VSF Submariner VS3235 Gen Parts Installation Project

[dogwood]

Appreciate for the very detail in the process. Do I need to remove the hands and dial?

No… you should be able to do this parts swap without even taking the movement out of the case.

 

[WatchSmith.US]

Excellent instructions by @dogwood. The only thing I would add is that sometimes a gen balance bridge is an uncomfortably tight fit on a rep mainplate, so I broach the screw holes a very tiny bit so I don't have to force it down and "snap" it into place. Obviously you need to be certain the balance pivots are inside both jewels as they should be, and this is where snapping a tight bridge down makes me nervous.

 

[Jason171912]

No… you should be able to do this parts swap without even taking the movement out of the case.

Thanks a lot! Really appreciated!

 

[Jason171912]

Do you know if I can replace these three by the gen parts? Not sure if it fit the VS movement

 

[dogwood]

Do you know if I can replace these three by the gen parts? Not sure if it fit the VS movement

These gen parts all fit the vs3235.

 

[Jason171912]

Have you ever seen these gen parts in real? I’m wondering if it worth to replace these with the gen parts.

 

[dogwood]

Have you ever seen these gen parts in real? I’m wondering if it worth to replace these with the gen parts.

I have. Gen parts are nice. But only you can say if it’s worth it.

 

[Jason171912]

Okay. Last question. Is this part can also be replace by gen part?

 

[dogwood]

Okay. Last question. Is this part can also be replace by gen part?

Yes. Literally every individual part of the vs3235 can be replaced with a gen 3235 part. The only parts that must be swapped as a pair are the escape wheel and pallet fork.

 

[Jason171912]

Could you please give me more specific in step 5 and 16. I find it quite difficult for these steps. Do you know any source from youtube for referrence?

 

[dogwood]

Could you please give me more specific in step 5 and 16. I find it quite difficult for these steps. Do you know any source from youtube for referrence?

Here's how you let the power out of the mainspring.

1. With the crown in the winding position, use one hand apply a little bit of torque to the crown so that the pressure is taken off the click.
2. While you are applying the pressure in step 1, use a sharp tool to move and hold the click out of the way of the ratchet wheel.
3. With the click spring held out of the way using the sharp tool in step 2, you can allow the crown to rotate backwards using your fingers as a brake to allow the mainspring to discharge its energy slowly and in a controlled manner.

Good luck... BTW: this is a standard technique that's common to all watches, so if you look up a tutorial on how to release mainspring energy from a mechanical watch on YouTube, I'm sure you'll find a video tutorial.

 

[Jason171912]

Guess what!!

I made it

Plan to uograde more parts to make it 100% like gen.

 

[dogwood]

Guess what!!

I made it

Plan to uograde more parts to make it 100% like gen.

Looks good. Well done!

 

[Jason171912]

Looks good. Well done!

Could you please tell me how to adjust the time in the balance bridge? And do you recommend any timegrapher?

 

[dogwood]

Could you please tell me how to adjust the time in the balance bridge? And do you recommend any timegrapher?

You adjust the time keeping (the rate) by adjusting the microstella nuts on the rim of the balance wheel. You’ll need a bespoke tool for this. Search microstella nut tool on AliExpress. There are two pairs of nuts, large and small. Always adjust pairs of nuts together to maintain the wheel’s poise. The wheel likely comes from the factory pretty well adjusted.

To get started with a time grapher you can buy a cheap USB time grapher microphone / amplifier on AliExpress for $30. Then download TG0.5.0 timegrapher software (google it, it’s open source and free)… use the microphone and software to turn your computer into a time grapher.

 

[anarchos]

Any advice on connecting the hairspring to the balance bridge? Seems like they came as separate parts in your first pictures. I'll admit I'm a bit ignorant on how they fit together but somehow they have to be connected, right?

 

[anarchos]

Any advice on connecting the hairspring to the balance bridge? Seems like they came as separate parts in your first pictures. I'll admit I'm a bit ignorant on how they fit together but somehow they have to be connected, right?

Sorry, I guess I glossed over the part where you mentioned this in the first post.

 

[WatchSmith.US]

Any advice on connecting the hairspring to the balance bridge? Seems like they came as separate parts in your first pictures. I'll admit I'm a bit ignorant on how they fit together but somehow they have to be connected, right?

I place the balance wheel in first then balance bridge being careful to align the pivots. Once it’s tightened down i attach the hairspring to the bridge.

 

[Jason171912]

I place the balance wheel in first then balance bridge being careful to align the pivots. Once it’s tightened down i attach the hairspring to the bridge.

Hello friend, I’ve done my VSF project with Gen parts. But I need the watch to be serviced. Please let me know if you can do that. Thanks!

 

[Jason171912]

You adjust the time keeping (the rate) by adjusting the microstella nuts on the rim of the balance wheel. You’ll need a bespoke tool for this. Search microstella nut tool on AliExpress. There are two pairs of nuts, large and small. Always adjust pairs of nuts together to maintain the wheel’s poise. The wheel likely comes from the factory pretty well adjusted.

To get started with a time grapher you can buy a cheap USB time grapher microphone / amplifier on AliExpress for $30. Then download TG0.5.0 timegrapher software (google it, it’s open source and free)… use the microphone and software to turn your computer into a time grapher.

Hello friend, do you know how to fix the broken stem and crown. Mine has been broken