Seiko Diashock & Diafix Jewel Setting Tutorial - Removal & Installation

[@MyRetroWatches]

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[@tredici72]

Equipment required for a diafix removal - rodico, tweezers, magnification apparatus, and a good bottle of scotch. Great tutorial video Mike👍

[@MyRetroWatches]

V1 Aviation haha yes a scotch or two to calm and toast to victory when you achieve it!!

[@johnhannon]

I have lost quite a few diafix clips to the watchmaker's "space program". Thanks for the video, it will help!

[@MyRetroWatches]

You're welcome!

[@darrencady4261]

That is how I do it and somehow thought it was wrong. One thing I wouldn't do is use hairspring tweezers on anything other than hairsprings. Still, you did a brilliant job especially through a microscope where one's movements are greatly exagerated. To do this takes great skill and I commend you for your brilliance. Oh, and for the inexperienced: you "will" lose the shock spring just by using tweezers. I replaced a shock spring in a Russian 2809 movement and spent many minutes on the floor with an led torch. I found the fugative piece and installed with it a huge relief. I even patted myself on the back. Seriously, these things can take-off never to be seen again. Dear Reader, you have been warned. Thank you for a superb video.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thanks for your comment and advise to the more inexperienced. My hair spring tweezers are well used and even when I grind and reform the ends they are not perfect. I do not do much hairspring work ( still mastering that skill) howver the fine tweezers come in handy for many different jobs. We have all lost shock springs. I have even lost a few jewels and they are practically impossible to find. That said if they were oiled at point of loss they may well be stuck to your tweezers! I have hunted for many minutes to find the part on the back of a set of tweezers! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@darrencady4261]

@@MyRetroWatches I know exactly what you mean about jewels sticking to tweezers. It is always the last place you'd expect these things to be and yet, in hindsight, the most obvious. Look up jewel pick. A very handy and helpful tool for the watch repairer which can be purchased for a couple of pounds.

[@yunifbudi8806]

Thank you so much My Retro Watches for sharing these magnificent videos so I can open, fix, disassemble, assemble, and do the right things to my Seiko 5 1985 which has the same movements as shown in the videos you uploaded.

[@martinstabb7059]

Mike. Following on from my earlier comment I notice now that there is a clear difference in the reflected light from the two sides of the jewels. It may be coincidence but I now have a working Seconda that didn't work when I bought it. Thanks again and keep up with the very enjoyable videos, warts and all.

[@Supercruze]

Well that was fast Mike. Thanks for taking my recommendation and turning a video around so quickly. Very helpful. One of the techniques I have used with good result is to remove the diashock jewels prior to putting parts in the ultrasonic. I reinstall the balance on the bare main plate and remove the balance assembly diashock jewel and then remove the balance assembly for cleaning in One Dip by hand. I then remove the diashock on the calendar side of the main plate prior to cleaning the main plate in the ultrasonic. I clean all the jewels by hand using benzine and watchmakers paper. I like this method as I feel it allows the ultrasonic to better clean the jewel pivots in the main plate and balance assembly prior to reinstalling the serviced jewels into those settings.

[@MyRetroWatches]

I used a very similar method but I now have a watch cleaning machine so jewels & balance I do completely separately as they are too delicate for the machine. Removing jewels before cleaning is good practice, I just got lazy and left them in, cleaning as I removed them on the rebuild.

[@bobjoe4909]

Thanks a lot for these tutorials Mike. They are helping me a lot! I hope you have a hairspring change coming up too :)

[@VWatchie]

Servicing my first Japanese movement, an Orient calibre 46E40 having the same type of springs, this has been very helpful. Thanks a ton!

[@MyRetroWatches]

You are welcome. Good luck.

[@mvmierlo]

Thanks for this ! I lost the spring 4 times trying to get it in the wrong way taking more than an hour .... after checking your video it took me not even 3 minutes.

[@MyRetroWatches]

mvmierlo thank you. Glad it helped you . I too struggled with these at first .

[@robertmduckworth6566]

Well done!! Bravo!!

[@theoldcabbie]

Very helpful thank you. I always remove and clean the diashock, but I've never been brave enough to tackle the diafix, I think I'll give it a try next time.

[@MyRetroWatches]

theoldcabbie good luck I found them very daunting at first . Not so much now but i advise as little handling as possible with tweezers!!

[@johnrogers2253]

Inca bloc ping spring well done. I use tweezers and peg wood. I have lost too many. Nice job any way. Lol

[@GenWivern2]

Well, bravo! Tricky specialised jobs of any sort always make me think about whether there's any mileage in making a bespoke tool of some sort to ease the way, and I wonder if something of that nature is used in the factory. I strongly suspect that the answer to that is no, and the technicians are just supremely experienced and dexterous.

[@MyRetroWatches]

GenWivern2 hi. Thanks for your comment. I think technicians and watchmakers just get used to handling these things so it comes second nature . This is why they are generally seasoned professionals

[@javiercacho4790]

Great video. Thank you for sharing. It look easy when you do it. I think I'll try next time I will service a movement.

[@funkyt73]

Another great informative video MB 👍

[@gabrielfpi3046]

Thanks ... knew the system diashock, but not the Diafix ... It is not difficult, you just have to be careful and very gentle

[@IBNR1]

I've been thinking about these Diafix settings...even Seiko admits that their purpose is limited to lubrication retention, as opposed to any sort of shock protection. That being the case, I wonder if the cap jewel and retention "spring" is really necessary. If they are left off, it seems like the settings should work as simple jeweled bearings similar to those on the mainplate on the other side of each applicable pinion. I wonder if the movement would function adequately in that condition?

