You Won't Believe What I Found Inside This 99p 17 Jewel Geneievre Watch with a ORA 234 Movement!

Hello and welcome to another episode of HorologyHubub, the channel where we explore the fascinating world of vintage watches. Today we are going to take a look at a vintage watch movement that is not very common, but has some interesting history. It is the ORA 234, a pin lever movement that was made in Italy by the Società d’Orologeria ORA di Vogt & Co in the 1950s and 1960s.
The ORA 234 is a 11.5 ligne movement, which means it has a diameter of 25.9 mm. It has a small second hand at 6 o’clock, a hidden ratchet, and 17 jewels. It runs at 18,000 beats per hour, and has a power reserve of about 40 hours. It is a manual-winding movement, so you have to wind it every day to keep it running.
The ORA 234 was produced by the Società d’Orologeria ORA di Vogt & Co, a company that was founded in Como, Italy, in 1927. The company specialized in making movements and watches of the Roskopf type, which were also known as “poor man’s watches” or “dollar watches”. These were cheap and simple watches that used a pin lever escapement instead of a more precise lever escapement. The pin lever escapement was easier and cheaper to produce, but also less accurate and reliable. The ORA 234 was one of the better pin lever movements, as it had more jewels and a higher frequency than most of its competitors.
The ORA 234 was used in some watches of the Roskopf type, but also in some more prestigious watches, such as the Cyma WWW, one of the “Dirty Dozen” watches that were issued to the British soldiers in the late 1940s. The Cyma WWW had a stainless steel case, a black dial with Radium lume, and a sub-seconds dial. It was one of the largest and most affordable of the twelve watches.
The watch that I have here is a Genievre, a brand of Swiss watches that was active in the 1950s and 1960s. The name comes from the French word for juniper, which is also the main ingredient of jenever, a traditional liquor from the Netherlands and Belgium. Genievre watches were usually manual-winding, with gold cases and stainless steel backs. They had a calendar function and were antimagnetic. They are not very well-known or valuable, but some collectors may find them interesting. I bought this watch on eBay for only 99 pence, which is a bargain for a vintage watch.
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Channels I follow and recommend watching are:
/ @nekkidwatchmaker
/ channel
/ @wristwatchrevival
/ @vintagewatchservices
/ @watchrepairtutorials
/ @gwservices
get in touch [e-mail]
These links are NOT affiliated but hopefully will give you some ideas what to look for.
movement holder
www.ebay.co.uk...
eye loops
www.ebay.co.uk...
tweezers
www.ebay.co.uk...
screwdrivers
www.ebay.co.uk...
Watch repair kit
www.ebay.co.uk...

[@midinotes]

A 17 Jewel Geneievre watch with an Ora 234 movement......99p. A skillful restoration with the sheer patience of a saint, dedication, attention to detail, craftmanship and filming it all in macroscopic detail with seemless editing and a relaxed natural soundtrack.... priceless. Amazing to watch (pardon the pun) 😊

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for taking the time to watch my friend (excuse my puns lol) 😁👍 comments like that make the hard work all worth while.

[@angeltorrent]

Love watching anything get fixed and cleaned up 😊. You answer my questions that I am thinking of whilst watching. Really informative, thank you

[@HorologyHubub]

Really glad you enjoyed it 😁👍 thanks for watching.

[@benjamins.3664]

Thank you for your video. I appreciate seeing someone taking so much care for a 99p thing.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for watching my friend. 👍

[@benerabilis]

Better restored than built😊

[@michaelflynn6178]

A great restoration Thanks for taking the time to share

[@nuklhed5478]

Great video. I think we've all had those moments of regret where we realise the improvised technique we were using was indeed a bad idea as that niggling thought wsa telling us. Love seeing these inexpensive watches get another lease on life as i've got a few myself in diabolical states. You've inspired me to dig one out the next time the bench is clear.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for the awesome comments and for taking the time to watch my friend😁. Really must learn to listen to that inner, wiser voice 🤣🤣. Happy tinkering 👍👍

[@barryfleischer6553]

Thats a stunning classic watch. Great work restoring it.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for watching my friend. 😁👍

[@glyndavies5650]

Brilliant! In my 2nd year. Started on v.old stopped family watches and now hooked. Working and learning on a cheap eBay job lot. Your skills, & explanations are great. Just what I needed after some frustration. Many thanks.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch. 😁👍 glad you found it useful. Keep tinkering my friend it’s the most satisfying hobby I have found.

