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Balance Wheel and Hair Spring

mcoulton
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mcoulton Watch Enthusiast

mcoulton

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Hello

I'm not expert enough to know the condition of the hairspring from a movement I'm working on. If I post some pictures, would someone be kind enough to look at them and advise if the hairspring is in good shape and can be re-installed in the movement? Thanks in advance for your help. 

 

Michael

 

 

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mcoulton Watch Enthusiast

mcoulton

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Hi rodabod. 

Thanks for your response. Perhaps this defect (the terminal curve) would explain why I was having so much difficulty in getting the balance jewel to sit in the pallet fork. I even posted a question about trying to install the balance wheel.

Where would I order a replacement balance wheel from? I'm in Canada and the movement is a 2824 -2 clone (clone of a clone no doubt). Definitely not a Sea-Gull. Do you know if the pallet fork & balance wheel have to be order as one unit? I'm thinking a replacement balance wheel (jewel) may not fit into the existing pallet fork.

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rodabod Distinguished Member

rodabod

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Hi Michael,

It's possible that the hairspring stud or index pins could have moved as these use the Etachron system which is seen on some modern watches. Basically, the parts are moveable:

Image result for etachron

 

I would be aware of this before manipulating the hairspring. And also accept that hairspring work is not trivial. Might be best to get a new one just now, but your other problem is that these aren't as simple to fit to the balance cock as older designs (where you simply tighten the hairspring stud with a screw).

In answer to your other question, the pallet fork does not need to be matched to the balance.

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Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

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You can get by with an imperfect hairspring's END CURVE.

1- Remove all to have a bare mainplate.

2- install balance and cock back on the mainplate, this will increase your access to hairspring and you can keep checking it from both sides.

Hairspring is to be centered concentric, level. In this case only end curve is jammed. Bring the end curve back to a circular shape, let us see pix as you progress.

You are thinking new is a gurantee that  the hairspring will bs centered once installed, it may be only by chance.

 

 

 

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