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BFG 1582 Issues - Sicura Superwaterproof 400

SAK335

By SAK335
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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SAK335 Member

SAK335

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Hi all, I'm pretty new to the repair aspect of watches.  So far I've done a full service on, and brought back from the dead, an old BFG pin lever manual wind movement, and so I figured I'd step up the ladder a bit.  I bought this Sicura Superwaterproof 400 off eBay.  It was listed as running but when I pulled it out of the box, it wasn't.  I soon figured out that it couldn't be wound with the stem, but would wind with the auto winding mechanism, and did run for a few days that way.  I ran it like that long enough to fit a new crystal and clean up the case, until it stopped working.

So I pulled it apart, and cleaned it, the only two issues were: one screw broke when I tried to unscrew it (I was able to extract it) and another flew out of my tweezers into the stratosphere and I was unable to locate if after 1.5 hours of trying.  Uggh.  Anyway, I found the source of the winding issue; the winding pinion had split in two so what remained was just smooth metal against the teeth on the mating gear surface:

 So upon reassembly I found it was still not running.  I took a look at the balance wheel/hairspring and they look OK to my untrained eye, but I guess I just don't know not having that much experience.  So I did some reading and decided to pull the jewel on top of the balance and clean and oil it to see if that would improve matters.  Now, most videos that I've seen show a dual lever spring that holds the jewel in place, but this one was a triangle.  When I pried up from below, that triangular spring flipped up and far away and now I'm unable to locate it...not good.

So that's where I am.  I decided to take some deep breaths and step away and see if I could get some advice on how to proceed.  At minimum I need two screws (the broken one and the lost one) as well as a winding pinion.  I'm wondering if I shouldn't replace both the winding pinion and the sliding pinion just in case there is damage that I can't see to the unbroken gear.  Finally, I need to either get a replacement spring for the balance, or just an entire balance assembly.

Any suggestions on how to proceed would be helpful, especially where to source the parts.  I'm located in the USA (PA, outside Philly.)

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  • 3 weeks later...
SAK335 Member

SAK335

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So I'm struggling a bit to find the replacement spring on the shock absorbing jewel.  In doing a bit of research it appears to be a KIF system, but when I search springs for KIF system, I don't see the triangular shaped ones in the photo attached.  Can anybody confirm what this spring is called and where I can get one...well maybe more than one in case I break another trying to install it?

 

5 balance jewel.jpg

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rogart63 Distinguished Member

rogart63

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I saw a movement with this spring on movement for a pound or something like that? Il be back :) 

http://watchpartsforapound.weebly.com/baumgartner.html

Look under 582 movement. That is the same spring . You will have to buy the whole movement. Already asked him? Very fast to answer you mails. 

This movement can also have the kif springs. 

Those you can buy from cousinsuk. 

Edited by rogart63
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Cad101 Super WRT Addict

Cad101

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On another note have you checked your third wheel pivots im asking because they are notoriously prone to snapping off. I've had at least 4 158 movements with this problem luckily cousins seem to have a never ending supply.

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SAK335 Member

SAK335

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This is only the second watch I have every worked on, so you'll have to forgive me for not knowing what to look for.  The watch was running when I bought it, but stopped shortly thereafter.  The main issue when it arrived was the broken winding gear, but it was also VERY dirty (as in, bits of stuff that could be seen with the naked eye.)  I feel pretty good that it just needed a cleaning and that winding issue resolved.  Of course, I've created some new issues in the process, but I expected that given my level of inexperience.

I'll look to perhaps source a parts movement and see if I can get it running.  I don't have that much in this watch right now, but I also don't want to go crazy.  These first few I'm messing with were bought strictly to learn a thing or two.

I appreciate the links and I'll send an update once I resolve the winding and the balance issues.

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