Category Archives: Restoration

Restoring of watches

Cartier Santos Galbée

Some time ago I received this watch. It had the crown broken off. Because this is a case without a screwback, it has a split winding stem. The movement comes out of the front. Because the crown broke off at the top, it was not possible to divide the stem where it has to be divided, so it was to long to get it out of the case. After a struggle and help from my collegue the movement came out. As expected it suffered from rust. The movement had a real bad amplitude, aprox 140 degrees, and was contaminated with rust, so a service was needed. And the search for a new crown/stem combination. Cartier parts are not easy to find. The Richemont group don’t deliver parts to the independent watchmaker. But thanks to fellow watchmakers I could obtain a new crown/stem combination and gaskets. They come not cheap though. After servicing the movement it had an amplitude of 300 degrees, of wich I am quite satisfied.

 
 
Crown snapped of

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Broken, rusted stem

 

Crown part of the winding stem, aka the female part. Notice the rust

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Russian 1980 Moscow Olympic Games

I found in an auction this beaten up Russian watch. I am rather fond of the movements so I thought I make a bid and take my chances.

Here is what I received:

 

Van Poljot Olympics 1980

 

After I opened it up and dismantled the watch, I found a fine russian Poljot movement.
The dial has suffered over the years, but still has its charmes. It turns from eggplant purple to brown, depending on the reflecting of the light.
After polishing the case, changing the crystal and buffing the hands it turned out quite nice.
The movement has had an overhaul and is ticking like in its glory days.

Poljot moscow olympics watch

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Before and after: Citizen Promaster

Before and after: Citizen Promaster

As you may know, (or may not know) we have since April 2013 a King. And he is visiting our little village in April to celebrate his birthday.
This inspired me to make a ‘kingsday watch’, with the colors of the Dutch flag (red, white and blue), and the orange ribbon, wich is showed only on
birthdays, birth or marriages of the royal family, and is a reference to the family name, wich is ‘Orange”
I gave the movement a overhaul, changed the dial, the hands and the bezelinsert. I painted the minute track orange, and put in a new crystal, and a NATO strap. Here the result

Before and after: Citizen Promaster

Citizen Promaster

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