# My Collecton.



## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

I thought it was about time I showed it.










Top Left> 1781 Pair Case Verge FusÃ©e. / 1814 P.C. Vg. Fse. (Tompion reg.) / 1827 P.C. Vg. Fse. / 1865 English Lever Fse. with Maintaining Power. 7 Jewels. Broken.

1872 P.C. E.Lvr. Fse. M.Pwr. 8 Js. Broken. - C.sec.s modern mov't & homemade dial. / 1891 E.Lvr. Fse. M.pwr. Split Rim compensation. >= 13 Js.* / 1892 E.Lvr. Fse. M.Pwr. 8 Js. / 1896 E.Lvr. False Fse. 7 Js.

1882-1935 Cyl. 6 Js.** / 1922 E.Lvr. False Fse. S.R.comp. Broken. / 19?? Lvr. Ovalising comp. 11 Js. Chrono.*** / 1950s-60s Lvr. <Bottom Right.

All apart from the last bought on E. bay.

* Lastest aquisition, not investigated Front Plate yet.

** First aquisition (Aug. 2008). Daily use. Swiss hallmarks; cannot date precicely.

*** No hallmarks; gunmetal case. All others silver.

Perhaps the last six ought to be described in the Jokes section.


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## Mikrolisk (Jan 23, 2008)

Wow, a really stunning collection! Chapeau!

Cool!

Regards, Andreas


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Absolutely stunning! :man_in_love:


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

*Home-made Watches.*

Top Left.

I've wanted a Pocket Watch since I saw the cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland at Lower School, and shortly after I aquired my first quartz clock motor (aged 6ish) I made one (with no help from Dad!!!) out of empty sellotape reels, with an approximate dial, cardboard hands and back, and a clear plastic "crystal".

That Watch is long gone, but I built this photographed Watch in 2005 to see if I could still make one out of bits I would have found in the junk box. The only concessions to the passage of time are two screws to allow access to the battery and adjustment (in the original they were thoretically inaccessible), and a measured dial.

This served as my everyday Watch for two years until I got my first proper Pocket Watch in 2008.

Top Middle.

Inspired by a photograph I happened upon of the Patek Phillipe Calibre 198221 (Yes! I know it doesn't!).

It has a non-resettable 1-minute Chronograph with Tachymeter over 300 yards, a Power Reserve indicating Volts, and a 12-hour coutdown timer. It also haphazarly indicates Longitude (between 90Â° E. and 90Â° W.) and the direction of North, using an implementation of the point-the-hour-hand-at-the-Sun-and-halve-the-angle method (the Centre Hour hand also indicates a scale of degrees, with 180 at XII and 90/270 at VI, which gives the angle of North clockwise from XII).

It also has a back-lamp, in the form of four L.E.D.s.

Top Right.

Inspired by the Patek Phillipe Calibre 89 (Yes! I know it doesn't!).

Like the 89, this Watch is double-sided.

The back carries the 12-hour Chronograph (it has no glass, so that you can wind the Second Hand backwards to reset) with 300-yard Tachymeter; and the Ammeter for the solar charging circuit, appearing in a similar fashion to the Power Reserve indication on the front. I didn't understand charging circuits back then, and it didn't work. Well it did, but it would only power the Going Train for about 18 hours after a full day in bright sunlight. The Chronograph can also be switched directly to the solar panel to act as a sun recorder.

The solar panel is mounted on a back lid (one of many, many deviations from the C. 89), which allows the absence of a crystal there.

The front displays Power Reserve in Volts, the Temperature (see C. 89) on an alchohol thermometer (don't see C. 89), the Local Time on all longitudes 90Â° E. - 0 - 90Â° W., the direction of North (by means of the red extension of the Centre Hour hand), and an 8-hour countdown timer.

Oh, and the present time, of course.

This, too, has a back-lamp.

The yellow push-switches were a futile attempt to get over the charging problem, by interrupting the feeds to the meters.

The slide-switches are II. Backlamp, IIII. Charge on/off, VIII Chrono.: time/Sun, and XI. Chrono. time start/stop.

As little of this worked, and I was mocked for it (perhaps understandably) it is being taken apart.

Bottom Left.

Inspired by the Watches of the 16th Century.

Bottom Middle.

