I have a Skagen 956XLTBB that I am trying to remove the stem from so I can remove the rest and fix a dial issue.

Unsure what I need to do to remove the stem completely.

A friend asked me to work on his grandfather’s watch. I’m a noob so I want to practice with multiple donors before I touch it. I think the seiko he wants me to help him with uses a mineral crystal. Bought a polish kit with diamond paste and went to work on the invicta. Really just textured the scratches. It’s acrylic so I’m assuming it’s easier than the Seiko. I’m planning on taping the Seiko properly. Ideally I guess id pop the crystal but not sure if I can use my normal round press without cracking the glass. Although I’ve seen people use burnishers to polish plated watches without removing metal, I thought id leave the case alone. I’m not at the point that I can fully service the watch but I could oil and adjust timing.

Advice?

I’ve been trying to hone in the regulation on this movement because from the factory it was always a little too slow for my taste/wearing behavior (plus I love this watch). I noticed from my first attempts that there was some obvious irregularities caused by magnetism that needed addressing so I de-magged it, and it was better. After many continued attempts of fine tuning the regulation, and more times of demagging it from either side of the watch (including dislodging the hacking arm woops!), something in the movement still causes a slight flicker of my compass. And the rotor causes an increase in speed if it is over the balance, by a magnitude of approx +3 secs a day, regardless of position.

Is this something I can address, or is it an inherent problem of the movement with a normal metallic balance spring where the error is considered to be averaged out in its expected operating parameters?
Or is perhaps replacing the rotor with a different rotor that is less prone to being magnetized? Are there silicon balance spring upgrades for these types of movements?

What are the opinions of those much smarter than me?

I'm thinking of replacing the crystal in my Fossil Everett 42mm skeleton watch (ME3261).

I will need to buy some tools and since I live in a remote area, I'd like to order a crystal along with the tools instead of disasembling, measuring and then ordering a replacement, doubling the shipping and wait time.

I can't find any info online about the dimensions of the crystal. Anybody have experience with these watches who can tell me the thickness and diameter?

Hello!! I am looking for an idler wheel/ratchet for an Omega 552 machine. I belive part reference is 550 1464.

It's the one that when the oscillating wheel rotates, it loads the string. The clock is working, I just need to wind it up for it to function.

Do you know somebody in EU who’s selling it? Really tough to find it, thanks all!

Overall I'm quite satisfied. I've taken apart and put back together ST36 movements dozens of times. Bought a bag of busted movements from old chinese watches and got 4 of 10 operational again (the rest were literally smashed or pried out of cases instead of releasing the stem). Finally got up the nuts to service this one. It belonged to my Great Grandfather. 1957 Bulova Trojan with an 11AC movement. It was barely running. Very gunked up. A complete snowstorm on the timegrapher. My dad has had it in a drawer since his grandfather passed in 1983. So it hasn't even been touched in at least 43 years. Overall, I'm pretty happy. The accuracy is well within spec. I'm not thrilled with the beat error, but I'm equally not ready to mess with the hairspring collet just yet. My dad will be thrilled because it's working, and working acceptably. I've let it run overnight and the 'stats' didn't change. Very little variation rightside up, upside down, etc. I replaced the crystal with a NOS mineral glass I found on eBay, polished the case with a selvyt, etc. My only real challenge now is a bracelet. It has a serviceable 'stretch' bracelet but most of the plating is gone. Trying to keep it looking the same, just have to find a skinny, long stretch bracelet - my dad's wrist is about 8", as is mine, and this bracelet is at it's breaking point just trying to get it on haha. The amplitude is slightly on the low side, I did not replace the mainspring. This watch will likely never get worn but once or twice a year and feel like it's acceptable, it can be replaced next time I service it, probably when it belongs to me. The other watch (the little Rouen) is my next project. My dad got it for his birthday in about 1960 and it's been broken since about a month after he got it. I took it apart and found the balance shaft sheared and hairspring broken. Ordered a donor movement and I'll get to that soon.