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OMEGA Genève - Can't get the movement out of the case


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Servicing my very first OMEGA (Genève 14K, Calibre 601, please see these images) I’ve immediately run into an unexpected problem. I can’t remove the movement from the case! Removing the Snap-On case back, the case clamps, and the stem was done in minutes, but when I turned the case over to let the movement fall out nothing would happen. I gently bounced the case on a case cushion, but to no avail.

I removed the crystal and pushed the dial with a fresh piece of Rodico in the hope that the movement would come out, but it just wouldn’t budge. So, I placed a small screwdriver in the stem hole and (gently) tried to leverage the movement out. The same result, it wouldn’t budge.

Further investigation gave me the impression that the diameter of the dial could be wider than the diameter of the movement, and if that’s the case it would of explain why it can’t be removed through the back. Question then is if the movement is removed through the front? I’ve never done that so I’m at loss on how to proceed and can only guess.

I should mention that I tried to very, very gently push the movement out through the front, but I just didn’t have the courage to push hard, and besides the hands were still mounted. If it’s one thing I’ve learnt during the past two years of trying to service and repair watches, it is that misdirected force will usually spell disaster.

So, how can I proceed? Should I remove the hands and simply lean on the movement with my thumb until it hopefully falls/pops out through the front?

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30 minutes ago, JBerry said:

Sounds to me like the movement and dial will come out the front. Is the crystal set in a retaining bezel that can be removed?

I don't think so. I can take a picture with the crystal removed. I'll be back tomorrow...

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7 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

Shouldn,t the movement be turned seveny eighty degrees with respect to the case, Some Omega do.

Yes, it would seem so! Just saw this video where Mark Lovick opens en OMEGA front-loader using this technique. He rotates the dial with a piece of peg wood in the calendar window. Mine has none, but I'll give it a go with some Rodico and see what happens.

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I’m beginning to feel somewhat desperate as I’ve tried pretty much anything and everything I could come to think of to get the movement out of the case.

So, today I removed the crystal (again) and removed the hands. I then tried to push the movement out through the front. I placed as much pressure on the movement as I dared to (quite a bit) but it just won’t budge.

Looking at the back of the case through my stereomicroscope I could quite clearly see that the movement won’t come out through the back. As you can see in this image (used a macro lens on my iPhone) there is a case rim and the movement reside under it.

I also tried to rotate the movement inside the case (as Mark Lovick does in this video), and it rotates very smoothly but with quite a bit of resistance. I pushed it around with a piece of peg wood in the groove where one of the case clamps sits. Rotating by pushing on the dial would be impossible as there's way too much resistance for that. However, I felt nothing that would indicate that the movement would be ready to fall out of the case. I rotated it 360 degrees to make sure. The movement feels 100 % flush with the case (super precision!).

Also, I can’t find any hints on the dial side (crystal removed) which you can see here.

So, any ideas? Perhaps see a professional watchmaker, or use a chainsaw? ;) :chainsaw:
 

Edited by VWatchie
Clarifying
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Now is the time to step back and chill out for a bit if you are feeling frustrated B)

https://omegaforums.net/threads/sold-14k-solid-gold-omega-geneve-with-box.49223/

Is your watch constructed as this one? This one is in three parts: Snap on case back, case, and bezel.
Bezel (which retains the crystal) should have a groove for a case opening tool, and with this off your dial and movement should come out handy.

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5 minutes ago, JBerry said:

Now is the time to step back and chill out for a bit if you are feeling frustrated B)

https://omegaforums.net/threads/sold-14k-solid-gold-omega-geneve-with-box.49223/

Is your watch constructed as this one? This one is in three parts: Snap on case back, case, and bezel.
Bezel (which retains the crystal) should have a groove for a case opening tool, and with this off your dial and movement should come out handy.

3

Thank you very much, and yes, frustrated to the point I get tunnel vision!

Now, this looks promising, so I'll have a very close look again (within the next couple of hours) and will be reporting back!

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4 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

Thank you very much, and yes, frustrated to the point I get tunnel vision!