Inspired by John Harrison's No. 4.

Just as No. 4 is an extreem form of the common Watches of his day, so this is an impractically modified form of ordinary quartz clock.

The box it lives in is fitted with a solar panel (that removed from the Watch described above), which powers a simple charging circuit which does work. One hour's charging from stopped is enough for a week's going. It has Maintaining Power in the form of 4,300 uF. worth of capacitors, which can drive the machine for 16 seconds, and maintain phase for nearly a minute. It has a phase-inverting switch for making single-second adjustments (you can only move the Second hand two seconds at a time); and the steel case protects it against spark noise, most importantly that of my wireless transmitter.

It also has a Power Reserve indication inside, positioned to appear as No.4's Balance Brake, interrupted by a tilt-switch so that it doesn't draw current unless you turn the movement XII-down, as you do when you open the machine. Thus, it has a very slight position error.

It also has a Tompion-style regulator, but the X/C oscillator didn't take well to being regulated, and it is as abandoned as No.4's. It is loosing about a second a month.

I call this machine "E.2", as I have also built a clock vaguely on the pattern of Harrison's No.1.

E.2 is 5 1/2" in diameter, to No. 4's 5.2".

Bottom Right.

Inspired by Only Fools and Horses' depiction of Harrison's mythical No. 6.

This contains all four of the principle devices of my E.2 - Maintaining Power, Phase Inventer, Screening and Charging - but built into a much smaller, coat-pocket-sized, machine. The Maintaing Power can only drive it for 6 seconds and maintain phase for 30.

The case is plastic (made from two Options lids), so most of the screening is in a Dust Cap. Dust Caps exist in O.F.H.'s prop, and the Jeffries Watch.

I know nothing at all of Harrison's No. 6.


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

*Plate 1.* Collection.





Second from Left, second row;


1891 English Lever FusÃ©e with Maintaing power and Split Rim compensation. 15 Jewels.


Latest aquisition.





I now have this Watch regulated to better than 1 sec./day.


I give names to Watches in my collection which have distinctive features, so I have called this one "Chronometer", though technically it isn't one.
















*Plate 2.* Front plate.





All of the Jewels and rubies, apart from the Front Pivot of the Third Wheel which appears to be a diamond.





Interestingly, the Front Pivot of the Escape Wheel has a Cap Jewel. If it also has a Hole Jewel, then the count would be 16 J.s.


All of the Back Pivots (up to the 3rd) have Caps, so perhaps they also have Holes. If so, then the count would be 20.


But why put two Jewels at the Back and one at the front?





Comments?


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I never cease to be amazed at the stuff you build - I mean these are your creations, from parts cannibalised from all kinds of sources - and using techniques I would never have thougt about, or discarded as being impractical, un-aesthetic or both :yes:

I have enough troubles trying to gte watches that used to run, cleaned lubed and running agin, without building from scratch using non standard parts









All I can say is HOROLOGICAL :notworthy: ! Yes indeedy!

Right, I've two paper clips, a battery and a packet of steel wool - what could I make out of that :focus:


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2010)

Hey Valvesrule, those are some amazing posts. Going to have to drink in all the detail before having a hope of offering anything other than a superficial reply.


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## tock tick (Aug 4, 2010)

i thought ValvesRule was a pocket watch god!!! I knew he must be smart when he tried to explain Fusee movement to me on the 1690's watch, but looking at this little lot, I now know he IS the daddy!!!! Making your own watch is something else. I didn't understand a lot of what you said in your second post.....but respect, where respect is due :notworthy:

(WE 300b's rule)

Stu


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

Actually, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about the arrangement of Jewels.

In fact, the Back Pivots only have Hole Jewels, but the question still remains why the Escape Wheel has two at the Front and one at the Back.

I could understand two at Back and one at Front, as the Cap Jewel would then take the weight of the Lever when the Watch was face up.

The actual arrangemnt suggests that this Watch was designed to be left face down when not in use - or am I reading too much into this?

Perhaps I ought to clarify; none of the watches which I have built are mechanical - they are all based on the ordinary quartz Clock motors like the one in your kitchen Clock.



> Right, I've two paper clips, a battery and a packet of steel wool - what could I make out of that?


Very briefly an electric heater.


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