How to Find Lost Watch Jewels
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
- IN this video, I will show you the easiest way to find a lost jewel from a watch movement.
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USED IN THIS VIDEO
►UV Lite watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
MY MICROSCOPE SET-UP
► Amscope SM-3T watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... Amazon)
► Barlow Lens watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► LCD Ring Lite watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Hayear Microscope Camera watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Camera Adapter watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
** FULL LIST OF TOOLS & SUPPLIES I USE **
watchrepairtutorials.com/tool... - Jak na to + styl
I had a cap jewel get away from me last night. Using this info, I was able to find my lost jewel really quickly. Not like it was on my bench either, it was on the floor a couple feet away. Never would have found it without using a UV lamp. Thank you!!
That's an awesome story to hear. That sucker would have been long gone.
Brilliant!!! Thanks for the tip.
I hope it prevents you some aggravation in the future. There's nothing worse than losing a jewel.
I love the content here. I just subscribed today. My 9 year old son wants to be a watch maker. Its something that interests me too. So we'll be watching a lot of videos while slowly approaching this adventure.
Thanks for this video, very useful. Greetings from Serbia!
You are welcome! I love hearing from you so far away. It's amazing
Excellent tip!
It is worth noting that it is the synthetic rubies found in watches almost exclusively since the early 1900s will glow brightly under UV light.
This means the vast majority of watches will have synthetic jewels that will glow brightly under UV.
Natural rubies, as found in older watches that predate the use of synthetics glow much more weakly, with few exceptions.
Most natural sapphires (also found in some antique watches) won’t glow, nor will many of the other stones that were sometimes used, such as garnet.
One further tip when selecting a UV torch or light source - make sure you buy one that emits the right frequency of UV light.
You want a UV light that produces the right frequency of light to provide bright fluorescence, so jewels glow brightly, and you must avoid sources that emit very dangerous UVC light(for example germicidal UV lamps create a lot of UVC) , or you will damage your eyes and skin, even with brief exposure.
Ideally you want a UV flashlight that produces UV light at or near 365nm.
Any light of 400nm wavelength or less is technically UV light, and it is cheaper and easier to manufacture LEDs that operate at or close to this wavelength.
The cheaper ones that produce light at around 390-400nm will produce a dull glow, if any, depending upon their output power.
The UV flashlight shown in this video claims to produce 395nm UV light. Whilst it clearly has enough output power to be useful for finding jewels, a 365nm flashlight of half the output power would produce a much brighter glow.
UV lights that produce light in the range of 280-315nm (UV-B) are potentially harmful and should be avoided.
UV lights that produce light below 280nm (UV-C) are extremely dangerous and shouldn’t be used without eye and skin protection.
Unfortunately some consumer UV sources do produce UV-C light, and carry no warnings, due to poor regulation of these products.
All great information thank you for taking the time to write this.
Bottom line is both 365nm and 395nm work well enough for this purpose.
Great info, thank you.
@@watchrepairtutorials Both 365nm and 395nm work well enough for synthetic rubies, which covers the vast majority of watch jewels after approximately 1910.
The 365nm comes into its own for natural rubies. They have a much weaker glow and fluoresce more brightly under 365nm.
Link clicked and flashlight ordered. Thanks again for your great advice!
I have a feeling that this is going to help a lot of people.
Thank you so much for this tip. My first attempt at installing a roller jewel ended when the jewel disappeared from my tweezers. It’s so easy to beat yourself up when this happens. So, even just hearing that this happens to everyone sooner or later is helpful.
There's absolutely no watchmaker that it hasn't happened to.
Thank you so much
You're most welcome.
As a mineral collector, I've used my UV light to look at watches just to enjoy how brilliantly the jewels fluoresce. Until now I never considered using the light to find lost jewels. You extremely clever my friend! (Might mention jewels will shine much more brightly in the dark, so if you have to search the floor (aka do some "praying") you might do well to darken the room first.)
Yes,
Good point.
Thank you sir.
That's an awesome idea. I will say that I never grab a jewel with tweezers. Always Ridico and only Rodico. It makes every bit of the disassembly, oiling, and re-uniting with the chaton very easy and free of any escape.
I know a lot of people use Rodico to lift them out of the setting but then how do you clean it and lubricate it.
What about pallet and impulse stones?
What about train jewels?
You definitely don't want to use Rodico with clean parts as it leaves a sticky residue behind.
A couple weeks ago I was measuring the pivot on a pallet fork so I was holding it by the horn at the end and it flew away.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw it fly into my shirt pocket. Or at least I thought so.
Looking into my pocket I didn't see anything so I shined the UV light in there and sure enough there it was in the corner.
You just never know.
I clean cap by rubbing on my pad and peg out the hole jewel then they get One Dip" tweezered" and Fixodropoed and then I pick up the cap jewel from the rounded side with a rolled thin Ridico finger and invert into a perfect light reflection as it gets oiled. Then it is placed on top of the hole jewel whilst still on the Rodico "spear" and it becomes one and then it goes to the movement placement and I use tweezer to lightly touch it as I draw away the Rodico finger... Then lock in place! Never an escapee.... 😊
Wish I’d discovered this tip a long time ago. Awesome. Thanks!
Happy to help!
Great, thank you and greetings from Bulgaria !
Bulgaria checking in! Thanks my friend.
Great advice Alex. Thank you
I hope this helps somebody. I'm sure it will.
Thanks Alex. Another great tip. I directl ordered a UV flashlight. Never when needed.;)
Who knew
Hey Alex got myself an Alonefire 10 watt flashlight with a pretty decent quality. Worth to mention that there are different wavelength uv lamps. 395nm and 365nm. 365nm is the one with the versatile usage. Didn't tested it but i'm quite sure that this let the jewels glow. 😊
I did not know that so thank you for that Michael.
Great tip!!!
Thank You my friend
Just found this channel today,have watched loads of the watchmakers,all they seem to do, no matter what is, strip,clean and put the movement back, nearly all the time,This fellah is great,completely different skills .
Welcome aboard! My videos don't get the same amount of views but then again, that's not why I do this.
@@watchrepairtutorials I have the impression you like to share your knowledge which is so kind. Learned a lot and now save most of my acrylic crystals e.g.
Love learning watchmaking beside my regular job but don’t have the time for official courses. So I learn from you experienced people.
@@hrachiag I do. I only wish I was better at the technical parts of filmmaking.
Great tip, thanks! I would also freeze when I lost a jewel or screw. One time I lost a jewel and froze. When I couldn't find it on my hands and the surrounding area, I put my head over the bench and ruffled my hair and the jewel dropped onto the bench.
It's amazing how far one of those things will fly.
@@watchrepairtutorials Yes it is. I still have one missing in my carpet somewhere. Maybe a UV light will find it. It wasn't the size that I needed at the time, but I still want to put it back safely with my jewel stash.
And sometimes get stuck between your shoe laces !
@@antsfur I prefer to be barefoot, but they can hide just about anywhere.
I always try that trick, including slowly removing my top and shaking it. The things we go through!
Brilliant! Must try this out! Now if someone would come up with a way to mark all watch parts so that they light up in UV light ...
You know they have watch oil now that has luminous properties so you can check to see how much oil you've put on. if someone can figure out how to make watch that glow in the dark that would be epic
Thanks Alex, great tip!
No problem Boyd. It's always good to see you are still around,
Mate, what a ripper idea. Trying to get to grips with this hobby, and I've evaporated 2 jewels on 2 practice cleaning attempts (luckily on junk movements). I'll certainly revisit tweezer dressing and who knows, the 2 evaporated jewels may condense back into existense under a UV torch (stupidly optimistic, they've been gone weeks, but some ' fly be free' springs have turned up in unlikely places after the same amount of time). Great tips.
I appreciate you brother. Learn and practice. That's my best advice.
Excellent advice! Ordering a UV lite today. Save my tired eyes and knees.
