Alright folks, let me tell you about my weekend adventure. I decided to finally tackle that old Longines pocket watch movement I picked up at a flea market a while back. Figured it was time to see if I could identify it and maybe even get it running again.
First things first, I carefully unwrapped the movement. It was pretty dusty, so I grabbed my trusty blower and gave it a good puff to get rid of the loose debris. You know, the usual stuff – pocket lint, maybe some ancient skin cells… delightful.
Then, I pulled out my loupe (that’s a fancy magnifying glass for you non-watch nerds) and started examining the thing. I was looking for any markings, serial numbers, anything that could give me a clue about its origin. I scanned every square millimeter of that movement. Seriously, I think I know that movement better than I know my own face.
Found a few numbers! Score! They were pretty small and faint, almost hidden under the balance wheel. I jot down all the numbers I found onto a notepad.
Next step: the internet. I fired up my computer and started Googling those numbers. Man, the internet is a magical place. After a bit of digging (and sifting through some sketchy-looking watch forums), I managed to find some information.
Turns out, the numbers pointed to a Longines caliber 19.73N. It was made sometime in the 1920s or 30s, which is pretty cool. I found a few pictures online of similar movements, and they definitely seemed to match.
To be double sure, I checked a few online databases of Longines movements. These databases are a goldmine for watch nerds like me. I plugged in the serial number and confirmed that it was indeed a 19.73N. Boom! Identification complete.
Now that I know what I’m dealing with, the real fun begins: trying to get it running. That’s a project for another day, though. For now, I’m just happy to have solved the mystery of its identity.
Next step? I will clean the parts. Then I can reassemble the movement. Hope I can make it work again. Will update you all on this!
- Tools Used: Blower, Loupe, Computer, Notepad
- Challenges Faced: Identifying faint markings, sifting through online forums.
- Next Steps: Cleaning, reassembling.
