Tudor Monte-Carlo: Needed A Helping Hand

When this Tudro Monte Carlo came through the door it appeared to be a stellar example of a vintage watch. It had been recently 'serviced' but wasn't behaving as a recently serviced watch should. One of the chronograph pushers was unscrewing and the movment had a variety of issues. But we won't cover that here, instead we will focus on the chronogrpah seconds hand.

The hand was not resetting correctly due to a split cannon, or pipe, the part that sits around the pivot of the wheel. The glue used by the previous 'watchmaker' just didn't seem to be holding! Note the crack in the pipe as indicated by the black arrow and the glue as indicated by the green.

A new hand was impossible to find so we needed to ressurect this one. We did that by turning up a new pipe and riveting it onto the existing hand. We start with 2mm brass rod.

Which is turned down in the lathe.

We drill our centre hole for the pipe.

Hole drilled.

We turn down the brass to our needed dimensions.

Almost there.

Checking the fit of the hand onto the pipe.

Once to size we can part the workpiece. Reference for size. Not the pipe has a flat table. That is what sits underneath the hand and gives us a stable surface to make the rivet.

Final reaming to size.

The hand is then riveted onto the pipe.

Due to the removal of the old pipe and fitting the new one, the paint deterorated around the centre.

We then start to repaint to match the old colour.

Hand saved! Our job is then complete. The chronograph can now function as intened for years to come.