How to fit a new balance staff to a vintage Rolex watch. Watch repair tutorials. 

This video is a Masterclass in Watch engineering. Absolutely fascinating to watch and truly skilful. It is no wonder these fabulous mechanical timepieces command their price tags. Thank you for letting us into your world of horology.

Thanks for your comment Anders. I will keep this in mind for a future video.

Thanks Peter - I am glad you are enjoying the videos. I will be posting more shortly :)

Thanks Mario - I appreciate your encouragement. :)

Sir. You are a true artist. A real artisan. Props to you.

Thanks for your comment. You are talking about poising the balance. In this case the balance was in poise and correct. As for measuring up to chronometer standards - I would argue that a watch this age will never reach chronometer standards. The result on this watch was a 12 second differential between position which is acceptable.

as mentioned before very nice film work and calming to watch, love the watch repair series, thanks

Great video format, style, atmosphere, commentary, photography. For someone who'd known little about the skill-craft, I find these videos amazing and at the same time-calming.

Beautiful vintage movement kept in perfect condition and Supreme craftmanship, Bravo!!

This is my favorite type of your videos. I enjoy watching you perform delicate repairs and fabricating tiny parts. I'm still amazed by how tiny those screws are (around 18:30). Amazing that there are threads on such tiny pieces.

YOU ARE A MASTER!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING SUCH BEAUTIFUL SKILL.

Cheers Malcombo - will do.

This is a very classy watch. I love the roman numeral layouts.

Incredible. I truley admire your skills and thank you for your passion, dedication and willingness to share with us your gift. Liked and subscribed.

I feel so relaxing when I am watching your videos.

Wow!!!! I watched the entire video. Well done.

19:30 the watchmakers defibrillator. Something so satisfying about the mainspring wind and “snap” into place in the drum.

Nice video. Subscribed. Only thing you forgot to mention is how you tracked the hairspring collet location. I use a block of wood with hole drilled large enough for roller to fit in. It has a line drawn into hole for the roller jewel to line up with, then I mark a line where ever the hairspring stud is. Then when re-assembling I just use the wood to locate where hairspring should be set. Set it on with tweezers and push on with appropriate staking tool/punch.

Great videos! Thank you so much for sharing. I would love to see some run through of the basic training old I need to start and more pocket watch movements?

Hi Jim, Technically it is possible to do it with a staking tool but you run a serious risk of damaging the hole in the wheel. The safest way is to cut away the rivet using a lathe or to use a platax tool as a quick alternative because it clamps the wheel in place and makes it difficult (but not impossible) to cause damage. It can really depend on how much metal is spread over on the rivet. If there is a lot of metal then the best course is to use a lathe for minimum risk. I hope this helps :)

Hey Mark, great videos, very informative and the production value is very high, I have enjoyed them all. Might you consider doing a video on tools and technique. Maintaining tweezers, drivers etc. Also handling items. I spend half my time searching to floor for missing parts that have zinged across the room. I have learned to use the minimum grip pressure but none the less I still find parts just vanishing in to some other dimension. You make it look so easy, your part handling shows that you have a couple of decades of experience, but any hints you might have would be most highly valued. My interest is in restoring vintage movements and mounting them in modern cases such as my 1950s Bulova powered manual dive watch and my 4992B wristwatch. Thanks Pal.

Hello I am a watch mechanic.I like watching your videos and Too much to learn I am a technician in Rado company which is in Pakistan And I'm now learning the work of watches

Very intresting! You are the guru! :) Thank's and subscribed!

Hi Ady, I have both and I am quite impressed with the Chinese TYMC brand. No problems using them at all. Delph Electronic's timer software is also very good.

Thanks for upload. I'd a Rolex semi-bubble back, which is similar to this. I never seen such a great job of rebuilt up of it's internal movement. I will be more cherish it.

incredible thank you for sharing

Super Super, the video quality is super, the workmanship is super, super thanks.

Great video! I would live to see you work on a Grand Seiko, or any of the Prospex line.

I am really pleased to watching this video

Excellent watch and talent

Very good work thanks for you 👍👏

fascinating!!!!! I really enjoyed this.

Thanks God bless you, I am like this method.

Awesome, thanks for sharing

Great job 👍

Hi Mark, really enjoy your high quality videos. I am wondering if you could not do a video about the different steps of cleaning. What kind of liquids/tools you are using etc. A more detailed video of how you use a calibrating tool/software would also be interesting. :)

Amazing video ! I need a balance staff change but i don't have a platax and rivet tools 😂

Great video, again. Thank you. As an amateur in this field, I was wondering if it would be pertinent to use the poising tool to check the balance of the balance wheel prior to refitting the hairspring? Or is this unnecessary in this case? Thank you again.

would you explain how the jewels are made as well as the balance spring? great vids

Hello, i enjoy watching your videos, good quality filming too. Question for you, out of interest how do you clean your escape wheels with the shock settings, do you risk putting them in the cleaning machine in a small parts basket or put them back in situ between the plates?

Nice video. Thank you. I have a question. Do you have a video on Atmos clock?

Great stuff, thanks

Great stuff

Hi mark ive watch this video a few times now and i'm still amazed by it. only asking when you have put the movement back together again and calibrated it did you use a Swiss type timegrapher only have you seen a cheep Chinese version. just asking for your opinion best regards ady

*_BRAVO, SUPER._* Lijepi pozdrav.

excellent

Lovely

pls comment about the cover stones on the seconds wheel and balance - we don't see you dismantling them for cleaning nor oiling. Also working on balance staff when you potentially have shreds of the broken one still stuck inside, in addition to regular muck.

he is a genius .

