Jump to content

Upper balance cap jewel removal- help please

Deggsie

By Deggsie
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

Deggsie WRT Addict

Deggsie

Posted
Posted

Hello again. I would like to remove the upper balance (cock) cap jewel shown in the photo below, but it is neither the Incabloc type (with lyre spring) nor the type which is serviced by removing two very small screws on the underside of the cock. As can be seen it is rather crusty on top and I would like to thoroughly clean and lube’ correctly. Any help would be appreciated please. I have not tried, but wonder if the top unscrews with a special slotted (two leg) screwdriver?

 

Kind regards

IMG_3233.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

Posted
Posted (edited)

I would remove the balance complete, next stud support, more is then revealed, posting a photo of it at that point is likely to yield result.

Edited by Nucejoe
Also a pick of the other side of the cock can be taken and posted .
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deggsie WRT Addict

Deggsie

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Will you also disclose the makes, caliber, brand .

Yes, sorry. It is a Ronda 1217. Nothing special but I would think the cap jewel should be removable for cleaning and relubricating. Regards


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deggsie WRT Addict

Deggsie

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Yes, it should unscrew easily. Good luck !

Well I tried to unscrew it, carefully, but lost my nerve when torque was more than I could comfortably apply. I’ll take off the two mobiles tonight and send in photos. Feel reluctant to just ‘let it go unlubricated’



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WatchMaker Super WRT Addict

WatchMaker

Posted
Posted

Hi @Deggsie - I realise that the link I provided was for a different type but I believed the same principal applied i.e. a screwdriver placed across the slots and turned would remove the cap for this 'Monobloc' shock protection type. You've done the right thing though by not forcing anything!

Your original picture is slightly perplexing in that there doesn't seem to be a jewel there at all but I guess that's just a white-out effect from the lighting! ^_^

I hope you manage to get this sorted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deggsie WRT Addict

Deggsie

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hi@Deggsie - I realise that the link I provided was for a different type but I believed the same principal applied i.e. a screwdriver placed across the slots and turned would remove the cap for this 'Monobloc' shock protection type. You've done the right thing though by not forcing anything!
Your original picture is slightly perplexing in that there doesn't seem to be a jewel there at all but I guess that's just a white-out effect from the lighting! [emoji5]
I hope you manage to get this sorted.

Thanks watchmaker. I just checked with 20x eye loop and a gentle prod with an oiler - it’s definitely there but a flakey grey deposition top. I’ll keep you all informed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deggsie WRT Addict

Deggsie

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks watchmaker. I just checked with 20x eye loop and a gentle prod with an oiler - it’s definitely there but a flakey grey deposition top. I’ll keep you all informed.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have concluded jewel is smeared into the unit as spotted by old hippie. This unit is the interference pressed into the arm. Where do I go from here... reluctantly try to oil through the pivot hole. It’s not a satisfactory outcome but I don’t want to destroy it in trying too hard. Oh well!

 

Kind regards to all

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WatchMaker Super WRT Addict

WatchMaker

Posted
Posted (edited)

If it were me I'd put the balance complete in a shallow dish of cleaning fluid (balance bridge down) and use a hand blower/puffer to agitate the fluid. This should dissolve and dislodge any muck that exists. [You have probably already done this of course but worth me mentioning]. Now with the balance complete removed from the fluid and dried, gently lift the balance/hairspring and use a fine oiler to put a drop of oil on the jewel. This way you have maximised your chances of a good and beneficial service whilst minimising the chances of damaging something.

What is still odd to me is the jewel-that-doesn't-seem-to-be-a-jewel and that is different in appearance to other examples of the Ronda 1217 with the usual nice bright jewel colour e.g. image.png.a7e0233210e4a4ed962c98605593c207.png

Unless of course this is a 'lesser' 1217 with only a single jewel and the jewel is somewhere else! ;):biggrin:

Edited by WatchMaker
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Neverenoughwatches
      Setting lever spring

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      I'm not with you there Rich .
    • Disgrace
      Seiko 6309 intermittent stopping of the seconds hand at the same positions

      By Disgrace · Posted

      Hello everybody, sorry for the late reply. Thank you all so much for your help and your tips. I got lucky and found a replacement wheel bridge for cheap which actually ended up being in decent condition. I decided not to do anything about the mainspring barrel pivot since I didn't have the right tools and the barrel didn't have much endshake anyhow. I am happy to report that the watch now runs great, I have regulated it to about +-10/s day which is fine by my standards. The timegrapher result looks decent as well, although beat error is around 0.6ms which could be better I suppose. Amplitude reaches over 230 quite consistently which I'm happy with also. My lighter fluid has also been replaced by balance spring cleaning solution and now the springs don't stick to themselves anymore - who would have thought. I'm super happy with this watch, it might not be worth a whole lot but it's awesome that I could restore it and it makes me wear it with pride. To me it's a genuinely good lucking watch, it'll be my daily driver for a while. Thanks again to everybody for their input! I couldn't have done the repair without your help.   Here are some images for those interested, the bracelet isn't original but I don't really mind:    
    • nevenbekriev
      Is this a 'hack' ?

      By nevenbekriev · Posted

      Balance-hairspring system is oscillator with big Q-factor. When all in the movement is OK, the rate (frequency) is verry close to the own resonant frequency of the balance-hairspring. But in some cases, the movement (with foult) will force the resonator to work on pritty different frequency, sometimes faster, and sometimes slower. When this happens, the amplitude is always weak. So, the first thing to ask is what is the amplitude. If it is more than 180 and the hairspring doesn't touch itself and anything else, then for sure it is 'short'. If the amplitude is weak, then the first thing to do is to understand why and rectify the problem. At this time no point to check timekeeping. But, if one doubts that the hairspring is not correct, then He needs to calcullate the rate of the movement, then to 'vibrate' the balance-hairspring out of the movement and to measure the free oscillations frequency (period) with timer in order to ensure that they comply with the rate. If we have pictures, then it will be easier to tell something about that wheel.
    • Klassiker
      Landeron 248 setting eccentric studs

      By Klassiker · Posted

      So much work has gone into this! Thanks again @Jon. I will go back and check my adjustments from last weekend. A few questions for you, if you don't mind. In the reset position, I can understand the problem if the gap between the hammer and the minute counter heart is too big (slide 77) but what is bad about both hammers being in contact with the cams (slide 76)? I read somewhere that Landeron recommended grease on the runner cam, but the minute counter heart should be dry. Is that so, and why? How many tads in a ligne?
    • BlueHarp
      Difference between AS 1686 and ST 1686

      By BlueHarp · Posted

      Many thanks for your replies!
×
×
  • Create New...