Messages: 71 Location: Netherlands
Registered: January 2004
The Nicolet watch (landeron 39) gets a service
Sun, 06 January 2013 06:25
Sometime ago I dropped this watch in to illustrate a request for movement identification:
A chronograph by the 'Nicolet Watch' company. Probably dating from the early 1940's.
Inside ticking is a Landeron 39 column wheel chronograph.
Problem with the watch was 'running but chronograph not switching', lets investigate:
watch after purchase. A lot of dust and hair on the dial. How did that get there? Chronograph mechanism does not start/stop (is blocked somehow)
the stainless steel case back has some cracks on the edge, this is the reason why the case opens very easily.
First look on the inside
A) bent spring for the minute counter
B) this screw was loose, blocking the lever
C) reset level continuously 'on'
D) some hidden threaded hole
E) brake stays off
F) another bent spring
Cause of the dust on the dial: the crystal is not properly mounted.
the cause for the reset lever/actuator to be activated all the time was the return spring which acted on the wrong side (green). After moving it to the blue side the reset lever returns. Note that the spring must slide in the slot created by the screw, to prevent the lever falling off.
dial after cleaning the dust...
starting the disassembly. Movement dial side
movement stripped from the chronograph works
the balance looks like being made from glucydur, but in fact is more likely just a nickel alloy, polished and gold plated including the screws. There is a damage in the rim showing another color.
a under-the-bridge view of the train winding system and barrel
inside the barrel. Note the hook does not allow the mainspring to use the fully available area. (spring will be replaced)
movement after cleaning the away the oxidation.
I used a very gentle polishing compound (just poly watch)
surprise, surprise. Rust on the balance...
... and a damaged pivot
the other pivot is not much better.
a cracked jewel
One of the pallets is chipped
Old balance staff versus new one. To save some time, I made it adapting an existing staff turning it into the right dimensions. My lathe is not 100% accurate, so it is slightly un-true.
rebuilding the movement. Started with escape wheel and seconds wheel.
the train in position
click mounted
and the plate in position
rebuilding the key-less works. A new winding stem and crown were also installed.
checking the escapement as I did replace a pallet.
close up through the microscope. Here the pallets are already lubricated.
locking is checked for all teeth of the escape wheel by slowly moving the lever from side to side. For old watches, this is always necessary to check.
base movement assembled and ready-for-start
and running...
Starting the assembly of the chronograph. Column wheel and spring in position.
Transmission wheel for seconds in position.
start/stop lever in position and ready for test.
Some springs. Their location can be easily identified by looking at the steady pins in relation to the hole for screw.
the spring for the start/stop mechanism in position, it required a new screw...
A column wheel chronograph can be easily detected without opening by just pushing the buttons. A good chronograph feels like if you are pushing an pushbutton switch. Click-click on, click-click off. This landeron however did not operate smoothly. A close up under the microscope reveils the cause no finishing at all, just raw material.
After removing the burrs and some polishing it worked already a lot smoother. A second point of attention is the spring operating on the start/stop lever. Where this spring touches the lever it should also be polished, to make operations smoother.
After shooting the picture of the column wheel I had to do some other job and no time to spend on watch repairing... When I continued I forgot to make some pictures. So you did not miss a part while looking at the advertorials ;-) the part of the story is just not documented.
Here the movement is already cased up. The winding stem is shortened. From cuttings out of a sheet of aluminium, I filed to new pushers. Stainless stell would have been better, but I just don't have proper drilling and thread making tools for that.
top view showing the new pushers
The dial is mounted and hands are put on. The crystal stays in the ring as it is much more convenient to put on the ring including the crystal.
A) acts as rotating point for the lever, and at the same time holds the spring for the reset lever.
B) is also a two function screw: it holds the spring for the brake and is at the same time the point of rotation for the intermediate counter wheel. The screw held both parts too tight, not letting them rotate freely. By removing a tiny bit from the underside of the screwhead this was solved, and now the brake works...
C) this spring (which act as the brake at the same time) was bent. Carefully bended it back . (I prefer bending hairsprings however)
D) missing screw. With the movement out of the case the reset lever goes to far to the right side of the movement. This way, the reset for the swconds counter hits the minute counter. The missing screw blocked this. From an old screw, made a new one which does the job.
E) not very clear on this picture: the spring should be positioned so it also prevents the reset lever from falling out (see also next picture).
F) More troubles. The cock (holding both wheels) was bent down near the jewel. This caused the seconds wheel to touch the intermediate wheel during reset. By bending the cock straight this was solved.
green lines indicate the springs.
detail of situation
resets correct to zero!
detail
another view on the movement
view on the pushers
another view
the remains: two pushers, a winding crown, a main spring and a jewel
a few other views
If anyone has more info on this watch I would appreciate it. I have not found any images of it yet.
coming next:
for the monkeys being keen on rusty watches, like me ;-)
- Kees Bronkhorst