Reply To: condition of jewels????

[watchthebear]

Good afternoon all (10:45 PST), thanks willofiam for another view. I have worn out many of the chapters of de Carle’s book (except the parts that deal w/ machines). Even his short section on pressed fit jewels was not helbful and the drawing was confusing. I’ll give an example: I have a watch–17 jewels–I’m looking at the various bridges etc. and seeing about 5-6 jewels. the balance pivot has an end jewel so that doesn’t count. The center wheel has a special provision made for it (usually on all but the cheapest of watches i see), now there are the rest of the jewels. one has enough of a whole in the jewel that the shaft that the wheel is on is sticking through enough that you could scratch your finger if you tried. another has enough through that you can feel it if you rub very gently w/ a piece of pick wood. another is smooth, but you can see, under 10X, a little speck of an indention where it looks like the shaft is intended to come through (how could this be so?). and there is one jewel that is totally smooth on the bottom. All 4 of these jewels appear the same from the top. I have been taking these bridges off and throwing them in a box. I don’t think anyone would care to see so many pix, but i want them to go back and refer to. This jewel problem (?) almost always occurs when the balance looks good, I can manually turn the great wheel and the center wheel responds, but when i turn the center wheel the train “bunches up” so the escape wheel won’t turn. This occurs w/ the balance and pallet in, or removed. Once in a while , everything runs nicely when i remove the balance and the pallet. I usually find that the pallet has gone bad–a couple times it had no jewels, another time only one, and another couple times one pallet jewel was just sort of hanging there. Early in William James’ “Varieties of religious Experience” he speaks about discussions they would have in various homes on Sundays and how at least one of the participants would vow to “stay until we have thrashed the truth out of this matter”. That is the way I feel about this and many other watch problems that come up so regularly. Take care all……….thanks……………………….b