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Being a C# (programming language) teacher I always count from 0 which makes no sense to non-programmers. So yes, position 3, i.e. the time-setting position. Except for me, which almost feels like a miracle since I normally seem to experience everything that can go wrong, no matter how small the probability. I don't use a screwdriver because I failed the first time I tried many years ago, and since then, I’ve been using a pointed object and have succeeded every time. Right now, I’m servicing my very first Sellita movement, the SW 200-1 housed in a 42mm Maurice Lacroix Aikon (beautiful watch). Let’s see if my luck holds out.3 points
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You'll see a lot of plastic these days, especially movement retaining rings, but not generally in high end watches, which Tag Heuer doesn't fall into that category. Every Tag I've worked on recently has been a bag of crap that they've called their own in-house movement, which is really a Sellita in one form or another. Paying £7000 for a Tag Heuer Monaco (calibre 7) with a few hundred quids worth of Sellita SW300 movement with a DD module bolted on isn't an in-house movement, regardless of who's house you are in. What crap! After I've finished servicing this Tag Heuer Calibre 7 (which is actually an SW200) I've got a lovely IWC chronograph on my bench later today, which has a Valjoux 7750 inside. That is a proper watch. Non of that bolt on rubbish that you can't service and can't get parts for. Rant over, carry on....3 points
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I was finally able to get my Nikon D3500 DSLR setup to use with my microscope. I want to thank @GuyMontag for modifying his 3D printed microscope adapter design so I could get the camera image to focus properly. The shorter adapter did the trick. His new design file allows for the easy customization of the height. The setup I ended up with is a F mount to M42 lens adapter, a M42 to M42 mm focusing helicoid, and the 3D printed microscope adapter to connect the DSLR to the microscope. This setup gives a much better field of view than the microscope camera, with 0.35X camera mount, setup that I was using. With minimum zoom, through the eyepieces I get a 57 mm field of view. Through the DSLR, I get about 60 mm FOV. There is vignetting in the corners, but I was rather expecting that. My goal was to get the whole movement in the FOV, which wasn't happening with the microscope camera setup.2 points
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Beautiful watch. Color blind here, apparently a Chronometer certified. A while on wrist I guess, before joining your collection. Wear it in good health.1 point
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just for future reference it's why it's always nice to post some good general pictures and of course all the numbers of whatever you're working on because often times people will see something like this and recognize the problem. Where there is literally thousands of different numbers of watches and unless you worked on this exact watch you won't know what problems it can have. then in case you're curious I was going through my Omega technical documentation and other than acknowledging the existence of the spring there is no reference at all of the consequence of basically this is a very problematic part as based on discussion groups. for the most part Omega technical documentation is interesting in that they typically do not have basic service manual's. Even if they have anything related the servicing they usually don't spell out exact servicing they may specify oils in specific locations but they basically assume you're a professional watchmaker you know how to service their watch. Then the other minor problem the technical is supplemental information a lot of times the watch companies had supplemental stuff for things like lubrication or other things. Then Omega has supplemental information for groupings of calibers that have common issues but nothing for the vintage watches that I'm aware of. Oh and if you want to have some fun ask the group if you should lubricate the spring or not?1 point
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An original replacement is always best, providing the design was good to begin with.1 point
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Here's all the KIF on Cousins. https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/kif-blocs-jewels-springs1 point
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Thanks for your comprehensive response, NeW. I've seen the simple wire loop version on a small clock & a boot alongside a pin of the same height on a few timepieces. I'd assumed the closed boot approach might be more important in watches to prevent the balance spring 'escaping' due to shocks. Having spent a few hours fashioning a pin to close the boot on my 'test piece' regulator arm, I'm concluding that Watchweasol's idea of buying one from e.g. Cousins would make a lot of sense in the case of an actual repair!1 point
