Balance staffs come in two flavors: friction-fit and riveted. The friction-fit design is much better in nearly all respects, so naturally it is uncommon. Such is the fickle quality of… Read more »
To replace a balance staff, we have to take apart the balance assembly. For essentially all watches, we’ll end up with 4 units: the balance wheel (wheel and screws) the… Read more »
After working on a couple Elgin watches, as nice as they are, it’s time to get back to basics. My unseemly stash of Illinois watches has been glaring at me,… Read more »
The dial is what you see when you carry a pocket watch. No matter how precisely you’ve adjusted a watch, a dirty dial will deter most buyers. But cleaning watch… Read more »
Amplitude is the big thing in watch adjusting. If the balance wheel doesn’t swing at least 270 degrees dial up and down and at least 220 degrees in the vertical… Read more »