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Well, in the end I’ve been unable to find a jewel of the right size so I’ve opted to replace with a brass bushing. Perfect fit and the wheel moves beautifully.

This was my latest Elgin swissonic that came in back in December. It was missing the case so I hunted eBay and found one. I do not know if the presentation case is correct but, it sure does have a 1970's vibe.

Like everything else in watch repair it depends upon who you ask and you didn't specify something. With antique watches that have the balance jewels held in with screws. Traditionally people take the two screws out push both of the jewels out. Then depending upon how aggressive you want to be would probably take some sort of wood and attempt to clean out the pivot holes and scrape off the end stone and then clean it with whatever favorite method they have. But the screws tend to get stripped with time it's a lot nicer if you don't clean them at all. But don't tend to have lubrication and there that needs to be cleaned out. This is where it work with the machine that has a vacuum and two frequencies of ultrasonics I've never had one that didn't get cleaned out except one time where there was a piece of metal under there and that I had the disassembled and remove that but otherwise with the vacuum the fluids get everywhere and everything does a nice job. Then on modern wristwatches typically what you can do is remove the jewel assembly because it's held it with a spring in some form. If it's a hinged type spring you just put the spring back in place so it doesn't get broken or fall off and cleaning. Remove the entire assembly for the jewel put the balance wheel back in the watch. With the shock protected system put the balance wheel will be protected even without the jewels in the pivots will not touch anything. This is a definite requirement with the etachron system as you really don't have to disassemble the balance wheel from the balance bridge. This means when the balance is back with the balance bridge on top screwed to the main plate it's protected the pivots are protected and the jewels can be cleaned independent of that. I usually put the upper jewel assembly in the basket with the upper components of the watch the lower jewel assembly goes in the dial side components and it usually comes apart and cleaning and everything ends up nice and clean. Then the only time you leave everything together and run it to the cleaning machine is if you're doing a pre-clean cycle. Usually shops will have a separate preclean machine with a shorter cycle movement comes out hands and dial come off anything that might beat room did a cleaning fluid comes off like calendar components. Then the entire watch assembled it goes through the cleaning machine for a short cycle so it's nice and clean for the watchmaker to now fix all the problems examine everything or free like Rolex to spend a lot of time checking of the end and whatever shake of wheels and it's a lot easier to do if everything is clean. But I do know of some watchmakers object to pre-cleaning because they think it obliterates the scene of the crime. In other words if you have something that's worn and maybe has metal filings you do a precleaning you can't see that at all everything is shiny and nice in your unaware of problems.

It worked like a charm! Thank you again for the tip GuyMontag!

Oh you don't have to squeeze the regulator pin with this version. I should have mentioned it. If the hairspring could came out from the pin without the need to squeeze anything then you just guide the spring back to the pin and it's done.

Of course, I had to try this. I am not moving the file because I am concentrating on hold my phone. Yes, normally, I would be filing/burnishing back and forth. I had stolen the motor and gear from some deconstructed piece of equipment and it was in my box-o-motors. Mounts and pulley were 3D printed.

I had a similar issue and was able to use a couple of oilers to gently rotate the broken screw out. Try placing two oilers on opposite sides of the broken screw and then turn the screw CCW and see if that works.

There not the original weights. I don't know what will happen if you heat them up.

I think you might find the link below interesting. The company that makes cleaning machines including for watches. This page has the documentation. Like they ran the Omega cleaning test to show that their machine does a good job of cleaning and so it explains a little about that. Then there is the manual for the Freedom - English Owners Manual. What makes it interesting as it is all kinds of interesting specifications specifically for programming the machine that but you might find that information useful for your own machine. It even gives RPMs http://lititzpp.com/documentation.php

A trio of low cost beauties for you today, not only that but they are an international bunch too. The Westclox is made in Dumbarton, Scotland, probably in the 1950s or 1960s. The F. Hinds is German, probably from the 1960s or 1970s and the little pocket watch is Chinese almost certainly made within the last 20 years.

You seem to have a good balance complete, but not a chronograde and certianly not adjusted. I suspect the original chrono balance complete having got damaged and replaced with a non chrono one. Rgds

There is an old thread here that shows a YouTube vid of how to remove the EtaChron stud from the stud support, which I think is a bad idea, as there is too much downwards pressure on the stud support when using tweezers. It can be done that way, but isn't ideal, especially when working on a clone movement where the stud support isn't as strong as an ETA movement. I put a lesson together for my class at https://efhc.org.uk/wordpress/index.php/centre-facilities/ to show how to do it without risking damage to the stud support and how to save over £60 making your own tools to perform this task (That's another lesson on hardening & tempering, if anyone is interested) Here's the PowerPoint presentation. The video's within the presentation are marked in the top left hand corner of the slide 'Video' Enjoy... Lesson 7. EtaChron adjustment & regulation.pptx

I could not find a single video on how to wind a mainspring back into the barrel after cleaning. I purchased a three set tool and figured it out myself and then made a video for others to learn. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk