Starting to take this hobby seriously: Part 1: The BFG
So I decided to sabotage one horological dream in favour of another. I wanted to buy a Longines V.H.P. at the end of 2024 to celebrate my finishing of high-school. I was perhaps a quarter of the way there a few days ago. Now, I am broke. Completely, hopelessly broke.
I spent (and still am spending, I haven't bought all the kit yet) all my money on watchmaking tools. I can only spend just enough to get decent (decent, not excellent) tools. My most exquisite piece is likely going to be a pair of Dumont tweezers. As you might imagine, I have to learn this trade to dig myself out of this financial hellhole.
It's not a lot of money, but I (like most teenagers) am an unemployed bum staying at my parents' place. I've been wanting to do this for a while, but two special watches really turned that spark into a flame. A Seiko- and a Citizen Automatic Chronograph. Watches like that, as I'm sure all of us know, can fetch some money on the used market once restored. Fixing them both up, even after the costs of buying them, can make for a nice payday. But restoring an automatic chrono is quite a while away, which brings me to the subject of today's column: The BFG
I scored three movements from my watchmaker. A watch branded Rottery 17 probably from the sixties, with the BFG inside, an incomplete Enicar 25-jewel manual wind movement, and a Certina calibre 25-651 27-jewel automatic. The BFG works (well, worked; it's scattered across a table now) while the other two are only really worth their weight in spares. The BFG (which is a Baumgartner 866 movement) is about as complicated as a brick. One jewel. Unadjustable. Pin-lever. About as many moving parts as a bag of cement.
Those comparisons are with other watch movements though. This is still incredibly nerve wracking to take apart and looking at the pile of screws and gears on my table is very daunting. The BFG is a fitting name for the movement, because most of it is basically one bridge. Only the balance wheel has its own dedicated bridge. This does make servicing a bit more tricky, but I'll get what I can get.
I want to disassemble and reassemble the 866 at least five or so times before I even think about attempting the other two with their date complications. I took most of it apart today. I'm going to have most of it together again by Saturday (I stay late in another town, so the shop closes before I get back on Fridays.)
All in all, I'm loving this. It feels right. I find it poetic that when the watchmaker was around my age, his father taught him watchmaking using the same BFG movement. Maybe in a year I'll be able to buy those automatic chronos and bring them back to life. Maybe. I really hope so.
Tip for other beginners: you are reading the words of a man whose ultrasonic cleaner he ordered online was delivered broken. When you don't have one, soak parts in benzene (my supermarket has a mystery solvent called benzyne, which I assume to be slightly less carcinogenic) to remove the oils on parts.
A famous Dutch saying: “𝘕𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘣 𝘫𝘦, 𝘫𝘢 𝘬𝘶𝘯 𝘫𝘦 𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘫𝘨𝘦𝘯.”
Wow! Very impressive. I definitely wouldn’t call you a bum. You have so much more initiative than moat teenagers. Good luck to you
It’s a horribly addictive craft. I’m glad you got a taste for it.
Wow! Very impressive. I definitely wouldn’t call you a bum. You have so much more initiative than moat teenagers. Good luck to you
Thank you. I'll need all the luck I can get. A trade like this is not dying, I hate it when people say that, but it is definitely dying in a small town like mine where a mechanical watch is as rare as chicken's teeth. I have an interest not popular or vaguely interesting to my peers, but that's not what this is about. To try and keep cash coming in, I'm going to turn old watch movements into necklaces or pendants. My goal is to try and introduce one or two people to this hobby and not have to pay obscene amounts to have my watches serviced. Thanks for the kind words.
It’s a horribly addictive craft. I’m glad you got a taste for it.
I'm going to be completely honest with you, I actually have Maths homework that needs to get done. Even though I'm a lover of mathematics (some say I am quite weird) fiddling around with these gears is truly addictive.
I have a feeling I will be there one day, but I'm 100% positive it will be an NH35. (The only type of automatic movement I own.) In contrast to the pandemic my social schedule has picked back up, and all the movements are currently working just fine, so it may not be all that soon.
