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Balance assembly advice for a clumsy amateur watch enthusiast


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22 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi   The regulator pin looks ok  But should it snap they are available from cousins uk .  The balance spring tooks a bit tatty and in need of some tlc. It is possible to re fit the stud , might do for practice.

It's good to know if can be refitted, I might try that as well as straightening/fixing the hairspring. Just for practice.

Btw cousins is supposed to be for professional watchmakers or something. I'll not a professional (as my mad skills already illustrated) so would I be allowed to register still?

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Hi I too am an Jobber repairer  Self taught over 60 years   but have no problem with cousins uk at all they are very efficient with parts shipping, There Is also H.S.Walsh, A.G.Thomas. Gleave & Co all will supply parts, for clocks I use Meadows and Passmore in Brighton  no problem

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey, just wanted to leave a quick feedback. I somehow messed the balance up that's why it wouldn't run like it should've.
I got a new balance assembly delivered to me and I managed to install it; it immediately clicked into place and started running as soon as it caught the pallet. Now the watch's running perfectly (well I suppose it does, I don't see anything wrong), I oiled some of the easier parts after following tutorials and recommendations from ETA. I skipped the hardest parts for now, I'll go back to them when I have a bit more confidence (barrel spring, escapement). But for now I'm quite happy with how it turned out in the end ;-)

thanks again for all your help !

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here's a picture of me wearing it, I replaced the crystal as well. I couldn't really see what kind of crystal it was so I ordered standard ones (I took three sizes close to my measurements just in case my caliper was not accurate). When I managed to remove the cracked old one I noticed it was fitted with a friction ring :-/ oh well, I inserted the closest fitting crystal I had and used GS crystal cement to glue it into place. I'm not great at that stuff but I guess it turned out OK.

IMG_20200511_125137.jpg

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Hi well done  I think at times you can handle the balance with too much care and are frightened of damaging it. It is more robust than it would seem, the spring and pivots are the danger points but just be careful and confident when handling it.  The ring inside the Crystal is a tension ring designed to give a watertight seal by holding /pressing the crystal into the case. Although your method has worked just as well.  All round a sucessfull conclusion .:Bravo:   Now all ready for the next one.

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