| Author | Message | ||
     Bencambridge New member Username: Bencambridge Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2014 Rating: N/A |
I recently restored an old and rather horribly wrecked (externally) JLC Memovox (K825). The dial, regrettably but unavoidably, had to be redone. Happily, it was fine internally - losing only 10 seconds a day before being cleaned - and only required a new balance spring. As the original crowns had been replaced with mismatched brass ones, new ones had to be located: this necessitated a new winding stem at 4 o'clock. Having used it for just a few days, without any problems, I put it in a metal safe as I was going away: now, whenever it is on my person, it stops after 10-15 minutes. For a day or so it was up to six hour segments or so, but now its reverted to form (left alone on a shelf it runs for several hours). If the 4 o'clock crown is used to move the minute hand forward the watch restarts immediately. Magnetisation? A botched winding stem installation? (As I recall it met with some resistance when winding. Now there is no sensation of resistance or anything much at all.) Or something else? Also, and out of curiosity, the watch was purchased on ebay.com, and sent here to the UK. The outside said JLC, and given its condition - water/sweat damaged dial, cheap replacement crowns, elegant plastic strap, badly scratched back (due, presumably, to a the unavailability of the necessary piece) - there is no chance that anyone would have been tampering with the dial. The movement says JLC too. But 'LeCoultre' appears on the inside of the case. I've seen that a number of models being sold in Europe have the same arrangement. Why is this?  | ||
| Bencambridge New member Username: Bencambridge Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2014 Rating: N/A |
Also, the movement on the case is 996549: when (approx) would it be dated to? Apologies for the old (pre-cleaned) photograph: I can't upload anything newer. | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 6189 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Impossible to say waht is wrong with it without the watch in hand. Why don't you take it back to the guy that serviced it? -10 sec a day is quite decent incidentally, I would have left it alone unless it was obviously not lubricated. | ||
| Bencambridge New member Username: Bencambridge Post Number: 3 Registered: 11-2014 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the advice: will take it in and see what the watchmaker says. Oddly enough, has been running quite well for much of the day, at least until a couple of hours ago. I had the watch lubricated because I was advised that a forty or so year old watch needed it.... alas, I followed the advice. The number on the outside of the case is 996549; inside is 1.7 million or so - I assume this points to 1965 or so as the year of manufacture (?) And why would the dial and movement be JLC, and the metal case say 'LeCoultre'? It seems to be quite a common arrangement. Surely not spliced together? Or did JLC send movements and dials across the pond, and then have them reassembled in LeCoultre cases? (and, if so, is this a LeCoultre or a JLC?) | ||
| Bencambridge New member Username: Bencambridge Post Number: 4 Registered: 11-2014 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the advice: will take it in and see what the watchmaker says. Oddly enough, has been running quite well for much of the day, at least until a couple of hours ago. I had the watch lubricated because I was advised that a four decade old never cleaned watch needed it.... alas, I took the advice. The number on the outside of the case is 996549; inside is 1.7 million or so - I assume this points to 1965 or so as the year of manufacture (?) And why would the dial and movement be JLC, and the metal case say 'LeCoultre'? It seems to be quite a common arrangement. Surely not spliced together? Or did JLC send movements and dials across the pond, and then have them reassembled in LeCoultre cases? (and, if so, is this a LeCoultre or a JLC?) | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 6190 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
I think you need to wind it 10-15 times before you put it on. Are you doing that? Any old automatic will run and stop if you just pick it up and start wearing it but may run longer if just left dial up. For Europe: Dial, movement JLC, Case LC For USA: Dial, movement and case all LC, frequently cased in American made cases. | ||
| Bencambridge New member Username: Bencambridge Post Number: 5 Registered: 11-2014 Rating: N/A |
Its been wound up, but maybe it just needs a few days to be broken in... will try that and see. The watch has a JLC dial and movement, and a (barely legible) 'Parking' dial. I'd thought that the worldtime and parking dials were only sold in the US. I presume that I'm wrong on that score. Thanks for your advice! | ||
| Bencambridge New member Username: Bencambridge Post Number: 6 Registered: 11-2014 Rating: N/A |
It turned out in the end that the watch was magnetised... and now runs almost perfectly, apart from its actual time keeping. Its losing a good 3-4 minutes per day, whether on the wrist or left to stand. What would readers suggest? | ||
| Rdenney Junior Member Username: Rdenney Post Number: 11 Registered: 08-2014 Rating: N/A |
It needs to be regulated, but that much correction will be outside the range of the regulator, probably. Beat error also needs to be assessed, using a timing machine, because making a regulation correction that large will affect the beat--beat and timing interact. The movement has a fixed stud carrier, so the spring will have to be adjusted in the stud to correct beat error. And it may take some balance screw washers, too, to achieve regulation. All this should be routine for a qualified watchmaker, but it's much harder than just turning a screw. Rick "good luck" Denney |