Jump to content

Tissot 2403 Service Walkthrough - From Tip To Treasure


Recommended Posts

Tissot 2403 Service Walkthrough

 

What is it with me and small movements?!  I seem to attract them in absurd numbers.

Oh well, here's another one to push my Zeiss optics to the limit, a Tissot 2403.

 

post-246-0-57729000-1432465473_thumb.jpg

 

My brother's father-in-law found this at the local rubbish tip, thrown away and unloved :(  Upon initial inspection the condition looked dirty but not marked up, Canon Pinion felt good when setting the hands, and it seemed to wind smoothly.  But alas it wasn't running at all.

 

So to the bench I go, and de-case this little gem of a find.

It removes like many ladies fashion watches, with the movement cradled in the Caseback.

 

post-246-0-12870600-1432465476_thumb.jpg

 

I removed it from the Caseback, and it looked remarkably clean.  So I gave it a close inspection to see if there was something obvious that was stopping the movement.

 

post-246-0-45349700-1432465478_thumb.jpg

 

First thing that stood out, and is common on these types of movements, is the lack of a Crown Seal. 

As you can see there is a lot of contamination along the Stem, including nylon fibres ... perhaps from the sleeve of a sweater.

 

post-246-0-51001400-1432465480_thumb.jpg

 

I continued to look and found more of these fibres near the Balance.

 

post-246-0-89261700-1432465496_thumb.jpg

 

Continuing my inspection it was obvious that this watch was in desperate need of a complete service.

Note the condition of the jewels.

 

post-246-0-32996700-1432465500_thumb.jpg

 

But besides a strip and clean, I couldn't see anything else wrong with it.  No rust, nothing bent or broken; just some contamination stopping it from running.

It's sad to see we live in such a throw away society today, 50 or 60 years ago this would have never been discarded on a tip.

 

post-246-0-02349800-1432465502_thumb.jpg

 

Ok, time to bring this watch back to life.  First step as always, release the tension from the Mainspring, and remove the Balance and Pallets.

 

post-246-0-60682700-1432465504_thumb.jpg

 

Now the Balance and Pallet Fork safe, we can remove the Keyless Work.

Start by removing the Hour Wheel, then the Setting Lever Spring.

 

post-246-0-00722100-1432465507_thumb.jpg

 

Then remove the Yoke and Setting Lever.

Be sure to secure the Yoke Spring with Pegwood and note is orientation.

 

post-246-0-53819800-1432465509_thumb.jpg

 

Then remove the Minute Wheel and Setting Wheel.  Then pull the Stem, and remove the Sliding Pinion and Winding Pinion.

 

post-246-0-26005000-1432465814_thumb.jpg

 

Flip it over and remove the Ratchet Wheel and Crown Wheel.

 

post-246-0-89489400-1432465817_thumb.jpg

 

Then you can remove the Mainspring and Train Bridges.

As you can see, even if this watch was running, it would have not been giving accurate time.

All the jewel holes are filthy!

 

post-246-0-70681300-1432465822_thumb.jpg

 

Here is a reference shot of the train on the 2403.

 

post-246-0-33118700-1432465820_thumb.jpg

 

Now, if you had good eyes you might have seen it.  The object that stopped this watch from running.

You guessed it ... a nylon fibre has found it's way into the wheels of the train, and gotten jammed between the Intermediate and Third Wheel.

 

post-246-0-39183300-1432466266_thumb.jpg

 

So know the mystery is solved, it's just a simple matter of cleaning and re-assembly.

 

 

To Be Continued ......

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tissot 2403 Service - Part 2

 

Tissot 2400,2401,2403,2404.pdf

 

All the parts are now cleaning and ready to be assembled.

I have to say that those Nylon fibres were everywhere!!  Took me a long while to remove them off all the parts with an old piece of Rodico before cleaning, and even then, I STILL found tiny fibres after cleaning that I'd missed ... so my cleaning solution is now contaminated and needs to be changed @!#*%^#  Arrgh!! :roadrage:

 

post-246-0-32990800-1432637178_thumb.jpg

 

Ok, I've clamed down :P  ... on with the service.

 

Secure the Main Plate in your movement holder and replace the Train.

 

post-246-0-97132200-1432637181_thumb.jpg

 

Then replace the Train Bridge and gently worry the wheels into their jewels.  Then with a piece of Pegwood to hold the bridge in place tighten down the screws.

