Rolex case back opener

[eezy]

I've just bought mrs eezy what I think is a nice little Mirvaine watch as one of her birthday presents. There's a bit of mystery attached as to how these watches have come to the market. Supposedly they are NOS from the 80's. Consequently the battery needs changing but it's a milled edge Rolex type back.

I don't have a Rolex type kit and have tried all my Heath Robinson ways but the back won't budge so I need to get a device to open it. Looking on Cousins they do individual dies. I've measured the diameter from the outside edge of the milling and it's 26.5mm. The nearest die is 26mm.

Am I measuring from the correct points and if so will the 26mm die do the job?

Thanks

[nickelsilver]

Even if the die is the right diameter there's no telling if the actual "knurl" matches up. The regular Jaxa or LG case wrenches as well as the bench mounted Bergeon types will have pins with two sort teeth each, which will grip almost any knurled back. Not as well as a dedicated die, but for oddball brands where no die is available it's really the only way. Or you can try the rubber ball trick.

[vinn3]

are you sure it is a "rolex style" of back remover?

[eezy]

2 hours ago, vinn3 said:

are you sure it is a "rolex style" of back remover?

errr...no! 

It's a divers style watch and the back has a milled edge. I feel sure I've read somewhere that it's a screw back but info is scarce.

Nickelsilver 

Thanks for your info. I didn't know the Jaxa had toothed bits. I've just checked mine (Chinese copy) and it does not have those bits. I see Cousins do a kit of replacement bits including the tooth type (I think) so I'll give that a try when it get's here.

 

[StuartBaker104]

I didn’t know how much I needed a rubber ball type case back remover until I got one. Just be careful where you buy it from if you’re in a hurry. I got one from Amazon as I was getting some other bits, but it shipped from China and took weeks to arrive!

[vinn3]

2 hours ago, eezy said:

errr...no! 

It's a divers style watch and the back has a milled edge. I feel sure I've read somewhere that it's a screw back but info is scarce.

Nickelsilver 

Thanks for your info. I didn't know the Jaxa had toothed bits. I've just checked mine (Chinese copy) and it does not have those bits. I see Cousins do a kit of replacement bits including the tooth type (I think) so I'll give that a try when it get's here.

 

    some high end watches come from the factory with a "case back wrench'"  .   have you seen one of those?  vin

[eezy]

No I have not seen these wrenches.

The story goes that Mirvaine were made in Brazil and were a top seller in South America for many years. They also had an office in Switzerland and some watches used a Swiss movement. They went bust in the 80's and were dormant until the name was bought in 2014 in Switzerland but there was no further production.

Supposedly a shipment of these watches were found in Manchester and recently came to the market. The watch I have is reckoned to have an early Miyota quartz movement but until I can get the back off that is all I know.

As regards the sticky ball I've never used one but I'm guessing it relies on suction? The centre of the watch has a brushed finish and I've tried my usual suction device but it does not grip.

I'll try these Jaxa bits when they come but failing that might have to try  ''superglue the nut to the back'' solution. Unless that is, there are any other ideas.

Thanks everyone for comments so far.

[mlfloyd1]

The rubber ball uses friction. The ball is slightly deflated to cover the entire case cover. You’ll have to press down against the cover really hard and give it a lot of umphhh.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RCDesign]

Glue a big nut to the back using superglue - let it cure - screw the back of using a wrench - done!

I have opened many "stuck" cases this way - works like a charm!

When the back is off - just let it sit in acetone for a while or boil it to get rid of the superglue (remember to remove the gasket)

Edited January 14, 2019 by RCDesign

[TexasDon]

Have you seen this tool?

www.ebay.com/itm/Fine-Watch-Repair-Tool-Back-Case-Opener-Cover-Remover-for-Rolex-Tudor-shus/183492246412?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

[eezy]

9 hours ago, TexasDon said:

Have you seen this tool?

www.ebay.com/itm/Fine-Watch-Repair-Tool-Back-Case-Opener-Cover-Remover-for-Rolex-Tudor-shus/183492246412?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649 

Link does not work for me but thanks.

I managed to get a fair bit of torque on it using the Jaxa and improvised bits but it's not moving. I'm just waiting for the toothed pins to try that next.

Superglue - last resort.

[TexasDon]

Sorry that the link didn't work. The opener comes with a bar style wrench and 6 different dies to fit Rolex and Tudor style backs for less than $20. You should be able to search using those terms in the original link if you have any interest. If not, then I hope your toothed pins allow you to open your watch. Keep us posted on your progress, please.

[eezy]

Well the toothed pins did not work so had to resort to superglue.

Left it to cure for about 6 hours and it worked no problem. So now I have to take a peek inside and see what horrors there are and remove the nut and superglue from the case back.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[measuretwice]

On 1/15/2019 at 5:11 PM, eezy said:

Well the toothed pins did not work so had to resort to superglue.

I've hot glued a large jar lid to a back before and worked perfectly, posted it here somewhere.  Its quick, no danger of the glue running where it shouldn't the hot glue peels off without much trouble

[AntiqueHorology]

On 1/13/2019 at 1:46 PM, StuartBaker104 said:

I didn’t know how much I needed a rubber ball type case back remover until I got one. Just be careful where you buy it from if you’re in a hurry. I got one from Amazon as I was getting some other bits, but it shipped from China and took weeks to arrive!

So much this. I used to waste a lot of time traveling to and from my watchmaker (30 minutes one way) to open and close these types of backs. Now, the rubber ball works 90 percent of the time. Of course, I have some every so often that are either cross threaded by someone else or the gasket has disintegrated within the threads.