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Watch ticky ticky, hands no movie movie

Started by Heckler, September 18, 2015, 03:17:05 PM

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Heckler

I have an 1891 Waltham pocket watch which I had serviced by a rather aged local horologist just over a year ago (new main spring full strip down etc.).  Recently it has developed an odd problem, I wind it and it runs, however the hour and minute hands never turn.  I can turn them and I don't feel any undue resistance (they adjust via a nut on the hand spindle) but they won't turn by themselves.  I tried to take it back to the old gentleman and the shop has closed, apparently he's either gone bust or retired so I'm a bit stuffed for local help.

So my question is, is there anything obvious I could (carefully obviously) check before I start looking for another horologist on my Babbage engine?
We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
H.P. Lovecraft
"The Call of Cthulhu"

Heckler

We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
H.P. Lovecraft
"The Call of Cthulhu"

Narsil

It could be that the mechanism which decouples the hands from the movement to let you adjust the time isn't re-engaging properly. If you can turn the hands by turning the crown this is probably the most likely explanation. Usually you pull the crown out to set the hands an push it back in to reengage. If it won;t do that there may be some foreign object stopping it .






A man of eighty has outlived probably three new schools of painting, two of architecture and poetry and a hundred in dress.
Lord Byron

Drew P

That would be the 'Keyless'.
Sometimes a little tricky to reset/put back together correctly because of the minor complexity with the spring.
Never ask 'Why?'
Always ask 'Why not!?'

Heckler

The watch is a key wind and adjust, with the adjust via a nut on the hand spindle.  I now wonder if when it was re-assembled it may not have done correctly.

Well that's encouraging, at least it sounds repairable, I just need to find someone to do it.
We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
H.P. Lovecraft
"The Call of Cthulhu"

Caledonian

does the watch have a crown? this thing used to adjust the hands.
if so, try to push it in a little.
Passion is like a Peatfire

Heckler

Quote from: Caledonian on October 07, 2015, 03:23:43 PM
does the watch have a crown? this thing used to adjust the hands.
if so, try to push it in a little.

<cough>

Quote from: Heckler on October 02, 2015, 03:51:16 PM
The watch is a key wind and adjust, with the adjust via a nut on the hand spindle.

<cough>
We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
H.P. Lovecraft
"The Call of Cthulhu"

Caledonian

Passion is like a Peatfire

Heckler

We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
H.P. Lovecraft
"The Call of Cthulhu"

Clockman

I know that this was posted a long time ago but it looks like you never got a correct answer.

There is a clutch of sorts in the watch called a "cannon pinion" this is too loose and that is why you are feeling no resistance when you try setting it. It's possible that it's broken but it might just need to be tightened.

Again sorry for the late response but I just joined the group!