Type A-11 Watches

[Happy Hooligan]

Just found this beauty today and although it needs serviced badly, it also will need new hands and most likely a new dial.

Anyone know where to get NOS parts for these?

Also was the crystal originally yellow or is that from the radium or time or something? if so, I'll need a new one of those too.

 

[deeb7]

Dashto have the hands, and are good to deal with ...

http://www.dashto.com/newlists/military ... terial.htm

... and of course there's eBay. Yes, the crystal needs replacing, when they yellow, and start to craze, they become porous.

 

[Happy Hooligan]

Thanks for the info! I wrote him already to find out.

Just have to decide if it's worth it to put the money into it. Needs the hands, dial, crystal and a good cleaning....

What are these worth all fixed up? $200 or so?

 

[deeb7]

What are these worth all fixed up? $200 or so?

Yeah ... maybe a little more with all that done.

 

[Clark J]

Sterling Silver case with a very mint original winding crown!!!Email Scott McCoy in TX,,great guy has the parts most likely.Tell him Clark from Minn sent you.
Oh crystal just aged.
[email protected]

 

[Happy Hooligan]

Sterling Silver case with a very mint original winding crown!!!Email Scott McCoy in TX,,great guy has the parts most likely.Tell him Clark from Minn sent you.
Oh crystal just aged.
[email protected]

Scott just sent me a photo of my watch all finished! Should get it by the end of the week. I'm so excited. Thank you for the suggestion. I mentioned you sent me and he said to say hi.

I'll post some pics of the "new" watch when I get it.

 

[Clark J]

He's done every WW2 watch I own.Great guy!!!!!post a pic of that bad boy!

 

[Andrew]

Hey Clark, do you think your mate could help me out with a replacement crystal for a 16s elgin pocket watch?

I once had an A-11 with a yellow crystal- I always assumed it was made that way. Ok, dumb question- so it's not and it doesn't make it easier to read in low light?

 

[Clark J]

I bet he could.Scott McCoy
[email protected]
Just tell him Clark from Minnesota sent you!

 

[siddhartha]

That watch is a beauty-been casually looking for a silver-cased A-11.

The crystals of that time period age like that. Nothing can be done that I know of to fix them, including polishing (which actually makes them worse). I have one of those "jitterbug" pocket watches with a super high beat-rate, and the crystal looks exactly like that. I should get that serviced/cleaned up...anyone know who can do that?

Please, please post pics when it comes back. Not sure I'd change the dial/hands, but that's a personal decision.

Best,

Chris

 

[Clark J]

Same guy as listed above.Scott McCoy.

 

[dmar836]

Watchsmithing is a new hobby of mine. What many don't realize is that to do it correctly, a movement must be completely disassembled, cleaned(ultrasonically or otherwise), oiled, and reassembled. Some may take short cuts but that's the right way to do it. The oils break down and gum up making timing off and often causing stoppage(my grandfather's Elgin). Figure on $100-150 for this service. Then, obviously, when it is apart is also the most appropriate time to replace parts.
I have a nonrunning A-11 that I just let the mainspring down on and the crown just slowly unwound without regulation as the oil was so gummy. Another running A-11 has a replacement second hand that's the wrong color. Replacing the parts while not doing it all at once makes for a rather obvious and ugly repair IMO.
BTW, be careful with the A-11 cases. I wouldn't use them regularly like a nice A-2 jacket. That soft metal case wears through at the band pins. The A-17 and later cases are better material. JMO.

Dave

 

[Dr H]

Thanks for the info Dave - what should you budget for a fair/usable A17 for regular use?

Cheers

Ian

 

[Happy Hooligan]

do you think I'd be okay with the sterling case instead of the base metal ones for daily wear?

I ended up replacing the crystal, a new NOS dial (my numbers are pealing and tiny bits falling off) I had to replace two hands as they had rusted away. He was able to save one, but from the photo he sent me of it you couldn't tell, at least I can't in the photo, plus a complete cleaning.

I'd imagine I should get it back today.

 

[dmar836]

I think, and that's not from much experience, that the ss cases are best. Whatever "potmetal" they used on the wartime A-11, it's prone to corrosion and rapid wear.
This is only my observation - I have never worn one to failure. I've worn a ss band to failure but that's a different era and story.
The more into the 50s and 60s you get, the better they appear to hold up. The boxy cases are fairly similar to the late war and post war watches. There are some surprisingly "convincing" watches made even in the 60s IMO.
Dave

 

[bombs away]

Hello,

A vey nice prewar A-11 for sale on ebay at the moment...
Don't know if it will reach high price ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330636408534?ss ... 1423.l2649

Tim

 

[Dr H]

Now that is by far the most stylish A-11 I have seen to date.
Will keep a close eye on that one :mrgreen:

 

[Clark J]

that is a real nice one!

 

[TankBuster]

It will be a spendy one. Pretty rare.

 

[Dr H]

Thought so... :cry:
On to something cheaper and less purdy...