Waltham Pocket Watch

[bernie weishapl]

Can anyone tell me what balance staff and what mainspring I need for sure for a Waltham 18s 17j pocket watch? It says Grade P.S.B 1883. The info I found says the MS is a #2205 but the balance staff is either a #1703 or #1365. Wasn’t going to do it but I have taken care of all of his 28 clock collection. So I quoted him $225 and he said that it is fine. It was his dad’s who gave it to him and now he wants to give it to his son on his wedding anniversary. I know sucker, sucker, sucker. 😆 Anyway any help would be appreciated. I don’t really see a problem with the cleaning and oiling. That should be pretty straight forward. The staff is broken and figured while I had it down a new mainspring wouldn’t hurt. Thanks again.

[willofiam]

Hey Bernie, those #s are what I am getting. what is the watch serial number? how did you find the #s you got? William

[bernie weishapl]

William the serial number is #11042881. I got the info from here. http://pocketwatchdatabase.com/ and had to do addition research for the staff and mainspring. Only the elgin has a tab after you put the serial # in that has a parts tab. The rest don’t. Anyway that is as close as I could come up with. Looking for a Bestfit 111 and 111A although not sure I need the 111A.

[bernie weishapl]

Maybe I should ask if I would be better off with Swigarts book or the Bestfit book? I won’t be working on any wrist watches or anything other than antique american pocket watches. Thanks.

[chris mabbott]

Bernie your Waltham PBS is in fact an 1883 model so the 1703 or 1703A.
I recently changed one on a PSB and I think it was the 1703A for the 1883. If I remember correctly the difference between the two is either large or small collet diameter ??

Have you removed the old staff yet if so maybe you can post a shot. Sometimes you can get an oddball that someone has installed the incorrect staff on.

I’ll try to check later today.. For your MS ill also have a look in da book

[chris mabbott]

Just had a quick look Bernie… In the Waltham book, they use 1892 NOT 1893 which I believe they superseded the previous versions with..

You’ll have to measure, in this case, calculate the length of your broken staff as

1703 = 5.70mm
1703A = 6 mm

The Waltham MS I used was #2222

Hope this helps…

[bernie weishapl]

It does Chris. I have a spread sheet on the watches I have with serial #’s, grade, size, jewels, mainspring, balance staff and year. I thought I read where a 17J watch took a 2205 MS so will have to do a little more research.

So I have a chance to get a Swigart’s book on Illustrated Manual of American Watch Movements. I am confused but hey that is nothing new but would this be a better book for what I am doing with working on just American Antique PW’s or would the Bestfit be better? If I remember I think the bestfit deals more with swiss watches, etc. Or do I bite the bullet and get both Swigarts and the 111 & 111A?

Thanks again for the help? Maybe I should just stick with clocks. 😆

[chris mabbott]

Well Bernie, that’s always the question.. Some say more info is not a bad thing, sometimes a cross ref is needed. Personally I use the makers parts lists. If they fail, I measure and use my own best fit. Mainsprings are easy but it does get complicated with staffs, even with the books.

[bernie weishapl]

Thanks Chris. I have a Swigart coming from a friend of mine on the Horology Matters forum that I belong to. He said he had a extra couple of reprints and would just send me one. A couple of the other guys on there said they do use the Bestfit mostly for mainspring reference. I also have a Jules Borel catalog coming. Had a nice chat with them. He wanted to sell me the 111/111A for $80. Not as bad as some I have seen for $150 and up. Anyway I think maybe I will have most of what I need.

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