Rolex 645: shock protection cleaning and pivot wear

[Hiaz224]

Hi all!

I just bought this Rolex (no automatic works). I took it apart and cleaned all its parts. This movement came with no pallet fork. I am more interested in assessing the general state of the caliber, which is, in my opinion, great, except for the balance complete.

This watch came with a shock protection that is new for me. My concerns, just if you can give your opinions, are:

1. Are the pivots worn? The balance spins freely when I loosen the cock screw, but I think the lower one can be worn.

2. Can the internal rubies of the shock protections be removed for cleaning purposes?

3. Do you think that there is a small bend in the overcoil?

General comment: The caliber is easy to service. The problems come if you need to source parts (a pain in the back and extremely expensive); the balance coil is blue, which is more delicate and prone to be bent.

Thanks for your time...

 

[GPrideaux]

4 hours ago, Hiaz224 said:

1. Are the pivots worn? The balance spins freely when I loosen the cock screw, but I think the lower one can be worn.

2. Can the internal rubies of the shock protections be removed for cleaning purposes?

3. Do you think that there is a small bend in the overcoil?

1. I think the pivots look pretty good and I wouldn't worry about wear.

2. Yes, I think the hole jewels should come out for cleaning, complete with their spring setting. I don't have experience with Rolex but I've seen this spring type setting in another movement. They may be stuck in with old dried oil.

3. Yes, I think the overcoil is out of shape.

[Nucejoe]

6 hours ago, Hiaz224 said:

 Are the pivots worn? The balance spins freely when I loosen the cock screw, but I think the lower one can be worn.

By worn pivot, Do you mean short ? 

 A pivot is not short if balance spins freely on it. Dial up & dial down tests are good test for investigation, visual test alone doesn't suffice.

A thorough test is free oscilation, which is best done when balance cock is adjusted with acceptable end shake.

Balance settings on both side should be dismantled as they must be cleaned, pegged and inspected. 

Stud & pivot & where spring leaves the collet are on one line, show entire coil and where you think is bent, please.

Regs

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Nucejoe
Typo

[Hiaz224]

Many thanks for your answers:

1. I will clean both of them without risk

2. Both of the rotate inside their setting but they don't seem to come out. I will clean the cock (and the hole jewels) and I will see if they want to go out. I don't intend to force the setting pushing it out by any means. I only hope I don't need the dismantle the whole cock into all its components...!

3. I won't touch it. Only clean. I don't want to take risk...

Thanks again!

4 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

By worn pivot, Do you mean short ? 

 A pivot is not short if balance spins freely on it. Dial up & dial down tests are good test for investigation, visual test alone doesn't suffice.

A thorough test is free oscilation, which is best done when balance cock is adjusted with acceptable end shake.

Balance settings on both side should be dismantled as they must be cleaned, pegged and inspected. 

Regs

 

Thanks for your anwer. Yes, I meant short. In fact there are 2 pictures where It can be seen that the balance almost touch the main plate. The balance only spin freely when I loosen the cock screw and also the bottom jewel setting. I cleaned the exterior jewels on the cock and on the main plate. But I can't take the interior settings. I uploaded 1 picture on this 

1 hour ago, GPrideaux said:

1. I think the pivots look pretty good and I wouldn't worry about wear.

2. Yes, I think the hole jewels should come out for cleaning, complete with their spring setting. I don't have experience with Rolex but I've seen this spring type setting in another movement. They may be stuck in with old dried oil.

3. Yes, I think the overcoil is out of shape.

My reply to your comments are below. Apologies as I Replied rather than quote... 

[Nucejoe]

27 minutes ago, Hiaz224 said:

 In fact there are 2 pictures where It can be seen that the balance almost touch the main plate. 

 If pivot shoulder almost touches the mainplate, you will see lower amplitude and free oscilation comes to stop quicker. Such touching can stop the watch.

This caliber is based on FHF, I think. So some parts of a cheaper movement of same caliber might interchange.

55 minutes ago, Hiaz224 said:

57 minutes ago, Hiaz224 said:

 2 pictures where It can be seen that the balance almost touch the main plate. 

 Both of the rotate inside their setting but they don't seem to come out. 

 Both observation point to pivot worn short, which support you suspect , "worn pivot".

 The problem with pivots wear to this point is , though the watch runs, pivots can easily jump out of jewel holes in the event of shock, pivots are actually not touching the end stones. 

 Classic watch repair recommends staff replacement or elongating pivots. Non classic let's you flip the end stones to have the dome side of end stone facing the pivot end, this will somewhat or wholly  compensate for the wear. 

Regs

 

Edited 7 hours ago by Nucejoe