Movado
Movado, founded in 1881 by Achille Ditesheim in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, began as a small workshop with six watchmakers. By 1905, the company adopted the name "Movado," meaning "always in motion" in Esperanto, symbolizing innovation and progress. Movado gained international acclaim for its commitment to design and precision, introducing groundbreaking timepieces like the Polyplan watch in 1912, featuring a curved movement to fit the contours of the wrist. The company's most iconic creation, the Museum Watch, was designed in 1947 by artist Nathan George Horwitt. Its minimalist dial, characterized by a single gold dot at 12 o'clock representing the sun, became the first watch design to be included in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This design established Movado as a leader in modernist watchmaking. Throughout its history, Movado has earned over 100 patents and numerous awards for artistry and innovation.
Movado cal. 57 (c. 1966)
The Movado Caliber 57, introduced in 1966, was a manual-winding mechanical movement featured in various timepieces, including women’s watches, during the late 1960s and beyond. As part of a family of calibers, including Movado 53, 54, 55, and 56, the Caliber 57 stood out for its intricate perlage work on the main plate, bridges, and mainspring barrel, signifying its placement in Movado’s higher-end models. Collectors and enthusiasts value this movement for its meticulous craftsmanship and as a testament to Movado's rich horological heritage.
Restoration Notes
I found myself being extra careful with this movement because the tiny parts were not easily available. Also, I really didn't want to scratch the beautiful perlage finish or the shiny screws!
Cleaning and Polishing
Troubleshooting
Replacing the Balance Complete
The watch was working in the DD position but would stop in the DU position. Surely enough, this problem was being caused by a broken balance staff pivot. So, I had to replace the balance complete with a new one (Movado 57, part no. 721).
Replacing the Balance Complete
After searching through part list documents and alternate caliber resources, I realised that the Movado cal. 56 minute wheel (part no. 260) would be a perfect match for our cal. 57 movement.
Aligning the Hairspring
The new hairspring was bunching around one side of the balance wheel, so it needed some alignment work.
Adding a Dial Washer
The dial washer was missing so I sourced an appropriately sized one.
Reassembly and Lubrication
Moebius D5 on barrel, 2nd and 3rd wheel pivots; Moebius 9010 on 4th and 5th wheel pivots; Moebius 9010 on balance jewel; Fix-o-Drop Epilame on escape wheel and pallet jewels; Moebius 9415 on pallet exit stone; Moebius 9501 for cannon pinion and keyless works.
Regulation
Timegrapher readings at full wind, across five positions - DU, DD, CU, CD, and CL:
Delta Rate: 19 sec/day
Mean Rate: -7.2 sec/day
Amplitude Range: 214° to 280°
Mean Amplitude: 238°
Beat Error Range: 0.0 to 0.3 ms
After one full wind, the watch worked for a total of 50 hours.
