[time-nuts] Watches

[Thomas A. Frank]

> Real tuning form Accutrons are collectibles now, and it is not  
> unheard of for
> an unscrupulous watchmaker to steal the movement out of one, and  
> replace it with
> a cheap quartz movement, all in the name of doing the watch's owner  
> a favor.

Not just unscrupulous watchmakers, that's what happens if you send  
your watch back to Bulova for repair!

If you know enough to include a note saying do not replace, they  
return it untouched, as they no longer service the tuning fork  
movements (I imagine they would put in a battery and new o-rings for  
the case, but anyone can do that, so why risk a possible error?).

There are now folks who specialize in repairing these nifty pieces of  
technological ephemera.

I understand the weak point in the design is the 300 tooth escape  
wheel which rides the tuning fork.  Fragile teeth.

Tom Frank