| Author | Message | ||
     Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2356 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: |
I'm restoring a customer's Futurematic, here is the starting point. I will post photos of the work in progress.  Bent lug, crazed crystal, back setting mechanisim rusty and not working.   Movement filthy showing rust, balance wheel over banked.  Rust on the hands, and rust spots on the dial. Stay tuned... | ||
| Hexonx New member Username: Hexonx Post Number: 162 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Hi Zaf- Long time since I posted and read you on the broadarrow forum a while back. WOW. I cannot wait to see the results of this restoration. It looks quite meticulous. Maybe some day I will want some service done on a couple of my watches. Do you have a volume discount?  You should state that in your website if you do. | ||
| Ldamelio New member Username: Ldamelio Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2006 Rating: N/A |
Hi - the watch in question is mine - actually, it belongs to my father. It was an engagement present from my mom in 1952 or 1953. He wore it daily to do heavy physical labor for a couple of decades and it's sat in a drawer for 20 years. Looking forward to returning it to him for Father's Day or just for a nice surprise. It should have a much easier life in it's second incarnation. Zaf's chronicle of the work here is a nice bonus and I thank him greatly. If allowed on this forum, consider this a very enthusiastic plug for him. Lou D'Amelio | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2360 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Should be ready next Wednesday, I dropped it off at the shop yesterday. I did the case detail already and the dial work, both came out quasi flawless. I think you'll be very very pleased. The only difficulty is the rust on the hands, I got a lot of the spotting off, but not all. They came out decent but not perfect. I'll post photos as soon as I get it back. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2361 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Update: The watch is taken down completely. Every single screw, jewel, plate, etc, is taken apart, cleaned, oiled and polished as needed and re-assembled.  | ||
| Ldamelio New member Username: Ldamelio Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2006 Rating: N/A |
Looks great. Can't wait to see the finished product. Thanks for all the great work. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2366 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Word from the shop is that she's ticking away. I will pick it up on Wednesday and do the final detailing and timing. She should be ready to ship on Thursday. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2382 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Ok, the movement is done..  Not a bad result if I may say so. The hands did not turn out very nice, so I'm in the process of polishing them and replating them. Small delay. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2384 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
A little bit of lathe time and  presto  Nice looking case back. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2385 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
The dial is put in the ultra sonic machine in very short bursts and dried in between. Each triangular marker is hand polished and the hour & minute hands were polished and re-plated in gold.  | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2386 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
New cystal, light case buff, straighten the bent lug, and she become a real looker again, much nicer than the photo. Sympathetically restored, not obliterated by a dial refinish or extreme case polish.  | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 2387 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Timing machine reports some good news... the watch seems to be exceeding modern chronometer specs. We'll know for sure once it is worn.  | ||
| Ldamelio New member Username: Ldamelio Post Number: 4 Registered: 12-2006 Rating: N/A |
Phenomenonal ! The hard part is going to be waiting till Father's Day to give it back to my Dad. He had assumed it was junk and unsalvageable and had forgotten about it. With your permission, I'm going to print out the photos on this link to make a nice booklet documenting the restoration. Thanks. Lou |
