This is a restoration job done by Leon Harris and myself. I did the movement and Leon the 14k case. (Leon did a great job on the case)

This watch belongs to Chapter 185 member Richard Reidenback who inherited it from his Grandfather. I have enjoyed doing this project. Not only do I enjoy seeing these old watches brought back to life but I know this has a lot of sentimental value.

This watch came to me with one hinge on the case broke and the other lid was off the case also missing the bezel and crystal and had a bad bow. The movement was very dirty and sitting loose in the case. I had to clean the movement, polish all the piviots replace the mainspring and remove a dial washer that was under the balance cock, after getting the proper balance jewels put in and the endshake adjusted I was able to do away with the shim under the balance cock. It is now running strong.

I have to brag on Leon. He did a great job on the case and this project would not have been possible without his help. Leon repaired both lids and hinges replaced the bow and fitted a new bezel and crystal on the case.

2

Hampden Railway movement

repaired hinge on the case the lid on this side of the case had a broke pin and the hinge was bent.
I forgot to mention in my previous post Leon also replaced a missing lift spring on the front lid .

a couple of shots of the case BEFORE repair

hinges BEFORE repairs

Great job Samie & Leon. Someone is going to be a happy camper :D I used Leon before and reccomend him to anyone who needs case work done. He is a member here and this is his contact info
Leon contact at email HarrisLJ@msn.com or phone 931-261-0543

Super job Sammie and Leon. As you know....nothing makes my heart beat faster like a great resoration job. You guys get a tip of my hat. I have not talked with Leon but you can be certain that I'll think of him every time I see someone selling a unique but busted case!

What a great job, I love seeing an old piece like that being restored. Thanks, Ken Lynn

I have to say thank you for the superb job!

The watch was my great grand fathers. My father and I were visiting my last living Uncle and his wife in Lancaster, PA. During our stay there I showed my uncle several pocket watches I had with me. He told me he had my great grand fathers watch. He went to his bed room and returned with a small cardboard box wrapped with a rubber band. In side was the watch in pieces. The bezel and crystal were gone. A cover was off but there, and the extremely cruddy movement, was loose in the case.

I wrote down all the information from the watch and brought it back to Rockville, MD. I researched it as best as I could and wrote my Uncle a letter with the results. I then called him and expressed a desire to acquire it. He was hesitant and said he had been thinking about seeing if a local museum was interested in it. I let some time pass and wrote him a follow up letter. I told him how I wanted to get it out of his sock drawer and get the life put back into it. Thanks again! I also express how I felt it needed to stay in the family and I would only wear it occasionally for special events.

I also requested a written history back to my great grand father because I knew nothing about him except for the little I heard the evening the watch was shown to me. I also offered a couple hundred dollars as well. I waited several more weeks then called him. He had a chance to read the letter then contact his son in California to see if he wanted the watch. He said it would only sit in a sock drawer in the shape it was in and to let me get it. He can’t wait to see the pictures and then the watch the next time we visit. I better not wait too long my Uncle is in his 90”s now and my father passed away since that visit.

When I got it I had doubts the movement could be saved. It had stuff in it I did not recognize. It looked corroded beyond use to me. I figured the case needed a rebuild, bezel, crystal, and a replacement movement. Boy was I surprised when I was notified the movement cleaned up and only needed several parts.

I still need to work on getting that written history no its lineage from my great grand dad to me.

Great job, Samie & Leon.
Brian C.

Just show your Uncle the photos. If he has it in hand now, he may want it back!

Absolutely a PERFECT example of how these old machines can be brought back from the dead.

Makes me proud to know you guys!!!

High regards! Mark

A story like this warms my heart.

Tom

Great work Samie and Leon.

She's a beauty now.


Great story.

Charlie

Samie and Leon, fabulous job!!

Richard, what a great story and now you have some history behind your beautiful family heirloom.

Thanks for sharing

email for Leon is HarrisLj@msn.com or call him at: 931-261-0543

My Uncle finally saw the watch he had in his sock drawer for decades and could not believe it. He is in his nineties and was screwing around like he wasn't going to give it back. I'm sure he really would have liked to hold on to it. But heck it's mine now and will probable end up with my nephew to keep it in the family. I hope as he gets older he develops and appreciation for it. He doesn’t seem to care about too much. I pray he matures. I now have a job at Union Station in Washington DC. There are passenger trains and Metro rail trains coming and going 24-7. It’s neat to have the old train watch at work.

Richard,
You have one fantastic watch there!
The work is beyond anything I would have considered possible. Congratulations!

My son lives only blocks from Union Station and my Grandfather helped build it!!!!

It's a great city.

Richard

That's a honey of a watch and you, Sammie and Leon deserve a round of applause for rescuing this little piece of history from the sock drawer.

I wonder how many other sock drawers still hold treasure like this.

I just recieved two cases I sent to Leon erlier this month. This man is a artist when it comes to case repair!! Thanks Leon.

I have always marveled at those who can make a bezel or replace a hinge. Case making is a very important aspect of watch repair and too few individuals are available to execute such work. The watch looks great!