Watch disaster.

[ecodec]

Good morning everyone out there. I have had for years an old Borgel watch similar to the one found on George Mallory of Everest. which stops, ran  very erratically and was no use  at all. I decided to service it. I went through ALL the procedures but the HS was right over one side. The Trouble!. I tried to sort it with two pairs of brass  tweezers and the spring is a blue steel one. It went from bad to worse, worser and worserer !!. I am 76 now and am not really capable of re-springing a balance anymore as hand motor functions and eyesight are not quite what they were. It looks nice anyway now it is re-assembled. My first disaster as a Jobber for years. Perhaps I should stick to Quartz !!!! Has anyone experienced the like ?

 

[ecodec]

Hi, it`s Mike again. I have now recovered from my watch disaster and will get a HS from somewhere and get the Borgel running again. Nice cup of tea now !!.

 

[jdrichard]

I have had the same problem and it takes so so much patience to get a vintage hairspring working again. I don't like hairspring work, would rather make parts on a lathe.


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[wls1971]

Well we all have disasters from time to time, I have a nice Jaeger Lecoultre 1930's pocket watch that has a out of shape hairspring when I got it the balance staff was also broken, that I changed and it now runs and is very accurate but the regulator is set off the scale on the retard side it doesnt look good but runs fantastic hairspring work is the most nerve racking and hard things that you can under take on a watch so I always leave well alone if I can.

You don't say what the movement is in your watch even with very old watches if you can identify the calibre it may be possible still to get a balance complete for it.

[ecodec]

Thank you for the advice wls1971. Appreciated. Leave your JLC alone as it is a work up to re-pin the HS and the beat etc. If it works, don`t fix it !!. Best regards, Mike. 

[ecodec]

48 minutes ago, jdrichard said:

I have had the same problem and it takes so so much patience to get a vintage hairspring working again. I don't like hairspring work, would rather make parts on a lathe.


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Thank you, yes, tell me about it. I don`t like HS work either

 I am usually successful but not in this case. Good wishes, Mike.

Edited June 26, 2018 by ecodec