Hello , i found about a 1937 Minuteman ( i believe ) in working condition. I am no mechanic and dont trust myself to go inside . It winds up and opperates as it should but loses time as it operates .
I assume it needs cleaned inside or serviced .. Is this a common problem and fixable for something this dated ..
Thanks
It is fixable, it depends on how worn everything is inside. Watches that haven't been serviced in a long time should not be run. Even the jewels can suffer damage when the watch is dried out or even too oily. I often find that old watches from this era are quite worn, and even when fully serviced are spotty runners due to worn jewels or tired hairsprings, or any number of faults. These can all be repaired, and come under the heading of restoration, but replacing train jewels and even arbors as well as springs drives the cost of the service up, and is usually far more than the watch is worth.
At least with a service, the watch will be clean, lubricated and regulated and cannot harm itself further by running. Average prices for this range from $75-$125, depending on location. You may find a retired or semi-retired watchmaker who will do it for less, but always insist on a proper service, that is, with full disassembly and cleaning, with modern lubricants used. Half measures do not protect the watch.