The best experience of watch repair is finding and buying a watch in “original-broken” condition.

Most of the watches that I buy have been “got-into,” usually by either unscrupulous or incompetent individuals who simply want to put a watch in running condition to improve sales value. Often these attempts are awful and hard to reverse. Improper jewels, improper hairsprings or even complete balances combined with improper mainsprings make it extremely difficult to find the culprit that causes the watch not to time or to achieve positional consistency.

The “original-broken” watch is the one which is not in this condition and will present itself in a straight-forward condition where the problems will be obvious.

Such is the case of a nice 928 that I recently bought. It came to me in a dirty silveroid case with an attractive antique bow. Dial was dirty as well. It had nice “tulip” minute and hour hands and no second-hand. The crown moved fairly freely but without mainspring resistance (an obvious broken-mainspring). It set but was very tight.

Inside, it was, perhaps, the dirtiest watch I’ve seen in a long time. That got me excited because it suggested that it had been set-aside, broken, for a long time. If it was only dirt that was causing the tightness in setting (rather than broken or gnarled setting wheels), then simple cleaning and lube should solve the problem.

Disassembly, revealed the answer, not only a broken mainspring but also the safety-pinion, on the center-wheel had unscrewed (as designed). The watch had, many years ago, suffered a catastrophic mainspring break. The safety-pinion had “saved” the power train. Thereafter, the watch had been set aside as “broken” and had come to me in that condition.

The “repair” was straight-forward. The watch was thoroughly cleaned and years of gunk disappeared, revealing good plates and even intact inlaying of the engraved lettering. I was careful to select a “proper” Hamilton mainspring. After all, if the watch was in “original-broken” condition, it had every possibility of timing to factory-specs. Replacing the safety pinion is simple… just screw it in… the train itself will tighten to the proper torque.

The dirty silveroid case was cleaned and buffed to new. It did not have any kind of “patina” that appeared attractive. The single sunk, Hamilton dial was soaked and found to have no hairlines. The watch has the usual broken shipper spring which was left alone. ( I can’t understand why no one is making these). I "lucked-out" and even found a second hand with a tiny "tulip" on the short-end.

Sure enough, the watch “took-off” running as soon as the balance was dropped in. Some minor adjustments had it keeping decent time in all positions… just like new.

To my mind, these are gems for watchmakers...genuine “broken” watches rather than the so-called “strong-running” abominations that have become so prevalent.

Move the clock back a hundred years....I often wonder what life was like for the typical watchmaker...and...his daily job of repairing these fine timepieces. He must have been a busy guy.

Saturday... and the shop is usually closed.

I got a call at noon, from my teacher... he'd be at the shop (preparing for a Regional) in case I wanted to come by.

So... I threw the mutt into the car (she'll frolic in the shop's yard with the so-called ferocious guard-dog) and rushed downtown.

I got there at about 12:30 and stayed until 3:30. I had two movements, both cleaned and ready for assembly. One even had a clean case and dial waiting.

I finished assembling and timing both in two hours and even cased one. True... they both proved to be without problems but I was struck with the speed that I'd developed over the past couple of years. It came without even being noticed. One watch was a Hamilton 996 that has an unusual and complex motor barrel arrangement. The other, a two-tone, 18sz Bunn Special needed re-inlaying of the top-plate's engraving.

I mention this in response to Tony's comment. I would imagine that those old watchmakers were very fast and very sure in all their movements. Their families depended on their speed and accuracy for their living.