Jump to content

Balance Jewel Replacement


Recommended Posts

I recently purchased a 21 Jewel Slim 12S Elgin Pocket Watch. Got it for 35 bucks US from Israel (eBay) . Thought it was a great deal until I received it and noticed the balance was really loose. The top balance jewel was completely gone and it's cap jewel was also gone. It looked like they had been shattered. So I started the process of replacing both these jewels within their existing settings. This would require my to have to open up the casing where the jewel sits to prepare it to receive the new jewel.

Below is a picture of the movement.

29e68c1d370c759150ff1d9b067641e9.jpg

First I widened the jewel setting with my vintage anti-burnishing tool.5e4dcbfeab3812f7526a91eb9c047a5f.jpg87df95bd9e854a32fceba204e65fb20e.jpg

Next, I place the setting in with a bunch of jewels to get a size fit.25b98f5c4ef173c516aa50951f410f5f.jpgdc297c8afecf8b15ebffd286c87a3e19.jpgThen I did a fit test on the pivot to make sure it fit and the shake was oka0e936c2842abdbec842bd934c6af4e0.jpgOnce I got the fit right, I burnished the jewel into the settingeaf1482e34d4beb03a02ecdf412e3a78.jpgi found that the sticky side of duct tape was good for keeping the jewel steady as I burnished it back into the setting.9ea00c1ff42abe025f0f10ca5339dd8b.jpgI then repeated the process with the cap jewel. Once I found the right size, I burnished in the cap jewel and then put a small drop of oil on the upper jewel hole and place the cap jewel in its setting on top of the balance jewel and screwed it back in place.b63a46859a0a549e4a1e037d2ce2346c.jpg

I then reassembled the balance and tried to get GT watch running. No luck. Took out the balance and removed the lower balance jewel and its cap, both in their settings. I noticed that the jewel was cracked in there places61f13eaa58fe2c186b437095a8b41ebb.jpgUsing my Seitz Jeweling set, I punched the jewel out of the setting, cleaned up the setting and then opened up the setting to receive a new jewel.6f83e9dadd542895a5764dcefe6db579.jpgTook a while but I found a good fit with a good size hole and burnished it into the setting. Following that, I reassembled the jewel with setting into the lower plate and replace the cap and screws. cf0a05fd1210025ffe435ab770d9f2a6.jpgI then assembled the balance cock with balance and IT Worked. The balance started to rotate and the watch was again alive.

So the job was not easy but I was able to replace both upper and lower jewels and reuse the old settings. Hard work but worth the effort.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The huge advantage of reusing the settings is avoiding the cost of a new setting with jewel. I have done this a number of times and am getting better. Make sure you see Mark's video on replacing rubbed in jewels, as these balance jewels are rubbed into the settings.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • that band is old as stated, there is a kit that pops up from time to time on selling sites for the repair of these type bands, some of this type are adjustable on a few links, one adjustable type allows you to align the round opening in the expansion slit [like yours] with the rivet to separate, but if yours won't come out then the rivet head is too big and will have to be done with some rivet removal and replacement, I suppose if you could make/optain the correct rivets that one could alter the said band, the tops/caps do lift off after raising the tabs....  
    • This is a watch from a friend who sent it to a neighborhood watchmaker for a battery change. It came back with the watch stem in a ziplock bag and the dial skewed 20°. The watchmaker told him that the stem was faulty and the watch cannot be repaired. I opened up the watch and found that one dial foot was broken off and still stuck in the movement, while the other was bent until it was flat against the dial. The stem could be inserted but it couldn't be pulled out to quickset and time adjusting positions. I did a full disassemble, cleaned and oiled the movement. But when it put in the battery, the second hand runs super fast. Like it gains 30 mins every hour. Any advice on fixing this problem? TIA.
    • I determined that the balance staff is rotating, not the roller table, so my second attempt at riveting was unsuccessful. I have ordered a new balance staff and will take measurements when it arrives. The balance staff i originally ordered (and now reordered) was specified as: Replacement balance staff: (A. Schild Caliber 984 1002 1021 1124 Original Balance Staff Part 723) so it should be correct. Measurements: (see pic below for terminology) xxxyy is a place holder until the new balance staff arrives. Lower pivot: Old - .08 mm New - xxxyy Lower pivot to balance seat: Old - 1.53 mm New - xxxyy Roller shoulder: Old - .42 mm New - xxxyy Hub: Old - xxxyy New - xxxyy Balance shoulder: Old - .86 mm New - xxxyy Collet shoulder: Old - .56 mm New - xxxyy Upper pivot: Old - broken New - xxxyy
    • Hello and welcome from Leeds.  We're here to help. 
    • I was just about to adk that, probably they have unnecessary waiting lists to make their watches appear more exclusive than they actually are.
×
×
  • Create New...