What a great video and certainly an interesting blend of battery and mechanical power! I'm intrigued. Maybe I could get me one someday to have a go at. Thanks again Mike! Joe
Hi Mike! That watch is a crazy design! Never seen anything like it. I appreciate you showing this watch to us. I am glad you rescued those watches and put them back in service with the exception of the one in the video. At least you got spare parts out of it. Great video.
Mike, I just wanted to thank you for letting me know these electro-mechanical watches exist. I immediately got myself a few and now working on getting them back into shape. This video is also quite useful, I didn't even bother taking pictures as I disassembled the movement, relying on the video for the reassembly. And while I'm at it, I'd like to thank you for your website too - it's a treasure trove of information!
I bought one because of your video and I can say I am not disappointed at all. This watch is amazing, the ticking is incredible. To anyone thinking of buying one do it you won’t be disappointed.
That’s such a fun design! Truly amazing how electrical engineering overlapped with the more traditional mechanical train/balance escapement during this time period. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Andy's vintage shop is great I have already purchased a few watches from him and no problems...the products are as described Recommended for lovers of old Japanese watches.. mainly from the Seiko brand
Haven’t read all the comments or watched the full video (am watching now) however, a mild solution of warmed vinegar would remove all the sulfate from the battery. You have my interest peaked although I have a NOS EL-3702 date, 11 jewels. The Goddard’s works as it is a mild acid. Vinegar is cheaper though and I use it on electronic boards as well as metal. Cheers, Geoff
I have an elnix and a citizen cosmotron GX (tuning fork), love these little and almost forgotten pieces of engineering. Thanks for the video as always, this one will make me appreciate my elnix even more.
I thought Citizen tuning forks were only the Hisonic range which I own. Didn’t know one as a cosmotron so will have to look into that. Thanks for watching
Loved this warts and all video Mike and your glee when it finally fires up which I totally identify with. I bought a lovely Citizen Cosmotron X8 “Transistorised” date coded to June 1970 a year or so ago as like you, was fascinated by the technology of combining electronics with a mechanical balance wheel movement. To think this technology was being developed in the late 1960’s is truly mind blowing! I haven’t plucked up the courage to service it myself so it goes without saying I would love to see your Citizen with that beautiful faceted crystal the subject of a video in the future to perhaps inspire the confidence to give mine a go!👍
@@MyRetroWatches I wanted to visit him when I was working in Hatton, but didn't get any free time, as it was just too busy. I'd like to take a trip up at some point, visit my friends at the rescue ranch, and maybe take the train to one of the watch shows
Thanks for the video. Couple tips, when handling batteries, use plastic tweezers as you short the battery using metal tweezers. 35:35 Plus, if the battery insulator is missing, polyamide tape works great. Also, you can use a slurry of water and baking soda to neutralize the corrosive from the battery.
Thank you. I largely use fibre ended tweezers and didnt realise in this video I used steel, actually thought I used my fingers! I was using the silver dip because I have cleaned up tarnish off wheels before with good results. I didnt realise it was going to dissolve the electorates!
Ooh... yes. I picked up an el 330 with a gorgeous wave patterned dial i have been meaning to tear down soon. thanks for the preview on the movement inside!
The EL330 is totally different. I’ve just done one myself. Interesting movements but the way they power the balance is very strange and requires a bit of setting up. I liked the 330 so much I’ve got another 2 coming !
I'll have to figure out how to show it to you after its done. I saw the dial and it was way too unique to let it go. It is metallic green with a 3d wave like pattern embossed onto the surface that fades into a lighter green in the lower areas. almost looks like Lilly pads on a pond. I had never seen a Seiko dial like that before but after researching, it is authentic. Anyway thanks for the reply! @@MyRetroWatches
This is ridiculous. I ran out of things to work on on the workbench so I pulled out a lovely Timex electric and have been exploring it all weekend. I can't stand working on Timex but I think this one I might give a shot now that you have uploaded this. Thank you so much!
