[biggbubba]

Recently acquired my first 6309-7049 that's all original and ran ok on the wrist and Timegrapgher. Service history was unknown so I stripped her down. Good thing too because she was dry and a little dirty but the big discovery was wear on the bridge under the ratchet wheel



Closer inspection revealed worn arbor bushings (worse on the bridge than the main plate) causing excessive side shake and allowing the ratchet wheel to tilt to one side and rub on the bridge. The arbor looked ok...but I'm no expert.

So my question is what to do? I see that the bridge has a 'bushing' but I don't see one on the main plate. Can it be replaced and what tools are required? I tried searching the forum for a relevant post but couldn't find anything.

This is only my 4th full service so I'm really a novice and would appreciate any guidance/advice.

Cheers
Jonathan

 

[tritto]

Hi Jonathan

Take a look at the most recent post on the www.watchguy.co.uk blog. He retrofits a pair of bushes for a barrel arbour on an eterna. Seems like a bloody difficult job. Maybe best to just source a cheap 6309 from a dress watch for parts.

 

[7s26b]

http://www.thewatchsite.com/34-watc...ments-same-problem-barrel-mainplate-wear.html
I seem to remember a post by John (thetigeruk) with a 6309 having been fitted with the extra jewels? John HELP!

 

[biggbubba]

http://www.thewatchsite.com/34-watc...ments-same-problem-barrel-mainplate-wear.html
I seem to remember a post by John (thetigeruk) with a 6309 having been fitted with the extra jewels? John HELP!

Thanks for the link. I also found Johns post. Love the idea of jewels here just wish I had the tools for it.

Anyway my local parts house had some used bridges and mainplates which I grabbed this morning. I selected the ones with the least worn bushings only to discover once I got home that the escapement jewel was bad. Ugh!! So back to the parts house again:banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

[nzwatchdoctor]

There is a range of fixes;
1/ get replacement plates
2/ have them jeweled (I do this for customer's ones)
3/ have the bushed
4/ use a round punch and slightly close the holes (don't tell anyone I typed this or that I may have done it successfully )

 

[apprentice_nick]

2/ have them jeweled (I do this for customer's ones)
3/ have them bushed
4/ use a round punch and slightly close the holes (don't tell anyone I typed this or that I may have done it successfully )

Don't worry Paul I won't tell anyone!
We buy our jewels from our local Seiko parts supplier
I'll try and get the part number (think it may be 011123 but I'll double check)

 

[nzwatchdoctor]

Don't worry Paul I won't tell anyone!
We buy our jewels from our local Seiko parts supplier
I'll try and get the part number (think it may be 011123 but I'll double check)

Thanks. I'll sleep easy

If you could find out where to get the jewels that would be really helpful as they're hard to get now - from here at least.
Even if you PM me.

 

[skx]

The bush in the train and barrel plate can be easily pushed out and replaced with the correct jewel - I've done this a couple of times successfully. The one in the main plate - not so easy. You have to ream it out to the correct size and press in the jewel. I did the former with a piece of plastic whittled down to the correct size. The latter - I would leave that to a real watchmaker.

 

[apprentice_nick]

The part number for the top jewel is 0011740.

 

[biggbubba]

Just an update.

Replaced both plates with good used ones and figured there was probably microscopic wear on the arbor also so fitted a new one.

And it turned out to be a beast. Amplitude of 250 running +1s/d with almost no positional variation!

Definitely my strongest running vintage Seiko to date.

 

[nzwatchdoctor]

Just an update.

Replaced both plates with good used ones and figured there was probably microscopic wear on the arbor also so fitted a new one.

And it turned out to be a beast. Amplitude of 250 running +1s/d with almost no positional variation!

Definitely my strongest running vintage Seiko to date.

That's great:grin: Better than I can get them.