A client has sent in his Eterna chronograph for a service as it has an unknown service history and is not running very well. Eterna do not have in-house chronograph movements, but did have some very cool designs and good quality cases.
All the levers have a rough finish which makes me think this watch has had rust damage removed at one point.
The backside of the dial is floating in oil, lucky it has not run out to the face side!
I remove the oil from the dial straight away.
I start taking the setting/winding mechanism apart.
The dial side of the base plate is swimming in oil…
I now start taking apart the chronograph layer.
That spring is not correct!
Chronograph layer almost taken apart.
I’m now down to the base movement.
Just the setting lever screw left.
I have polished the levers and screw heads and here are the parts after cleaning
I see that the balance moves freely.
I fit the winding/setting mechanism.
Here you can see I have fitted the gear train.
Oops! I broke the pallet fork pivot.. I decide to make a new one.
Third time lucky
I press fit the new axel into the pallet fork.
Movement is running!
And preforming:)
I start putting the chronograph back together.
Movement looks much nicer after being cleaned up!
I find and replace the column wheel spring.
Old pushers are in a bit of a state and not matching so I replace them.
Thats a lot better!
Movement goes back into the case looking very nice!
The hands get “new” luminous compound to match the dial.
Perfect amount of patina on a great looking watch!
6 Responses to Service: Eterna calibre 703R (Valjoux22)
Great work!
Excellent – the case and dial are in unusually good condition too, great find!
Did you have to shorten the pusher shafts when you fitted the new ones, M?
Hi Ben, Yes I shorten them and then cut a new slot for the screwdriver blade. The owner must have been very pleased finding this!
Great work as always! Mitka, do you have a special tool to remove those jewel caps?
I sometimes use Rodico to remove them and the jewel cap sticky tool to fit them again:)
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