Cal.920 Mystery Tool +Others

[jyard]

I received this in a job lot of watchmakers tools, I was only after a few items from the lot, but I am interested in what the other items could be:

Some of the bits on the top are spring loaded, its clearly marked CAL.920 on the side.

I also ended up with a load of these, no idea what the use is, but the job lot did seem to contain a large amount of lathe bits, so I assume something associated with that:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[grsnovi]

Omega made the caliber 920 which was used by others. I suspect (but don't know for sure) that the tool was used to form wire springs. I also suspect that the tool likely came from the manufacturer (possibly due to somebody with sticky fingers) as the markings on the side appear to be professionally done and if the tool is for forming springs it is unlikely that it would be of general use to most individuals doing repair.

I will be interested to hear what the experts have to say on this tool.

- G

[jyard]

That's interesting, I hadn't considered springs.

For more information the centre part appears to be a collet, but pushes outwards, rather than inwards on a spring. There is also a recess around the notch on the underside of the top plate that is screwed down.

If I don't get any other responses I will see if I can find what springs are used in the 920 movement and CAD them up against the tool. See if anything can be formed around those posts that would match.

[grsnovi]

1 hour ago, jyard said:

...the centre part appears to be a collet, but pushes outwards...

Which would make sense if that is going to hold/apply pressure to the wire.

I just took a swag at a spring forming tool as it appears that there is a notch where the end would initially seat and then there are pins which would grab/bend the wire as the tool was rotated.

Could be to form a click spring or a yoke spring?

[jyard]

27 minutes ago, grsnovi said:

I just took a swag at a spring forming tool

It's a good shout, after you mentioned it, I did some googling and the closest I found to something like it was from the naked watchmaker on mainsprings:

https://www.thenakedwatchmaker.com/making-mainsprings

Section 10 has an image that I could possibly see as being used for a spring as well, if it had this part.

The spring loaded posts are still a bit of a mystery.

Work permitting, I will try and get everything drawn up, I think I have tracked down a parts document of the Omega 920.