Servicing My First Chronograph!

[CKelly]

Hi,

I just did a quick search on ebay and found a balance complete for the 7733 that ran about $80.00. You might get lucky and find a donor movement with a good balance for only slightly more which would then give you more parts for more projects.

Charles K

[GuiBer]

Hi,

I just did a quick search on ebay and found a balance complete for the 7733 that ran about $80.00. You might get lucky and find a donor movement with a good balance for only slightly more which would then give you more parts for more projects.

Charles K

Thanks for your search. $80 only for the balance is a high value as with postage and customs taxes I would pay about $140!

 

I think it is worthwhile, as you say to look for a donor movement, if I can't get a cheaper solution replacing only the hairspring.

[GeorgeClarkson]

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the balance wheel, I have also had my problems with that part in the past too. I found several movements on ebay, but honestly they are too expensive for me.

[GeorgeClarkson]

Check this website:

http://www.watchesulike.com/en/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=7733&submit_search=&p=6

They don't have the balance wheel at the moment, but you can end them an email and see if they can find it

[GeorgeClarkson]

I would also go for the donor movement, though...

[Geo]

Good morning GuiBer.

Could you please post a picture of the damage? If it is just bent, it might still be salvageable.

[GuiBer]

Check this website:

http://www.watchesulike.com/en/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=7733&submit_search=&p=6

They don't have the balance wheel at the moment, but you can end them an email and see if they can find it

Thanks George for your suggestion. Let's see what I can manage!

[GuiBer]

Good morning GuiBer.

Could you please post a picture of the damage? If it is just bent, it might still be salvageable.

Hi Geo, I would be very good if that was the case, but unfortunately the spring is a write-off, as when I was trying (stupidly!!) to force the incabloc spring to its location with a 0,6 mm screwdriver, that (of course!) slipped into the hairspring, "killing" it instantly!!

 

( I don´t dare to put any photo of this disater, as I don´t want to cause any health trouble to sensitive watchmakers!!) 

 

P.S.- I have already discovered why I was encoutering such difficulty to put the new incabloc spring into its location: a tiny, almost invisible part of the prevoius one that I broke trying to remove it, was still there preventing the new one to get in.

[Geo]

( I don´t dare to put any photo of this disater, as I don´t want to cause any health trouble to sensitive watchmakers!!) 

Thanks for being considerate GuiBer! :D

It is a shame about the spring, but I'm sure you will retrieve the situation eventually.

[GuiBer]

Fortunately I have just bought on ebay a replacing balance wheel NOS from U.S for $30 (+p.p.)!

 

Just have to wait it arrives in 1 or 2 weeks to complete my job ( I hope! ).

 

Meanwhile I am still having problems to fit the incabloc spring (where all the problem began!). Nevertheless the incabloc is now clean from any debris of the previous spring, I'm still not able to fit a spring on it !! 

 

So, I'm considering to replace the incabloc with a complete new one, but for doing that in a proper way I shall need a special tool, isn´t it?

[GeorgeClarkson]

Are you referring to the spring that holds the jewel in place?

[GuiBer]

Are you referring to the spring that holds the jewel in place?

Yes, it´s that one that I don't manage to put in place after  many frustating attempts and a lot of time trying it! 

[GeorgeClarkson]

I don't think you are supposed to remove the spring, but just to lift it open, like I did in this picture:

http://www.clarkson.it/landeron/hema/service/service_hema-28.jpg

[GeorgeClarkson]

I had the spring fly off, I must admit, a couple of times though. To put it back in what I did was grab it with my tweezers from the bottom part and insert it diagonally in the slots on the incablock hole, where it is supposed to hinge. Then I twist it carefully, pulling it to feel if it grabbed the slots or not. I pull really gently since the risk of braking it is way too high.when I feel some resistance I let it go, and lower it in closed position to see if it was fitted correctly. Hope this helps.

[GuiBer]

Yes, of course Georges, but what happened (as I wrote in a previous post), was that when i tried to open it (in a wrong way) for lubricating the jewel, it broked!  So I had to order a replacement (sold in sets of 5), which I am now trying to install.

[GeorgeClarkson]

Yes I got it. Try twisting it into place: the spring has two feet that should slide into the corresponding slots. Are you trying with the jewel in place?

[GuiBer]

I don't think you are supposed to remove the spring, but just to lift it open, like I did in this picture:

http://www.clarkson.it/landeron/hema/service/service_hema-28.jpg

Yes, of course Georges, but what happened (as I wrote in a previous post), was that when i tried to open it (in a wrong way) for lubricating the jewel, it broked!  So I had to order a replacement (sold in sets of 5), which I am now trying to install.

[GuiBer]

I had the spring fly off, I must admit, a couple of times though. To put it back in what I did was grab it with my tweezers from the bottom part and insert it diagonally in the slots on the incablock hole, where it is supposed to hinge. Then I twist it carefully, pulling it to feel if it grabbed the slots or not. I pull really gently since the risk of braking it is way too high.when I feel some resistance I let it go, and lower it in closed position to see if it was fitted correctly. Hope this helps.

 

I'm doing it approximately like you do. Do you do that pushing the string from the inner side of the incabloc or from the outside?

 

( I had tried both ways wihout the jewel in place)

[GeorgeClarkson]

I insert it from the inner side, from where, logically in my opinion should be done, otherwise the spring would not have the necessary tension to hold the spring in place.

[GeorgeClarkson]

Check this pic:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Balance_wheel_Chinese_movement.jpg

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

[GeorgeClarkson]

Actually the pic tells differently than what I wrote... Apparently you should do it from the outside, but I always do it from the inside...

[GeorgeClarkson]

OK I was wrong: it is from the outside:

http://www.incabloc.ch/images/points_forts_big.jpg

[GeorgeClarkson]

The picture abova was taken from the official incabloc website:http://www.incabloc.ch/en/points_forts.php

[GuiBer]

Thanks for all your help George!

 

I'll give it some more tries, before I decide to replace or not the complete incabloc, which may also not be an easy task without the proper tool!

 

P.S.- The balance wheel I bought today in ebay (as I told in previous post) was that one you informed me about yesterday, but I offered "only" $30 against the $80 the seller initially wanted, and to my surprise he agreed!

[GeorgeClarkson]

Nice grab!