How to ship a movement?

[Velox]

What is the best way to ship a movement?
I don't mean which company to use. But how to package it.
Are their special cases for this, if yes where to buy?

[SearChart]

There are plastic cases for watch movements, maybe you can find them on eBay.

Here is a picture of a plastic case for the ETA 2824, the plastic case are two parts that are held together by friction. Only the bottom part of the case is shown in the picture, I hope you get the idea.

[michigan.watches]

My recommendation is to put the movement in a baggie (not the grocery store type but the jewelry store type). Add some padding and place it in an empty, clean (and dry) Altoids tin. Nothing should rattle if you shake the tin. Put the tin, with padding around it, in a USPS small flat-rate box. Nothing should rattle when you shake the box. It will cost you about $6 in postage.

[tritium8]

Sorry if it's a dumb question but do you hack the movement when you ship? Having only disengages the hams, right? The movement keeps trucking along?

[tritium8]

Thanks for the reply, Jim.

Just noticed what spell check did to my post. Not sure there is ham in a watch....at least not intentionally.

[J!m]

Hacked stops the balance wheel (typically) so the mainspring is still wound and it starts running as soon as you push the crown in.

Those movement holders keep the rotor from spinning so if it has run down (or you let it down) is should not start running during transit.

[J!m]

Those hams are very sensitive. Agitate them and they get quite noisy!

Early alarm watches used them but the smell when they expire is quite unpleasant and therefore the mechanical alarm watch was not very popular.