This article covers the revision of an Eterna Eternamatic - not only one of the first mass-produced automatic watches that worked reliably (other designs of the time often had inefficient self-winding mechanisms and the tendency to require some additional hand-winding to run continuously), but also the first one to use a ball bearing for its rotor.
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0001.jpg)
According to the dating function on mikrolisk.de it´s really quite old - produced around 1949. This might also explain the dial´s yellow patina and the dirty and worn caseback:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0002.jpg)
In contrast, the 1249T movement is exceptionally beautiful and even features one of the rare golden rotors as they were only used for the first movements of the line.
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0003.jpg)
The rotor´s ball bearing has five steel beads which also became Eterna´s official logo (check back for this article´s first photo if you can´t remember !-).
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0004.jpg)
The watch still works, but the timegrapher shows that a service is really necessary.
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0005.jpg)
The movement leaves its case - probably for the first time after decades...
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0006.jpg)
Not much happenig under the dial...
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0007.jpg)
The case and crystal will need some work:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0008.jpg)
The case sealing was made from soft metal...not unusual back then.
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0009.jpg)
Polishing plastic crystals can often bring great results:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0010.jpg)
The rotor removed:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0012.jpg)
The bidirectional self-winding system already shows some of the DNA of the later ETA movements (and yes, ETA actually derived from Eterna).
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0013.jpg)
The plating under the automatic wheels has already worn away.
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0014.jpg)
Without the self-winding module the watch still looks and behaves like a hand-wound watch.
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0015.jpg)
The wheel train bridge prior to being removed...
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0016.jpg)
...and afterwards:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0017.jpg)
The three-part wheel that couples the automatic module in:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0018.jpg)
Under the barrel bridge:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0019.jpg)
A detail shot of the Eterna "T" shock protection system...it resembles a Citizen Parashock system, doesn´t it?
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0020.jpg)
The Euro cent coin shows how small it is:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0021.jpg)
Here, only the center wheel remains:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0022.jpg)
On the dial side:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0023.jpg)
All the parts before cleaning:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0025.jpg)
[...some time later...]
The clean and relubricated movement back in its case...
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0026.jpg)
The timegrapher also shows a good result considering the age of the watch (with a new mainspring, the somewhat low amplitude could be even better...):
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0028.jpg)
Luckily, I also succeeded in getting the old yellow varnish off from the dial:
![](https://blog.noq2.net/content/images/eternamatic1249T-0027.jpg)
March 2016 - a second springtime for an old automatic watch...
greetings noq2
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