Introduction

[stoli67]

Hello all,

 

My name is Andrew and I am from Sydney.  I have recently started disassembling a couple of watches and have found it quite relaxing.  I thought that I had better register here as I had a few questions.

 

Such as... how do you get the jewel out of the metal part of the incabloc once you have undone the spring and removed it ?

 

 

Andrew

[Cad101]

Hello and welcome I'm sure you'll find all you need to know here and a few things you don't as for your question I usually soak them in some lighter fuel its cheap and does the trick.

Mick

[stoli67]

thanks.... I managed to get one apart with the smallest screw driver but I knew that there would be an easy way...... as there always is !

[anilv]

I've had some where the lighter fluid did not work. What usually does the trick is the ultrasonic cleaner.

In the absence of an ultrasonic cleaner, boiling the jewel assembly in plain water works as well (I have done this) but make sure you can spot the jewel again..some watches like Longines use transparent jewels which will be impossible to find in clear water.

A jewel setting is fairly robust and boiling it would not hurt as long as you don't dunk it in cold water immediately.

rgds

Anil

[clockboy]

Hi Andrew & welcome. The easy & safe way to  remove the jewel from it,s setting is to release the shock spring & then use "Rodico" to lift it out. I suggest you watch some of Mark,s vids on youtube to get a feel for how to work on a watch.

Enjoy.

[oldhippy]

Hello Andrew, Lots of info on here for you.

[vinn3]

welcome to the forum Andrew !  a small utrasonic cleaner is GOOD  Just big enough for a pocket watch.  i have used them often,  BUT with  various solvents.   water or soapy water - i have learned something here today.     Vinn

[bobm12]

Welcome Andrew! I also find it relaxing to take them apart...the stressful thing is to put them back together specially when they are not your watches!!

Yes, the jewels come out with rodico. They will stick to it. An example of things you don't ask but nevertheless are valuable to learn is boiling the jewels: Thanks Anil!!!

Cheers,

Bob

[dadistic]

Greetings and Salutations!

I also find watch work relaxing, until I ping a part across the room and spend an hour on my hands and knees trying to find it 

[stoli67]

Ah yes.... just found that out..... lost an incablock spring..... I thought that they were hinged and could not fly out..... Not So!

 

I then spent a long time looking for said spring before ordering one that I think is the closet on the Incablock site.... that watch is quite old so no part numbers!

I took a photo with a 1.2 mm screw driver then blew the image right up and measured the spring against the screw driver and decided that it is a 170.03

Fun Fun Fun..... I hope that the new part fits.

[stoli67]

Of course that photo is the other end of the balance wheel.

[clockboy]

Hi Andrew,

Next time when releasing a shock spring I suggest steading the spring with a piece of pegwood so it does not fly. Fitting a new spring is not easy and takes a lot of practice. May I suggest that you get some really good magnification for the job & some do this job with clingfilm over the working area to catch it when it springs away.
See below some info on the little blighters:

 

Shock springs.pdf

 

KIF shock springs.pdf

[Vich]

Hello Andrew and welcome.

Welcome as well to the flyaway club, its one of those topics that we have all posted about at some time or another. I use the pegwood method but there have been some ingenious suggestions through the years, even one chap working with his hands and watch in a plastic bag !

The irritating thing is that the bit usually turns up when you dont need it anymore !

Cheers,

Vic

[Cad101]

Yes I had that just last week click spring went flying when putting it back spent half an hour on my knees with the old trusty magnet then Eureka I found it. But alas no it was one I lost about 2 months ago from a Helvetia ah well at least I have a Helvetia spare I'm sure it will turn up the next time I'm on my knees