[@Unlucky1776]

Wow thats insane value for 99p! Cant wait to see how it looks in the end!

[@GentlemensWatchServices]

What a fantastic oddity, pin pallet and cap jewels all over the place is an unusual mix. Lovely work in all departments.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you my friend 😁👍 appreciate the support.

[@ygrbooks]

Nice work on a special watch: 👍👌👏!

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for watching my friend 😁👍

[@wozdownes]

Do you use a microscope, if so could you give some indication of type, model, etc. great video BTW

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for taking the time to watch my friend, it’s appreciated 😁👍. Yes I do use a microscope, was an eBay bargain, 3.5x-90x trinocular stereo microscope. Amscope.com is probably the best website to give you some ideas. Hope that helps 👍👍👍

[@Hybridflowerss]

Youre right, Very interesting history!

[@HorologyHubub]

Glad you enjoyed it 😁👍 thanks for watching.

[@alexandregb566]

I like this kind of content. I subscribed to your channel. Hey! Your voice is similar to the voices of those dudes I follow here on KZbin. They are watchmakers like you. It's impressive. Are there any factories making watchmakers out there?

[@HorologyHubub]

Thanks my friend I do appreciate you taking the time to watch. 😁👍 makes the hard work all worth it. And yes I do recon there is a factory producing watchmakers…. KZbin 😂😂 why we all sound the same cause we all watch the same videos 🤣🤣 have a wonderful weekend 👍

[@alexandregb566]

@HorologyHubub1 I'm not sure, but I'm going to try to begin this hobby as well. I probably watch the same videos as you all do, and I'm going to buy the same tools that you all use. So, one more soldier to the battlefield 🤣🤣🤣.

[@Unlucky1776]

I cant imagine what this watch has gone through to end up like this lol. A dirty case sure but the bent hand is really weird to me. I just noticed your cleaning machine has your channel name on it! Thats pretty awsome lol

[@Unlucky1776]

18:33 woahh whats that on your wrist? It looks super cool

[@Vintage_Pocket_Watch]

Excellent job...

[@HorologyHubub]

You are to kind 😁👍 thank you

[@geoffquickfall]

Just thinking. Some pallet jewels are cemented in place with shellac. Any chance that the alcohol will dissolve the shellac. Of course,being a pin pallet the pins are pressed in. Excellent job, especially on a worn pin pallet!!! Cheers, Geoff.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for watching My friend 😁👍. It certainly would dissolve the shellac if left in there for any length of time but I am thinking of 20 seconds or so literally to replace the water left from cleaning that I can’t spin off. Should also dry quicker then. 😁

[@adfpv1153]

Cracking restoration 😁👍

[@HorologyHubub]

Thanks 👍

[@michaelfonseka7657]

Great job mate.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you my friend 😁👍

[@alexandregb566]

29:15 it's look like a cyclop mesmerized by you putting oile on its eye😂.

[@HorologyHubub]

😂😂 brilliant I may use that line.

[@nialllambert3194]

I inherited an Omega seamaster automatic from my father a few years ago, and I think it must be from the early 1960's. It's a rather beautiful thing, a very slim and elegant dress watch. It stopped a few months ago, ( I think it got a bit shook up when I was playing golf ). Could you take a look at it if I send it over to you? Might even get a video out of it.

[@HorologyHubub]

Hey, thanks for taking the time to watch my efforts it’s really appreciated 😁👍 are you able to email me to discuss your father’s watch further? [e-mail]

[@theswingingdeus63]

Very very interesting channel you’ve got another sub 👍

[@HorologyHubub]

Awesome, thank you for taking the time to watch my friend 😁👍

[@theswingingdeus63]

@@HorologyHubub thank you fantastic channel ❤️

[@M0UAW_IO83]

17 Rubis? Bit of a giveaway no?

[@yesterdayschild1418]

Great video I enjoyed watching it, shame about the hands 😞 One question, what grade Eveflex do you use, I could see it was green but was it fine or extra fine?

[@HorologyHubub]

I was gutted about the hands 😔 still lesson learnt lol thank you for taking the time to watch 😁👍. It’s the 800fine grade Eveflex I use, hope that helps.

