Maintaining and Repairing Mechanical Watches: A Practical Guide

Mark W Wiles

jul 2016 · The Crowood Press

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This invaluable, practical book is written by a watch repairer with over twenty years' experience. It is aimed principally at the novice mechanical watch repairer, although those with more experience will also find it most useful. Brimming with advice and useful tips, it provides step-by-step photographs with accompanying text and demonstrates how to maintain a mechanical watch, and how to identify problems and correct them. The author discusses the theory behind how a watch works and reveals how to take a watch apart and how to reassemble it without causing any damage. Each section of the book is related to a particular element within the watch, and the author clearly explains the function and design of each part. He covers the essential requirements of a workspace, discusses basic tools, and how to use and care for them and illustrates how to take a mechanical watch apart and re-assemble it. He goes on to examine types of watch cases, case backs and how to open and re-fit them, as well as the movement and removing the movement from the case. He demonstrates how to remove the hands and the dial, and discusses motion work and the removal of the cannon pinion. He also pays attention to keyless-work, the mainspring and the barrel, the balance wheel, the escapement, the gearing and the gear train, pivots and arbors, bearings and jewels, and much more. The book also shows the reader how to service, clean and oil a watch, and how to successfully complete common repairs and make basic adjustments. Essential reading for all those interested mechanical watch repair, and superbly illustrated with 337 colour photographs.

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Mark Wiles, who has had a passion for repairing watches and clocks since the age of twelve, runs the workshop at Antique & Modern in East Barnet (an Omega credited service centre). After passing his Final British Horological Institute (BHI) examination in technical horology, he was granted a three-year apprenticeship by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers (WCC). He thus maintained a proud family tradition dating back to the eighteenth century for two of his ancestors, Steven and Edwin Wiles, were both distinguished clockmakers based in central London. In 2010 Mark became both a Freeman of the WCC and the BHI's youngest accredited Fellow.