Apparatus

Union and Court
Carroll Gardens

Update!
Jamie's question in the comments made me wonder what exactly was this apparatus. So I did a little digging.

Warning: True geekiness ahead.

I blew up and played with the exposure of the machine's label.

A quick google image search of "vari-matic" took me to a Norweigen website.
There was a photo that resembled my street object and some Norweigen text:

Når en overhaler et armbåndsur begynner en med å vurdere kassen, om en trenger å bytte krone, glass, eller kanskje baretter til remmen / lenken. Når en åpner uret sjekker en om bakslokkspakningen er ødelagt. (I forbindelse med en overhaling anbefaler jeg kunden alltid til å bytte krone og bakslokkspakning). Når urverket er ute av kassen demonteres det helt og alle delene kontrolleres for slitasje (når det gjelder kvarts klokker må en måle strømforbruket til verket samt sjekke at spolen har riktig motstand). Når alle delene er kontrollert og defekte deler er erstattet,  legges delene i en spesiell rensekurv og blir renset i rensemaskinen. Jeg bruker en god og gammel L&R Varimatic til å rense klokkene med, dette fordi de nyere rensemaskinene ikke leveres med ultralyd hode slik som denne har. I rense maskinen er det først et kar med rensevæske. Der bruker jeg L&R #566 Ultrasonic Watch Cleaning som er en veske uten ammoniakk og selvfølgelig uten vann. Videre er det 2 kar med skyllevæske som også er fra L&R og er uten vann og tørker spesielt fort. Til slutt er det et kammer med tørke vifte. Hele prosessen med rensingen tar ca 15 til 20 minutter. Når uret er ferdig renset  settes det sammen igjen samtidig som det smøres opp på nytt: En bruker gjerne 3-5 forsjellige oljer og fett til dette. Mekaniske ur må reguleres etter en overhaling og det reguleres gjerne til å gå ca 5-10 sekunder for fort. Mens kvartsur må en måle strømforbruket på for å få bekreftet at den går lettere nå.

Isn't Norweigen cool with its fun circles?

Anyway, Babelfish.org guided me to a website that could translate Norweigen (not many do) and I translated the text to this:

What be done as a recondition a wristwatch?

As a recondition a wristwatch begins a along with to appraise box , about a need to booty crown , glass , or may biretta at the strap chain. As a opens the watch am checking a about bakslokkspakningen am blasted. ( connection with a dressing-down commend I customer always at to booty crown and bakslokkspakning ). As clockwork am out of box demolish facts absolutely and all partitions controlled for abrasion ( about fourth watches be bound to a måle strømforbruket at creation and check that spool has correct resistance ). As all partitions am checked and defect fragments am compensated get partitions in an particular rensekurv and becomes cleaned in rensemaskinen. I making use of a good deal and aged Legal Varimatic at to clean bell hereby , as a matter of they newer rensemaskinene no matter is delivered along with ultralyd head such as this has. IN clean engine is it first a guy along with benzine. There making use of I Legal Ultrasonic Watch Cleaning as am a bag except ammonia and naturally except lake. Forth is it 2 guy along with skyllevæske as also am ex stock &R and am except lake and dry especially look sharp. At last is it a chamber along with dry vifte. Entire the lawsuit along with cleansing grasping about 15 at 20 minutes. As the watch is finished cleaned large type facts comparison afresh at the same time as facts smear on up anew : A making use of certainly forsjellige baffle and cousin at this. Automatic clock be bound to regulate after a dressing-down and facts regulate certainly at to elapse about 5-10 sec for look sharp. As fourth be bound to a måle strømforbruket at to a few certified that it goes easier now.

Not especially helpful.

But key words like "recondition" and more specifically"ultrasonic watch cleaning" suggested its use.

Some more searching revealed that a used one of these sell for $1000 (should have grabbed it!) and that they are still used today to clean mechanical watches today.

In fact L&R is still a company that is over 70 years old. Now known as L&RUltrasonics, they not only make sleekmachines that clean fine mechanical watches, but also have a homeland security division where they offer machines and solutions to clean guns and gas masks. Fun!

But why ultrasonic cleaning? Why?
Let me quote from another ultrasonic cleaning manufacturer:

Why use ultrasonics?
Ultrasonic waves passing through liquid cause microscopic bubbles to form and collapse, producing a gentle scrubbing action which cleans objects quickly and thoroughly inside and out, but will not damage delicate or intricate mechanisms.
Ultrasonic cleaning achieves extremely high standards of cleanliness in a fraction of the time required to achieve the same results by hand cleaning or spray washing.

So, Jamie there you go. More than you ever would want to know.

Now I have to go do something useful like buy holilday gifts for everyone. Who wants L&R cleaning solution?