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Yes it is possible that wrong escapement depth to be reason for fast working and shortening of the swing in one of directions. This is when there is no locking (here it is known as drop lock) in one of directions of pallet fork movement. For sure it is situation with lo amplitude and no timegrapher is needed to see what is hapening. Another possibility is hairspring shortening (touching) when swinging balance to one direction, this is problem of the balance/hairspring as resonator. Thou it seems that the hairspring doesn't touch in static, but actually when the balance is rotated, then it begins to touch. Another possibility is the balance arm (one of it's halves) to touch something and this brings hard limit of the balance movement in one direction. Such thing can be the head of the pallet fork cock screw if it sits higher than cock surface (it can happen when wrong screw is used) or similar mechanical reason. It will be best if You make video of the movement working in dial down position and may be of the free oscillations test.1 point
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You still have to manually hold the movement - so I just use a small stump on the staking set. As expected, to stop the jerky seconds hand, I needed to remove all traces of oil between the tip of the pinion and spring and increase the spring pressure. It's the friction/stiction which prevents the uneven motion - not a very elegant solution. And if you overdo the spring tension it kills amplitude. But the timegrapher looks OK (I would expect a bit more amplitude from one of these movements, but I didn't change the mainspring and there is slight scoring on some train gear pivots - it seems to have been run for many years without a service).1 point
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I don't know where you got it wrong but no Monacos were ever made with the Calibre 7, which is an ETA2893-2 / SW330 (GMT movement). I assume you meant Calibre 17, which is indeed an ETA2894 with an non-serviceable (understand expandable) DD module on top of it. Tag Heuer does use the 7750 inside many watches, they nickamed it the calibre 16. Still a standard bare bones grade movement though, while the IWC i assume must be top grade if not chronometer.1 point
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I'm glad they finally part way with the controversial plastic movement holder. Seeing a piece of hardware made of the same plastic as your average trash can shouldn't happen when opening an high-end timepiece. I'm less happy to see that the movement is the absolute bottom of the barrel standard grade unregulated SW200. I remember personally contacting Tag customer service, asking what grade the movement was before I bought my F1 Cal. 5. They told me it was a custom, made for spec elaborated grade caliber. It's none of thoses things, apparently. This caliber can be found in $500 watches. The difference between the SW200s found in Tissots vs Breitlings is the grade of the movement, and the decoration. Apparently Tag didn't get the memo. Very disappointing. I'll honestly rather have a decent quartz than a bottom of the barrel SW200.1 point
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Maybe I'm a bit late to the party, but to me it seems we must finish the work of the brand ourselves. I'm not a Tag hater, I'm wearing one as I'm writing this, but still. Having to tear apart a brand new watch costing thousands, to regulate the movement and properly align the bezel because the brand did neither ? Wow. I might add that your very watch @LazyTimegrapher is the Ti version priced for $4,450.00 as I'm writing this. Losing 10 seconds a day on a brand new four thousands dollars watch is something unfathomable in my book. I've also had my share of issues with Calibre 5 inside a Formula 1. The rotor was spinning hard while winding the crown. This is due to a jammed reverse wheel and only happens with a poorly lubricated movement. After a while, all lubricants inside a movement are gone, but this issue happened while the watch wasn't even four years old. On Calibre 5 or ETA2824/SW200 maintenance is required every 5 years but that's a ballpark and most can usually last much longer than that. I have a 10 years old tissot still running fine on a never overhauled 2836. So how this could happen on a 3.5 years old watch bought brand new from an A.D ? My theory is that the Calibre 5 inside my F1 watch sat at Tag Heuer in storage for years before being finally installed in my watch. While my timepiece wasn't even 4 y.o at the time of the issue, the movement inside was probably much more older than that, with completely depleted lubricants. http://[url=https://ibb.co/VYb4JRq][img]https://i.ibb.co/1GBW71m/IMG-1726.jpg[/img][/url] Today on the wrist : WAY101B.BA0746. Quartz ETA F06.111 inside, 94 months battery life. Gears-free but worry-free too, and losing 0 seconds per week.1 point
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Unfortunate. Which is why I said in my post " so unless they changed the shock settings," and you didn't show a pic of the jewels. I cannot identify that shock spring. I had a look in BestFit, and my usual references, but can't see it. Anyone?1 point
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notice my quote of me? sometimes in my long-winded messages things may be perhaps get lost. But there's a reference to the spring and the entire watch can stop which I believe you're having now? which is why when you're having a problematic running watch you do not put things on that you do not need. So for instance you can remove the bridge and remove the pinion and see if the watch will run. the problem with this type of way of driving a secondhand is you end up with too much play between the driving gear and pinion. so basically that little tiny play in the pinion translates to the secondhand and the secondhand will drift around by quite a bit. so the spring has to provide enough force to keep the pinion in place but not to either stop the watch worst-case or reduce the amplitude down to an unacceptable amount.1 point
