Advice on buying a 2824-2 movement

[Flinnt 2,009]

Needing some advice. I'm after a 2824-2 movement or 2 to begin learning to service. I'm slowly gathering some decent tools and oils and once I have them want to start on some 2824s. 

Anyway, it seems by searching the interwebs the cheapest Swiss ones I can get is by buying used Victorinox watches. Do you think it's worth getting these, or buying some other Swiss or just buying some Asian clones? Eventually I'd like to have a go at switching a Swiss into some reps so that's why I was thinking going Swiss, however are the pinions all the same on the 2824-2s (and Asian clones) - that is, will my hands fit straight on when I do reach the point of trying to swap movements. I realise I need to be able to change datewheels as well.

So what would be your advice - buy used Victorinox watches, some other Swiss 2824s or Asian clones to begin practising servicing on? Any help much appreciated.

[FudgyDocker 3,497]

I'd say to try and practise on some broken movements, just to try and get your hand in and find your way around etc. You can do what you want to a broken movement, with zero consequences!

[Flinnt 2,009]

I will do a very cheap or broken one first to learn the pitfalls for beginners. 

Getting my hand in isn’t an issue. I do much more delicate microscopic work on a daily basis. 

But learning when a part is waiting to go flying across the room is still ahead of me. 

[Waspy 306]

Well you don't have to buy a whole (used) watch just for a 2824 movement.

Asian 2824 are on eBay for about £23 new

Swiss ETA 2824 are more like £150

Also, have a look at CousinsUK:

 https://www.cousinsuk.com/

You have to sign up if you want to browse their movements.

[NCRich 13,746]

I've never seen a real Asian 2824 for $25  @Waspy.  They do have some POS movements that bear a slight resemblance to a 2824 for that price.  POS (piece of shit) which wind like grinding gears and whose click spring is warranted for a week.  They use the old version 2824-1 stems and have a funky keyless system.  I wouldn't learn on those.

You can get a seagull ST2130 which is a 2824 clone for $70-75 on ebay.  Its not bad, could last for years.  But when you see the difference between that and Swiss you know why Swiss costs more.  I'd start with an ST2130 if it were my money.  To me the weakest part is the keyless.  If you can find some swiss keyless parts on the bay for cheap then you can switch them out.  I have a huge 2813 graveyard, but a much smaller ST2130 graveyard, and only one in the Swiss 2824 graveyard.

Have fun!

[edwinowl 180]

I’d suggest downloading the 2824/36 technical spec first which cousins have I believe.  

If you haven’t serviced a watch before then grab a cheap 6497 and strip down and re assemble.  It’s the same principal. If you are used to micro work it’s an advantage but servicing a watch is totally different.  

As suggested grab an Asian movement they are excellent. Some of the parts are interchangeable but not many.  Rolly will tell you that as I can’t remember.  

[GenTLe 1,497]

10 minutes ago, NCRich said:

You can get a seagull ST2130 which is a 2824 clone for $70-75 on ebay.  Its not bad, could last for years.  But when you see the difference between that and Swiss you know why Swiss costs more. 

Do you think so? I have worked quite few times on the 2842 found in the old mechanical swatch models and I didn't see any difference between them and a Seagull (and the seagull was finished way better)

[NCRich 13,746]

1 minute ago, GenTLe said:

Do you think so? I have worked quite few times on the 2842 found in the old mechanical swatch models and I didn't see any difference between them and a Seagull (and the seagull was finished way better)

You know more than me about this.  I have found the keyless parts to be more flimsy in the seagulls that I have played with.  But I would defer to your judgement.

[Waspy 306]

And I defer to you...and pretty much everyone LOL

[Flinnt 2,009]

2 hours ago, Waspy said:

Well you don't have to buy a whole (used) watch just for a 2824 movement.

Swiss ETA 2824 are more like £150

I can buy used, working and even recently serviced Victorinox watches with 2824-2s in them for less than half of that, which is why I was considering buying a whole watch or two. 

Sounds like I should go for a ST2130 or an Asian 2824-2. I might go for both actually. And maybe a 6497 as one to learn the pitfalls on.

My goal is to be able to service the Asian 2824-2s and 2836s and also to switch Swiss movements into those reps. Only for myself, I’m not planning on a career change or anything. But to know I can keep some of my reps going basically for decades would be my goal. 

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing the wisdom and keep chiming in if there’s more anyone wants to add. 

[Waspy 306]

8 minutes ago, Flinnt said:

 keep chiming in if there’s more anyone wants to add. 

OK so don't forget the Sellita SW200-1 movement which is a Swiss movement and a copy of the ETA (so a Swiss clone of a Swiss movement !)

http://calibercorner.com/sellita-caliber-sw200-1/

And when you're all learned up, I have a couple of little jobs for you on my watches LOL

[automatico 4]

I would start with a 2836 etaclone (day/date so there is more stuff to manipulate) and take it apart and put it back together until you can do it with very few false moves and virtually no mistakes.  Next learn how to r/r the mainspring in the barrel.  New MS come in washers that allow them to slip into the barrel but it is still good to learn how to install a loose mainspring with a mainspring winder.  Mine is an old Kendrick & Davis (K&D) mainspring winder that is probably 60+ years old that a watch mechanic friend gave me.  You can find them for $20 or so at jewelry stores that no longer work on watches, watch shows, eBay etc.  Later on you might want to learn how to r/r balance staffs but ETA balance assemblies (balance wheel with balance staff and hairspring) are still not very expensive (yet) so most repair guys just replace them.  Rolex for example is a different story so the cost of a staff compared to a balance complete is about $12 compared to $400+/-.  I use a K&D number 50 balance staff remover and they are made to hold the balance wheel flat by the spokes in the staking tool to eliminate bent wheels etc.  I know you do not need one now but if you stay with this hobby you might want to learn how to r/r balance staffs to save $$ and maybe make a little $$ on the side. 

Learning how to service an ETA 28xx can save you $75+/- on every movement so it is a good skill to learn.  After you are comfortable with 28xx ETAs you might find an old watch with an A. Schild 1916 or something similar and go from there.  The A/S 1916 day/date works are a pain and entirely different from ETA and it also has an 'offset canon pinion' that tends to wear out in a hurry if you set the day of the week a lot...the date is quick set by pushing-pulling the crown.  Vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf  and many others used A/S base movements so it is good to know how to work on them because there are a lot of them in vintage watches.  Example:  if you find a vintage Zodiac Sea Wolf that will not run for $75 or $100 and you c/o the watch plus a crystal and crown to get it running, there is about $200 to $300 to be made on it.  Not bad for a couple days work...if you can the dam# pressed on case back off.  They are a pain.  

I live in a town with a population of about 29,000 in a county with about 132,000 and there is ONE watch repair shop left and the repair guy is close to 80 years old.  My guess is many small towns no longer have watch repair shops at all, just battery swappers and anyone who can c/o an average mechanical watch and replace crystals, crowns etc can make a little spending $$ working at home.  Obtaining parts however is becoming a serious problem. 

 

[Flinnt 2,009]

Thanks again people. Some great info.

Yes I had been thinking I should learn to r/r mainspring even though I can swap in new ones already encased in the washer. However ms winders were a bit expensive on the sites I was buying my tools from so thought I’d leave it to later. I’ll start looking for a 2nd hand one. 

I must say I had never thought of doing the balance staff myself but the thought of buying up all the vintage watches in town and getting them running again sounds like something I’d love. I’ll add it to the list but first things first for now.