A few weeks ago, someone posted on this board asking for help with a binding escape wheel. The watch was purchased at a local antique shop in "as-is" condition with no history. I had a parts movement of the same grade and sent him the correct escape wheel. That wheel would not fit into the pillar plate pivot hole. Since it's difficult to troubleshoot via email, I asked him to send me the entire watch.

After examining the watch, it was clear that someone had tried to fit a different escape wheel:




Someone had closed the lower pivot hole to about 0.22mm. The correct pivot hole size should be 0.26mm. Also, the escape wheel arbor length was 5.98mm. Correct length should be 5.77mm. To provide enough clearance for the wheel to fit, the pillar post was deformed so that the train plate would sit a little higher. Even by doing this, the escape wheel was still binding.

I was able to repair the watch by opening up the lower pivot hole, filing off the 'humps' from the pillar post, installing the correct escape wheel and adjusting both pallet stones. The watch is now running great!

With a plentiful supply of Elgin parts and parts movements, why would anyone botch up a watch to fit an incorrect part?

John D. Duvall
Rosamond, CA.
NAWCC Member 0144772
NAWCC IHC Happy Camper 192

Ooops....the request for help was posted on the green board, not this one.

John D. Duvall
Rosamond, CA.
NAWCC Member 0144772
NAWCC IHC Happy Camper 192

If I remember correctly, someone in that discussion had suggested using those exact same techniques to fix the problem. My guess is that the botchery technique has long been practiced. Someone without the proper part might have done this to get the watch out of the door and back to the customer. Or more likely used this technique recently to get a nonworking movement out to the unsuspecting masses on eBay.

Mike Miller
NAWCC Member# 154831
NAWCC-IHC Charter Member# 27