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Thanks all.... I believe I found where it is fouling! It is the small bridge that covers the seconds hand pinion. I seem to have bent the spring that sits between the indirectly driven seconds pinion and the tiny bridge that covers it. It's not obvious to me how the small bridge (part 1010) sits relative to the small spring (part 1255)....does anyone have experience with the Omega bumpers like Cal 351 where they have this indirect mechanism to drive a center mounted second hand? What is the purpose of this spring? Is it to maintain tension on the gear of the seconds hand pinion? Does the spring sit between the second hand pinion and the first screw of the bridge? This is absolutely where the watch is losing power and i have finally identified the issue with everyones help also i wanted to express my gratitude to everyone taking the time to observe and offer assistance, i was about to give up1 point
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But at least the auto bridge supports the pinion when pushing the seconds hand on.1 point
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The high beat error can be responsible for the balance not starting up by itself. You should be able to adjust the beat error with the stud carrier here: When you get the beat error below 1.0,or better to below 0.3, it should start up by itself. If not, you have a different problem. This may indicate another problem. But first correct the beat error, wind fully (!), and check power reserve again. Best of luck, C1 point
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Well that was fiddly. Held some old mainspring in place with Rodico. Hand held the movement in the staking set over a small flat stump, and hoped for the best I need to do some tweaking with the spring as the seconds hand is juddery. I put a drop of 9010 on top of the pinion. I guess it would be better without? I hate these springs - It's one of the things I dislike about some Omega movements.1 point
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With all indirectly driven second hand movements such as this one, I always test that the movement runs well without the wheel over third staked on or the sweep second pinion and brake spring in place either with or without its own cock, as some do and some don't. Only the basic wheel train should be seen working. Great to see the 3rd wheel arbor spin flawlessly within its jewel without the pallet fork in place, then you can cross that off the list knowing it isn't bent. Test the wheel over third for flatness by placing on a staking block, then cross that off the list. Then stake on the wheel over third (properly) and check if anything has changed on the timegrapher (I like to spin the wheel train at this point and check that the wheel over 3rd is staked on perfectly because you can see it spin quickly if the pallet fork isn't in place), then place the sweep in place and see if that mucks up your timegrapher readings without any brake spring first, then with it. Then add more parts and check. So, at every point you add a component or adjust something, take readings. If you are methodical in this way, you will find the problem and what caused it. Inspection of parts is key. One bent wheel or bridge and fouling will occur as you are having.1 point
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This is old type cannon pinion with pin that goes through the hole of the central wheel pinion. If it is loose, just staking the cannon on the pin is needed. No spare parts for such watches.1 point
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I originally got a cheap USB microscope. Useful for examining parts, but totally useless for working on a movement :There's a slight delay, and as it's not under your line of sight like a stereo microscope. Is there any way you could try out a stereo microscope before buying one? They are a game changer. I do 95% of all work under one.1 point
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The simple answer for me...is to have the microscope . As we often say on here, you can't fix what you can't see. Watchmakers managed for centuries without a timegrapher, but what they could not do without was good magnification. If you are good with loupes and are comfortable using them then possibly the timegrapher. I know i could overcome not having a tg,( nice to have but not a necessity) a good microscope will allow me to see what the balance is doing and enable me to find most other issues. A good way to avoid becoming a slave and worshipping the tg is to not have one1 point
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Lots of farms around where I worked and loads where I now live. One I had was an old watch dropped in cow shit, the famer did wash it off before he brought it to me but muck had got inside and it was all in the expanding bracelet which broke. Have you got a few tadpoles in that jar?1 point
