Any watchmakers?
 

Or friends of watchmakers?

I mean, old school watchmakers...

Long story short, I bought a mini lathe a few years back from a widow, and it included a bunch of random stuff in boxes. I finally got around to digging into it a bit, and ended up finding some watchmaker tools, some/all of which might be 100-120 years old? These are fittings for an old watchmaker lathe, which they used to hand cut gears, watch faces, crystals, etc.

Anyone know someone who does this, or collects old watchmaker parts? These are old enough that I'm having trouble pricing them, only a few examples exist on the interwebs in my searches.

I used to work with an instrument tech that made watches and clocks on the side, but I'm sure he's long since passed on. Some pictures of that collection and the lathe would be interesting to see.

You might approach a jeweler or two or somebody who specializes in old clocks (if you can find them).

Well if the mini lathe has been used for making watch parts you know it's very accurate, no wobbly bearings.

Good score.

Call Dave Rossi, King Jewelers, Chula Vista, California. I apprenticed there in the mid-80s. Old school shop. I have long been out of that business, so I have no reference for pricing.

Pictures would help.
The folks at Chappel-Jordan in Houston could help identify.

Interesting thread. Pics might be interesting.

My cousin.

He's an old school classically trained watchmaker who makes his own parts exactly as you describe.

Post up some pics and I'll ask him.

He's up here in Flower Mound.

That's so cool!

My wife loves old clocks. we have over 12 of them in the house, and she has a "clock guy" on speed dial. He comes over here on occasion to adjust and fix a few at a time for minor stuff. Large projects requires dropping them off at his shop. He has the mini lathe and lots more neat old clocks. He says watches are just too small for his old eyes and he sticks to clocks.

She sometimes comes into my office and asks if I want a clock for in here. I tell her, nope, I have a wrist watch, a cell phone and a computer I sit in front of. All have the precise time displayed. My watch is automatically set every night to the Atomic clock signal and never more than a second off.

I love clocks. I'd happily have several at my desk.

If you two have a spat do you go around changing the time ever so slightly on each of them?

I would.


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They are all set to different times now! They are off by a few minutes. None of them keep perfect time. Some run a little fast, some a bit slow and all at varying amounts. They are all OLD antique mechanical clocks and most have pendulums to adjust the speed. She winds, and sets them on Saturday morning. Some have stopped and have to be reset through several hours. Some are wound with a key, one way and some are wound another way. Some are on weights and have a chain to pull to wind them. Most have bells and different noises to designate the time and some are full Westminster tones.

I know to not touch them. Some are noisy as heck, and at noon it sounds like a clock shop. It is funny how my brain just filters them out, and I usually don't even hear them consciously. Most are pretty cool looking and some are just plain. She put one in our bedroom that sounds like a amped up metronome TIC TIC TIC TIC. I shut it down right away, I am not listening to that as I try to sleep. She lets it run during the day and I kill it at night before I go to bed.

Wow. When does she nominate you for sainthood?


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I think it's morning time right now. A Wednesday I think, but not 100% sure.

No it's Thursday. I've just looked at my diary and also the computer says it's Thursday at 9:33am.

My dad was trained as a watchmaker in Germany . He had the lathe and all accessories to go with it . He worked as a tool and die maker for IBM but was always working on watches and clocks . When he retired they moved to Tennessee . Their house got broken into and they stole my mom's silverware and my dad's watchmaker tools ☹️ . He is gone now but I sure miss watching him make watch and clock parts.

I have over 80 - and an understanding wife. I restore and maintain my collection - worked as an apprentice to an old clockmaker back in the 90's.

I have this. A Chelsea "Claremont" desk clock/barometer set. It chimes the 8 bell sequence used in maritime settings.

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A little background on the former owner "Al Polizzi"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Polizzi

Alfred Polizzi (born Alfonso Polizzi; Italian pronunciation: [alˈfɔnso poˈlittsi]; March 15, 1900 – May 26, 1975) was a Sicilian emigrant to the United States who was boss of the Cleveland crime family in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1935 to 1945. He stabilized the Cleveland crime family after a period of revenge killings, and was one of the most influential mobsters in the United States. He retired to Florida in 1945, where he was involved in the construction industry. He used several aliases, including "Big Al" and Albert Allen.

LOL, so does that mean rather than being the boss, that he then was more of a consultant? What I see/hear is that where the mob is big, they are in "construction".

The guy I bought my Wilton vise from has all you guys beat!😂

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