Good luck, it's good to see somebody take that step.
I have a feeling I will be there one day, but I'm 100% positive it will be an NH35. (The only type of automatic movement I own.) In contrast to the pandemic my social schedule has picked back up, and all the movements are currently working just fine, so it may not be all that soon.
Good luck, it's good to see somebody take that step.
It all starts with one big step. If it's not for me, I would have never known without trying. The NH35 is probably quite a good movement to start with, especially considering its availability. The BFG is also good, mainly because they are like $10 each. Just be prepared for a sore back, this is quite straining.
It all starts with one big step. If it's not for me, I would have never known without trying. The NH35 is probably quite a good movement to start with, especially considering its availability. The BFG is also good, mainly because they are like $10 each. Just be prepared for a sore back, this is quite straining.
Yeah, you've got to start somewhere. Seems to me you've got a plan. Good luck!
Bro you must be like almost my age… considering you are ending high school in 2024… 2 years younger!
But yet showing so much passion for watchmaking and assembling/reassembling…movements it’s incredible!
I am sure I want to see more posts from you over here and follow your path on this wonderland ahah
I personally received my first watch (the Seiko Presage on my profile) when I turned 18… well it was a gift but I was the one that suggested it ahah…
And I hope you can reach your goal and get to the budget even before ending high school!
The only thing I bought, equipment wise, as a cheap kit from Amazon to try and open my watch case back.
It’s a clear back and the last time I sent it to the local watchmaker they were not wearing gloves so I officially have a fingerprint on the back of that guy in the back crystal -_- …
I tried removing it and cleaning it but unfortunately I don’t have the balls to do it… I already scratched the back a little bit trying and I don’t want to make it worse or even break… so I will wait until I need a revision and make sure to go to a different watchmaker… it’s not the first time something like this happened…
Anyway after this morbid comment I am curious to see your path in watchmaking so make sure to do some more posts in here and some updates ;)
Cheers 🤙
Bro you must be like almost my age… considering you are ending high school in 2024… 2 years younger!
But yet showing so much passion for watchmaking and assembling/reassembling…movements it’s incredible!
I am sure I want to see more posts from you over here and follow your path on this wonderland ahah
I personally received my first watch (the Seiko Presage on my profile) when I turned 18… well it was a gift but I was the one that suggested it ahah…
And I hope you can reach your goal and get to the budget even before ending high school!
The only thing I bought, equipment wise, as a cheap kit from Amazon to try and open my watch case back.
It’s a clear back and the last time I sent it to the local watchmaker they were not wearing gloves so I officially have a fingerprint on the back of that guy in the back crystal -_- …
I tried removing it and cleaning it but unfortunately I don’t have the balls to do it… I already scratched the back a little bit trying and I don’t want to make it worse or even break… so I will wait until I need a revision and make sure to go to a different watchmaker… it’s not the first time something like this happened…
Anyway after this morbid comment I am curious to see your path in watchmaking so make sure to do some more posts in here and some updates ;)
Cheers 🤙
I will, thank you. I'm the only watch enthusiast in the family, so nobody really sees any value in an expensive, or even mid-market timepiece. If I play my cards right and sell what I restore I could probably recoup some of the costs. The nice thing about a trade like this is that you can do it basically anywhere so long as you have your tools and a desk. I plan to keep this going on the side during university as well.
The skill comes with time. Knowing myself, I won't be trusted with an automatic chronograph soon, or even something worth more than parts.
I hope to make this a series, sort of logging what being an "apprentice watchmaker" is like for me. Part 2, where I reassemble the BFG is coming soon. Then the Enicar, then the Certina. After that, a treasure trove of vintage cool is on the horizon.
Yeah, you've got to start somewhere. Seems to me you've got a plan. Good luck!
Thank you!
Will do! Watchmaking will never be dead. I mean, how many people are on this website? We'll all need a service at least once in our lives.