# 2 Autos And A Manual....



## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

> were acquired yesterday. Yes I know I said "no more watches" but these were ridiculously cheap... or free as it's more commonly known  Also came with a spare bracelet, now I know what they mean when they say "It's a hair puller!".
> 
> First up for your delectation is a gold plated Timex. Round dial in a square case with a date complication. Think it's from the 60's or 70's and after a brief fettle with a big hammer and ******* file, it is running! Wore it all last night and it's keeping excellent time as well. Strangely, this watch looks to be in really good condition in reall life yet the pictures make it look quite rough. I'm certainly not ashamed to wear it!


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

> Next up, another Timex but an auto this time. Looks a little "worse for wear" but nothing like in the pics again. I think this one is a little later - 70's 80's? It's also on the most horrible strap/bracelet I've ever seen with some naff overlap type adjustment. A quick manual wind (really bloody difficult due to tiny winder) and it was away and running fine. Didn't give it anything like a full wind and it ran until 4:00 A.M. this morning. It honestly looks allright, crystal needs a damn good polish and the case could do with a clean, but okay.


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

> And finally, for your consideration, a MuDu 30 jewel automatic. Did a tiny bit of research on it yesterday as it looks lovely and in really good condition (again, much better than the pictures would lead you to believe - the scratch on the crystal hardly notices in the flesh) and was surprised to learn that they were "Smuggled in to the country via Bristol docks" in the 50's 60's and were rumoured to be made by moonlighting Blancpain workers after a bit of extra dosh!
> 
> This one didn't work at all. So I took the back off and the rotor was jammed by a loose gear from the manual winding system. Obviously, someone has been inside before as the screw that holds that gear is missing, as is another that holds the movement to the case. Anyway, I replaced the gear and lightly "staked" the end of the pinion (without damaging the thread or anything else) to retain it temporarily and gave it a manual wind... nothing.
> 
> ...


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

Sorry for the three posts but when I tried to do it in one post it said "Post contains too many images" and wouldn't let me post it. Also, I have real difficulty posting images and the only way this forum will let me (direct code from Photobucket that works everywhere else) is if I put them in "quotes"! Really not understanding why pictures work everywhere else but not here?

Oh hum, at least the post is here now. What do you all reckon to my "bargains"?


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

xtriple said:


> Sorry for the three posts but when I tried to do it in one post it said "Post contains too many images" and wouldn't let me post it. Also, I have real difficulty posting images and the only way this forum will let me (direct code from Photobucket that works everywhere else) is if I put them in "quotes"! Really not understanding why pictures work everywhere else but not here?
> 
> Oh hum, at least the post is here now. What do you all reckon to my "bargains"?


In photo bucket click on the bottom box and paste it directly works every time ... Oh and nice watches when you've been here a while I will watch for the mudu in sales


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

That's the box I'm clicking and like I said, it works everywhere (TZ Christopher Ward etc) else. Here I just get a totally screen - oh well. You'll not be seeing the MuDu for sale. I really like it and I'm just investigating who to send it to for a clean and repair/service. Any ideas in the South West?

Getting a bit of a collection of obscure vintage watches: Sully, Roamer, MuDu, Timex, Tudor etc. I love 'em!


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## Roamer Man (May 25, 2011)

xtriple said:


> I'm just investigating who to send it to for a clean and repair/service. Any ideas in the South West?
> 
> Getting a bit of a collection of obscure vintage watches: Sully, Roamer, MuDu, Timex, Tudor etc. I love 'em!


Roy here does servicing for less than some charge. So easy to post these days. I like that Timex, even more the MuDu. Case plating needs re-doing, that's all really. Congrats Xtriple, a nice little haul you've got there. .and what do you mean Roamers being 'obscure'!

So show us your Roamers then, and I'll show you mine..


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

The case, to the naked eye looks really good! It certainly looks good enough to me to wear on occasions, think the photos just make it look bad!



>


As requested.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

You can date the Timex' using dial info,. the tiny numbers around the "6" marker give you model number, movement number and date. Full details on the FAQ's page at

http://www.timexwatchforum.com

HTH a bit. Full info on servicing can also be found on the "Manuals and Catalogs" pages. :yes:

ldman: :weed:


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## john87300 (Oct 12, 2011)

Yes, many MuDu were smuggled in through the docks and sold in local pubs to avoid the import duties of the time, but some were brought in legitimately and sold through outlets like Gamages in Londodn for example. There are literally hundreds of different style of MuDu, witha variety of movements too. I personally have had 6, but have only kept two. They were all made in Switzerland, but by heaven knows in how many workshops, a bit of a Swiss cottage industry 

There's a good guy in Cyprus who has collected hundreds of them, search for muduwatches.com

here's my two, one doublematic and one manual


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## julioa007 (Nov 2, 2011)

The Mudus are so sweet !! I have never heard of that brand.... Nice indeed... 'doublematic' ??? what does it mean ?


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

I believe it means it winds both ways as opposed to most autos ( of the time?) that only wound in one direction and freewheeled in the other.


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## john87300 (Oct 12, 2011)

xtriple said:


> I believe it means it winds both ways as opposed to most autos ( of the time?) that only wound in one direction and freewheeled in the other.


I believe so, MuDu also produced watches marked "Automatic"


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

Spent a bit of time today sanding the crystal on the really bad Timex. Sanded it with a scouring pad on the back of a sponge (I also use the same thing for getting scratches out of brushed bracelets) and then attacked it with a bit of "Polywatch". Think it came up really nice after I binned that dreadful old bracelet and cleaned half a pound of DNA from round the watch head!



>





>


Come out alright I think.


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## john87300 (Oct 12, 2011)

Good work! I think my worst ever job was cleaning out the black "goo" between the links of an original to the watch FixoFlex, 40 years of accumulated sweat and grime, not nice.

Next job the MuDu?


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

And... bugger!

Just been cleaning the mobility scooter and forgot that I'd got the Timex on my right wrist, went under the seat with a sponge and.... put a dirty great deep scrawk right across the acrylic!

Fortunately, was in the garage so rather than spend days getting the scratch out with a scourer, got some 400 grit and some 1000 grit and set to. Much easier! Took about ten minutes start to finish, and it was DEEP this time. Completely gone and it looks perfect.

As an aside, been wearing it for a few days and it's keeping time pretty much spot-on. Well pleased.


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## xtriple (Dec 4, 2011)

>


Spent some time on the MuDu yesterday. Sanded out the scratches on the dial (what an easy way to make your watch look MUCH better) and did a bit more fettling inside and the old girl looks great and is running a treat (so far). Over twenty four hours it's lost about 8 seconds! For a watch unused for decades and un - serviced I think that's incredible. Obviously, getting it serviced (and those two screws replaced) is high on the priorities list, but for the moment, I'm well pleased.

So of three watches, all three have cleaned up really well, new strap on one and a bit of sanding on the crystals and I've got three fine classics that I'm very pleased with.


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## gametime (Feb 9, 2012)

excellet work. i have a thing for roman numerals


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## john87300 (Oct 12, 2011)

Good work on the MuDu, I always take before and after photos of the ones I have to "buff" up, just to remind me of how much better they look after not too much hard work


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## Alex11 (Jun 8, 2012)

I love the Searock! Why not register for the Roamer Owners club for free!


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