Grrrrrrrrrr............

😡

Don't you just hate it when this happens.



Working on a Seiko 6138A chronograph movement. I finally got the yoke spring into the correct position and went to fasten the setting lever spring screws when this one gave way without any force being applied at all 🙁.

Luckily I was able to back out the screw with a needle and get a replacement from my stash of Seiko parts, so all is good and it's ready to put the balance in for a run before I lubricate the pallet jewels.

This one had the same issue.
Caused by a combination of a burr on the plate, loose screws and a build-up of gunk.
All fixed and slick as greased pig now.

Another Grrrrrrr!

😡

I just got this lovely 6138-8020 Panda dial back together and on the winding machine. Went to check timekeeping and saw that the hour counter had moved around to indicate four hours. But the chrono was OFF!

A symptom of dreaded chrono creep, so only one thing for it, remove the movement, de-hand and de-dial it, remove the calendar plate and see what's wrong. Nothing found! The spring that works against the blocking lever was set correctly, everything else checked out so all back together again.

I wasn't going to get caught again, so I got some old Seiko chrono hands and set the movement up with it running and chrono stopped. Set it on the bench under the microscope with the hour counter on the cross-hair.

This will let me know if my fix has been successful. Fingers crossed.

You're not helping. I've had to send watches back after servicing knowing that they will be have to be torn down again. Granted the watchmakers never complain and are very gracious but I still feel like a d*** Stuff happens but its got to be annoying when its a watch.

Are you working on a clients watch or on your own watches? I haven't been around long enough to know if you're a full time watchmaker or not. Pretty intense hobby if that's what it is.

Fingers crossed.

I'm what's called a "hobby watchmaker".

I service all of my own watches, and also for some select "clients" who understand that, while I take the utmost care of their watches, if something goes tits up they will share the pain if I can't resolve the issue.

I get a great sense of satisfaction from knowing that an owner is happy with my work and I've worked on most standard watches and mostly enjoyed the work, but I always remember this one.

😵‍💫

OK, about 4.5 hours and not a sign of creep.

I'm happy with that.

Some do.

The trick is knowing which ones so you don't end up twisting the head off.

And while we're on Grrrrrrrr........... moments.

The watch came with the original Stellux bracelet. Unfortunately for the owner it was way too big, and the clasp tab had broken off.
So do we ditch it? Or bring it back to life?

Finding an original Stellux clasp plate would be a bit of a fluke, so off to my trusty Seiko bracelet graveyard.



I managed to find a clasp with a good tab, so that was changed out without any problems. The only issue is that it doesn't have the "Stellux" brand, but I suspect it was made in the same factory in Japan.

The next think was to remove some of the links, the original owner must have had wrists like a wrestler, so I took all of the removable links from one side of the clasp, but when I tried to push the links out from the other side they would not budge at all.

A look under the microscope showed a lot of white plasticy material in the pin holes, so it appears that "somebody" had used Araldite or epoxy to hold the pins in.

Not wishing the discolour the links with a torch, I got out my heat gun, a metal bracelet tool and some silicone pads in the vice and applied heat to the area until it reached 180ºC and then used a push pin to give it a try.

A couple of tap with the hammer and bingo! The first link pin was popped out, quickly followed by the second.



So success, the bracelet is now functional and will fit the owner.