Watch Repair Projects & Info

Vintage Rolex watch – rusted solid!

This watch was severely damaged by water. I had to completely take the watch to pieces and remove the rust from each part. Once this was done I cleaned the parts and then inspected each tooth and pivot on the wheels. Regretfully the 3rd wheel pivot was corroded and broken and this had to be dealt with. I fitted a new jewel and repaired the 3rd wheel then cleaned it all again.

Once cleaned I put the wheels in and checked that they were running freely and uniformly. Then I assembled the rest of the movement and lubricated it. I had make many adjustments to the escapement (the part of the watch you hear tick) in order to adjust the timekeeping.

With the dial and hands back on it is important to test the watch in three positions in order to observe the timekeeping.

This is the watch outside of the case
This is the watch outside of the case
The underside of the watch - showing the rust
The underside of the watch - showing the rust
From another angle.
From another angle.
With the dial and hands removed.
With the dial and hands removed.
The watch fully stripped down. Before cleaning and de-rusting
The watch almost fully stripped down. Before cleaning and de-rusting

 

The parts partway through the cleaning process
The parts partway through the cleaning process

 

Re-Assembling the watch
Re-Assembling the watch
Testing if the wheels are spinning freely
Testing if the wheels are spinning freely

 

Further work is required – I will update this when the watch is complete.

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