How do I remove and replace these "tuning fork shaped" cap jewel springs?

[VWatchie]

Years ago, back in 2014, I bought this Orient Union (Model no. EV0S004B) housing an Orient calibre 46E40, automatic, non-hacking and non-winding. I think I got for less than $100. I was going to travel around in south east Asia for over a month and I didn’t want to lose too much money should I get rob. Well, I never got rob and it served me well. Anyway, I felt it was time to give it an overhaul.

This is my very first Japanese movement service, and so far, I must say it differs quite a bit from the Russian and Swiss movements that I’ve serviced before. It’s interesting to see how the Japanese have found their own ways to build movements; for example, the automatic works. I wonder what lurks as I get deeper into the movement. It’s pretty exciting, even though it’s a low budget Japanese movement.

Anyway, I wonder if anyone of you have experience of this type of "tuning fork shaped" cap jewel spring? It looks as if it’s designed to fly to the moon if only just touched. So, I feel pretty nervous to continue the tear down without some advice. Please share your experience or your guesses about how to handle these springs! There are two of them.

Edited February 8, 2020 by VWatchie

[Marc]

The trick is not to remove them at all....

They are a version of Seiko's "Diafix" springs and they are designed to allow the jewel to be removed without removing the spring.

What you have to do is to gently push the middle leg in towards the centre of the jewel until the tab clears the recess, then hinge it up with the two prongs still in the recess so that you can remove the cap jewel.

There have been posts on here about these before, I'll see if I can find one with pictures.

[Graziano]

Rodico is your fiend

[jdm]

3 minutes ago, Graziano said:

Rodico is your fiend

That, a plastic bag, and a small UV light.

[VWatchie]

4 minutes ago, Marc said:

The trick is not to remove them at all....

They are a version of Seiko's "Diafix" springs and they are designed to allow the jewel to be removed without removing the spring.

What you have to do is to gently push the middle leg in towards the centre of the jewel until the tab clears the recess, then hinge it up with the two prongs still in the recess so that you can remove the cap jewel.

There have been posts on here about these before, I'll see if I can find one with pictures.

Thank you very much @Marc and If you can find those posts I'd really appreciate it. I understand your description of the procedure perfectly but it seems like a very, very delicate process so any additional info or illustrations would be welcome.

[Marc]

Lots of info here about Seiko Diafix.

Also a pic speaks a thousand words....

This not my own but stolen from here

If you haven't come acros Martins' blog before then you're in for a treat if you like seiko.

[VWatchie]

Just now, Marc said:

Lots of info here about Seiko Diafix.

Also a pic speaks a thousand words....

This not my own but stolen from here

If you haven't come acros Martins' blog before then you're in for a treat if you like seiko.

Wow, wonderful, thanks again! As I said, this is my very first Japanese movement, but I'm guessing there will be more in the future considering the restrictions placed on Swiss parts. It would be very interesting to service a Miyota 9015 which I've heard is a Japanese ETA 2824-2, but surely very different in design I would guess.

[jdm]

3 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

 It would be very interesting to service a Miyota 9015 which I've heard is a Japanese ETA 2824-2, but surely very different in design I would guess.

More like a 2982 considering its thinness. 

[Graziano]

Maybe this helps

Quote

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Graziano

[aac58]

Here Adrian from VTA shows how to deal with diafix, same as the above tutorial from Mike, but Adrian is also showing how to reinstall the spring in case it pops off.

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by aac58

[VWatchie]

Success! Thank you very much guys! Without your info I’m not sure at all that I would have prevailed 

I guess my pictures doesn’t add anything new, but at least they are nice to look at, I hope.

These Diafix springs were not designed for beginners. Dexterity-wise I imagine this is on the level of brain surgery and I’m not sure the outcome would have been as successful as it was had it not been for my stereo microscope, Rodico, good tweezers, patience and awareness of breathing and bodily tenseness (when I was young I competed in air rifle shooting). Another skill that I have acquired over the years is the understanding of how important it is to gradually increase and gradually decrease the energy transferred into tools (tweezers, screwdrivers, etc.). All this experience came very handy today. And again, thanks for your help!

Unfortunately, I will now have to pause the tear down for a few weeks, but eventually I’ll try report back of any findings I might make a about these Diafix springs.

[Klassiker]

If you are going to research further you will sooner or later come across Kif's Duofix system, which looks similar, opens and closes the same, and is just as fiddly. They come in different sizes too. I have no idea if the springs are interchangeable, but I doubt it.KIF-ID Tabelle.pdf

Edited February 9, 2020 by Klassiker

[Malocchio]

I read somewhere that old watchmakers trick was to make a fork tool out of a sewing needle. So I made my own and working with diafix has never been easier. I don't even need rodico to keep the spring in place, you have such a good control with the tool. When replacing the cap jewel and finally closing the spring I use tweezers to press the little tab in. So the tool is a sewing needle glued to a peg wood. Eye has been cut and filed/polished to final shape. I initially made one with longer prongs that were bent more but it was prone to breaking and you have better control with shorter prongs anyway.