1883 Waltham Model 17 J

[Gene]

Hello,

My name is Gene and I have started to clean and repair my own watches , not in the business. I bought a Model 1883 17 jewels Grade 85 on line as not working. The crystal was broken not on the watch, but did not think too much about it as it had hunter case . I am looking for advice as to whether the watch balance shaft is broken, it rotates but stops . Reading and looking on line realize it could also be the jewel might be damaged . I will include a photo of bottom of balance staff, if it is broken what is the number of the replacement part. Any help would be appreciated. See photo:

I will have to disassemble and clean the watch , just wanted some advice as my experience is so little. 

Thanks

[JohnR725]

If I were you I would remove the balance from the bridge you can loosen the screw and push the stud out. Remember to tighten the Screw so it doesn't fall out In the cleaning process. Then you can look at the other pivot that one looks a little short may be the pictures a little fuzzy. But you also have to look at the jewels also

really what you want to do is evaluate the watch before you clean it because after you clean it if you have to re-staff take the balance wheel out a whole bunch of times you'd have to re-cleaned it again anyway.

Then what do you mean by it rotates and then stops? If the watches extremely dirty it's not going to run even if the pivots are good it probably would just rotate and stop.

Then one of the ways to evaluate the balance wheel is this is an 18 size watch. This means you can disassemble it and put the balance wheel back on the main plate and just check out the balance wheel and visibly see everything is one of the few minor advantages of an 18 size because there is disadvantage is when you go to the bolting back together again. The basically can have the upper plates the balance wheel on the balance bridge in place and you can check out how the balance wheel spins.