Here are all the parts that make up a Hamilton 992B. It truly amazes me at the engineering involved in creating such a beautiful work of art. Not to mention the era in which it was done. All these intricate parts made to precision with tolerances and standards set finer than some today. The 992B is capable of keeping remarkable time and some argue even better than some of the high-end watches made today.

My passion for this hobby started when I dropped my first pocket watch and broke it. Being the type that has to take everything apart that is broken to see what is wrong has always been a part of me. I've worked in construction my entire life and I've developed skills at a high level in that field. Taking apart things and putting them back together comes naturally to me.

I started reading, watching videos, asked questions and from there started to gather the tools necessary to perform the task. I'm starting with a watch I bought as non-working. It has several problems. I figure I'll practice on this one before attempting others that have more meaning to me, like the first watch I bought which is also a 992B. My goal is to be able to service the watches in my collection. This project is something that won't be rushed and done in my spare time. I'm still working on getting the tools and equipment necessary to move forward.

If there is any interest in seeing the project moving forward, I will post progress reports and pictures along the way. Just chime in and let me know. Don't be bashful about mentioning things that will help me along the way to avoid errors. This is all new to me and I'm looking to avoid as many mistakes as possible.

Also, please tell me what you find most interesting about pocket watches and why you collect them.

pic 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Great read!
It has always been amazing to me to have all those little wheels and cogs spinning and at various speeds and keep time.

Thats how it happened...how I broke my watch. I was in my recliner watching the Red Sox admiring how much I loved my first purchase. Watching that hairspring breath. Seeing those gears go round and round. Watching the escapement teeth on each tic/toc. Putting my ear up to it to hear each beat. It kept impeccable time; something like within 15 seconds after 3 weeks. I closed it up, set it on lap and fell asleep. The phone rang, woke me up and as I stood to answer the phone the watch went flying onto the hardwood floor. It has a broken balance staff for sure. Hopefully that is it. We will soon see.