Always continue re-checking that the train is running free as you secure the screws.

 

post-246-0-26881900-1432637184_thumb.jpg

 

It's good to see those jewel holes are now nice an clean.

 

post-246-0-54348100-1432637186_thumb.jpg

 

Once you've oiled with Mainspring and placed it back into the Barrel, replace it onto the Main Plate.

 

post-246-0-14009200-1432637189_thumb.jpg

 

Replace the Barrel Bridge, and Click.

 

post-246-0-59128700-1432637191_thumb.jpg

 

Replace the Click Spring, Ratchet Wheel and Crown Wheel.

 

post-246-0-19750300-1432637194_thumb.jpg

 

Then carefully place the Pallet Fork and Pallet Cock back into it's respective place.

Once the Pallet is in place, give the Ratchet Wheel a few turns and check that the Pallet is operating correctly.

 

post-246-0-56854200-1432637196_thumb.jpg

 

Next the Balance and Incablocs need to be cleaned in Lighter Fluid.

 

post-246-0-53315500-1432637199_thumb.jpg

 

Once clean replace the Balance and Incablocs

 

post-246-0-60591100-1432637201_thumb.jpg

 

Now give the Ratchet Wheel a couple of good winds and check the oscillation of the Balance.

 

post-246-0-41515800-1432638135_thumb.jpg

 

It's now time to start on the dial side of the movement.

 

Oil up your Winding Pinion and Sliding Pinion.

 

post-246-0-67752100-1432638137_thumb.jpg

 

Replace the Winding and Sliding Pinion, Setting Lever, Yoke and Yoke Spring.

 

post-246-0-95223400-1432638139_thumb.jpg

 

Replace the Canon Pinion, Minute Wheel and Intermediate Wheel.

 

post-246-0-61085500-1432638142_thumb.jpg

 

Then replace the Setting Lever Spring and secure it down.

 

post-246-0-67377200-1432638144_thumb.jpg

 

Replace the Dial and Hands, and your done :)

Nothing left to do then adjust the timing and case it up.

 

post-246-0-41414300-1432638146_thumb.jpg

 

I hope these reference photos help those looking at servicing this movement, and I must say that it was a lovely movement to work on.

Another watch saved from the rubbish tip.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another really good walk through Lawson & really nice watch. 

Cleaning really dirty watches/clocks is a real pain. To save the solution I now pre-clean any suspects before putting them through the cleaning machine. Watches with a de-greaser and clocks with warm soapy water & then rinse & dry.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great review, as always!

You made the remark that you washed the balance and jewels in lighter fluid. What did you use for the rest of the movement?

Bogdan

 

This is the watch cleaning machine that I use ... very basic, but does a good job.

 

post-246-0-97611400-1432805312_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So why don't you wash the balance and jewels together with the rest of the movement?

 

I do matabog :)

Just as Mark demonstrates in his videos, I replace the Balance on the Main Plate for cleaning, as that's the safest way to do it.

Once the parts are cleaned, I remove the Balance, along with the Incabloc Jewels, and cleaning them again in the Lighter Fluid.

This makes sure that the pivots on the Balance and the surface of the Incabloc Jewels are perfectly clean.  As sometimes, even after going through the cleaning machine, very small particles or old oil residue can still remain on those enclosed parts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Lawson, I have my mums antique tissot which has the same strap except it is not tapered as the face is square and white.  It runs intermittently and when it runs it runs fast.  Watchmakers here have rejected fixing it as they say its not worth it without really looking (it is sentimental).  The movement looks almost identical to the one you cleaned.  Can you tell me anything about the strap, ie is it gold?  Should I keep trying different watch repairers?  If you an help thanks :)  If not no worries

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always cleaned the balance with Ronsonol lighter fluid. I found it better than any watch cleaner. I even tried what was on the market in my time as balance cleaner it came in a small jar, that stuff was useless. Nice post on cleaning a small ladies Tissot. Surprising even with a dustproof button the fibers from clothing still get in. 

 

I hope all you watch repairers/makers spend time in cleaning the cases and bracelets. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

So why don't you wash the balance and jewels together with the rest of the movement?

 

Cleaning fluid often leaves a slight residue on the hairspring so 'rinsing' it in Lighter Fluid generally will remove the residue and make it that much more clean.

