Now That I Have A Staking Tool...

[bobm12]

I have a question for you guys,

 

Given that vintage watches are kind of more sensitive to impact than incabloc et al protected "modern" ones, Is there a way to remove the original jewels on the balance wheel and substitute it for an incabloc sort of setting?

 

I'm thinking about those beautiful Hamiltons, etc....

[Marc]

Simple answer; yes...............

But,

Full answer; there is no reason why you  shouldn't  push out the original jewels and replace with incabloc settings. This will almost certainly require the plate and cock to be machined to receive the incabloc settings which may be possible with your staking set if you have reamers that fit, otherwise a lathe would do the trick.

However, you will not be able to use the original balance once you've switched out the jewels. The pivots for Incabloc settings are a different shape to the non shock settings so you will need to source an appropriate balance, or balance staff (and then obviously change that for the original and re-poise), or if there isn't one available, make an appropriate new staff.

So yes it can be done but there's a lot more to it than just pushing out the old and pushing in the new.

[Geo]

I agree with Marc.

It wouldn't be quite as difficult as fitting a co-axial escapement to an Omega Speedmaster, like George Daniels did with his prototype.

[bobm12]

I see, then it would be out of the question to go to all that trouble unless there is a really good reason to do it...or maybe as a learning experience when I'm at the right level to try it.

 

By the way, is there a link for this Daniels job?

 

Thanks!

[Geo]

I read it in a book about the great man. I'll try and find an article about it for you.

[bobm12]

Thanks Geo, much appreciated.

[Geo]

Here's a quote for you Bob

"To try and rectify the situation, he suggests they attempt to put the escapement into a wristwatch. The chief liked the idea and produced a 2.5 mm thick movement for the escapement to be fitted to. Daniels had previously, on his own whim, put the co-axial into an Omega Speedmaster, but was not sure he could do so to such a thin watch. He was sure the chief held the same opinion and "I [Daniels] realised that I had been outwitted." If he couldn't fit it to a modern watch than there was no point in progressing this work. He went back to London to solve the problem."

And here's a link to something that will intrigue you:-

http://chronomaddox.com/daniels_co-ax.html

[bobm12]

What an ordeal Geo, and a very interesting story. I'll keep following the links on the page to read more. Thank you for the interesting reading!