This Orex found its way to my bench. It’s a German brand, registered in 1951 in Pforzheim. This watch suddenly stopped running while being worn and it wasn’t accurate.
The movement is a DUROWE 1032. The dial says Duroswing but the movement has a Protax shock protection system. That’s odd and it would suggest that the movement has been swapped at one time.
I’d say this watch is from the late ’50s.
Disassembly
Remove the power from the mainspring by moving the click away from the ratchet wheel while letting the crown slip between your thumb and index finger.
Lift the balance and flip the movement around to remove the hour wheel and the cannon pinion.
Remove the pallets and then continue with the ratchet wheel, crown wheel, and barrel bridge.
Then, lift the wheel train bridge and continue with removing the 4th wheel, 3rd wheel, and the escape wheel.
Lift the main barrel and then disassemble the center wheel cock to be able to take out the center wheel.
Turn the movement around to start on the dial side.
Start by removing the motion works and then continue with the keyless works.
I pegged the jewel holes and cleaned all parts in the watch cleaning machine.
Assembly
Fit the center wheel and the center wheel cock. Install the main barrel and continue with the escape wheel, 3rd wheel, and the 4th wheel.
Finally, install the wheel train bridge.
Place the barrel bridge in position and install the crown wheel (with its bushing) and the ratchet wheel.
Flip the movement around and start with the assembly of the keyless works. Then, continue with the motion works.
Install the pallets and the balance. Regulate the rate as accurate as possible.
The hour hand had lost all of the lume. To avoid a difference in color, I decided to relume both hands.
I also fitted a new crystal.
What do you think of the Orex? Do you own a similar watch? Let me know in the comments below.
It’s a romanian watch,not german.
According to Mikrolisk, the Orex brand was registered in Pforzheim, Germany in 1951. That would make sense because the Durowe 1032 is a German movement from the late 50s/early 60s. I couldn’t find any link to Romania.
Dear Melvin,
At the Mikrolisk you will doesn’t find it but was also a watch company at Romania, founded by Ceausescu, it exist from 1978 till 2000.
They used soviet and chinese movements.
It is not so unusual that more company use the same name.
If the (romanian) watch still have the original case you could indentify IT from the backside of the case.
I think that Mikrolisk is great site to find informations from rare watches, but it doesn’t true that if you doesn’t find something there ist doesn’t exists. 🙂
Orex was in Hungary the company for waches and jewelery before 90′-s.