Edited by perpetual92
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Similar Content

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Didn't you see the impact on your time machine? 🙂 Nobody told me this / or read it in any books but whenever I have a reading like yours one of the first things I check is the plate screws and in the majority of the cases the readings get better after tightening them, smoothing out your curves. If they are tighten enough it makes no sense to tighten them more as it brings no benefit but excessive force might cause the screwheads to brake off. You have the feel for it after a while. I have seen cases where the plate screws were not tight on purpose just to sort out some end shake issues but needless to say that's not the right way to go. Plate screws must be tight enough  just like the critical screws in automotive otherwise you screw up the whole movement in my opinion. I must stress that this is only my own opinion and i am just a hobbyist. 
    • I remember when I was in school the instructor would use whale oil on some problematic little tiny ladies watches because he felt it was a better oil. then for my birthday on my friends gave me a bottle of vintage nye watch oil. Complete with the advertisement inside which I have scanned below and what I find interesting is it hasn't gone bad in the model and it is super super thin I'm guessing the viscosity of water basically. then somewhere in the discussion group within the last year or so somebody purchased one of these bottles off of eBay and was using it on their watch. After all a bottle watch oil is? Apparently it was an expensive I'm guessing or it's what they had or something no idea what the final outcome was other than I found it amusing. then somewhere in the Internet somewhat it made up this interesting chart down below. I believe the first natural oil is there 8000 oil. Notice the friction properties in the first two columns in other words it's really good at reducing friction better than anything else.  But it does have additional specifications like contact angle which is almost never found in any spec sheet which has to do with how likely it is to spread. Big numbers are bad in those two columns and you can see spreading test it's very bad. So basically it's a really outstanding oil for a short period of time before it spreads away and of course being natural it has a habit of probably going bad very soon the best oil of course is Elgin oil at least the second version of their oil very good at reducing friction and very good at staying wherever you place it and still very fluid oil viscosity wise. then one of the most famous oils of all Swiss 9010 that I personally don't like and don't use quite a ways down on the chart personally prefer 9020 which unfortunately is not listed on this chart. It slightly heavier viscosity and has a little nicer contact angle those more likely to stay wherever you put it versus 9010 which universally requires epilam if you would like to stay wherever you putting it. then if you're in the viscosities here's an interesting chart that I found on the discussion group. ou will note there some minor variations between the viscosities listed here and the chart up above which may be attributed to the difference in temperature  universally everything is supposed to be at 20° C and the chart up above is at 40° C. Because what becomes interesting on the chart is 8000 is listed out of viscosity of 95 which does agree with their technical information and the PDF for the oil lists at 40° it is 41 where up above the chart everything is either listed as 50 or light whatever that means? Then Elgin oil is listed on the chart in a clever interesting way. you look on the chart at a viscosity of 125 you'll find Dr. Tillwich LGN oil which is the synthetic version of Elgin oil. Many years ago they had a request and gathered up a whole bunch of samples and synthesize the oil and for a while it was available for sale although it was rather expensive I had seen a bottle for about $100. and as far as viscosities go it does appear to be right in both charts in other words at 20° it's 125 and at 40° it's 50. So unfortunately it brings up the problem of viscosity or better yet contact angle determines the spread ability of your lubrication unfortunately we typically don't get contact angle we just get viscosity. So the casual trend is a heavier oil tends to not spread although as we can see from looking at the chart that isn't hundred percent true. As far as reducing friction goes viscosity doesn't necessarily come into play here either. Or basically we don't have enough of the right tech sheets to make a real proper comparison.
    • Somewhere in the back of my mind i thought you had the jewelled seitz pivot gauge, i was just asking if you had this scaled pin gauge as well. I might have just made up that thought  H. 😅
    • Yes, but the idea was that the OP wanted to be able to measure the diameter of the jewel holes in his collection of unordered jewels. Also, depending on the type of micrometre used one has to be careful not to dent the very small pivots (< 0.12mm) when pinching them in the micrometre. In my experience, the JKA Feintaster is safe to use also when measuring very small pivots. I don't understand your question, which I think was for me, no?
    • I didn't think there were any gauges under 0.1  .  I do like the old art deco tanks which are small sizes. My staff stash amounts to around half a mil. So i think I probably have that base covered. This 0.1mm set seems to be the most expensive, larger 100 piece set are about half the price. For around a 100 quid you can have sizes from 0.1 up to 4mm. Bugs me that they charge shipping for each seperate item so no combined shipping fee available.  Do you have the variable pin gauge as well ?
×
×
  • Create New...