First before I get started I would like to thank David Abbe for suggesting I clean this movement and get it running. If you notice in a lot of my projects I thank the people who helped me by providing parts or suggestions. In this case Dave suggested I clean this one to put it back in service. I don't normally collect 12s but this one intrigued me.

This watch was made for International USA by New York Standard. That I am positive because I had to take some parts off of a NYS parts watch to get this one working. NYS did not make a 17 jewel 12s according to the price guide so this must have been a requirement from International USA.

This movement was absolutely filthy. It had gunk filling up the jewels and would not run. It is running and keeping time now.

I do not know how old this watch is. Neither NYS or International USA have a estimate of age by serial number in the Price Guide. Also how do you determine value? This watch has no counterpart under International USA or NYS. ???

Anyway here are a couple of pictures of what I started with followed by the finished product. I have had this movement sitting in a box for about 5 years or more and I almost sold the case a few months ago because I was never going to collect 12s. Well everything turned out for a reason.

Front of movement. This is what I started with.

Rear of movement. This is what I started with.

Here is the finished watch.

Back

Dial

Keystone triple hinged case.

And the last picture is of the movement. But because of the triple hinged case I could not get a real good picture but this is alright I guess.

Wonderful job Harry!

Harry hat looks like a NEW watch!! Jeff

Thank you Brad and Jeff. I was very surprised at how well it turned out.

How did you get that dial to look so good? It was a disaster before.

Harry, EXCELLENT WORK! Question, which "pairs" of jewels were capped to make it 17J?

I must add that with the cleaned up dial I must change my comparison to an "E.Howard/Keystone-Rockford-Illinois with a bit of South Bend thrown in for "flavor". Those Howard radial numeric minutes look great with those A++ hands!

"Better than New!"

Looks like it was soaked to remove the hairlines and then had some white enamel that was used to repair it. Harry can you confirm? Very fine restoration by the way.

Thanks,

Jared

That baby looks like it is ready for another 50 years of service - nice work!

Jared is right on the mark Brad. Great eye Jared. I soaked it in liquid Comet Bathroom cleaner for about 15 minutes then scrubbed with a cheap artist brush. I then cleaned and scrubbed with a foam hand soap then a last clean and scrub with the Comet (no soak). After it dried I filled the chips with Sheffield Porcelain Touch-up. If I darkened the photo you could see the hairlines a little better. They are difficult to see though through the crystal.

Thank you Dave they capped the escapement wheel on the back of the movement and I assume on the front under the dial but I really don't remember which one is capped under the dial. I can take the dial off and check if you want me to.

Thanks Jon.

Simply amazing!!! Regards Roger

Thank you very much Roger.

Wow! That's incredible. Was the balance in good condition? Or what did you have to do to get it working again?

Thank you Doug. The balance was in good condition although the wheel on one side was bent under the lip of the other side. I carefully spread it apart until it sprang back into place.

I had to clean it real good but the hour gear was corroded and stuck to the cannon gear so I had to carefully remove it with quit a bit of effort only to find the cannon gear corroded to the center wheel pivot. I ended up braking the center wheel to get the cannon gear off. I made sure I had a replacement before I took a chance on breaking the center wheel pivot.

When I took it apart the mainspring barrel had come apart so I checked that out and put that back together. I replaced the screw that holds down the arm to the upper pallet fork jewel as that screw did not seem to be the right one.

Other than going through my extra NYS 12s parts movements to find hands and straightening the bent hands and going through my cases to find a case and cleaning the dial and case up that is about it.

David I just took the dial off and this has a cap jewel on each side of the escape wheel.

Hey Harry! I may have a dial that I'd like you to work your magic on...if I win it. Regards, Brad

Can hardly believe the difference you have made on the dial. I thought sure that it was a replacement!

Thanks Brad and Dave. What have you got Brad.

Go to Pitfalls, and check out "Now THIS Dial I Like".

Harry, you'll have to let me know where to get that Sheffield Porcelain Touch-Up, and how to use it. That dial I just bought is chipped just under the hands on the hole. I'm thinking I might try my hand at repairing it, since it is in a place that isn't too noticeable. I've also heard that an overnight soak in Polident cleans hairlines out pretty well too. Regards, Brad

Brad I will email you with the way I would clean it because the post would get rather lengthy.

Harry, will you email the cleaning/touch-up process to me as well. I have used Dynamic Porcelain Touch-Up but am still in the learning stage. For any of you who want to redo numbers or markers on a repaired dial; next time you go in for a manicure ask the girl if she is willing to give it a try. A lot of the work they do is just stencils but the girl here is pretty good at minuscule freehand work. I would post a pic but the only dial I had done somehow got lost. Just keep in mind that nail polish is just lacquer and think it would not stand up too well in a watch cleaner.

Harry,come on share it with the rest of us on this site. Regards Roger

Here are the instructions but please remember this is what works for me. It may not work for everyone but if you decide to try it I wish you luck. Also remember that a lot of the hairlines still show up but just not in the photo.

Harry

As for the Polident I can not speak as I have never used it. I did read some post on Polident on the IHC185 site and as members were discussing the results or using Polident of a couple of other methods I chose the Liquid Comet. That is what I perceived as the best chose for me.

I have never repaired a private label so use caution. I don't know if the name is added with a different process as the regular signature so I do not know how well it will stay. This is what I would do.

