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Different shapes are used to open the watch case back. For example rolex has a different way. Are there specific names for each of these case backs? Who creates these unique shapes? I want to know if there are special names for these different shapes. For example, how to call rolex case back?

Hi everyone Having some issues opening this caseback. I've tried with the rubber ball and it won't budge. Can't find a slot on the caseback so I don't think it's a snap on and I'm fairly certain it's not a front loader. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

I have scrolled through the 17 pages on this sub-forum but alas could not find the answer I am looking for. How on earth do I get this movement out!! I have (stupidly) disassembled most of the watch insitu, hoping there would be some magic screw or something I was missing to remove the movement (which will make putting the keyless works back together more fun having not photographed it before disassembly). There appears to be a ring holding the movement in place but that is not going anywhere. Surely, the movement comes out the front and the bezel comes off right? Well I can find no evidence that the bezel comes off nor does my aiming various case knives at it seem to help. Finally, I can't see anyway that my Ali Express bezel remover gets in on the act either. Would one of you more seasoned guys (once you've stopped sniggering, which is quite understandable) be able to enlighten me please? By way of background, I am early doors in the watchmaking journey, and soon hope to transition through the 'destroying everything I touch phase'. My plan, having progressed from ST3600 which I am now comfortable with, is to 'tinker' with some simple job lot vintage hand wind movements (I've finished and refer to Mark's course 1-3 and am also working my way through Alex Hamilton's Apprentice Course, I think they are both excellent). Having succeeded hopefully with servicing a few vintage hand-wind pieces, my plan is to tackle an NH35, before moving on to some more joblot vintage date/automatic movements. My current journey target aims to work through cheaper pieces to end at some slightly more meaningful pieces (some Oris watches which were again relatively cheap auction purchases and a Seiko 5 auction bag). My target is to be proficient enough to service vintage watches as a hobby, and assemble some new pieces which may incorporate something interesting involving my fiber laser (unnecessarily purchased because I just had to have one and have found an excuse to use it on my first assembly project- a flieger with a twist). I guess my ultimate dream would be to one day be able to service pieces from my/wife's collection (at the moment that is so far beyond the horizon I cannot see it, but but let's see how we progress). All help gratefully received.

Little Tissot I'm working on. Trying to figure out what is this Plastic piece on the back. Opened the case from the front and removed movement. This seems like a plastic part, with some rust buildup on the outer face. Anyone have any idea? Can I clean this? Replace? Caseback says 'Tool 108' on the outside, case number seems to be 44648.

What is the name of watch case back in this shape? Is this a type unique to Breitling watches?

Hello everyone, I've been working on a few stainless steel (ss) watch cases and I've encountered problems with screwing the case back off and on (even after cleaning). The problem seems to be that the dry threads which may have been abused in the past have that crunchy gritty feel when opening/closing and are difficult to get started. I accidently got a blob of silicone onto the threads (from the o-ring) and noticed that this really helped, so I then tried a very small smear of lithium grease I had kicking about directly to the threads and all the threads I tried it on were smooth as butter. Then I started thinking back to my engineer training days in Sunny Montrose in Scotland and we used copaslip (see below) on the threads of oilfield service tools, and was pondering if this was a better idea for the threads than the lithium grease as this is what it is designed for. does anyone use anything better or have any better ideas, what do you use, if anything?

I recently acquired an Illinois pocket watch that appears to have a screw on front and back. I was able to unscrew the front with great effort. A lot of dirt and grime dropped out. I need to get the back off. There are no grab points so, I have tried a rubber ball and failed. If it was a bolt, I would use heat, but that’s not an option. I am afraid to use penetrating oil for fear of damaging the porcelain face. I am assuming that the watch is in the 100 year old range but won’t know until I get the serial number off the movement. it is clear, the case has not been opened in a very long time. What is the best way to open it?

I am sweating down my back. These two cases are defying all my efforts. See damage from previous attempts and now I have added on one watch. Apparently one is a pop-off cover and the other is a screw-off? Advice appreciated. Maybe a three-point caseback remover tool?

Was just looking through some posts and saw a watch case back with a paper sticker on it, and also another post there someone was having issues getting the case back off. putting these together in my mind I had the idea of applying a paper or plastic label to the back of a problem case back to reduce the damage should the attempts to open it cause scratches - basically cheap insurance, was looking at either of the following : Plastic version: Paper versions Thinking plastic may be easier to remove than the paper once the back is off? Thoughts?

Hello everyone, I have a problem in casing a Bulova 11 ANACD movement. I attach some pictures of the parts. Since it was an eBay find, there's some possibility that something was really messed up. When cased, the movement (with its ring), slips down toward the crystal. It's tilted in a way that makes difficult to operate the crown. Movement, movement ring, dial seems a perfect match but they fall down with no support from dial side... I have: the white movement ring (seems to be a perfect fit for the movement, maybe not for the case?) Acrylic glass, diam. 31.6 with an inner chromed ring. The ring is totally loose in respect to the glass, meaning that you can remove the ring by simply flipping the crystal and it slips out. It has outer diam. about 29,7 mm, inner about 28mm. I think it's not the original one! Case, diam. 38 mm, opening about 29,3mm. about 31,44mm for the crystal recess. Inner back says model 7313. Dial diam. 28,5mm I've found an original crystal for case model 7313-4, maybe in the original Bulova the dial rest on the crystal ring? Is this the correct casing for that kind of Bulova's? Can the problem be solved by using the correct crystal with tension ring? If so, which Sternkreuz model should I buy: standard ring, wide ring, recessed ring? Thank you very much, Regards.

Hi, Picked this up in eBay for $15 and overall a pretty nice restoration project. First problem however is getting the movement out. I've looked under magnification and don't see any way to slip even a razor blade between the caseback and case, so I'm assuming the movement comes out some other way. I've tried lifting the cystal off with my crystal remover but abandoned this for fear of scratching the case. I've looked through the forum for advice, did see one thread about Benrus in general but honestly couldn't follow it and not sure it applied to my particular watch. Any help would be greatly appreciated since once opened and cleaned and returned to the case, this shoudl be a sweet little vintage piece (the band is original as well, mark Benrus 1/20 GF and in excellent condition).

I received the attached ladies Longines watch, around 33mm. It has missing a caseback that needs replacing. I believe the model number is on the missing caseback. Anyone could offer some advice on how I could identify this in order to be able to get the right caseback replacement? Thanks