Another find

Got this in the post, pictures are from the seller.




https://s5.postimg.cc/lkx3hmcdj/LAWR..._MAYO_PW_2.jpghttps://s5.postimg.cc/hbsdfflyv/LAWR..._MAYO_PW_1.jpghttps://s5.postimg.cc/71pyg68xz/LAWR..._MAYO_PW_3.jpghttps://s5.postimg.cc/g9i6wwil3/LAWR..._MAYO_PW_4.jpg





Watch was working only when face up, dirty as heck and has no crystal. Inside the inner dust cover are 13 service marks from various watch men, signs of a well-loved piece.
I stripped it down, and cleaned the dial. As I thought, it came up pretty well with only one almost invisible hairline crack running from just below the R in "Lawrence" to just below the "10" in the sub dial.
The hands were rusty, and I gave them the biz with some wet & dry paper, and attached (temporarily until a new one that fits can be found) a piece off an old seconds hand to the broken one fitted.
I then stripped down the movement and pegged, cleaned and lubricated the jewels and pivot points, cleaned the ebauche (no name found, just numbers under the dial) and reassembled.
Working fine so far after 4 hours.

Cannot find anything about the "The Turret" name on the movement, but I have seen similar watches from well before the Boer war and WW1 with names in this fashion and I guess it was aimed at the military market.
Here is a trench wristwatch sans lugs with the Turret name in block capitals.

https://s5.postimg.cc/o28uot3yv/lawr...o_trench_2.jpghttps://s5.postimg.cc/xmshbpvvr/LAWR...O_trench_3.jpg




How it looks now, will get a new crystal fitted and find a new sub dial hand.


https://s5.postimg.cc/4ke78wwrb/2017-04-05_14.50.37.jpghttps://s5.postimg.cc/gz0z99bev/2017-04-05_14.51.26.jpg




Here are adverts from similar models with names, aimed at the military man.
The similarity in advertising and use of a name in parentheses seems to back up my thoughts on this watch.


This is from 1893, The "Skirmisher".



https://s5.postimg.cc/bnm2oj9wn/1893...skirmisher.jpg



And one many of you will have heard of, the Mappin & Webb "Campaign" watch.



https://s5.postimg.cc/trp394a53/1901_feb_m_w_1.jpg



A 1908 wrist watch.



https://s20.postimg.cc/5ty4lj18t/190...rial_watch.jpg






The movement in the watch was made by Orion, a manufacturer used by many top brands at the time.


https://s5.postimg.cc/f780eb2br/orion.jpg



It uses a "moustache" type counterbalance lever, the same as below.
Denotes a higher quality movement, similar counterbalance levers can be found in LeCoultre and other higher quality movements in the 19th.C.
It also employs an unusual hairspring attachment on the cock, this helped in identifying the maker.



https://s5.postimg.cc/rym6kt4dz/moustache_lever.jpg



Although no watches were worn or carried by order until around 1916-17 in the British military, officers were recommended to carry/wear them though, at least as early as 1910, and maybe even earlier, as seen in this 1910 field service manual, under field kits (at the very bottom).





https://s5.postimg.cc/utz9rr8ev/1910...NUAL_COVER.jpghttps://s5.postimg.cc/8usv4jzaf/1910_FIELD_KIT_LIST.png






Cheers for looking.

Very interesting thank you, love the mappin and Webb eating irons.

mike

Thanks Mike, these old adverts can be fascinating, I have spent years looking for them and you can really get lost sometimes!

Very nice, your finds are always worth following and the write ups are much appreciated.

Very nice job. It cleaned up nicely. I'm guessing the hands are heat tempered to become blue. Or were they painted somehow ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alfat33

Very nice, your finds are always worth following and the write ups are much appreciated.

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Thank you for that, very much appreciated in return.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ordo

Very nice job. It cleaned up nicely. I'm guessing the hands are heat tempered to become blue. Or were they painted somehow ?

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Thanks for posting, and a good question.
I believe all watch hands are heat tempered, as it is easy to do with small pieces of steel compared to larger.
You can achieve different colours with different temperatures too. I have recently tried doing this by heating some gold plated hands, then when the desired colour was reached dropping them in water to 'fasten' the finish. If left to cool naturally, the colour fades to the original.
I mean to try more, it can be done on watch hands with just a cigarette lighter.
Experiment!

Nicely done; that dial's come up a treat.

Thank you C-B, although the transformation of the dial looks amazing, they are made of enamel. The only hard bit is not overdoing cleaning any names and other writing as they are often either hand painted or transfers, unlike the numerals and minute/second track that are integral. Otherwise, they could be cleaned under the tap with a scrubbing brush!

You might say that but I guarantee that, if I attempted such a feat, it would look like this:

http://www.ofrei.com/images/dialplan2801.jpg

:icon_biggrin:

Great post - thank you. And an excellent restoration job [emoji106]

Thank you mate.