Excellent! What beach are you near? I lived on Carolina Beach NC for years
@@watchrepairtutorials Mexico Beach, Florida. About 40 miles SE of Panama City Beach and about 80 miles SE of Destin
@@MexicoBeachFloridaLiving oh ok,
I spent some time around Captiva and Sanibel. Beautiful beach over there.
Omg that’s so helpful! Thanks a lot!
No problem!
That is so useful tip! Thanks !
Hopefully you'll never need to use it right
Very useful information as usual.Thank you!
My pleasure!
Excellent information as always.
Glad it was helpful Miguel.
Thank you so much for this excellent tip, i have a uv flash lite and will do this from now on 😅
Perfect my friend. Even better that you already have one just sitting there.
I'm getting one. Searched for a couple of hours the other day.
I got a feeling this is gonna help a few people
Excellent tip, thank you 👍
Very welcome!
Great Watchmaker!!!
Thanks, brother
Thank you Alex. I already have one, other uses are testing lume if you have resumed or indeed whether you need to, useful too to cure UV glue for crystals, indices etc. and it has the added bonus that since I got one I haven’t pinged a jewel 😂
You're absolutely right, Tom it definitely has more than one use all which you have pointed out.
You know, I love tools that have more than one use .
Absolute perfect. 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you Stephan. You might need this one day.
Great video Alex.
Mr Bolger. It's great to see you !
Awesome tip!
Glad you think so. Thanks brother
Merci pour l'astuce 👍
De rien, mon ami.
That’s a great tip! Thank you. 🕐⚙️🍸
Any time!
Very cool!
Now you know
Neat tip .
Thanks 👍
This is genius and will be my go to for my next misadventure! My work area is on an oriental rug which is mostly red (suboptimal, but it is what it is...), and my prior means of dealing with lost jewels was to vacuum the rug and dump the contents into a big white bowl. Overall success was ~50%. Now that I think about it, I'll hit the rug with my blacklight and see if I discover any (still) lost jewels...
Working on a rug can always be a change for tis very reason. I would just keep the light close so that you don't have to stand up to get it..
Legend !
One of my favorite movies. That dog was awesome.
Now I know! Cheers, 😊
Yes you do my friend. Yes you do.
Now all I need is a flashlight that finds click springs
LOL. One can only wish.
You are a river to your people, I am pleased.
Thanks man.
There's another alternative. Using a green laser. This light induces a powerful luminescence into the red ruby, which acts as an intense red light emitter.
¡Gracias por compartir!
Good to know. Thank you
UV may also be useful for highlighting unwanted fabric fibers in watch mechanisms when viewed under a stereo microscope. A UV light reflecting additive to watch lubricants could also be useful to highlight lubrication positioning or presence during watch maintenance (providing it didn't adversely affect the lubricant's desired properties and longevity).
Yes and it can also be used to dry watch crystal glue.
David - In case you don’t know this already, Moebius have been selling a version of most of their watch oils with a dye that fluoresces under UV light for years. If you search for moebius 9010-FL you’ll find this version of 9010.
Watch jewels are made of ruby or now a days, synthetic ruby, and ruby glows vivid red when illuminated with short wave UV light.
You are correct sir. Thanks
Another great tip Alex thank you just one thing when you go to the link it offers a 365nm or a 395nm version does it matter which one you use?
If you were a serious mineral or rock hound maybe but for the purpose of finding these ruby jewels not really.
Good one Alex. Thanks.
Now is there a special light for springs? ;)
Not that I know of but we can always hope right?
This is a great tip. I've gotten more practise in with jewels lately and I'm getting more confident, but realistically this _will_ come in handy. 😆 I've also had trouble with unreliable power switches on these handheld lights, and my lights that can't remember what setting they are on because the power switch & "next mode" buttons have been combined into 1 button. I'll try again & do better, as you've done.
*edit* - I also have a random question for you: If a watch crystal has AR coating on its underside, is it still okay to clean that watch case in your ultrasonic? I'm fairly sure it's okay, but I'll feel better hearing it from you. Thanks!
There are so many variables that could be present, my advice is not to do it. With that said most often you probably would not have an issue but if you do and it becomes damaged it can easily be removed with .5 diamond paste.
