Possibilities for replacing cal 1030 in a phong 6538 build with contemporary movement?

[Revere]

With the help of some of the forum's members I have recently completed a 6538 project I am very proud of.

 

The cal 1030 is giving me some issues with amplitude and isochronism. With an amplitude of about 200 in all positions and ~45 sec lost in all positions but crown down at ~60 sec gained, the movement seems to require a service. I suspect a couple of things: poor poising of the balance, wear on the balance staff, old/failing mainspring, and a couple of other items. So, it's going to get serviced, but that's for now.

 

Over a long term (many many years) parts for the 1030 will inevitably become more difficult to source. Preempting this, I'd like to look into replacing the 1030 with a contemporary movement. Are there any suggestions or has there been any research done into replacing the 1030 with a similarly sized movement? I would modify the plates in the movement to accept gen dial feet, and would likely source new hands (or broach the current set) to fit. I think stem height is the big thing I'll have to be concerned with.

 

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[alligoat]

I'd get that 1030 serviced and see how that works out for you first. If after the watch is serviced and it's in good shape, then get on a regular maintenance schedule and get it serviced every 5-6 years. At that point it should last a long time. From the sounds of it- poor amplitude and isochronism- I'd think a service is long overdue.

I don't think you're going to be able to drill plates in a movement for fitting the original dial feet- that's probably a pipe dream. So say you were going to get maybe a 2846-2 with a movement ring- I'd figure at that point you'd need to get a spare dial and hands rather than trash your 1030 dial and hands. So then your looking at maybe $500 or more. So that's why I say get the 1030 serviced and see where you go from there.

  

[Revere]

2 hours ago, alligoat said:

I'd get that 1030 serviced and see how that works out for you first. If after the watch is serviced and it's in good shape, then get on a regular maintenance schedule and get it serviced every 5-6 years. At that point it should last a long time. From the sounds of it- poor amplitude and isochronism- I'd think a service is long overdue.

I don't think you're going to be able to drill plates in a movement for fitting the original dial feet- that's probably a pipe dream. So say you were going to get maybe a 2846-2 with a movement ring- I'd figure at that point you'd need to get a spare dial and hands rather than trash your 1030 dial and hands. So then your looking at maybe $500 or more. So that's why I say get the 1030 serviced and see where you go from there.

  

I'll definitely get it serviced and see how things progress with the movement. I think modifying a contemporary movent to take this dial is feasible, maybe difficult but achievable by some means. It's a special dial so a replacement is not exactly in the books, ever!

[Sogeha]

I have read of drilling main plates. ETA 2783 has been done. Personally I would still stick with the present movement, I guess a seiko or even a quartz could be fitted by someone skilled, but a big crown with the correct movement is a much more desirable piece IMO.

[Sogeha]

On reflection this probably sounds sarcastic and it's not meant to.

[Revere]

4 hours ago, Sogeha said:

I have read of drilling main plates. ETA 2783 has been done. Personally I would still stick with the present movement, I guess a seiko or even a quartz could be fitted by someone skilled, but a big crown with the correct movement is a much more desirable piece IMO.

Thanks for the lead on the 2783. Has it been done with this case? I'll look into stem heights etc.

 

I agree that an original 1030 movement is more desirable in this build. For the time being any many years ahead I plan on keeping it, but this is a watch I intend on passing down so ideally I'd love to be able to pass down a nice 1030 movement in a neat little box with a more robust/serviceable movement inside. Who knows.

[Revere]

It looks like there are no ETA movements that have a reasonable stem height comparison. One member was able to clip the dial to fit a 2846, machine the case to accept the movement and change the stem height. 

 

That seems like a nightmare scenario because I would never clip this dial. I think I will be taking a movement like the 2846 and machining new pinions for it, as well as a spacer for between the dial and base plate. If there is enough thickness here, this spacer can have the slots for the 1030 dial feet as well as the actual "dial feet" for the 2846 movement, forming a sort of dial foot adapter. I think there is room for creativity here.

 

Not sure of the viability of this, but it sounds like it should work on paper. Machining those pinions will be a challenge but after the 1030's service I should have many years to figure this out.