Some days I feel like a watch repairer or a watch technician. Other days I feel like a real watchmaker. Today was a watchmaker day!

Today I worked on a Rolex Caliber 1400. It is a small movement. As you can see from the picture it is smaller than a dime, but it isn’t the size that made me feel like a real watchmaker. This movement need a new balance staff. If you look at the full size image, you’ll see a little ‘something’ in the background between the movement and the dime. (That is the old balance staff.) To fix this watch I had to remove the old staff. This involves removing the hairspring and roller from the old staff. I chucked up the balance wheel in the lathe and cut out the old staff and riveted in a new staff. I then re-installed the roller, trued & poised the balance wheel, and then reinstalled the hairspring.

When I got done with the whole operation, I stopped to think. I didn’t even second guess myself because of the size. I simply did it and did it right. I guess today I’m a real watchmaker. I know I didn’t make anything, but I performed a complex operation on a very small watch and I did it right the first time without second guessing myself.

A big pat on the back for me!

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