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Great video Mike, very interesting. Thanks for sharing. If you need a new home for your scrap main plate id be interested in buying it for a holder project. 👍
Yes the 3803 morpho. Movements are a work of art with a couple of challenges in terms of setting them up correctly! They're built like a brick outhouse.
Yes me too. That one surprised me as it was looking awful on arrival with a cracked and badly scratched crystal which I replaced. The mesh I added too.
Great vid Mike. These and the similar Swissonic watches are fascinating and I’m definitely going to look at getting a seiko elnix sometime. Looking forward to your cosmotron video sometime soon!! Cheers Simon
I have never heard nor seen anything like this before. You did an admirable job considering what you had to work with. And I love the damaged dial because I'd never see it, and it adds to the story of the watch itself. And isn't that really what an old watch does?
There is patina on a dial which I like but this is just damage from an owner leaving a battery in there to explode. It might tell a story but if I had changed the crystal out for new I think it would have looked awful. The movement will work again as I will just re-service once I have found a donor dial. Thanks for watching,
@@MyRetroWatches I agree. I can say that I spent way more time looking up this watch and a few other very fascinating watches of the same era. I have to thank you for this video because I've now found a new watch I want to add to strange collection! (Sure, the dial shows the lack care by a previous owner, but it still looks cool to me!) And I love your channel, and have for a while because you show a love for what you do.
Thank you for showing us this. I've heard of these, but I can't say I've ever seen one. Very interesting design inside. I especially like the blue one towards the end with the vertical facets. I'd like to see the Citizen too if you're up for it. Thanks for another great video, cheers!
Thanks. Yes the blue facet one is fantastic, does not come well over film and photo as its much nicer in real. Citizen will be filmed. Thanks for watching.
Enjoyed that one Michael! Fascinated by the Seiko engineering that makes it tick. Really good video and as always clear shots and explanation. I can see me wanting to have a go at one of those. Would love to see a video of the Citizen. Thanks for sharing the knowledge mate!
Hi Mike, i enjoyed watching, great video, thank you, looks like fun servicing/fixing one of those, i've seen them before i didn't know they were a higher beat hybrid movement though, looking forward to see the Citizen and how their movement is constructed hope that is higher beat. Bloody electrolytes, cheers mate.
It's like an alternate universe movement where quartz was never discovered! The thing I found the strangest was the idea of actively introducing magnetism into it. Very strange, and yes, would love to see the Cosmotron.
Hi Endy yes magnets in a (largely) mechanical watch is an interesting concept. I like how the whole train works in reverse. Made for an interesting video subject I think.
Vinegar is great to clean up battery leakage as it neutralises the basic residue from the battery. As you have a acid-base reaction you need to give it a wash afterwards.
Great vid! Cosmotron, yes please Sir. 😁 funny enough as it happens I'm watching your vid wearing a French Lip "Nautic-Ski" diver with lip's R148 electronic movement. Which is _kinda- similar in how it works. Not as high frequency though and more old school(they were one of the first to do the electric thing). Your Seiko is clearly more up to date.
Having developed a bit of an affinity for the Cosmotron range then I'd love to see you do one of those. Feel some sort of odd need to point out that Citizen were first to market globally with the electronic balance concept. The 780x movement type would be interesting I think due to the unusual quickset day/date mechanism with the 7803s having the flyback seconds hand reset/hack button as well - these also scream along at 36k BPH!
Interesting video, shame the main one didn't work out, but nice watches, I don't know why no one makes them today? I think I might have mentioned in the past, i've got one branded Winner with an ESA movement.