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I've had a rough time the past few months, I recently lost my job so lost my mojo in repairing watches for a few weeks, then I had a run of 4 or 5 watches that would just not work, and spare parts lost in the post etc.... anyway long story short, not a great watch repair time. However the watch below has broken my unlucky streak and I'm 'back on the horse' The watch is a Clinton and was won on eBay and was 1 in a lot of 2, so he price is $10.00 US each, so below the £10.10 threshold. It was quite beaten up and non-runner. Here are the before and after pictures: Here is the front of the watch, the crystal was destroyed, and the case dirty and in need of some TLC: Here is the back of the watch, complete with free arm cheese, there were no marks inside the caseback: Here is the movement I needed to replace the stem and crown due to rust, and the crystal (obviously), I also played around with straps, but all the ones I had were either too sporty or too formal, so in the end decided to splash out on a bracelet. I decided not to re-lume the hands as this would have contrasted with the look of the watch and the existing lume was stable (good call? - let me know!): And here is the timegrapher result let me know what you think1 point
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Been a few weeks since anyone posted. Heres 25 candidates for the 10:10 club. 25 watches £203.00. I have a few favourites. The Nivada on my wrist, bit small at 30mm but its a lovely little bumper automatic. The Doxa, cant wait to get to this, the Cyma is a nice size, Citizen Eagle 7, Leonidas GSTP. Mickey Mouse Timex.1 point
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Got this wonderful 1971 $8 eBay find running. Other than a broken mainspring and a crack in the crystal, it just needed a good clean up. It did have a beat error problem, but I got it adjusted to a 0.6ms BE, a 260° and positional error of +/-30s. Not bad for essentially a novelty watch probably not expected to make it much past the '70s. I think the hardest part was fitting the pallet fork without jewels. Those holes are TINY! That brass plating was 10 kinds of awful so I just polished it off for now. I might nickel plate it. Or 24k rose gold, for such an elegant timepiece.1 point
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A microscope takes the horological experience to a different level. Parts that you thought were clean are not, parts that you see no fault are faulty. I am greedy I have one over my lathe + two on my desktop one powerful Olympus which gives in incredible clarity and a AmScope which gives a high working space.. Also a digital scope purchased for me by my other half, its clarity is poor but does give the ability to copy what’s in view.1 point
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Hello all, So for my birthday, I asked my wife for a stereo-microscope (actually, I told her exactly which one I wanted). I've read many times (and seen this video of Alex https://youtu.be/tAtATqwI5A4?si=NlU3TwHFBwpDKitw) that a good stereo microscope would be a "game changer". I resisted for the longest time, and ended up buying a staking set, jewelling set, glass press... heck, even a Jacot tool. But now I made the jump. And OH MY GOODNESS, it is so much more amazing and "game changing" than I ever imagined. I go the Amscope SM-3TP (https://amscope.com/products/c-sm-3tp-hd), with light ring and 0.5 Barlow lens. It delivers the perfect amount of magnification and working distance. (Please note that the 3TP version allows you to use full stereo vision while using the camera port at the same time. The 3T version used by Alex (see video link about) will force you to either use stereo-vision for your eyes and NOT use the camera port at all, OR use the camera port but only have mono-vision on your eyes. The camera port and the left eyepiece share the same "tunnel" and there's a lever that you pull/push to decide which one is active. I definitely recommend paying 20 bucks more to get the 3TP.) I think that one really needs to experience a stereo microscope like this to fully appreciate how incredible it is. Pictures (which are two-dimensional) will never do it justice. To see three-dimensionally is SOOOOO useful. I've never oiled a pallet stone with such perfect accuracy and ease. And I can see in perfect clarity how the drop of oil spreads over the next 3-5 escape wheel teeth. Until I apply another perfect drop in the perfect spot. And INSPECTION: my goodness. You'll find the tiniest speck of dust or debris with ease. Honestly, I'm over the moon with this new acquisition. After using it for 3 days, I can't even imaging how I lived without it.1 point
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Thanks for the review Lee - most informative :) In fact - the problems you pointed out all seem solvable and even forgivable given the price which is excellent. Maybe the lamp will accept an LED bulb which will run cooler? Do they have an attachment available to video through it?1 point
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Unfortunately it's my experience that it just isn't possible to have all that you need in this game. There will always be another gadget, widget, or tool that you just can't do without. Or is that just me? Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk1 point
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You people!! Just when I think I have all I need! This time last week I thought a eye glass was fine now I want a microscope as well!1 point