This is a grade 92 Elgin movement, 16 size, 11 jewels, made about 1883.
Note the damage to the plate around the head of the screw. This is from someone forcing a screwdriver that has too wide a blade. All the screws are like this. It's pretty common, I see this sort of damage all the time.
This watch has a male winding arbor. Cases for movements like this are extremely hard to find. This watch has a nice case, but it has to go out for a slight repair, so no photos just yet...
Another bit of repair damage...
The set screw for the hairspring, on the balance cock, has been striped in the past and then had the hole tightened with a punch. Again, things like this are why I am careful not to use the word "restoration". I can't do anything about this "fix" done decades ago in all likelihood. This part can never be "like new" again.
A divot like this is far from the worst thing I have seen of course. It solves the problem, and it doesn't show since it is on the underside. But is would have been far better to have not striped the screw in the first place. These are tiny screws fit into very soft brass. It takes very little abuse to ruin them.
Just look at what this screw does, holding the hairspring stud in place, with very little stress. I little thought and understanding goes a long way in watches. The screw does not need to be torqued.
The
album for this project is here.
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