Jaeger LeCoultre Clock

Vintage Jaeger LeCoultre 8 Day Memovox Travel Alarm Clock
We had this just sitting around for 30 years
1954
2 x 2 1/2"
Beautiful clock but, does not run. Only the alarm works by turning
the knob on back.
Wonder if cleaning and oiling would help make it run?
Seen one on a website for sale; they want $1,300.00.
Have cleaned and oiled a few clocks before and got them running
but, this one seems very
complex. Is it a big deal to take this one apart ?
Like getting the hands off and the knobs on the back off to get access
to the gears ?
thanks : )

 

Please do nor start taking it apart.

No good will come of it, letting someone who refers to 'the gears' anywhere near the movement.

Unless the thing has been dropped and thus had the balance staff broken, the probable reason for non running is simple disuse. Oil on the spring intended to make the coils slide over each other turns to glue, effectively removing all power to the train.

I once removed a fully wound French clock spring from a barrel so gummed up that even out of the barrel it just stayed as a lump. It had not been used for about 80 years, rather longer than your clock but the principle is very common.

A realistic value is more like $200.

There is a rather tedious but non-invasive method that might help.

I am sure it is fully wound up,so you can actually drive it from the winder. Apply some pressure to the winder and give the clock a twist in the plane of the dial to see if ticks, maintain the pressure and it may tick for a while. This is a good sign, indicating no serious problem with the balance staff.

What you have to do is to sit with it in your hand, and maintaining that moderate pressure on the winder, keep it ticking for half an hour. If it becomes too boring, do it some more later.

The idea of this is to let the spring run down a tiny amount, as this may break the old dry oil bond and then once the spring leaves start to move, they should be enough to run the clock.

The thing will still need cleaning but allowed to run right down and rewound a few times, the old oil could be disturbed enough to allow normal running.

In general this technique will work on most old spring clocks and watches that have sat idle for a long time. It is not a substitute for a proper overhaul but it is hard for a repairer presented with a working clock for a simple clean to 'discover' some expensive fault when they have you over a barrel.

 

I appreciate all the info very much af!!!