Jump to content
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • Current Donation Goals

Why servicing - correct - servicing is so important...


RWG Technical

Recommended Posts

I shake my head at some of the stuff that passes for servicing or acceptable workmanship.

Check out the grease used here, what was this person thinking??

1.jpg

2.jpg

As I tore down the movement, the lack of correct servicing was even more noticeable, some of the problems include:

- great wheel pivot completely dry

- autowinder pivot dry and starting to wear out, no oil anywhere

- both balance cap jewels completely dry, yet there were some pivots in the movement that were oiled and still fluid, balance caps are the last to dry out, because they are sealed, seems as if the last servicing didn't include the cap jewels

- pallet pivot oiled - a BIG no-no

- mainspring was not touched in a long long time...have a look...

3.jpg

4.jpg

5.jpg

6.jpg

So, 30 minutes later in a nice ultrasonic bath...we get some good results...

7.jpg

8.jpg

And to those who continue to say "Never get your movement serviced, it's a waste of time and money, send it in when it quits working..." all I have to say is please send in a big bag of money with your movement, your going to need it to replace all the worn out damaged parts when it grinds to a halt... :) that is if the parts are even available.

Luckily this one was caught just in time...

Thanks for looking,

RG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 65
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Even I know that is a pile of :bad:

We're lucky to have guys like ZZ look after our beloved pieces properly!

I agree!!

Ive just got in to this wonderful hobby of ours but after reading this I want to get even my brand new reps serviced....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since reading posts by The Zigmeister and others, and learning more about watch movements in general, I now believe servicing the most liked reps is a must. A lot of us assume that the movements coming out of the factories are clean/serviced. It seems more logical to me to pay $80 for a service and ensure that the watch runs for another 5 years, than to "run it to the ground" or getting it serviced when the watch starts behaving erratically. You end up paying more in the when you do this... makes no sense..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I learned this lesson about servicing a long time ago.

If the rep I buy is worth the money, like a 450.00 PPN, then spending a little more for proper service of rep movement only makes sense.

We in this community are indeed lucky to have a man like Mr. Z to help insure a long life for our favorite watches, thats for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, nice photos RG! What a mess. Let's hope this one polishes up just right. Got vintage/ivory lume photos?

I suppose the right thing to do is to NOT tell where it was last serviced!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The funny thing is that I have never seen that type of grease anywhere, it's not a watch grease to my knowledge...I have no idea where it came from, but I can guess :)

Maybe it's rancid whale blubber? :shock:

Big applause for that SPECTACULAR lume job!!!! Lordy, you do good work!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you very much Zig. Im fairly new to this hobby. I did not realize how important servicing a watch was, until now. I am a car person. I can relate the maintance aspect of watches to cars. The same thing, I am sure. I call it preventative maintance. Pay me a little now or pay me a lot more later. Sound advice,thanks :) Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ZZ:

"I sense that someone reading this is familiar with this particular watch...:)"

It wasn't me!

ZZ:

"I shake my head at some of the stuff that passes for servicing or acceptable workmanship.

Yeah, this one deserves a trophy.

It looks like the barrel arbor hole may be worn out of round going by the scuff marks at the outer edge of the plate. This gives the same symptoms as a weak MS or dirty movement...low reserve etc.

It may run just fine though.

You can check it out after cleaning etc by smearing a thin film of grease (grease again !!) on one little spot at the outer edge of the barrel and see if it smears all over the worn spot on the plate (then clean it off).

One fix is to lightly peen the plate next to the worn area with a three corner punch etc to tighten the hole. It is quick and dirty, but it works.

The "official rolex fix" is a new main plate for about half a million dollars (plus tax).

Last resort when they are past peening:

You might install a bushing or thin hole jewel here but I never had to try it (rolex uses a bushing at this location on the 3035 etc, Eta uses a jewel in the 2824 etc).

You can order Seitz jewels and bushings by size and type from supply houses or you might be able to make a bushing out of a clock bushing.

If I ever had to install a bushing or jewel:

A...Mount the main plate in a miniature milling machine or high precision drill press using the barrel bridge to find the exact center of the hole in the plate by chucking a tapered punch etc in the mill to center the hole. You probably need to mount the barrel bridge and use it to go by if the hole is real bad out of round...most of the time the plate hole should be OK to go by.

B...Remove the barrel bridge.

C...Very carefully ream the hole within a gnat's eyelash of accepting the bushing or jewel with the reamer mounted in the chuck (feeding it with the index but turning it by hand).

gnat's eyelash = about half a hair.

D...Remove the plate from the mill and finish to size with a smoothing broach (easy to do...more or less).

E...Press the bushing or jewel in the plate with a jewel tool or precision staking tool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ziggy, was that an ETA or did someone really treat a gen Rollie calibre like that?

This is a genuine 1680 and a genuine 1570 rolex movement.

So yes, whoever did the last servicing did the work you see here, pretty sad if you ask me.

The good news is that the movement is now serviced correctly and will not suffer any more damage.

RG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The good news is that the movement is now serviced correctly and will not suffer any more damage.

The king's a beggar, now the play is done:

All is well ended, if this suit be won,

That you express content; which we will pay,

With strife to please you, day exceeding day:

Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;

Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.

-Wm. Shakespeare ca. 1608 <===note the year

Thanks Ziggy for all your hard work. :notworthy:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sense that someone reading this is familiar with this particular watch...:)

I suppose the right thing to do is to NOT tell where it was last serviced!

I have to disagree with both of you. Unless you (Ziggy) are happy to receive the benefits of previously bad work (which I doubt is the case with you), I think it would be a good idea to 'out' repeat offenders of bad work. After all, this is the best way to help the next guy avoid ending up with the same issues.

The funny thing is that I have never seen that type of grease anywhere, it's not a watch grease to my knowledge...I have no idea where it came from, but I can guess :)

It looks like brake grease to me. Specifically, Castrol brake grease.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up