Click spring replacement

[arnaudG]

Hi

I bought a vintage wolbrook skindiver watch recently and the click spring is unfortunately broken.

How can I fix this?

[Graziano]

Hi is it round or parallel curved ? either way you can go through some scap movements or you can purchase an assortment http://www.ofrei.com/page1019.html or you can buy clickspring wire and make your own , nice watch buy the way I see you have tried to post a photo but it didn't turn out

Edited February 7, 2020 by Graziano

[Marc]

If you can identify the movement then you can probably just buy a new one.

Post some good clear close-up pics of the movement and make a note of any numbers or symbols on the movement plates, particularly on the main plate underneath the balance wheel and someone will likely be able to ID the movement and caliber.

[arnaudG]

Hello,

Sorry for the pictures.

Here is the watch

[arnaudG]

First picture is the same movement than mine. The part i am pointing at is broken in mine.

 

[Marc]

OK so the movement is made by Cattin, and looks to be a caliber C66-CLD (but a C66 will be just fine as it's the same thing without the date). The part is #434 click spring.

Unfortunately both Cousins and Borel list that part as obsolete, which means they don't have it.

There is a complete movement currently on eBay here

and it looks like these movements were often to be found in Mortima watches so it's worth looking out for a scrapper to see if you can salvage the part you need.

Happy hunting

[Graziano]

Hi ,that looks like to me a one jewelled version of the cattin 66 ,a popular 17 jewelled french movement of the era in a lot of dive watches from Mortima . I would say the click spring off a cattin 66 will fit your watch

Edited February 8, 2020 by Graziano

[arnaudG]

wow, Marc.

I am impressed. thank you so much or your help!

[arnaudG]

Thanks Graziano

[arnaudG]

Do you know how to set the date on this movement? it looks like I have to spin the hands around.

[Graziano]

When searching for parts or donor movement .Search cattin c66 hope that helps

[Graziano]

Yes that's correct just keep turning there is no quickset feature

[Graziano]

The Cattin 66 is a quite oddly constructed pin lever movement.

It uses 17 jewels, but two among them are without any function at all and are located on the dial side on top of the mainspring barrel.

The balance jewels are enclosed in a very “special” way: They are surrounded by large plasic frames. Maybe due to the red color, this looks quite nice, but it doesn’t offer any advantages to a metal jewel enclosing. Additionally, due to the lack of a shock protection, it makes the balance axle breaking quicky, if you drop the watch.

The complete gear system is located under one bridge and is not stacked. Since it consumes a lot of space, the cannon pinion must be driven indirectly. This is done like on Roskopf movement by the mainspring barrel, but unlike Roskopf movements, the hour hand is driven by a separate gear.

On the dial side, you also find a yoke winding system - an unusual detail for pin lever movements.That movement you have looks like a one jeweled version of the above .I love the old dive watches and have a few Mortimers with this movement they keep great time when looked after ,and are quiet rare hang on to it.........

Edited February 8, 2020 by Graziano

[arnaudG]

Yeah, I agree. Those diver watches are quite lovely.

 

 

[arnaudG]

I guess I could go for this:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MORTIMA-WATCH-NO-WORK-FOR-PARTS-MEN-S-CAL-CAT-C-66/223889087344?hash=item3420d45b70:g:GKsAAOSwhLReJwEj

I read somewhere that I could bend what left of the broken spring and make sure it can catch the ratchet wheel.

Could it work for the time being?

 

[Graziano]

That's a cheap buy , if you are going to keep the watch you would have a donor movement to source further parts .You never know you may even buy another c66 movement watch one day ,and you'll have spares . They are getting harder to get ,I would buy that and replace the yoke winding spring .I would not try and bend it ,it may work but sometimes it can cause other problems down the track . But that's what I would do .good luck

Edited February 8, 2020 by Graziano

[arnaudG]

yes, That's a cheap buy. I have already purchased it.

 

[arnaudG]

I am wondering if I should swap the train wheel bridge too.Since my movement had only one jewel.