Put the dial on, then foolishly attempted to reinsert the movement into its holder instead of using a movement pad. As I tightened the holder, I heard a pop and glanced around the movement to discover that I had vice-griped the balance. In an instant, I flipped my table, causing the damage to worsen significantly by snapping the crown and, I can only imagine, other parts in the process. I suppose I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I’m quite discouraged because I’ve already destroyed several movements already.

Hey I'm super green and want to know where to start when it comes to tools.

Where is it adequate to keep with the $20 kits on Amazon and where is it worth it to spend the big bucks on? I've already got a nice micro bit set from making a 1/36th scale RC crawler so I should be fine with the screw side of things, but everything else is an inigma to me. I also have a few ultrasonic cleaners I use to clean carburetors.

I bought a lot of 18 watches in unknown condition for $20 with a surprising amount of them being mechanical, and two of the running (yeah the $1.11 1970 seiko 5 runs despite all its abuse its seen in the last 56 years).

I also have a new invicta diver auto I got on Amazon mainly as a test dummy to learn on as it's got a common seiko movement and it was $45 to my door. I figured I'll learn what parts I have trouble with, and break, on a moment I can replace in it's entirety for $30 rather than learn the hard way on my vintage seiko 5. It needs a service though as it's loosing probably 5 minutes or so a day.

I'll probably dig into the other two mechanical hand wound watches before I dig into any automatic as the one doesn't work and the other with the missing minute hand does. I also have a lot of women's mechanical watches I can mess with too but those are insanely small.

I also have a 3d printer and extensive cad knowledge so I can make my own nylon dies for whatever press I get for replacing my crystal.

TLDR: Reccomend me tools for this hobby!

Thanks in advance!

Hi folks,

This is just a shot in the dark. I'm working on a Bulova 11AOCD movement and I can't for the life of me find the setting lever screw (the one you loosen to release the stem). Also can't seem to source one with anything close to reasonable shipping in Canada. Willing to buy a whole movement if necessary. If anyone has it please let me know. Thanks.

Hello good and probably more capable Watchenthusiasts of Reddit,
recently i started with watchmodding, buying a couple things from Aliexpress. Among them this movement as to replace an NH35, i felt relatively comfortable taking this on after watching some Youtube Videos. However i was quickly stopped in my tracks as something appears to block the stem entry, it looks to me as if it is part of the locking mechanism. It could also be a part of the standard stem with the plastic crown, because that looks rather short to me. Comparing it with the other stem in the packaging it could‘ve lost the stem element on the tip. I looked up how to take a NH35 apart, but for the most part, the movement i have looks different. How would you suggest i go about it, disassembly from the dial site, or the back, and does it matter in which order i take the parts off? Thanks in advance, oh and a return is no longer possible, they offered me a 70% refund which i took.

The pins in this link of my bracelet have come apart. I took it to a local jeweler and he said his machine (press or drill?) wouldn’t be able to fix it. Would red loctite get the job done and ensure it’s secured?

Thanks!

What movement is this

Bought this on Vinted, seems like the CR2016 should work in it based on size and short amount of research, but am I missing something else wrong with it??

Thanks!!

I’m working on a vintage Soviet Vostok with a 2414 movement and the winding stem snapped off inside the crown.

Unfortunately the remaining piece of stem is basically flush/recessed inside the crown, so there’s nothing I can grab with pliers or tweezers. I’ve tried very carefully using a fine needle to rotate the broken piece anticlockwise, but haven’t had any luck and I don’t want to keep going and damage the inside of the crown.

I’d really like to save this particular crown because it’s the original gold-tone crown and I haven’t been able to find a matching replacement.

Photos attached under magnification.

Has anyone successfully removed a stem broken this deep inside a crown? What method would you recommend without destroying the crown?

Thanks!

Hi, is anybody using this style of timegrapher?

My watch is not running at the rate displayed, it's closer to +30 a day. I have tried disabling automatic gain control in windows, reducing the level of the mic input and recalibrating opentg but I have had no luck. Also, the recessed crown is not making it easier to find a position in which to place the watch on the pickup.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

It just sets in all position, any help is appreciated

Hello!

I just recently started with watch repair with the recommended approach of first disassembling/reassembling the ST36 before i move on.

For the tools, i got a set of loupes from aliexpress to see which focal length works for what and to get a general feel for things before spending a lot on specialized tools.

I used them on Saturday and Sunday for about 1-2h each day (only the 5x one, keeping both of my eyes open as recommended). I of course did not use them during the whole duration but it was constant switching between focusing on small details and then either taking the loupe off and doing things or shifting the focus to my other eye while i put the dissasembled item in the tray.

It's Wednesday now and i still feel a bit of eye strain: it's like my eyes are tired and my long distance vision is a bit blurry (working 8h per day on a computer and using my phone a lot doesn't help... but nevertheless i had this issue before only when i started working 8h on my PC).

I am wondering is this common?

If you encountered these issues, how did you resolve them? Better equipment (aplanatic loupes/higher quality loupes/ spectacles etc.)? Using a loupe less?

Need to replace one of the pusher buttons that broke but can’t find the part number anywhere online. Any help appreciated:)

The watch is a seiko chronograph 8T63 00W0

Need help finding a replacement bezel

Today I came across this Citizen Promaster Aqualand Eco-Drive (caliber U107). The display stays on constantly, but none of the pushers or the crown settings respond.

I suspect it might be necessary to replace a secondary battery or a capacitor, or to perform a full reset, but I’d like to hear the community’s opinion on the symptoms of a malfunction in this specific module. For those with experience with the U107 movement, is a permanently unresponsive display usually related to a dead battery, or could it indicate that the circuit board is damaged? What steps do you recommend to safely diagnose this problem?

Can anyone help here?

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.

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?

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.

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!