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Cap Jewels

gregoryjl

By gregoryjl
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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gregoryjl Member

gregoryjl

Posted
Posted

I'm fairly new to watch repair and have been going slowly.I have been practicing on several pocket watches. I have taken them apart and put them  back together with only a few accidents. Next I want to look at taking the cap jewels out and clean them. Since they are very small and can be large in number, how do you track where they go. Can you just clean them all together, then put them back without knowing the actual pivot they came from, or do you have to keep track of each one. If you track each one, how do you do that efficiently.

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

Hold yer horses Greg, do not try and remove all the jewels. The only jewels that are removed for cleaning are the balance jewels with shock resist systems on wrist watches. On pocket watches these are usually fixed and not usually removed for cleaning.

gregoryjl Member

gregoryjl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just clean them up in place? I guess you would give them a good look to make sure there were no cracks?

 

I will attempt to remove one on an old movement just to get the feel of removing and installing.

 

Thanks.

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

You will need a jeweling tool to remove and replace pressed in jewels. It's a very bad idea to remove an old jewel and fit it again, you will probably end up with a slack if not broken jewel, not only that, the depth is critical to ensure the correct end shake on the pinions.

clockboy Distinguished Member

clockboy

Posted
Posted

I'm fairly new to watch repair and have been going slowly.I have been practicing on several pocket watches. I have taken them apart and put them  back together with only a few accidents. Next I want to look at taking the cap jewels out and clean them. Since they are very small and can be large in number, how do you track where they go. Can you just clean them all together, then put them back without knowing the actual pivot they came from, or do you have to keep track of each one. If you track each one, how do you do that efficiently.

The best way to remove a cap jewel without it going amiss is remove it with Rodico.

gregoryjl Member

gregoryjl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I will only try on an old movement just to get the feel. I've seen a few videos on how to remove and have some tools I think will work. If it goes bad, it's a learning experience..  I just thought you had to remove the caps to get a good clean. I'll just clean in place with the good movements and go from there.

 

Thanks.

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

I have probably got the wrong end of the stick here, I thought you were meaning all the jewels in the watch when you said "large in number".

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the photos.

This movement only has two cap jewels, one on each end of the balance staff jewels. The cap jewels are flat on one side and convex on the other, and it is the flat side that constrains the end float of the balance shaft. The remaining "jewels" in the watch do not have cap jewels fitted.

gregoryjl Member

gregoryjl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I guess I labeled the jewels incorrectly. I was refering to the jewels for the escape wheel and the two gears in line with it. They each have two screws holding in the jewel. If they are removed, do they have to go back in the same placed, or will they fit in each of the setting. I hope I am making it clear. Would you remove these jewels for a normal service & cleaning?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

These would only be removed if the were damaged and had to be replaced, but certainly not for a normal service. If you did have to remove them, as with anything on a watch, you should take lots of pictures or notes to ensure everything goes back in its original place. If you search the forum you will find many articles on cleaning watch parts.

gregoryjl Member

gregoryjl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the info. Leave the jewels in place and clean. If they are removed, put them back in the same spot. Thats what I have done up to now for cleaning, but was wondering if I should have removed the jewels for cleaning. Thanks again.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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