[@yesterdayschild1418]

@@HorologyHubub Brilliant, thanks for getting back to me. I'm pretty new to this hobby and lost my first spring the other day which really hacked me off 😡every time I wake in the room I keep hoping I'll see it but I must give up hope. 😄 I read online I could make another out of guitar wire as I don't know the movement number and to be honest it's only a cheap old thing a friend gave me to practice on, but I really wanted to get it working.

[@HorologyHubub]

@@yesterdayschild1418 I feel your pain my friend, many a time I’ve been on my hands and knees 😂😂 did find a magnet helped if you haven’t already tried. Also I did once buy an assortment of springs, they where the Shepard staff/walking stick shaped ones but have come in handy. But more importantly don’t lose heart I’ve lost hundreds of bits 😂 does start to happen less as you learn the tips and tricks. If I can be any assistance in the future my friend don’t hesitate to get in touch emails in the video’s description.

[@Chico69ers]

Good job 👍

[@HorologyHubub]

Thanks for the kind words and taking the time to watch 😁👍

[@AaronS11979]

How does an hour hand get bent up like that do you figure? Inside a protected case/crystal. That's just crazy to me.

[@HorologyHubub]

My guess would be a previous tinkerer not being to careful when they tried to re-lume the hands with paint 🤣🤣 thanks for watching my friend. 😁👍👍

[@leeamanning]

Brilliant.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thanks for watching 😁👍

[@RightHandShot]

Nice work

[@HorologyHubub]

Thanks for watching my friend 😁👍

[@electronixTech]

New subscriber. Nice job.

[@HorologyHubub]

Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and sub 😁👍

[@saltaireorangebicyclechopp8555]

Is this the same dial as the Atlantic Worldmaster ?

[@HorologyHubub]

I honestly couldn’t tell you but would be interesting to find out for sure. I’ll do some digging. Thanks for your time my friend it’s appreciated 😁👍

[@UnburdenedByWhatHasBeen]

Hell, that thing was absolutely abused. What a transformation.

[@HorologyHubub]

Thank you for watching my friend 😁👍

[@amimrie]

How accurate was it?

[@HorologyHubub]

Before any adjustment and once I’d got it running it was +78 seconds 202 amp and 9.9 ms out 🤣 got it down to -1 second with 278 am and .2 ms 😁 hope it entertained you for and hour and thank you for watching, it really is appreciated 👍👍

[@SubTroppo]

Accent from somewhere near Cov?

[@HorologyHubub]

Spot on 😁 just outside of Cov 🤣🤣 thanks for watching 👍👍👍

[@SubTroppo]

@@HorologyHubub Was Eastern Green, now Brisbane Australia.

[@HorologyHubub]

@@SubTroppo wow 😁 know where I’d rather be 😂 got a spare room 🤣 I’m the other side of the city nearer Bedworth. The weathers not as nice as it is where you are but at least the bugs don’t try and eat ya.

[@SubTroppo]

@@HorologyHubub I spent some months in the south of France near Arles where the bugs are worse. Try the midges in Scotland in the summer - perhaps closer to Beduth. ps Never been to B. (escaped Cov at 19)

[@Unlucky1776]

Sucks about what happened to the hands but we all make mistakes

[@HorologyHubub]

Hey like I keep saying it’s all about learning 🤣 won’t be doing that again with the hands. And the life this watch must have lead, I’d love to know. The stories it could tell. Thank you my friend I really appreciate your time. Hope to see you in the next one 👍😁

[@mrmagoo.3678]

Are You from Coventry/Warks ways?... Your accent sounds kinda familiar..was gonna say Brum.....butttttt..........lol.. sorry..

[@HorologyHubub]

Cov boy born and bread lol 😁 good ears my friend. 👍👍👍 thanks for watching.

[@mrmagoo.3678]

@@HorologyHubub :D Thought so..Grew up in Beduff but lived in Cov for Years..

[@raymondo162]

seemed like a LOT of oil in the mainspring barrel .......... ??

[@HorologyHubub]

Yea was a bit excessive, but my thoughts are it’s probably the one place it’s not to important as long as it’s not dripping out 😂 still you are right and I need to be a bit more conservative with the oil especially with how expensive it is 🤣 thanks for watching and commenting it’s appreciated 😁👍👍

[@alexandregb566]

How is it possible? You follow almost every watchmaker channel I follow, too. That's a kind of ritual or something like that to beging this hobby? 😂

[@HorologyHubub]

🤣🤣