Balance Staff Replacement Questions

I’m a novice with limited skill and equipment. If I run into a watch with a bad balance staff, my go-to action is to hunt for a donor movement with a good balance complete and cock. This can sometimes involve the purchase of several movements, however. Is purchasing a new or NOS balance staff and having a certified watchmaker replace the damaged staff worth the cost? Also, since I’ve never had this done as a stand alone job, would a watchmaker even do this? And does anyone have a guess as to…

Balance Staff Replacement Questions

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Stuck on vintage LeCoultre

I recently picked up this vintage LeCoultre automatic. Still runs but needs some work. It’s an old bumper, a P812 to be exact. After removing the case back and stem, the movement and dial still don’t want to come loose. I want to be very cautious as this is one of the more expensive watches I have worked on. Could be just a stubborn retainer ring? Or is there a unique quirk of this watch that I’m overlooking? Any help would be much appreciated.

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