Where can I buy movements to learn on?

[Towerhand 0]

I am looking to start repairing and servicing replicas and want to buy movements to repair. Servicing my own replicas is interesting and would be a great pass time. Any information on where to buy movements, new or used, would be helpful.

[Rx4Time 1,472]

Scour eBay.  You can sometimes find people selling old watch collections in bulk for cheap.  Using the search term watches for parts, I pulled up a couple of lots including these.  You need to look closely as I'm sure there's a fair number of courts mixed in, So you'll have to judge if there's enough pieces to justify the purchase

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Group-Vintage-Wrist-Watches-and-Movements-Some-Run-or-Parts-/293354359915?nav=SEARCH

.https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-lbs-Huge-Large-Watch-Lot-For-Repair-Parts-Some-work-pins-crystals-bands/133264868748?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150401103920%26meid%3D4751b969316c459dbb545114be9af904%26pid%3D100386%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D133264868748%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2053742&_trksid=p2053742.c100386.m102

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-Watches-for-Parts-and-Repair-Not-Working-Nice-collection/293357269043?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20180914113649%26meid%3D7e9dcfc912d74ca19e618a3c5a9cf59b%26pid%3D101007%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D293357269043%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2053742&_trksid=p2053742.c101007.m3226

 

 

 

[TRANSPORTER 1]

Hi yep eBay you won’t find too many reps so to say on there but loads of movements that you will be able to use to practice on, I recommend books by Donald decarle aswell. University YouTube is also a great help. The BHI distance learning course is very good although a little expensive. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time and money if you do get into it ( like I have )

[Towerhand 0]

17 hours ago, Rx4Time said:

Scour eBay.  You can sometimes find people selling old watch collections in bulk for cheap.  Using the search term watches for parts, I pulled up a couple of lots including these.  You need to look closely as I'm sure there's a fair number of courts mixed in, So you'll have to judge if there's enough pieces to justify the purchase

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Group-Vintage-Wrist-Watches-and-Movements-Some-Run-or-Parts-/293354359915?nav=SEARCH

.https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-lbs-Huge-Large-Watch-Lot-For-Repair-Parts-Some-work-pins-crystals-bands/133264868748?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150401103920%26meid%3D4751b969316c459dbb545114be9af904%26pid%3D100386%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D133264868748%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2053742&_trksid=p2053742.c100386.m102

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-Watches-for-Parts-and-Repair-Not-Working-Nice-collection/293357269043?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20180914113649%26meid%3D7e9dcfc912d74ca19e618a3c5a9cf59b%26pid%3D101007%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D293357269043%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2053742&_trksid=p2053742.c101007.m3226

 

 

 

Thank you!!

[Towerhand 0]

16 hours ago, TRANSPORTER said:

Hi yep eBay you won’t find too many reps so to say on there but loads of movements that you will be able to use to practice on, I recommend books by Donald decarle aswell. University YouTube is also a great help. The BHI distance learning course is very good although a little expensive. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time and money if you do get into it ( like I have )

I appreciate your input. I am hoping to save some money or maybe even repair some watches in the future to subsidize this money sucking hobby.

Thanks for the input guys if anyone has junk movements they want to give away, let me know!

[GenTLe 1,496]

Just take care: from my experience as forum participant, try to keep this thing for yourself: avoid put your hands on watches that aren't yours. There are waaaaaaay too many things that can go wrong when you start to put hands in a watch, and even you'll have the tendency to overconsider yourself after the first successes.

By now the only person that is not an official watch repairer who hasn't gone sour around here is Rolie, and probably that's because, other than being good in what he does, he most probably carefully selects his customers and type of tasks to work on.

[GingerApple 7,272]

2 hours ago, GenTLe said:

Just take care: from my experience as forum participant, try to keep this thing for yourself: avoid put your hands on watches that aren't yours. There are waaaaaaay too many things that can go wrong when you start to put hands in a watch, and even you'll have the tendency to overconsider yourself after the first successes.

By now the only person that is not an official watch repairer who hasn't gone sour around here is Rolie, and probably that's because, other than being good in what he does, he most probably carefully selects his customers and type of tasks to work on.

You could do it too! I can understand why you wouldn't want to, but you're the shizzle!

[GenTLe 1,496]

17 minutes ago, TheGingerFerret said:

You could do it too! I can understand why you wouldn't want to, but you're the shizzle!

At most to my near friends (local guys that I know personally)  
Funny thing: one of these friends has a Breitling with a 2824 inside (genuine watch), and it was in need of a service. So I sent him to another of my friends who is a certified Rolex technician from years and runs a watch related business (jewels - his business partner -, watches and watch repairs). What he said to the Breitling guy was "Hey, but why Ale sent you to me? He can absolutely do this job to you..."

But yeah... I don't have an insurance if something goes bad... Too much of a risk

[GingerApple 7,272]

2 minutes ago, GenTLe said:

At most to my near friends (local guys that I know personally)  
Funny thing: one of these friends has a Breitling with a 2824 inside (genuine watch), and it was in need of a service. So I sent him to another of my friends who is a certified Rolex technician from years and runs a watch related business (jewels - his business partner -, watches and watch repairs). What he said to the Breitling guy was "Hey, but why Ale sent you to me? He can absolutely do this job to you..."

But yeah... I don't have an insurance if something goes bad... Too much of a risk

Ever thought about doing it properly? As a full time thing?

[GenTLe 1,496]

Ever thought about doing it properly? As a full time thing?

Oh yes I did... I'd like to do some training in Swiss and go into that, but I'm also not the type of business man. I'm scared (especially with Italian taxes and more and more restrictions on branded spare parts).

[Flinnt 2,009]

Being an absolute beginner I can already see exactly what GenTLe is talking about. I set out only to work on my own watches, had a couple of successes and started thinking maybe I could make some pocket money back by servicing other peoples watches, then had a few things get, well, complicated. Found certain parts can be very difficult to source and take months to get, and I’m lucky to have gotten them at all. 
You start to see the amount of things that will go wrong and that sometimes there will be no solution. If these things happen working on someone else’s watch the only way to make it right would be to buy them a whole new movement (if I can source it) and making pocket money turns into losing money. 
I’ll stick to working on mine. 

[Towerhand 0]

I have no plans of working on anyones watch but my own! I suppose selling a busted watch that was repaired by me is good enough. I just want something to do in the hotel after work when out on jobs. Pass time.

[Mike R 1,336]

17 minutes ago, Towerhand said:

Pass time.

 You can put an ad on M2M in the wanted section 

Like - I buy dead watches

GL

[Towerhand 0]

I should do that. I will look into setting up all the proper avenues to do this.