I have this beautiful vintage Longines. A few months ago it stopped working and when I went to wind it, it wouldn’t wind. Long story short, the main spring/coil broke and my watch repair guy isn’t able to find a replacement through his channels, so I thought I would reach out to you all. Do any of you know of where I can get a main spring for this watch? He said he checked with Longines and they stopped making parts for this watch. I’m just curious if that’s true and if that sounds fishy to any of you.

 

Try H & W Perrin Ltd. in Toronto, Canada. [email protected]. Your mainspring is likely not unique in width, length, or strength. But it is likely unique from another standpoint. Longines used a lot to “T” ends on their mainsprings. That may be the case with yours.

 

I searched Longines 490 mainspring in eBay...

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/NOS-Longine...973663?hash=item2381e2b4df:g:8r8AAOSwB-1Y6QhkPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

Election 885 is the same movement. I’m not a watchmaker but isn’t it an off the shelf main spring? 1.30 x 11.5 x 0.14mm

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?11&ranfft&&2uswk&Longines_490

 

I’d look into a new watchmaker if I were you. Ability to source parts (or make them) is critical for vintage. I would never hear this from the shops I use.

 

I suspect an original mainspring for this caliber has a “T” end. If I am correct, then a hook or eye end spring would not fit unless an appropriate end could be fitted to the spring, or the barrel modified.

 

I am surprised by this thread: did not I give a link to an eBay sake with the correct mainspring for this caliber?

If I am wrong, please let me know!

 

You did. For sure. One poster lists an “off the shelf” mainspring, and gives the dimensions. But I doubt a generic mainspring would have the “T” end that the correct spring would have.

 

I'm not sure everyone sees the same as I see on ebay.es and you see on ebay.fr but, the one you linked to seems clear to me

As @Larry S says, the watchmaker shouldn't be asking the customer to look for parts anyway, not if he's a vintage specialist.

Cheers, Chris

 

I agree. My watchmaker knows me well enough that he'll sometimes offer a discount on service if I find the part(s) because he knows I like the hunt (and he makes the discount worth it ).