... was the only Model 2 Seth that I own. I probably should've started with a 7-jewel clunker, but the Code of the Donkey says "Go big or go home."

A gorgeous uninscribed Crescent GF hunter case:

A perfect dial, and note the signature matches that of the movement:

It was so clotted up that it wouldn't run. The lift spring was rusted in place, and the hands wouldn't set. Everything was dirty, so ...

Armed with two quarts of L&R chemicals from my hirsute Amish watchmaker, my ultrasonic, various tools, Rodico, and everything I've gleaned from you folks and this site, I broke the watch down to the screws.

Into the evil-smelling chemicals, into the rinse, and then into the dryer went all the parts. I followed Chris Abell's checklist as far as I could, cleaning what I was supposed to, oiling what I was supposed to, checking for endplay and backlash, until I fitted the hands and popped that tricky hunter bezel back on.

Then I wound it.

I got a little choked up when it took off like Secretariat, and for the past 24 hours it's been keeping Stoner Time. How'd I do?

I will agree with the old adage in this one, Eric, and that never do anything small....
You sure didn't start out small....

Your Seth is simply MAGNIFICENT and I'm sure you did a great job in the cleaning....Way to go....

Thanks for showing this masterpiece to us....

Regards,

Jerry

Good going Eric, looks to me like you did a bang-up job, congratulations!

Nice going Eric....I noticed you ground the sides off the case screws. How much time did that save you?

Seriously...very nice work. You have now stepped over to the other side....the side that can tear one of these baby's down. I feel left behind.

Steve

Well done my friend! Beautiful work. Congrats!

Nice Photo Shop! You had a lot of people fooled there. Good one.

Eric, I see you left out the Gyro phaser. Did it zing out into space?

Great job Eric! I have the "taking apart" down pretty good...but, have yet to figure out how to put them back together?!?! Great pics!!

Great Job,I love the case.

That is some work that anyone would be proud of!

Nice job Eric. Now you will not have enough time to do any woodworking

Thanks, everybody.

Steve, trust me - if I can, you can. I've seen examples of your woodworking, remember? You have gifted hands, my friend.

Really NICE job Eric!

What a feeling when you put it all back together and you watch that balance start up!!

Congratulations!!

Regards,
Larry

Woof! Woof! Isn't shiny gold wonderful to look at! Congratulations Eric. You got your mojo working on this one as I never knew a Seth Thomas pocket watch to keep any kinda time but bad time.
Mike

Why did you make the screws black when you cleaned them? Did you boil them or something?

They're still blue, Frank. I change the light source to highlight the pattern, and the screw heads end up shadowed.

Congratulations Eric!!! It was one of the great thrills of my life when I ,using a Chicago School of Watchmaking lesson book I had picked up at a yard sale ,took a standard layout US made watch down to screws and parts ,cleaned it,oiled & reassembled it, and then wound it up and gave it a little shake !! I thought "Eureka, I have found it!",as the balance took off and went back and forth,it was like giving life back to something that was dead!!! I was pretty proud and excited !!!!A sprinkle of new knowledge comes to Old New Yahk !!!! Best to you from across Lake Erie at Aylmer Ontario

Oh, I see. I was confused because the top screw holding down the third wheel chaton stayed brown. I guess it was a little rusty and you didn't have
anything to clean it with.

I must commend you for the excellent job you did with the staking set. The cap jewel doesn't look any different at all and you managed to line up the cap with the little tap mark that the last watchmaker put there.

With the watch being as gunked up as you say I'm curious as to what the end of the pivots looked like? Were they ball shaped or slightly flat? And was there a slight ring on the staff were it meets the hole jewel? In a really dirty movement or one with a cracked jewel that happens a lot. Also, I hope you checked the cap jewel for pitting but also just for something that looks like a light haze. That's the beginning.


The balance and the spring, for all you can see of them, look good and the curve on the spring looks very good. It looks like didn't have to reform the coil at all. Did you attach the spring stud when the balance cock was on the movement or off? I've tried both ways; like with Waltham's it's almost a given how the stud will be fastened there!

Anyways, I hope the questions don't seem too trivial. It's interesting how one does things when they're starting out. And if you have any bad habits it's important to correct them as quickly as possible.
Also, I noticed you left the regulator and the whip spring in identical positions as if you didn't turn down the regulating screw all the way down. It's important to have as little tension in play when you remove these parts, the whip spring and the regulator have tendency to fly off into nowhere. And then leaving that regulator screw out is fine when you're just putting it back on, but it makes it little harder to get regulator on. But of course, with experience, it will all become second nature to you.

Congratulations Eric there is nothing more gratifying than a freshly cleaned watch that runs properly.
Frank I am curious as to your reference the pivot shape of the balance staff. There was a time, when, to slow a fast balance the pivots would be flattened slightly to create a little more friction and slow it down somewhat without having to manipulate (mutilate) the balance screws. I would suggest that if the end stones are not marred or pitted and the watch is keeping good time this may be the case. Regards, John

Eric that looks great congratulations on a good job better look out this frist thing you know you will have several thousand dollars in parts and tools.