Beginners Guide to Working On Automatic Watch Systems

In this video we go over cover how the 3 most common self winding system used in automatic watches work as well as how to inspect, service and lubricate them.
Thanks for Watching.

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MY CHOICE FOR WATCH LUBRICATION

MY MICROSCOPE SET-UP

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[normanrehme]

Your bonus tip was fantastic. Buying these costly once-a-year products is expensive. Thanks for your video series. You are a very good teacher.

[paulschumacker]

There’s important content in this that I’ve never seen in many excellent videos on other channels. I especially value the timing - I’ve serviced about 25 mechanical wind watch movements- some multiple times- and have just acquired a vintage automatic Seiko watch to service. The details you provided here will be really helpful as I graduate into automatic movements. Your teaching style is excellent and very much appreciated! Bravo!

[Pshw]

Lift angle bonus tip, priceless. I ask an AI for the info which makes it easy but you can't always trust that. Now I can check it and update my spreadsheet and feel confident its right.

[csspinner]

Thank you immensely for sharing your knowledge and tips.

[whatsstefon]

As usual, great content that isn’t covered by many others.

[tomholloway]

Absolutely the best explanation of how and why ETA reverser wheels are lubricated the way they are. Thank you.

[chrisvincent]

Thank you for your no-nonsense approach, I started on this journey at the age of 70 and I wish your tutorials were around then they are so very helpful. Thanks again.

[HaraldLavooij]

As a hobby watch maker, I've seen many videos on Youtube to learn about (dis)assembly, cleaning, lubrication and regulation. Your videos are WAY BETTER than the video I've seen elsewhere. Very entertaining and educating with excellent explanations and 'in depth' information. Again, in my opinion, much better than the other channels with - in some cases - hundreds of thousands subscribers. How come you "only" have 30K subscribers? Thanks for your channel and please keep ut the good work and footage, there's so much to learn for me! Regards from The Netherlands

[miroslavkovacevic]

Just watching your videos has a healing rherapeutic influence.on my mind. Maybe I love watch movements too much

[fishandreptileinfo]

This is the most interesting video for me. I love automatic watches and most of my collection are indeed automatic. I really enjoyed this video. Thank you Alex. (UK)

[timothybruno]

I've enjoyed watches for several years, never very expensive ones, but automatics really have my heart. I've been steadily viewing your tutorials, working toward getting the tools and the courage to begin taking apart a movement. I recently purchased three vintage automatic Seikos that will likely be the first candidates and this video is timely. Keep up the good work, we appreciate it.

[So.Stephen]

Happy days. I was jonesing for your next video to drop. Thanks to you, I have been stripping the pallet fork, cleaning it, trying to lube the exit stone, f**k up, repeat and repeat until I have something close to what you instructed. The only thing I have not been able to do yet is see the backlash when testing the power train. Thank you very much. Keep up the good work my man.

[contrast]

Thanks for the great great videos and sharing the knowledge.

I stumbled upon a video that indicates apparently seiko advices a certain position for the rotor when one is trying to install it back. Apparently the hole on the first reduction wheel must line up with the balance cock peg and the hole on the right wing of the rotor in order to have the pawls at their lowest point around the ratcheting wheel in order for the pawls to have the most travel hence better efficiency of winding I am guessing .

The demonstration which was performed rotor-less while rotating the first reduction wheel manually showed it takes four to five revolutions of the first reduction wheel to advance the ratchet wheel by one tooth if the rotor is installed the way Seiko suggests.

But it takes seven to eight revolutions of the first reduction wheel to advance the ratchet wheel by one tooth if the rotor is installed the complete opposite side, it all happens due to positioning of pawls.

[MichaelHeinrich]

I'm not a watchmaker but i enjoy your videos a lot. They are very interesting and educating. 😁

[jjudelson]

Very helpful and an indispensable introductory video to better help understand automatic movements for us amateurs. Nobody does it better.

[tropicalspeed]

Another excellent training video. Thank you very much.
My knowledge of watch repair has increased exponentially since watching your videos. I watch them more than once in order to have all that info sink in.
Hope to see you again next week. I really do look forward to them.

[willyforbin]

Alex you got me vacuumed in every videos you make, and it is of such help and very well explained.. Imagine as a frenchy I prefer to watch your videos than those in my mother language! Thanks again Alex, keep them coming as inspirational as they are.

[rossjackson]

Thank you so much for such an inspirational series. Your way of explaining is basic yet in depth. Caught the very first one a few hours after commencement. I look forward to each new section. Love the bonus tips. However each is video is a full bonus. Regards to you. Keep well. Keep safe.

[bolgerguide]

Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. I made my first trip to a watch tools supply store. I now have rodico instead of silly putty lol.

[wildernessofzinn]

Invaluable info I have seen from no other watch repair channel. Thanks, Alex.

Something I tried for cleaning parts is _CRC QD Electronic Cleaner_ in the red spray can. I think QD stands for Quick Dry, which it certainly does.
It's rather common, so they have it at Wal-Mart and many other stores. It's quick drying and when you look at the ingredients it is essentially HEXANE. Am I effing up for some counterintuitive reason?. It sure seems like a cool option. It sprays hard so, of course, don't use it directly on balance wheels and so on. It works well, goes a long way, and doesn't cost much by comparison. The last I got at Wal-Mart was around $8 a can. Like everything else, it has gone up recently.