Help Needed Hairspring

Mr.David · Aug 22, 2019

I have this beauty which has been by a vintage watchmaker for a brief review.

the watch itself is in super fine condition with all original parts.
Unfortunately, it seems like the hairspring is pulled or broken

So iam on a little treasure hunt among the best for good advice to get it made.

1. Is it possible to fix the current hairspring ?

2. Should I buy a new one, and is it even possible to find one?

3. last is there any other models who will fit ?

Its a :
Speedmaster Professionel
145.012 sp67

Best regards D.

mac_omega · Aug 22, 2019

Hi David,

I suggest to source an original one - don´t be stingy, it is the best way to proceed.

You can try ebay or if you have a watchmaker at hand who has an Omega parts account - even better...

kind regards
Erich

Canuck · Aug 22, 2019

This might be what you need.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Original-OME...-Balance-Complete-W-Hair-Spring-NOS/661539098

ChrisN · Aug 22, 2019

You say the hairspring is pulled or it may be broken? These are different things.

I see you have another thread and on there you ask for recommendations. Did you take it to one of the people recommended or someone else? Bear in mind that everyone has different skills and a watchmaker used to vintage may be able to recover your hairspring. I don't know as there's no picture of it. I'd also expect a watchmaker who regularly works on vintage watches to get in their own parts.

I can't see the link from @Canuck for some reason but, I suppose he's linked to a balance complete (3201327)? There may be more than one version of this as well so, always best to try and recover the existing parts, where possible.

Good luck.

Cheers, Chris

Canuck · Aug 22, 2019

The page was there two hours ago, but it is gone now. I had linked to an ad for a balance complete.

Mr.David · Aug 22, 2019

that's correct i have another thread. and yes i called Alis and talk on the phone but as i live on the other end of the country i was visiting a vintage watch maker in inner city i was adviced in another forum, he was very surprised to see it in such fine condition but at the same time he said that the balance spring was pulled and was finished and a new one was needed. so he would try to se if he could hunt down a hairspring where he gets his parts.

i put up some extra photos maybe thees can help to identify if it can be repaired. its not the best ( Taken with a samsung galaxy )

Mr.David · Aug 22, 2019

Canuck
The page was there two hours ago, but it is gone now. I had linked to an ad for a balance complete.

i will not work if you just click on it . copy paste it into the browser, then it works

www.ebay.com/p/Original-OMEGA-Watch-Part-470-1327-Balance-Complete-W-Hair-Spring-NOS/661539098

Mr.David · Aug 22, 2019

ChrisN
You say the hairspring is pulled or it may be broken? These are different things.

I see you have another thread and on there you ask for recommendations. Did you take it to one of the people recommended or someone else? Bear in mind that everyone has different skills and a watchmaker used to vintage may be able to recover your hairspring. I don't know as there's no picture of it. I'd also expect a watchmaker who regularly works on vintage watches to get in their own parts.

I can't see the link from @Canuck for some reason but, I suppose he's linked to a balance complete (3201327)? There may be more than one version of this as well so, always best to try and recover the existing parts, where possible.

Good luck.

Cheers, Chris

Thanx a lot ( i just put up some pic from the hairspring )

ChrisN · Aug 22, 2019

Mr.David
i will not work if you just click on it . copy paste it into

www.ebay.com/p/Original-OMEGA-Watch-Part-470-1327-Balance-Complete-W-Hair-Spring-NOS/661539098

That one is for a different calibre (not a 321 like yours) so, not suitable.

This is for a 320 (and a 321) but, like I say, there may be more than one variant of this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Omega-cal-320-321-part-1327-Complete-balance-NOS/202354554637?

It's eBay item 202354554637

Chris

ChrisN · Aug 22, 2019

Mr.David
Thanx a lot ( i just put up some pic from the hairspring )

I'm only on my telephone so, it's hard to be sure but (remember, it's a Breguet hairspring so, the last coil is an odd shape), it just looks as if it has been damaged between the regulator and the stud - it's been pulled outward. I know it all looks horrible but, it will look bad if it's been pulled out as I suspect. If that small area is reshaped, you might find that the rest all goes back to the correct shape.

I would try one of the watchmakers from that other thread and see if they can advise.

Cheers, Chris

Archer · Aug 22, 2019

Chris is right, there are two versions of the balance and if you try to mix the two, it will cause a host of timing issues (been there, done that).

To be honest, the damaged spring isn’t all that bad, and if this was a modern alloy spring, I would say there’s a good chance of getting it close. It won’t ever run 100%, but it will run decently I suspect. The real issue here is that this is a blued steel spring, and they can be very brittle, so the hard bend right at the stud is the biggest risk here. Bending it back might go okay, or it might snap right off at the stud. If that happens it can be repinned, but the spring will be shorter and this will cause a fast rate, so additional work would be required.

It’s certainly worth trying if you can find someone who can look at this and not get scared away, but go into it knowing that there’s a chance you will need a new balance spring...which means a new balance since the springs aren’t available as a separate item.

