THE BLOWER (SMALL BELLOWS) (OR BULB (BLOWER BULB))
The Blower (small bellows), also called Bulb (blower bulb), is a rubber balloon fitted with a nozzle that projects a jet of air when squeezed in the hand. It is traditionally used, in watchmaking as well as in photography or optics, to drive in the dust and particles deposited on a component, a Movement during Assembly or a surface before Testing, without having to touch it. However, its use remains disputed in modern workshops. The air it propels is neither dry nor filtered: it carries ambient humidity and dust present inside the bulb itself, unlike electric blowing systems supplied with dry, filtered compressed air, now widespread in most workshops. Moreover, the current trend favors dust extraction rather than simply displacing it by blowing, which risks redepositing it elsewhere on the Bench or in the Movement. Finally, it is not recommended to blow on a Movement fully assembled and lubricated: the air jet risks To drive in the oils out of their intended locations (counter‑pivots, jewel settings, oil sinks), resulting in localized drying of the friction points and premature degradation of the rate performance.
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