Marshall picks up a lovely Universal Genève gold dress watch from eBay that has a few issues. The plating has deteriorated, the crystal is cracked, and the movement is running but not very well. Otherwise it’s great! Come along for the ride as Marshall takes on another restoration here on Wristwatch Revival!
Support Wristwatch Revival via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wristwatchrevival
Follow on Instagram for Project Updates in between video releases: @wristwatch_revival
————————————————————————————————————
These are Amazon affiliate links to some of the equipment used for these videos and purchasing anything through them helps support the channel.
WATCHMAKING TOOLS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:
Bergeon Screwdriver Set: https://amzn.to/34URcok
Dumont Tweezer #3: https://amzn.to/2YX4Hjl
Bergeon Springbar Tool: https://amzn.to/3LczDlJ
Bergeon Case Opening Ball: https://amzn.to/34VLbYg
Bergeon Presto Hand Removal Tool: https://amzn.to/3bfHtdo
Bergeon Movement Holder: https://amzn.to/3hQsY29
Horotec Hand Setting Tools: https://amzn.to/2Gdye1K
Rodico: https://amzn.to/32K0PDG
Bergeon Blower: https://amzn.to/34RgVxX
Bergeon Case Opening Knife: https://amzn.to/34VHr9e
Bergeon Quick Service Kit: https://amzn.to/2QHnScC
Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine: https://amzn.to/3i6BBER
Amscope Microscope: https://amzn.to/2EuReZ4
Multifunction Timegrapher: https://amzn.to/3Keceit
Sanding Sticks: https://amzn.to/3QFBcMg
CAMERAS AND AUDIO:
Main Camera, Sony A7III: https://amzn.to/2Dk3Q4K
Secondary Camera, Sony RX100: https://amzn.to/2Dlrwpx
Tertiary Camera, Sony A6400: https://amzn.to/3jVaYqh
Main Macro Lens, Sigma 70mm f/2.8: https://amzn.to/3lD4Wdb
Secondary Macro, Laowa 100mm f/2.8 https://amzn.to/2ZGmFKo
Camlink 4k Video Converter: https://amzn.to/3hTiiQf
Shure MV7 Microphone: https://amzn.to/3KaMlQC
Audio Recorder, ZOOM H6: https://amzn.to/31R11BQ
Small Sirui Tripod: https://amzn.to/3K82W7Y
Sirui Tripod Head for Overhead Camera: https://amzn.to/2QNoNZ8
COMPUTER STUFF:
Apple Macbook Pro: https://amzn.to/3k170fD
Synology NAS: https://amzn.to/3k5sZlx
Seagate HDDs for NAS: https://amzn.to/3hQ5hqt
Samsung Portable Drive: https://amzn.to/34UdhTT
Hi Marshal, thanks for the cool video, what do you use for cleaning the watches?
Marshall, the gold bath is the purple colour from cobalt compounds used to harden the gold. You rightly pointed out that 24k gold is a different colour, it’s ironic but it often looks cheaper. The Swiss have a series of gold colours defined by the alloy composition. Several plating solution companies make solutions to replicate those colours. A useful tip, you set the voltage of your plating, which is fine, but if you calculate the area of your parts carefully and check the current density that way you won’t “ burn “ a part. You also touched on the joys of stripping gold, again it can be done chemically, but the solutions tend to be either cyanide based or very smelly amines, neither are kitchen table material. A good stripper must munch the desired coating but not the base, in this case a copper zinc alloy. Your route is fine for a single part, but gets tedious if you have hundreds!
Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm so concisely.
You said it was coming! And you delivered! Think about the doors this could open 👏👏
Always wondered how gold plating worked, very interesting, thanks.
You probably get asked this all the time but what do you do with the watches you restore? I know some of your videos are commissioned restorations so they're returned to their rightful owner but do you sell any of your eBay purchases? And if you do, what kind of return on investment do you get?
If this is a taboo question then I apologise. I'm just intrigued
thank you for this video – it is always a pleasure to see you working on this classical old watches – just fantastic!
Well done adding another tool to your kit.
Another fantastic watch restoration. It would be great to know the history of some of these watches.
Great work, I like the fact that, in the end, you present the watch without putting it on your wrist, could be unpleasant with all the hairy stuff.
Would you like to share some figures? How much did the watch cost on Ebay? What can the renovated clock bring in on an acution? How much did the parts used cost, mainspring, glas, nickel and goldplate? And mych time did you totaly spend on the project?
Electrolysis. That's how you cleaned it before plating.
Well done on the plating! Great video, thanks for recording 😊
I'm a retired Family Practice Doctor and I have had the privilege of watching several very adept Neurosurgeons work on the brains of ill patients. Surgeries would often last many, many hours. And I see similarities from that in your videos…. these videos are a pleasure to see. You do some fine and exacting work and your results are no less amazing … think about that.
Congrats on first attempt at Gold Plating Marshall!! Looks great! Are you a fan on the Grand Seiko Spring Drive? I’ve been admiring some probable sponsored videos on them and was wondering if they are more difficult to service? I understand if you don’t have time to respond on here, you probably get tonnes of inquiries. Cheers ⌚️