Now, this looks promising, so I'll have a very close look again (within the next couple of hours) and will be reporting back!

Fingers crossed, hoping it's this style of case.

The notch for a case knife may be anywhere along the bezel, in this case (Seiko Chariot) it's opposite the crown.

 

photo_2019-03-11_15-19-41.jpg

photo_2019-03-11_15-19-42.jpg

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1 hour ago, JBerry said:

Fingers crossed, hoping it's this style of case.

 

I feel pretty confident you found the solution @JBerry ! Take look at this picture taken the opposite of the crown:

y4mACGiaRLfV-TMInFOCwpASY6c7GH33m5XdVwTp

The notch was very hard to find as it was filled with human goo making it very hard to see. I inspected the entire circumference through my stereo microscope and it was only then that I started to discern what could possibly be a notch. So, I took an extremely pointed needle that I made from an old oiler (using 3M lapping film) and started to work on the suspected surface. Lo and behold, as I started to dig the notch slowly started to appear. Fantastic! Anyway, the width of the notch is so very, very fine (< 0.5 mm) that I'm somehow still not 100 % convinced. Call me silly, but would you say that this "notch" is indeed the notch we're looking for? I've basically only been working on inexpensive Russian watches so far (because I can get at least 15 Russian vintage watches in good condition for the price of this one), so I guess I'm just not used to this level of refinement and precision which seems to go beyond what I thought humanly possible for the price.

So, the next challenge, find (or make) the right tool for the job. I will definitely have to sharpen my case knife to get it in between.

Again, thank you very much!

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23 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

I feel pretty confident you found the solution @JBerry ! Take look at this picture taken the opposite of the crown:

y4mACGiaRLfV-TMInFOCwpASY6c7GH33m5XdVwTp

The notch was very hard to find as it was filled with human goo making it very hard to see. I inspected the entire circumference through my stereo microscope and it was only then that I started to discern what could possibly be a notch. So, I took an extremely pointed needle that I made from an old oiler (using 3M lapping film) and started to work on the suspected surface. Lo and behold, as I started to dig the notch slowly started to appear. Fantastic! Anyway, the width of the notch is so very, very fine (< 0.5 mm) that I'm somehow still not 100 % convinced. Call me silly, but would you say that this "notch" is indeed the notch we're looking for? I've basically only been working on inexpensive Russian watches so far (because I can get at least 15 Russian vintage watches in good condition for the price of this one), so I guess I'm just not used to this level of refinement and precision which seems to go beyond what I thought humanly possible for the price.

So, the next challenge, find (or make) the right tool for the job. I will definitely have to sharpen my case knife to get it in between.

Again, thank you very much!

Great stuff, that looks like the notch to me! Definitely no tool marks on it though.

The technique for removing is described in Donald LeCarle's book here, but maybe someone here has some tips on removing the bezel more carefully (I, for one would loose sleep over putting a mark on that solid gold case)

 

photo_2019-03-11_17-37-27.jpg

photo_2019-03-11_17-37-32.jpg

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1 hour ago, JBerry said:

Great stuff, that looks like the notch to me! Definitely no tool marks on it though.

The technique for removing is described in Donald LeCarle's book here, but maybe someone here has some tips on removing the bezel more carefully (I, for one would loose sleep over putting a mark on that solid gold case)

 

 

 

2

Mission accomplished! The Eagle has Landed! :woohoo-jumping-smiley-emoticon:

y4m9Y-VLMJvieNBgWeU03zR6U4aLi0xmNB2hAEkD

And if nothing bad happens, I will fall asleep with a big smile on my lips tonight. Thanks a ton for all the help!

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8 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

Mission accomplished! The Eagle has Landed! :woohoo-jumping-smiley-emoticon:

y4m9Y-VLMJvieNBgWeU03zR6U4aLi0xmNB2hAEkD

And if nothing bad happens, I will fall asleep with a big smile on my lips tonight. Thanks a ton for all the help!

:biggrin: Great stuff! Glad to be of help

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