Daniel JeanRichard Chronograph Restoration

Two weeks back, I went to our traditional weekly GTG and my watchmaker attended.

He do this from time to time.

After all, most of the members are his customers.

We chat a little and we took a walk on the flea market (that is conveniently located in front of the coffee place where we do our GTG) and he mentioned that he was looking for a inexpensive watch to be used on the training of a new watchmaker that he hired.

That day the flea market was particularly poor in watches and we stopped on a stand that is owned by an old seller. He looked and nothing attracted his attention.

I put my eyes on a chronograph that is on this stand since I can remember. It was a Daniel JeanRichard three register chronograph in terrible conditions.

The case has been polished by a butcher and there are enough dirt and DNA to make a C.S.I. person to have a field day. The strap was full of a green slime and should carry a label "bio-hazard".

I was about to pass that filth piece when my watchmaker asked the seller if he could see the movement. The seller agreed and my watchmaker, using one of those rubber balls, promptly opened the case and took a look on the inside.

Based only on his smile I made an offer to the watch.

Something like a "quid" or a "song", I don't remember. After some heavy haggling, that "bio-hazard" filthy piece was mine.

Next step was to haggle with my watchmaker about the resurrection costs (we always have quality discussions about costs).

I left it with my watchmaker that immediately put it on a sealed plastic bag (remember, it was bio-hazard!) and we returned to the GTG for another round of a good espresso and we resumed our chat. I was not brave enough to mention my last acquisition and be converted on the subject of jokes and I forgot about it.

Ten days later, I got a call from my watchmaker stating that the DJR was ready for pickup. Last Saturday, I went there and a big and nice surprise was waiting for me.

With the watch I also got hundreds of pictures that they normally provided, and here are some pics from the process.

1) Before

I''m sorry that they did a coarse outside cleaning before taking those pics. It was much worst

The movement was not that bad.

The movement status was terrible. It looks like a hearth attack!

The case was ... horrible, the lugs, butchered.

Case being redone

Movement dismantled

After the cleaning, the reassembly process

First cut of the movement, after cleaning and oiling.

2) After

The final assembly

After the final "tuning". Compare with the original.

Some pics, now in my hands

3) Quick review:

Three registers automatic chronograph, no date, case 38mm, inter lug spacing 20mm, screw back and screwed crown (not the pushers). The crystal is acrylic.

It's a Daniel JeanRichard Chronograph model 25004 (some references say it's a "Highlands model").

Movement base is an ETA 2892-A2 with a Dubois Depraz 2020 chronograph module.

4) Summary:

A nice watch was recovered to it's former glory from the trash bin.

Is not a wonder watch but it makes a great beater.

Dresses very well, the case is well proportionally and, this is the amazing part, the precision is outstanding outshining some of my much more expensive ones.

Cheers,

Nilo