Job Number 200038, Hampden Molly Stark

Here's a Hampden Watch Co. 3/0 size, 7 jewel, model 3, "Molly Stark", made about 1901.

The hairspring from this 3/0 size Hampden has a slight inside bend in the about a third of the way out, which is the hardest bend to correct. I find small Hampden springs difficult to manipulate. 

Usually, you can sort of “feel” the tension in a hairspring. The material in some way wants to be in its original coil so correction comes almost naturally. But these things are really soft. They just about deform when you breath on them, and it’s really easy to over-shot a correction. I’ve had trouble with them before. I’m guess they must be all steel, old steel. This one is also has a trace of rust. It’ll likely never time right. I just found another one instead.

Close observers may notice a few odd things about the dial-side winding/setting mechanism (keyless works). Indeed this is a type not commonly found in American movements.

This movement is pin-setting. Notice the button to the right of the winding arbor.

I had to get out the little mainspring winders for this project… Once I was in a watch repair place, just looking around, and there was a display under glass of all sorts vintage watchmakers’ tools, including this once commonly used winder set, that I use all the time.

Here’s a shot of the edge showing the setting pin to the right of the winding arbor. There’s a pusher in the edge of the case that lines out with this pin.

After a little more work on the hairspring today, it’s better. This may well work out fine. The second photo is of a few tools good for hairspring work. The last one is a tool for tightening hairspring collets, which this one also needed. A little of everything…

Here is the pin-set button from the outside of the case. holding down the button puts the movement in setting mode. This is relatively unusual in American movements.

After a bit further hairspring work, it’s finally ready.

See the entire album for this watch here. 

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New Arrival, Job Numbers 200038

Hampden Molly Stark

This is a 3/0 size Hampden "Molly Stark" movement, series II, in need of a new mainspring.

This watch was made about 1902.

This is a "bridged" movement, and like others some of the fingers are actually one part.

This is a common design for hunting watch cases. The movement goes in from the front, and is held by two case screws at the back. The screws go into the movement at the outer edge such that the heads of the screws overlap the edge of the case to hold it. The case includes an inner dust cover at the back. The bezel snaps on the front. These pieces are all thin and fragile.

This case is also a type that will only work with lever or key setting movements though. The stem does not snap in and out. It goes into the neck of the case after the movement is in place, and a tiny screw in the neck is then turned in. The screw blocks a shoulder on the stem and keeps it in. The crown can be turned, but otherwise does not move.

Molly Stark (1737 - 1814) was the wife of American Revolutionary War general John Stark. Hampden Watch Company also made a larger General Stark movement, which seem to be slightly less common today.

See more examples, and more about the Hampden company, here:
http://elgintime.blogspot.com/search/label/Hampden

New Arrival

Newly arrived for service, this small Hampden...