In this video I’m going to show you how to change the roller jewel on a roller table from a pocket watch. The roller jewel on this watch was broken and misplaced somewhere in the watch so it had to be removed, and now we’re going to replace it and get the watch working again.
Let’s first discuss, exactly why roller jewels tend to break. Roller jewels will break 99% of the time, from a drop or fall onto a hard surface. Sometimes they can break, just for light use if the roller jewel was not correctly seated or the lacquer or varnish that holds it in place as let loose in the jewel just tends to fall out of the roller table. The purpose of the roller jewel, used to interact with the pallet fork and caused a watch to operate any specific beat per hour, and that’s the ticking that you hear when you listen to a mechanical watch.
This is a much more complex repair to do other than servicing a watch. So you will need special tools to do this particular repair. Tools such as a staking set, a roller table removal tool, of course your watchmaker screwdrivers and other assorted tools that you would commonly work with Watches on.
check out the series on pocket watch repairs
This is definitely not for the beginner and is much more of an intermediate or advanced repair so keep that in mind. Below you will find a video, that shows you the process of going through every step to change the roller jewel.
I’m providing this video, mostly as entertainment or is a light tutorial on how to perform this particular repair. However again, this is more for the advanced watch technician or watchmaker and an amateur would not do this. Keep that in mind when watching this video, it may give you some direction but if you do not have enough experience, this is a very complicated fix.
I would recommend, that you take a watch that needs a roller jewel replaced, to a professional to have it done. They no doubt, I have the correct tools needed and the time and patience to perform this repair and get it back to you on a timely basis.
However, if you are learning to repair watches, especially pocket watches of the sides in nature, this should be a great starting point for you to learn how to correctly handle each of the parts and change the roller jewel yourself. Again, this is not for the light hearted this is a complicated repair.