1) I would remove it from the watch of course and check it to make sure it does not have any loose porcelain that could get wasted away in the cleaning process. Once that is done I would close the stopper in the sink or use a container (I just use the sink). I turn the water on and I let the water get warm. I place the dial under the stream until the water gets to temperature and I let it run over the face of the dial for a few minutes warming the dial.

2) I then take a mild soft liquid foam detergent like your wife would by for the bathroom and I squirt the foam soap (regular hand soap in a squirt bottle would be fine just don't use too much) onto the dial and with a old tooth brush I scrub the dial with the soap.Now be careful especially around any chips and around edges as you do not want to dislodge any porcelain AND also I would be careful of using the tooth brush on the script unless I was sure it would not rub off. Also check to make sure there is no printing stamped on the rear of the dial that you do not want washed off. I only had one dial that had something printed on the back and I washed it off by accident. I do not know how you would protect the printing on the back using my method. Maybe some tape or something?

3) Pat dry. I would not rub it dry. Then let air dry.


4) This is where you use the Polident (however you wish to use it) or watch cleaning detergent or jewelry cleaner, etc... I will tell you how I use the Liquid Comet. (If you use a lot you may want to use in a well ventilated area as the fumes get get pretty strong). Liquid Comet does not use Clorox Bleach and I would suggest not using any product that has bleach in it. I put the dial in the bottom of the sink with the stopped closed and I spray the top of the dial with the Liquid Comet and I let soak about fifteen minutes. AGAIN use caution here to make sure the signature is stable. I do not know how you would test the signature to see if it were stable without taking a chance on destroying the signature. Maybe a q-tip soaked in the Liquid Comet or whatever you use and rub just the very end of the signature to see if any washes away. GO VERY SLOW HERE WHILE TESTING and if you see the tip of the signature getting lighter STOP.
a) at this point you have a couple of options. If the signature is not stable just continue to use the cotton swab on the down hill side and rub out the hairlines one by one. With the Liquid Comet running down hill away from the signature. If the signature has a hairline just use a mild soap on it. This of course is if the signature is unstable.
b) or you can just use liquid soap on the whole dial and just do it three or four times and just hope for the best.

5) If the signature is stable you can use whatever method you wish but I would keep a watchful I on it. If you choose to use the Liquid Comet I would let it set about 15 minutes then I would scrub with a toothbrush (keeping a watchful eye for anything that doesn't look right) then I would use the soap again with the toothbrush and rinse in warm water. I then pat dry and check the hairlines. You may need to do this several times until you see that the hairlines are not improving anymore. Once you get to where you can not get it hairlines any cleaner (more than likely you will still be able to see the hairlines but they will look a lot better) it will be time to fix the chip.


6) You get the Sheffield Porcelain touch up at a local hardware store that has plumbing supplies. I don't know if Lowe's or Home Depot would have it or not. They should since they put the little ma and pa hardware stores out of business. Or here is a link so you can get it through the internet; http://www.google.com/products...qi=2&ved=0CEkQ8wIwAA. MAKE SURE YOU GET WHITE as it comes in different colors. If your dial has gone from white to an off white as some of mine have done then the repair will be more noticeable. The way I would attempt this repair is on of two ways,

a) I would get a small piece if wax paper and test to make sure the Sheffield will not stick to it and then I would role the wax paper up into a tube and stick into the center hole. This will provide a lip for the Sheffield to form an edge on. Then I shake the Sheffield up real good and I open it. There is an applicator brush that is way to big to use in the bottle. I take a straight pin that is about 1 1/4" long that has a plastic ball on the dull end and I remove the plastic ball. The reason I do this is because you will need to load the needle with the Sheffield Porcelain repair fluid but touch the ens of the straight pin to the shaft of the applicator brush. I find that the square end tends to do better as the repair fluid collects at the squared off end better than the pointed end which tends ti collect away from the tip.

b) if you do not want to mess with the wax paper just repair without the paper. It will just leave a tapered edge which in most cases is fine.

7) The reason you apply the porcelain after you clean the dial is two fold, 1) you don't have to worry about dirt and trash being mixed with the porcelain and 2) the Liquid Comet and possibly any other cleaner you use may actually soften or dissolve the porcelain repair compound. You carefully apply the porcelain to the chip making sure you keep away from the sides until to get the flow going from the pin to the copper in the chip. Then move it around to come in contact with the dial sides of the chip. After you get the chip filled turn the pin around and use the point of the pin to navigate the repair fluid to the very edge of the chips in the very hard to get to corners.

8) Put aside and let dry. As is dries the repair fluid shrinks. It may take 3 or 4 application for the repair fluid to get level with the dial after it is dry. If you get some fluid outside the repair wait until it is good and dry and with a new sharp Exacto pointed razor blade very carefully trim the excess off.

This may take a few days to accomplish this waiting on the porcelain to dry and apply but it is necessary due to the fact that it shrinks when dry.

Thanks it. If you have any questions just ask,
Harry

Great info Harry and great work getting this old watch in fighting condition! So from reading your instructions I see that the best way to clean and fix a dial is to send it to you . I think I found my next rainy day project
Dan

Thank you Dan. If you want me to repair your dial I'll be glad to look at it for you. You can also use a ultra sonic cleaner. I read a post here about that and I have used it. They were discussing the advantages and disadvantages of putting the dial in face up or face down for better results. Personally I would not put it in face down as I do not want anything rubbing against the dial face but that is just me.