Service: Kelek Chronograph / Buren 11

IMG_9320You don’t see one of these every day, and this particular one belongs to Zeljko from Ukraine. The dial design is just stunning. Those three hands all pointing upwards look so cool…

And it’s not only the outside!IMG_9324

Because inside, there is a Buren 11 chronograph movement. This beauty has a little microrotor, to which we will get later. Some of you might remember that I did a Junghans Chronograph last year with the same movement.

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And yes, the movement is in bad need of a service. The amplitude is way too low.IMG_9328

The bottom plate has a date wheel, and has a fairly simple construction.IMG_9331

Here, you can see the pawl and date change wheel. The half-round contraption lying sideways blocks the hour wheel in position once put in.IMG_9337

Now it’s time for the chronograph layer on the top plate. Chronographs are notoriously tricky to service, as there are so many parts, and every screw and bit has to go back in the right order in the right place with the right lubrication. In the old days, watchmakers used slices of pithwood, onto which they mounted every group of parts, and then cleaned them separately to keep them together. They also used a lot of sketches to make sure they knew where everything went.IMG_9342

I am of course blessed with a digital camera, and I take shots of every part I take out with its screws.IMG_9345

This double-pinion links the basic movement to the chronograph layer, and drives everything on the chronograph plate.IMG_9351

I’m almost there…IMG_9352Just a few bits to remove, and I can take the chronograph plate off.

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First look at the base movement, and you can now see the microrotor at the top.IMG_9364

The reverser wheel sits between two large flat jewels, the top one is removed in the photo.IMG_9369

The micro rotor itself.IMG_9378

The gear train.IMG_9382

The mainspring is still looking good, and it’s impossible to get hold of a new one, anyway.IMG_9383

No lack of parts!IMG_9384

Epilame treatment for the usual suspects.IMG_9385

These are just the smaller parts …IMG_9479

The mainspring goes back into the barrel. Before putting it in, I have put a bit of braking grease on the barrel wall.IMG_9480

Next, I put the balance jewels back together.IMG_9481

Before putting the gear train in, the bottom bearing for the third wheel, which sits on a plate, is put into the bottom plate.IMG_9482

Now I can put the gear train and the rotor back in. You can now see the jewel bearing for the reverser wheel clearly.IMG_9483

The reverser wheel between the two jewels, with the gears for the auto winder assembly in place.IMG_9484

The base movement is almost complete.IMG_9486

When putting together chronographs, I always assembly the base movement first, so I can get it ticking. No use assembling anything else if that isn’t working correctly.IMG_9489

With the mainspring barely wound, this is looking a lot better!IMG_9490

Now I can start on the chronograph layer. IMG_9493

And I’m pretty much there.IMG_9494

What a beauty!IMG_9495

The bottom plate is relatively easy to put back together.IMG_9498

You have to love that dial and those hands…IMG_9499

Just great – I’m very jealous!IMG_9501

The case back gets a new gasket.IMG_9502

And here we are back in business.

 

16 thoughts on “Service: Kelek Chronograph / Buren 11

  1. Hi,

    I have one of these Kelek watches and am desperately looking for a replacement bezel. Would you happen to know where I might source one?

  2. Lovely watch that I’m looking for. Are you saying that if the mainspring is defective it cannot be replaced?

  3. Pingback: === WRUW Friday October 18th, 2013 === - Page 6

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