@@watchrepairtutorials okay thanks very much, I'll continue to not do it. I'm very keen on ruining as few things as possible (it's an ongoing project!).
I should have seen this video before. Just bought a for parts movement to take the cap jewel I lost few days ago and couldn't find anymore
Well now you may find it. Thanks man.
Need to go to ISS to look for them
It's amazing how far they can fly, isn't it?
Ordered a UV light and a Time Machine so I can go back and get them all!
LOL. Thanks GWS
Man I wish I knew this trick a few years ago when I shot a cap jewel off into the 18th dimension and had to buy another movement to get a replacement. I never did find that jewel despite an extensive search.......
I was recently cataloging some parts, and I was holding a pallet fork by the horn to measure the pivot size in my micrometer.
The pallet for ended up coming out of my tweezers and out of the corner of my eye I could see the pallet work fly into my shirt pocket.
I was almost 100% sure it was in there. Looking in the pocket, I couldn't see anything. I use the UV light to shine in my pocket and there it was buried in the corner..
You just never know when you're gonna need it.😉
Why not use Rodico to pick up jewels, as much as possible, and only use tweezers to place them back in the movement?
Rodico leaves a residue behind which you can actually see if you were to touch a piece of glass or mirror with it.
In the case of an end stone. You wouldn't want any residue, even on the outside much less the inside. Residue on the flat side would interfere with the oil and residue on the outside of an end stone could interfere with the spring operating properly.
But don't forget there are other scenarios where a jewel has to be handled like when replacing a train , impulse or pallet stone. Left behind residue on any of these jewels would affect how well the escapement works.
You're much better off having properly dressed tweezers and a light touch when handling jewels as opposed to using rodico which is essentially a crutch.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thank you for the education and the great videos. As I transition out of my previous career, due to ageism and outsourcing, I am using your videos to transition into professional watchmaking. I’m too old to pay Wostep $40k for yet another degree.
Come on! Why didn't you post this video four days ago. I've already bought the entire jewel setting for my omega cal 601 after 2h of unsuccessful and frustrating search.
Thank you very much for your support. Your donation helps to offset the production cost of making videos and I appreciate it very much so thank you again
When it comes to cleaning jewels I always have a panic attack and keep putting it off. I've manged to ping two but luckily I've found them both after a search, and praying. I invested in a decent pair of tweezers which made all the difference but will defiantly purchase one of those lamps. I had considered one before but after reading some reviews on amazon, mainly cheap ones, people were saying the light coverage is not that great and you have to hold the unit so close to the work surface that there wont practical. Can you please give me some rough figures for a practical working distance for the light output to eliminate a jewel?
I don't know I was holding it at least a foot away if not more and it was working fine
@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks, Alex that's good enough 🙂 Keep up the informative videos I always look forward to seeing yours👍
Why did you upload this video today? I took some time searching for my lost cap jewel yesterday. 😂😂
Did you find it?
@@watchrepairtutorials yes I did but definitely took a lot longer then with your helpful tip. I already have my uv lamp delivered. Hopefully I don’t need it anytime soon 🙂 but honestly I can’t wait to lose one such that I can test this light. 😂
Shit! NOW you tell me!
I just needed to use this yesterday. I was trying to measure a pallet fork and it flew and went into my pocket. Luckily, I caught it out of the corner of my eye and suspected it went in there. I couldn't find it visually but using the UV light I was able to see it. That would've lost forever.
Never considered that I have use the uv to inspect jewels for cracks and chips how did miss the obvious when looking for a lost pinger DUD Thank you Alex
Always great to hear from you Amanda.
Oh wow. That would have potentially saved me from buying two donors during the last months. I‘ll get one asap. Thanks for the hint! 🫡
My price for a little insurance. It will pay for itself for sure.
Come on! Why didn't you post this video four days ago. I've already bought the entire jewel setting for my omega cal 601 after 2h of unsuccessful and frustrating search.
Well, pick up a UV flashlight because it's probably gonna happen again