Great work Mark, I have learnt a lot from your videos and thank you for your superb content. Quick question... I have 2135 with broken balance staff pivot, is it possible to strip and replace using the same method and with Platax 2877 tool as you show with this vintage Rolex ? Thank you.

Any way you could post a slowed-down version of the dismantling and servicing of this watch? Thanks much.

Great video! Thank you. PS - Do you accept work from abroad?

I would have liked to see you use that roller table tool. For me its a hit or miss experience.

Thanks for the video. Do you happen to have one where you change a staff with a staking set rather than your platax tool? I own a staking set, but not the other :)

Nice delicate job ! Question, when you press back the balance spring on the wheel. How do you know it's correct orientation so the D shaped stone is in front of the palet fork ? Thank you

Blessed hands.

Wonderful, as usual. By the way, at 19:10, we can see that the shaft of your 0.050 screwdriver seems to be pretty badly bent. One video I'd like to request is probably a really simple one. I wonder if we could see the difference between a movement that is ready for clean, lube, adjust vs. one that has just been CLA'd. I'm not talking about a watch that had a breech in the case, crystal, or crown, then leaked and let dirt in, but one that remained properly sealed up and had just maybe gone 10-20 years without service. Can a layman see the difference with the help of a skillful watchmaker/videographer?

Nice video mate, I notice you not mention how to position the roller and the hair spring on the wheel. But still a good video.

Hello. Have you recorded the complete service of any 15xx movements like a 1520?

Mark, Please make a video demonstrating how you turn a staff. david

Hi Mark, do you use the Platax tool for balances made of all materials? (Glucydur, gilt nickel, etc.)

Great watch.... Any chance of this in regular speed?

Did you take subscribers orders ? I can't afford the tools for that , anyway great job i learn a lot in your videos , hopefully i begin a watchmaking school this year 😀

Did you lubricate the watch as you built it back up ? Or did I just miss that ?

GOOD JOB... NEED POLISH THE CLOCK

What size loupe r u using? I have to replace hair spring of a seiko 7s26 c can u tell me how to snap it to the bridge? Tks

I have never made a clock and i plan to very soon, these videos inspire me. What happened to your finger if you don't mind I asking?

Damn just damn fine

how much do you charge? i have a 1950's A260 movement I need cleaned

hi, am just starting to get into watch/clock repairs, great video, BUT you went to fast through the BEST bits what a shame; but nice description of the repair tools though. ever thought of doing a step by step video of dissassembly of these watches? what tools,where to get them, etc. thanks

Canfer side down, flat edge up on the balance staff?

I'm a "newbie" in terms of knowledge of mechanical watches. A question for those more experienced: can a balance staff be damaged by attempting to change the day in a day of the week sub-dial (using a quick change push button) in a modern Chinese automatic watch when the time of the watch is in the range where the date is getting ready to change? I've read (too late unfortunately) that a watch can be damaged by using the quick change buttons during this period of time (between 9 PM and 3 AM or so), but I don't know if the damage can extend to a broken balance staff. The watch I am asking about seems to have a broken balance staff and I wonder if it could have been caused by me trying to advance the day of week at the wrong time for doing such adjustments. Any advice and opinions about this are appreciated.

I have a similiar watch like this. Given by my father, but he is no longer around. Just a question toon to ask, to wind it, I turn clock wise or counter clock?

I must give you props I work with computers and do a lot of small tedious work with soldering, but would not ever have the patience for this. I have an Elgin automatic that is all silver and would like the hands replaced on it. Could i have you do this for me and if so how much would you charge if i sent it to you to be done.

As a newbie, just curious how you keep track of which screws go into which openings?

a battery change is what i am good at now. little by little , getting there.

Nice one. Shame they don't put a detent on that machine for you.

sir,please tell the tools correct name. you used to remove balance staff.1,Roller removal tool,2stacking vice,3punching tool.thank you

Very good indeed but I have done the same without all those fancy tools. Just a few home made bits and pieces.

Is that a pinwheel type of escapement that isnt used in swiss watches anymore?.

Great video, Mark. I am surprised a watch of this quality didn't show a better amplitude. I expected to see at least 270 on the timegrapher. I have worked on Rolex 1570 cal movements and they always have timed nicely with amost a perfect single line (zero beat error) in the dial up position with .1 ms beat error crown down. Still, a superb presentation by a highly skilled repairer who has a knack of making these jobs appear a lot easier than they really are. Brilliant work, Mark.

how much did you charge the customer

No oiling and lubrication?

If I tried to do this I'd end up with about a dozen parts left over when reassembling the watch.

Genuine Rolex balance staph probably $75 USD an aftermarket balance staph $5 ;). How often does this type of repair take place. I assume those tools have other uses other than a balance staph replacement, anything that requires that type of repair.

Le falta la compensación de volante

Hi Mark, how do I contact you? I would like to have a lovely old Rolex repaired.

Why no video of pressing down the hairspring?

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hello my friend is from vietnam

Hi mark can you say what tolerances are IE -- or + seconds a day as i always set -- 5 + 10 seconds a day

Tôi cần mua các dụng cụ như của bạn , Bạn có thể giúp tôi không ?

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That crooked 050 screwdriver makes me nervous.

Watchmaking of this level is like brain surgery but on machines in a way. Maybe you need steadier hands to be a watchmaker though. Great video!

Watches have alot of bits in them dont they?

How does someone even learn this?

and the posing tool? you don't use it?!? and the pivot caliper!!??? where are this tools?

I clicked the dislike button by accident, I think you are great