Mainspring winder question.

[LittleWatchShop]

44 minutes ago, mbwatch said:

I do not! And that purchase is far in the future for me.

Well, if you ever bugger up one of those arbors, send it to me and I will fix it for you.  We are in the same time zone.

[Jon]

On 5/10/2024 at 8:09 AM, VWatchie said:

Yes, a well-established practice among professional repairers is to always replace the spring even when it is in good condition. Personally, I think it is an unnecessary cost because modern springs last a very long time. Some fatigue occurs over time but if you are unsure, you can always test the power reserve. It is also an unnecessary risk to replace a spring if it is still in good condition. If an original spring is not available, it is not certain that the alloy in a generic spring corresponds to the properties of the original spring. This seems to be particularly true for some Japanese movements, especially Seiko and Orient. For any Swiss movement, I'd say the risk is non-existent.

You are so true on a lot of what you have said. The main reason for changing the mainspring even if the old one is in good order is because it will take out your thinking that the mainspring is contributing to poor power output or fluctuations in amplitude. If a new spring is fitted that box can be crossed off as a potential source of a problem. Most customers are happy to pay the extra £20 for a new mainspring if they are already parting with a couple of hundred pounds for a service. A new spring is an investment for good running for the future.