Mainspring for Arogno 125

[LittleWatchShop]

This watch is a 404 buy off ebay, so very little money invested in it.  After teardown, I find that the mainspring is broken.  I could toss it in the bin, but that just feels wrong.  I found a mainspring for this device on ebay but it is in Italy.  I can get it for about $15 but so far recently, my success rate of getting ebay items like this is 50/50.  The ones that did show up took 3-4 months.

So, I think, well maybe buy one of those "lot" sales and hack a mainspring in.  That does not feel right either.

Here in US, Ofrei has mainsprings and it looks like I might find something close, but it will be a Jackson and some change.

Let me be clear...this is not for a customer...not for resale...just a job complete to put in the "done" drawer and move on.  I just want the pleasure of dropping the balance in and watch it take off.

Entertaining ideas?

 

This is the watch BTW

[LittleWatchShop]

12 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

This watch is a 404 buy off ebay, so very little money invested in it.  After teardown, I find that the mainspring is broken.  I could toss it in the bin, but that just feels wrong.  I found a mainspring for this device on ebay but it is in Italy.  I can get it for about $15 but so far recently, my success rate of getting ebay items like this is 50/50.  The ones that did show up took 3-4 months.

So, I think, well maybe buy one of those "lot" sales and hack a mainspring in.  That does not feel right either.

Here in US, Ofrei has mainsprings and it looks like I might find something close, but it will be a Jackson and some change.

Let me be clear...this is not for a customer...not for resale...just a job complete to put in the "done" drawer and move on.  I just want the pleasure of dropping the balance in and watch it take off.

Entertaining ideas?

 

This is the watch BTW

Here is the mainspring sitting on a shelf in Italy

[LittleWatchShop]

Update:

Well...I decided to get creative.  I put the mainspring in a vice and using a most unsophisticated Dremel tool, I cut a notch in the end.  Using some mainspring bending pliers my dad left me, I shaped the end to fit the arbor.  Installed into barrel and assembled the watch.

It is working.

Probably not a permanent fix, but it did what I needed...got the watch ticking.  I think what I will do is file the watch with a note that it needs a new mainspring...or maybe I will order a new one...dunno.

[HSL]

If you made the "notch" good enough without too mant sharp corners, they should be lightly rounded,  it will hold...
 

Edited July 12, 2021 by HSL