VS3235 movement teardown

[Logixa]

Overall first impressions:
- this finishing is very nice, beveled edges everywhere
- quality of parts is good
- new paraflex shockspring was easier to remove than a KIF. not yet sure how easy it gets back in. Im sure rolex has a special tool made for this spring
- very interesting movement
- I need the special rotor bolt tool to remove the rotor


More pictures will follow when I rebuild it. Credits go to MSC19 as it is his watch.

Stuvetjee

 

[Stuvetjee]

Holy shit, props to VSF for nailing this movement once again. Parts look higher quality.

 

[Ex-ki]

Very interesting! Thank you

 

[schlonz]

thanks for sharing
good to have people around who know their stuff
big thumbs up

 

[YellowFin]

Thanks for the detailed teardown! :applause:

 

[KJ2020]

Great pics bro, thanks for the documentation. The movement looks like it's excellent quality and mostly very clean OOTB.

This part is interesting, I wonder if it's like this on the gen or if this is a rep improvisation. It looks like a tension washer to keep the gear below from rising up and getting dislodged. I don't see why that design was needed unless the gear has separate engagements at different heights. The 3135 does not have this arrangement.

That tension washer is showing some signs of wear, as if it is getting rotated with the gear sometimes. This could result in some loose particles that might explain some of the debris seen in the keyless works.

Can you tell us how the dial is attached to the movement, I don't see it from the pics.

Thanks again, great work!

 

[YellowFin]

Can you tell us how the dial is attached to the movement, I don't see it from the pics.

Looks like it's orientation is secured by the elevated edge of the dial that matches the "cutouts" around the movement. The movement will sit tight against the dial once it's attached to the case.

 

[sfbatman787]

The movement really looks like a true clone!

 

[KJ2020]

Looks like it's orientation is secured by the elevated edge of the dial that matches the "cutouts" around the movement. The movement will sit tight against the dial once it's attached to the case.

It looks like if that were the case, the tolerances would be a lot closer than they are. I don't see anything keeping the dial from rotating in any of the pics. Maybe the layout of the movement stubs is such that one prevents rotation in one direction and on the opposite side another stub prevents rotation in the other direction.

It would be interesting if there was nothing keeping the dial from lifting, which means it would simply fall onto the hour hand if inverted. Seems strange to make it that way. That would mean you couldn't regulate the movement outside of the case, something I always do after a service.

 

[YellowFin]

KJ2020 The elevated outer ring segments of the dial's back exactly match the outer irregular shape of the movement. You can actually see on logixa's pics how those "flow" over the edges of the movement. The green marked portions of the dial are the exact "negative" to the green marked areas of the movement. Same as gen. The dial's actually a little bigger than the case opening, so it's held below the rehaut.

 

[jiro]

that's "the" cleanest rep movement i've seen OOTB

 

[KJ2020]

KJ2020 The elevated outer ring segments of the dial's back exactly match the outer irregular shape of the movement. You can actually see on logixa's pics how those "flow" over the edges of the movement. The green marked portions of the dial are the exact "negative" to the green marked areas of the movement. Same as gen. The dial's actually a little bigger than the case opening, so it's held below the rehaut.

Right I saw that bro. My point is that the notches on the rim under the dial don't butt up against the stubs protruding from the movement. There is space between them, indicating dial rotation is possible.

Unless on two of them (one is pictured), the notches and stubs do butt up against each other at least on one end of the rim gap as I mentioned.

"Maybe the layout of the movement stubs is such that one prevents rotation in one direction and on the opposite side another stub prevents rotation in the other direction."

I still am very curious about the dial not being held down vertically. That seems unlikely. Maybe the dial gets affixed with a little twist and anchor motion. We will see.

 

[Logixa]

the dial is held with pressure on the movement. It didnt fall off by holding it upside down. it fits exactly right on the movement and 2 notches keep it from turning around.

By the way, the dial+hand+datewheel is gen on this watch.

 

[YellowFin]

Right I saw that bro. My point is that the notches on the rim under the dial don't butt up against the stubs protruding from the movement. There is space between them, indicating dial rotation is possible.

[...]

I still am very curious about the dial not being held down vertically. That seems unlikely. Maybe the dial gets affixed with a little twist and anchor motion. We will see.

I believe they intentionally left some space for dial rotation, so they can align the dials with the rehaut crowns... :laugh:

The dial is bigger then the inner rehaut and has an outer ring that's lying on the rehaut when you hold the watch upside down. On some gen dial colours you see the brass perimeter that's not visible in the assembled watch.

 

[Logixa]

there is no rotation space. It should not have any rotation space as it would mess up the layout between the date window and datewheel

 

[KJ2020]

there is no rotation space. It should not have any rotation space as it would mess up the layout between the date window and datewheel

I wonder if the rep dial has a similar construction with the notched rim underneath.

 

[Logixa]

MSC19 buddy, do you happen to have the rep dial laying around? If so, can you take some pictures of it?

 

[MSC19]

Sorry, I do not have it.
But we can kindly ask ap@12 if he made any pictures of the back rep dial to post it here.

If somebody is more skilled than me and is able to tag him. I couldn't do it...

 

[NaviChief]

Thanks for your hard work making this post. Very helpful.

 

[ap@12]

Sorry, I do not have it.
But we can kindly ask ap@12 if he made any pictures of the back rep dial to post it here.

If somebody is more skilled than me and is able to tag him. I couldn't do it...

no problem i tag you
the rep dial is the same as the gen dial
when i have time tomorrow i will take a picture