Cheers, Al

PS - there are people out there who will vibrate a new spring, but you would need a stock spring of the right characteristics to start with. It would also cost you likely as much as a new balance.

ahsposo · Aug 22, 2019

I think it's probably not worth fixing. I'll do you a favor, though, and buy the watch for parts and give you $50.

watchyouwant · Aug 22, 2019

Nah, should be worth $ 110. I would even pay for shipment..... kind regards. Achim

Mr.David · Aug 23, 2019

ahsposo
I think it's probably not worth fixing. I'll do you a favor, though, and buy the watch for parts and give you $50.

watchyouwant
Nah, should be worth $ 110. I would even pay for shipment..... kind regards. Achim

You Wish 😀

Deafboy · Aug 23, 2019

The regulator pins also look bent. I suspect they might break if an attempt to straighten due to metal fatigue. .

Mr.David · Aug 23, 2019

Deafboy
The regulator pins also look bent. I suspect they might break if an attempt to straighten due to metal fatigue. .

According to the watchmaker the regulator pins are fine.

The watchmaker said that for unexplained reasons, it was only hairspring and nothing else either regulator pins or the balancer was broken only the spring.

but i could be difficult to find only the right hairspring

ChrisN · Aug 23, 2019

Mr.David
According to the watchmaker the regulator pins are fine.

The watchmaker said that for unexplained reasons, it was only hairspring and nothing else either regulator pins or the balancer was broken only the spring.

but i could be difficult to find only the right hairspring

The typical reason for this sort of damage is someone brutally swinging the regulator around in an attempt to regulate the watch but, it can be as simple as catching the spring with the tweezers or a screwdriver. You will be very lucky to just find a suitable hairspring. The reason the balance and hairspring are sold together as "balance complete" is that they are a matched pair so, will vibrate at the correct rate. At least you have a balance with screws so, the mass can be slightly adjusted to match another 320 hairspring but, this is all more work for the watchmaker.

You should get a watchmaker to remove the balance and look properly at the spring as this sort of damage is not unusual. Here's an example that I show on my website - it's a flat hairspring from a 1950s Eterna and, looks a bit of a mess here. The red arrow shows the outer coil pulled out of shape and the green arrow indicates the rest of the spring is right over to one side - looks very bad...

Balance removed. The spring is pretty good overall but that problem on the outer coil deforms everything when the balance is mounted. Not everyone will tackle something like this so, you should try one of those people recommended in the other thread.

Some work later and the balance/spring is ready to go back onto the cock to make final adjustments. It's not perfect but, it's close enough to be able to work on when re-fitted.

Like I say, get it reviewed by someone who might take it on as this will probably be the easiest way forward. Hope this helps.

Best regards, Chris

Mr.David · Aug 23, 2019

ChrisN
The typical reason for this sort of damage is someone brutally swinging the regulator around in an attempt to regulate the watch but, it can be as simple as catching the spring with the tweezers or a screwdriver. You will be very lucky to just find a suitable hairspring. The reason the balance and hairspring are sold together as "balance complete" is that they are a matched pair so, will vibrate at the correct rate. At least you have a balance with screws so, the mass can be slightly adjusted to match another 320 hairspring but, this is all more work for the watchmaker.

You should get a watchmaker to remove the balance and look properly at the spring as this sort of damage is not unusual. Here's an example that I show on my website - it's a flat hairspring from a 1950s Eterna and, looks a bit of a mess here. The red arrow shows the outer coil pulled out of shape and the green arrow indicates the rest of the spring is right over to one side - looks very bad...

Balance removed. The spring is pretty good overall but that problem on the outer coil deforms everything when the balance is mounted. Not everyone will tackle something like this so, you should try one of those people recommended in the other thread.

Some work later and the balance/spring is ready to go back onto the cock to make final adjustments. It's not perfect but, it's close enough to be able to work on when re-fitted.

Like I say, get it reviewed by someone who might take it on as this will probably be the easiest way forward. Hope this helps.

Best regards, Chris

Thanx a lot Chris.

that make sence and it could be simple as this. when i slighty shake the watch i can se that the balancer is in movement 😀

i am in touch with one of the recommended watch makers from the threat. but lets see iam on a wating list 😀

Regards Mr.D.

Mr.David · Aug 23, 2019

By the way.

we can fly to the moon.
then it must also be possible to fix a spring

happy friday and have en nice weekend to all of you

ChrisN · Aug 23, 2019

If you're working only with the outer, or inner, half a coil then you've got a chance. Any spring is not easy to work with though and these are very, very thin. As Al says, you might need to re-pin to the stud if it breaks and that is not easy.

Mr.David
Thanx a lot Chris.
that make sence and it could be simple as this. when i slighty shake the watch i can se that the balancer is in movement 😀

Simple is not the word here, though. These sort of things look interesting but, they take a lot of time and you have to work hard at building experience. I only do stuff like this for regular customers now. Far easier to service a watch that doesn't have major issues - and you sleep easier👍.

Good luck, Chris

Help Needed Hairspring

Mr.David

mac_omega

Canuck

ChrisN

Canuck

Mr.David

Mr.David

Mr.David

ChrisN

ChrisN

Archer

ahsposo

watchyouwant

Mr.David

Deafboy

Mr.David

ChrisN

Mr.David

Mr.David

ChrisN

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