VR-338 An Exquisite Viennese Miniature Timepiece
This is one of those mechanisms that almost make me think I should pay the owner for the privilege of working on. It truly shows the impact of the training the Viennese received from Swiss watch-makers. A true miniature gem!
I sold this mechanism about 5 years ago. When it quit, after only 5 years, I was fortunate enough to have the owner send it back to be cleaned. When I first restored this mechanism I was still using clock oil on the finer pieces, figuring that they might need the thinner viscosity afforded by commercial clock oils. The oil I used was of the evaporative type – as in it completely disappeared after a while. And the clock stoped.
Whilst it would have likely been enough to have just applied miniscule amounts of 5W40 motor oil and call it good, I did go all the way through the mechanism – and shot a few pictures VR-338-Miniature
Being the anal sort that I am I reburnished all pivots - perhaps they are a little better than when I did them last. I also power-pegged all the larger holes. I like to think my techniques have improved, but it is tough telling. None the less, I lubed it with a fully-synthetic 5W40 motor oil and it is ticking away quietly as I type this. With a 1.6 pound weight, instead of the original 2.5 pounds.
As folks will say, the proof is in the pudding. Or, in this case, the ability to run, with no pendulum, on a weight that is just over 60% of the original weight. Oh, and modern motor oils won't evaporate or polymerize!
Read MoreI sold this mechanism about 5 years ago. When it quit, after only 5 years, I was fortunate enough to have the owner send it back to be cleaned. When I first restored this mechanism I was still using clock oil on the finer pieces, figuring that they might need the thinner viscosity afforded by commercial clock oils. The oil I used was of the evaporative type – as in it completely disappeared after a while. And the clock stoped.
Whilst it would have likely been enough to have just applied miniscule amounts of 5W40 motor oil and call it good, I did go all the way through the mechanism – and shot a few pictures VR-338-Miniature
Being the anal sort that I am I reburnished all pivots - perhaps they are a little better than when I did them last. I also power-pegged all the larger holes. I like to think my techniques have improved, but it is tough telling. None the less, I lubed it with a fully-synthetic 5W40 motor oil and it is ticking away quietly as I type this. With a 1.6 pound weight, instead of the original 2.5 pounds.
As folks will say, the proof is in the pudding. Or, in this case, the ability to run, with no pendulum, on a weight that is just over 60% of the original weight. Oh, and modern motor oils won't evaporate or polymerize!
