Homage Forum

While doing some unrelated work on a watch I removed the back , and noticed this ring on the back glass. I was unable to see this while the caseback was on.
I'm pretty sure that there is a problem here that I will need to attend to, so I hope some of you have seen this before and kan point me in the direction of a remedy. Here's what it looks like:
This ring is right above the balance wheel.
This is an AS 1065/1066 (can't remember 100%), if that's relevant.

Metal dust inside a watch is ALWAYS a bad thing. You need to figure out where it was coming from before you run the watch again. Is the movement self destructing due to a lack of service? Is it shavings from the case threads? Is it leftovers from some dumbass using a dremel or a file to remove a seconds pinion? As for the placement it's obviously been getting into the running balance which threw it into that pattern while the watch was laying face up. It would have thrown it into the movement when the watch was in other positions. Imagine throwing a handful of sand in your car's engine oil. that's about the equivalent of metal dust in a movement. And I see it constantly, especially from the "Dremel and file" guys.

maybe you can do a movement pic too. I never see something like that but I would worry too. looks like somewhere from the wheels or balance the brass is rub off

unreformed66 wrote:Metal dust inside a watch is ALWAYS a bad thing. You need to figure out where it was coming from before you run the watch again. Is the movement self destructing due to a lack of service? Is it shavings from the case threads? Is it leftovers from some dumbass using a dremel or a file to remove a seconds pinion? As for the placement it's obviously been getting into the running balance which threw it into that pattern while the watch was laying face up. It would have thrown it into the movement when the watch was in other positions. Imagine throwing a handful of sand in your car's engine oil. that's about the equivalent of metal dust in a movement. And I see it constantly, especially from the "Dremel and file" guys.

during you repay, I was writing. that sounds like a very good explanation from a master.

I don't think that it's from the movement itself, but a complete overhaul of the movement and case would be a good idea.

Looks like a radium burn. Must me one of those radium coated balances.

Tanukjaju wrote: ↑August 9th, 2019, 6:43 pm Looks like a radium burn. Must me one of those radium coated balances.

it glows!

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to pick it apart and clean it up.
Should probably also have mentioned that the movement is accurate and the balance wheel moves as expected, so I wan't suspecting anything to be amiss.
Dremels and files have not been near this movement, but I haven't opened the caseback for at least 2 years, and it's seen a fair bit of use, so I'm thinking it'll have to run for quite a while after service before I might see this buildup again. I guess the best case scenario is that it's just some sort of residue and not something happening within the movement.

tafari wrote:maybe you can do a movement pic too. I never see something like that but I would worry too. looks like somewhere from the wheels or balance the brass is rub off

Here you go





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