Great video. I'm a Seiko fan and I didn't know this kind of watch existed. Question: On eBay you see some watches labeled Elnix "Quartz". Is there a quartz version of Elnix? or the sellers just got confused thinking it's a quartz watch because it uses battery? Thanks
Hi Mike, I’m happy and sad for all the effort you put into the watch. Loved the little clip insert at 1:24. I can appreciate the eBay gamble. I do it a lot on various stuff and have a good rate of satisfaction over disappointment. The end “doner” watches seem to have become the receivers. 😆😆 Cheers 🍻
great job getting the watch going, I would love to see you work on the citizen cosmotron as I have a 1975 7803 day/date with seconds hand reset button on the opposite side to the crown. My one has a small issue with setting the hands when you pull the crown fully out, the hands only move now and then. Cheers My Retro
What a movement!!!?? I know a lot of Seiko's, but I did not know this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I even gave my wife(she my late wife now) a Seiko 5 mechanical automatic, and at the time said to her; TAKE THIS FOR A WATCH YOU LITTLE PSYCHO!!!!!!!!!!!!! RE
I just finished disassembly of the dial side! What took you 14 minutes took me a couple hours... (I posted a question earlier today before this one but I don't see it.)
That’s the model I’m missing. I have just finished working on a EL330 that I liked so much I bought 2 more but they are a totally different movement. Elnix is a good evolution of the series and worthy of ownership.
thanks not yet but I might be selling some watches soon once I have a shopify store sorted out . I will announce in a video when its all setup. Could be a few months away though.
Shame that the project one turned out the way it did in the end after all that work you put into it but what an interesting design. Keep up the good work!
Citizen yes. Soul, yes with these I think as there is a lot of engineering going on and we are still using a balance wheel to regulate with a lovely smooth tick. i find them a really interesting concept. What I didnt say is there was two models before this EL330 and EL370 so the Elnix is the fine tuned version so to speak.
Hello Mike just discovered your channel and have been fascinated with it something I’ve wanted to take up have just stated to collect some tools but I am hesitant to start on a watch in your opinion witch watch to start on risking it may never work again. I have no clean equipment and a bare minimum of tools thank you for your channel and long may you continue
One day soon I need to make a video for beginners although it would just be my opinion nothing more. I would suggest you start with something cheap and something simple. depending on where you are in the world there are 60s-70s dress watches on ebay that don't have and calendar works. These can be good (avoid radium dials) having no calendar means its much less complicated. 15 Jewels would be a good movement. Jewel count does not mean all that much but 15j -17j + are good for placing bridges and wheels . Buy something that you dont mind loosing, I still buy many watches for £20.00 UK each and it keeps me very happy. On this channel I show cheap costing watches more than the expensive ones. I like to prove that you can have just as much fun with them.
Abs brilliant, it now means I can prob take on my Soviet 3055 electromechanical Luch as the movements are very alike and there isn't a lot of info on the Soviet one :D
I would think that any oil should be extremely lite as there is no force on the train from mainspring. The balance would be as normal. Very interesting for sure however.
Is there a tool that allows more fine control when adjusting the regulator? I’m visualizing 2 short brass pins to engage the regulator plate, attached to a short vertical bar, with a long pointer at the other end to grip and show how much you’re turning. Seems less risky than fumbling a screwdriver into the hairspring
Thats what the screw is for on this model as you can fine tune it However it was that far out and thats because the balance was not native to the watch as it came out of the blue dialled one so would need beat error correction along with regulation. I have seen people use pegwood or tweezers before however most RU-vidrs seem to not film any of their regulation unfortunately. Only last week I repaired a watch from a guy who attempted regulation and bent the hairspring as a result...
@@MyRetroWatches Thanks for the reply, Mike. It’s all too easy to slip up and bend a hairspring, which was why I thought there has to be a better way, even with a timegrapher. In my recent experience, all it takes is holding the balance cock upside down and flipping the balance wheel upside down, and you’re in for a treat of untangling. FYI Fran Blanch(e?) on YT has an old 1970’s video of Henry Fried, showing how to untangle a hairspring. Somehow I usually can’t make that work and end up bending the hairspring on the regulator pins. Then it’s a couple of hours of needling. What a hobby!
First use a cotton tip with whiskey, than put it in the Buzz-bath, that should help against the chemical dandruff :) Or just use the tools I send you ;)
I think only you would have a spare mainplate for a Seiko Elnix. Honestly, to me the stuff on the dial just looked like 50 years of patina to me. It's to be expected I think.
