable! Thank you.

[@georgepretnick4460]

Marshall, your extasy when a movement starts after a long rebuild process is the way I feel when a freshly built engine roars to life. Well done.

[@johncarey4040]

I've been going back to watch older videos after recently discovering your channel. I spot your MTG playmate and you're even way more awesome now.

[@HumanRationalist]

Beautiful watch. The patina makes it even better for sure

[@ForYourConsideration]

Another great video! When you mentioned radium, I suddenly recalled my grandmother telling me about a dial painter who would lick her radium brush to get a sharp point for the detail work.

[@peha524]

They were known as Radiumgirls. Radium is a toxic and radioactive stuff and is a nasty product. The company said, that it was totally safe.

[@RicBergstrom]

6:58....that pivot is definitely on the escape wheel..... GREAT video production and narration. The best of youtube!

[@alty6ser]

Good call on leaving the dial alone!! It looks awesome the way it is!!

[@davidhunternyc1]

Wow, watching this channel is so soothing. Who needs therapy after watching this!

[@someidiot3411]

I have learned so much just by watching your videos. Thank you for sharing with the world

[@nathanek6598]

Your videos are so therapeutic. Thank-you.

[@johnpfeiffer112]

Thank you Marshall. I really enjoy your vids and was inspired to give it a go. Now I’m making my own mistakes. What a journey! You make it look easy, but I know it’s all experience.