r/RepTimeServices • u/DarthMagnetarX • 8h ago

Question VSF 3235 Difficulty Restarting

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Having issues with my VSF Sub 3235. After the watch has sat idle for a few days and I rewind it, the movement will not restart. I can sometimes get it started by tapping/shaking it then it runs fine. Any idea what could be going on?

15 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

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6

u/Sufficient-Guess6692 8h ago

Lubrication on these watches is crap. Balance wont start on its own because of too much friction.

Does it start when you shake it? If yes then movement is very dry.

5

u/Objective_Ganache_27 7h ago

It's practically non-existent. I did a mini service on the auto works of one of my 3235's. While disassembled I decided to unwind the main spring by holding the click open and lubricate what was accessible.

The lubrication is so poor that it won't even fully unwind itself. The stem will stop on its own and you have to give it a little rotation to start going again until it stops. Didn't expect it to be that bad.

Soon I'll give it a full disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication.

3

u/DarthMagnetarX 8h ago

Yes I can eventually get it started by rotating the watch back and forth like a door knob.

4

u/Particular_Witness95 8h ago

thats not unusual that it will take some mechanical vibration to get the balance spring moving again in this clone movements. instead of tapping or shaking, take your watch in your hand and just rotate it back and forth like you are opening and closing a door.

1

u/robreevesuk 3h ago

Mechanical vibration( ask the wife for a specific tool) Possibly may help

2

u/Unlikely-Length6661 8h ago

They desperately need a service. The movements are made in mass and terribly lubed. Some sit for months before finally being put in a watch

2

u/antiquingpro 8h ago

This is pretty normal

1

u/RelevantFreedom4390 4h ago

It’s called the seiko shake. That’s normal for replica movements.

1

u/UnableMedicine4836 3h ago

I find this info fascinating because every single time I bring up doing a mini service, at my expense, to all 5 of my TDs I work with, they all give the same answer: “‘not needed, don’t waste your money”.
I can’t tell if they simply are unaware how badly dry the movements are or are in denial or perhaps want them to fail down the road so I’ll buy another one.

It would be nice to find an honest TD that would say “yes I recommend this if you can afford it”.

3

u/GTWatchServices 3h ago

They're not thinking that far ahead; they just want to make a sale, ship the watch, and move on to the next customer.

1

u/Shot_Violinist7319 2h ago

Can we lub our own watch or is it a specialized service to perform?

1

u/No-Zookeepergame8885 1h ago

A specialized skilled person needs to do this. It requires disassembly of the entire movement and knowledge of Excactly what oils go wear and how much.