Omega 490 Hairspring - does this look right?

[whathaveidone]

Ordered a replacement balance complete off ebay for a cal 490 restoration project (after I destroyed the original HS).  When trying to install into the balance cock it was not lining up properly.  When comparing the pictures I noticed the spring was bent at the stud.  I've seen other hairsprings where the stud crosses over as part of the design.  Just wanted to know if this is normal or damaged.  The ebay picture is there for reference.  

[Nucejoe]

 Hardly does a new balance complete drop in perfectly, minor adjustments is a part of balance complete installation.

If flat,  this coil is acceptable and can be easily sorted out, to me its not realy worth the trouble of returning.

Rgds

 

 

[JohnR725]

4 hours ago, whathaveidone said:

balance complete off ebay for a cal 490

I'm guessing what the problem is it's not actually a brand-new balance complete it's the used balance complete perhaps. That means some tweaking may be required to get it to go in. If it was an actual brand-new balance complete yes it should drop in perfectly.

 

3 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

f flat,  this coil is acceptable and can be easily sorted out, to me its not realy worth the trouble of returning.

This now becomes the interesting question and problem. It looks like it's just bent at the stud relatively simple if you know how to bend hairsprings otherwise it's going to be a problem. This becomes the problem of those of us that have skills where this is not a problem and if you don't have skills this may be a problem.

I guess you could just email the picture it's the seller on eBay and ask what's going on and see what the answer is.

The last time I saw something like this somebody purchased a new old stock Rolex balance complete and it was bent so they contacted the seller who's supposedly wouldn't take returns and said send it to us and we will put it in. In the end they did get the money back and he returned the balance complete but it was just like this was just a matter of tweaking it but if you're not familiar with tweaking and don't want to break it bend it up too much then it is going to be an issue.

I guess the thing to do is email the seller and see if what they think. There is they might say oh dear send it to us we will fix it or will give you a new one or something. It comes back that's the way it is you have to fix it yourself then I would practice on other hairsprings before you practice on this

The actual reality is you should have scrapped balance wheels and practice every single day bending them just to get really good at bending hairsprings for that time when accidents happen which it does and have to put things back.

 

[whathaveidone]

Thank you all for the feedback. Contacted seller and he suggested adjusting myself. This is what got me here in the first place. Annoyed, I decided to give a shot as it was only bent at the stud, as someone mentioned.  After a stressful 45 minutes the balance assembly is installed and movement running!  

https://photos.app.goo.gl/k5SGniUdaZsCZvRr6