Alright, let’s talk about this 1996 Daytona project I tackled. It all started when I stumbled upon this old, beat-up watch. I’ve always been fascinated by the mechanics of these things, so I decided to try my hand at restoring it.
Getting Started
First thing I did was carefully disassemble the whole thing. Man, there were so many tiny screws and springs! I made sure to lay everything out on a clean cloth and take pictures as I went, so I wouldn’t forget where everything went.
The Cleaning Process
Next up was cleaning. Years of grime and who-knows-what-else had built up on these parts. I used a soft brush and some special cleaning solution, gently scrubbing each piece until it gleamed. It was tedious, but seeing the parts come back to life was super satisfying.
Troubleshooting and Repair
- I noticed a few of the parts were damaged, like, really damaged. One of the gears had a chipped tooth, and the mainspring was totally busted.
- So, I spent a good chunk of time searching online for replacement parts. It wasn’t easy, some of them really old.
- After I finally tracked everything down, it was time to start putting it all back together.
Reassembly
This was the trickiest part. Remembering where all those tiny screws went, and getting the gears to mesh just right. I definitely had to consult my photos a few times! There were moments I felt I’d never make it, but keep going!
The Moment of Truth
Finally, after hours of work, I had the watch reassembled. I wound it up, held my breath, and…tick, tick, tick! It was working! Seeing that second hand sweep around the dial was such a great feeling.
All the hard work did paid off!
Final Touches
The last thing I did was polish the case and replace the crystal. It looked almost brand new!
I’m pretty proud of how it turned out. It’s not perfect, but it’s a working piece of history that I brought back to life.
