Oiling Cap Jewels

[matabog]

Hello!

I opened a beautiful Hamilton H231 (ETA 2412) and I found that the upper jewel from the Anker wheel had a cap jewel, in a sort of Duofix system.

Any advice on how to oil it?

Do I deal with it as with the Incabloc jewels (like in Mark's video's) by putting oil on the cap jewel (1/3 -1/2 of its diameter)?

Or do I put it back after cleaning (cap jewel, spring) and oil it from beneath.

In his videos Mark used an automatic oiler (that I don't even dream of).

Thank you,

Bogdan

p.s. the movement has 6 3/4 lignes (15.3mm)!!! So cute!

Edited August 10, 2014 by matabog

[DJW]

I would oil it the same way as the balance by following the same technique described by Mark for the balance cap jewel.

But, I've never seen this before so I may be premature in my recommendation!

Edited August 10, 2014 by DJW

[matabog]

I think there is also the third way: putting back the wheel train bridge, oiling the escape wheel with 9010 as in any other movement, then oiling the cap jewel and then putting it back, together with the spring.

 

Thanks DJW!

[anilv]

Oiling is the same as Inca.

This is a kif system and i've had a few where the sprint unclips resulting in a lot of hassles in getting it back on, be prepared!

Anil

[Lawson]

Wow that's a compact movement!

I'm with the other guys here, same oiling procedure as the Incabloc jewels.

 

Let us know how it goes mate.

[matabog]

The easiest would be to put back the cap stone and the spring, oil the bridge from beneath and to put back the bridge over the wheels.

But I am afraid that the correct way is the "Incabloc way". Afraid, because I don't think the cap stone will stay put while I will struggle to put back the spring :)

 

We'll see!

Edited August 11, 2014 by matabog

[Marc]

The trick with these springs is to not actually remove them....

 

The spring locates in the setting at three points, the tops of the two arms, and the little tail piece. If you push the spring across the setting in the direction of the arms using the blade of a screwdriver you should be able to free the tail piece, allowing the spring to hinge upwards at the tail, the two arms remain in the setting. You should then be able to slide the end stone out and back in again after oiling it, and then just re-seat the tail.

[matabog]

Now you tell me!!!  :))

I took everything apart. All the pieces are in a box waiting for cleaning. But it is a good idea: after cleaning, put the spring in place and then place the oiled cap jewel.

 

Thank you,

Bogdan

[matabog]

...

So what do I do if the spring brakes? Hypothetical speaking...

 

Where would I buy one of those springs? the ETA 2412 base movement has a different system for the cap-stone of the escape wheel. Hamilton is more special. What do I order and from where?

 

Thank you,

Bogdan

[bobm12]

Bogdan, check out ofrei.com for reference, keyword incabloc.

[Lawson]

Be gentle and have patience Bogdan, you can do it mate.

I'm new to watch repairing as well mate, but I haven't broken any parts yet.  Just work slowly and careful mate.

 

We're all behind ya mate! :woohoo-jumping-smiley-emoticon:

[matabog]

 

 

Don't want to leave things without a conclusion so here is the story:

 

I bought the watch (Hamilton H231 movement) from a guy in Romania, for the equivelent of about 25$. It was gaining 5 min/day. So I said, let's try servicing it. So I opened it and put all the parts in a compartmented box and left it like that for a couple of days. I wanted to show off with the tiniest movement I've touched so far and by mistake I dropped the box. Only a couple of days later I noticed the balance upper pivot was bent... so I tried to straighten it... and I broke it...

Good...

So I order a watch with a similar movement (ETA 2412) to take the balance from it. It arrives and I start washing the original movement. I notice all the parts of the Keyless Works are rusted, so I take those too from the other movement. And then I start putting the movement back together... and I brake the spring that holds in place the cap jewel on the escapement wheel upper jewel... I didn't know whether to laugh or cry... I played a little with the huge axial shake of the escapement wheel and then I thought let's check the axial shake of the balance wheel that I had just replaced... saddly, the broken spring was no longer the main event of the evening... the balance had an axial shake the size of the hairspring height...

 

My luck is that in my obsession with this Hamilton watch, I ordered an original H231 movement (that would be the third one) from the fleaby (as you call it) that arrived two days after the events presented above. 

 

So I carrefully took it and placed it in the case (after cleaning and oiling the keyless works - they had too much greease in my opinion). I didn't want to touch anything else on the movement, not the balance, not the regulator, not even the train wheels.

 

Not exactly what I had in mind but the watch works and keeps good time.

 

Bogdan

 

p.s. this is the watch I am talking about:

 

 

[bobm12]

That''s small all right! What a tremendous job! Congratulations on a happy ending!.