[@ianmargetts4940]

Great vid on how to do this, but I guess bit to involved and delicate for me, very useful for a lot of tinkerers though!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Ian Margetts as always thanks Ian.

[@dannyclifford7874]

Thanks

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you Danny. Very much appreciated.

[@trompelemonde4728]

Thank you for this! I have shot my first horseshoe spring jewel into oblivion and felt stupid now that I watched this lol..

[@dariolauria8004]

Useful video , THX. Unfortunately I tried to remove the dialshock before to see the video , and obviously I loose it!! Can you help me to find a shop where I can to buy it?

[@a.aguilar]

You make it look easy, but I still haven't dared to disassembly a diashock. Every time I think about it I get so nervous :)

[@MyRetroWatches]

Agustin Aguilar I put it off for ages then one night I decided to try . Nerves were an issue but I had a donor movement for parts at hand just in case. Main thing is not to handle the parts much with tweezers until your confident. Use Rodico or similar , jewels ping so easily. What you didn’t see in the video is I had the jewel and setting in a clear plastic container under the scope so if it did ping there was a good chance for it to be contained within the pot.

[@adrianbirkett594]

I hate these things!!, ping moment for sure!😭.never take for granted! Well done with poor vision👍. Adrian🍀🍀

[@philippedotremont6852]

I have a Chinese clone of an eta6497 that seems to use diashock instead of incablok. One of the springs is broken but I can't find a supplier, at least not as a consumer. I saw some on ebay but I have no clue if they are the correct size. Do they come in different sizes and do you know who sells these?

[@KristoferPettersson699]

Hi there! Thanks a lot for showing how to tackle the dreaded horsehoe jewels. Secondly, is there a difference in size and/or shape between the two jewel settings and jewels on either side of the balancewheel? I am having issues with an old Rado green horse using an AS1859 movement and think one possible cause might be a mix up between the two. Also, should the flat or convex side face upwards? Thanks in advance

[@MyRetroWatches]

I can’t advise on size all watches are different and I don’t know that movement . The convex side must face upwards to you and the oil goes on the flat side.

[@KristoferPettersson699]

@@MyRetroWatches Thank you very much for your reply!

[@Gregos1980]

Can anyone advise where I can buy replacement Diashock jewels and cap jewels? I was doing so well with my first every attempt at servicing the - PING! Its gone. Cannot fine it anywhere. I cannot seem to find anywhere on line to buy replacements. Any help much appreciated. Thanks

[@adriancho1742]

Can u show how to change a balance wheel on 7s26 seiko. Tks

[@lokoscrew13]

Muito bom mestre 👍 telespect Brazil.

[@martinstabb7059]

Mike. You're right. These things are horrible, but my question is; is there a right side up for the jewel? Is it dished in some way or does it not matter which side is up / down when you return it to its setting?

[@MyRetroWatches]

yes the dish side / flat side goes down inside the setting. the domed part (if you can call it that) is pointing up towards you. If you do it the wrong way around the balance either wont work or will run really poorly.

[@martinstabb7059]

Thanks for the feedback. Time to revisit a couple of my efforts and check the jewels with a strong loupe

[@BillMrWild]

Hi Mike, have you ever pressed in complete Incabloc bottom shock absorber on the main plate, i have the new piece but no idea how to go about it....i don't have a jewelling machine but have a staking set...any help would be appreciated .....Thanks for posting.....

[@MyRetroWatches]

Bill A Hi Bill , sorry no . I’m still to own a staking set! Seikos in the main are where I do most of my work. I’m sure Simon in the group would advise .

[@jakelewis3d]

While I too am happy with diashock, diafix is the lo-light of my restoration process. I'm feeling the lure of 17J movements just to avoid them. And they always look a bit scratched up afterwards. I'm thinking of going the auto-oiler route - but I can't justify the complete set of Bergeon oilers so I'm thinking just the 1A. Can I not just press the button multiple times in the situations that would require the 2A and 5 oilers?

[@MyRetroWatches]

Jake Lewis I have the 1A as a recent purchase and I am just getting used to it. Thing is for diafix you have to have ideally a microscope with enough room underneath to work . As mine is limited I rodico the bridge at an angle and go in that way. The oiler retracts into the reservoir and then you move it back out . I am finding diafix difficult but they only need a tiny amount. That said as long as they are clean you will still get good results on the timegrapher so don’t get to mo hung up over them. I doubt you would need any of the other oilers . I use some basic Bergeon standard Oiler’s (mainly black) and they are excellent

[@DutchClawz]

I thought these were hard, try the novodiac springs🥲

[@dannyclifford7874]

Where can I purchase diafix springs? I've had one launch into the great beyond!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Cousinsuk I think sell them but I would buy a cheap movement with some in probably from speedtimerkollektion.com/ A few junk movements will come invaluable with Seikos for screws and parts.

[@weerobot]

Stiff Drinks are Mandatory...

[@watchmedraw4340]

How do you zoom like that?

[@MyRetroWatches]

I use a microscope and attach my phone camera to a bracket that hangs off one of the eye pieces. Thanks for watching.

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

:)