Felsa 690 main spring

[Mike78]

Hey everyone,

I’m currently working on a Felsa 690 movement and I am ready to put this thing back together.  I am a bit confused on the breaking spring.  
 

my online search has given me some conflicting info.  Some say if I get a new mainspring (which I did) then I do t need the breaking spring while others say I do need.  I don’t see why I would t use it again.  
 

since I got a new spring I only have one shot to install this thing correctly.  I’m trying to find a drawing of which way to install the break spring.  
 

appreciate any help from you all. 

I should add that there is no separate arbor and the mainspring cover acts as a ratchet wheel as well.  This is an automatic bidynator movement.  I have the technical sheet for the movement but it does not go into detail on the main spring.  My google search continues…..

 

[Mike78]

I should add that there is no separate arbor and the mainspring cover acts as a ratchet wheel as well.  This is an automatic bidynator movement.  I have the technical sheet for the movement but it does not go into detail on the main spring.  My google search continues…..

 

Looks like I should have been searching on this site.  Figured I’d post this link here for anyone searching in the future.  

[JohnR725]

9 hours ago, Mike78 said:

then I do t need the breaking spring while others say I do need.  I don’t see why I would t use it again.  

on early automatic watches the outer breaking spring was separate. Then with newer mainsprings the breaking spring is attached. So providing you ordered a mainspring for an automatic watch than that is all you need. otherwise if you have a standard mainspring you'll need to use the original outer spring and don't forget you need special breaking grease for the barrel.

 

[Mike78]

6 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

So providing you ordered a mainspring for an automatic watch than that is all you need. otherwise if you have a standard mainspring you'll need to use the original outer spring and don't forget you need special breaking grease for the barrel.

 

Thanks John.  I'm following up with the supplier to see what spring I got.  I just asked for a main spring for a Felsa 690 movement.  I do have the proper grease.  If I do need to use the breaking spring then I'm guessing I need to grease the barrel wall, install the spring and then grease the inside of the breaking spring since there is friction on both sides?  Unless the breaking doesn't move then I would just need to do the inside of the spring.  Am I correct in my thinking here?

[Mike78]

Looks like the the spring I got was for an automatic watch and has the bridle attached so I wont need to use the breaking spring.  

[JohnR725]

I was going to say before you discover you get the right spring was a lot of times if you look at sealed package you have a number and we can look at the number and see what spring you got. Then you only need the breaking grease on the outer wall between the bridal either the separate one or the attached one and the barrel you don't need at any place else although you could use a separate grease on the mainspring itself some people do that.

[GeorgeC]

I would like some advice on how to separate the mainspring barrel halves on the Felsa 690.  I can peek inside the barrel and see what appears to be a white alloy mainspring which doesn't appear to be broken.  As part of my overhaul, I would like to remove the mainspring, clean and reassemble with the breaking grease on the barrel wall.  I can't find a good way to unhook the arbor from the center of the mainspring.  If I just pull it out, I know the mainspring will be ruined as it expands wildly.  I do notice two small holes on the "capside" of the barrel assembly but am not sure how to take advantage of those to let me unhook the center of mspg from the arbor.

 

[AndyGSi]

7 minutes ago, GeorgeC said:

I would like some advice on how to separate the mainspring barrel halves on the Felsa 690.  I can peek inside the barrel and see what appears to be a white alloy mainspring which doesn't appear to be broken.  As part of my overhaul, I would like to remove the mainspring, clean and reassemble with the breaking grease on the barrel wall.  I can't find a good way to unhook the arbor from the center of the mainspring.  If I just pull it out, I know the mainspring will be ruined as it expands wildly.  I do notice two small holes on the "capside" of the barrel assembly but am not sure how to take advantage of those to let me unhook the center of mspg from the arbor.

 

This is a very old thread.

You're always best just starting a new one with photos of the watch / part in question.

[GeorgeC]

Tis old.  I was able to remove the cap side of the barrel by using a small oiler in the smaller of the two holes.  I then rotated the capside counterclockwise to unhook the mainspring.  All separated nicely.  I removed the mainspring carefully by hand.