Pocket watch stem/case?

[Doninvt]

I have a ~1980 Lucien Piccard hunter pocket watch, and the stem has come loose.  The first question, though, is how to access the movement?

With a wrist watch back, I'm used to looking for a slight groove intended for a pry tool (if that's how it comes off).  I don't see that on this watch, or even know if access is supposed to be from front or back.  The seams seem pretty uniform all the way around.

[Gpsluvr]

Look for a slight space by the stem, otherwise it may not have one. The easiest way to pop it off is to slide a single edge razor blade anywhere along the seam and try to lift it up. A sharp knife blade will work, but I hate to chip knife blades up. I keep a box of blades handy. Steve


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[saswatch88]

looks like you can fit a sharp blade in there pretty easy, some of these old pocket watches had a groove shaved under the lid in order to fit a case knife under it, if you get it off you can do it yourself making it easier to remove next time

[Doninvt]

There's no wider groove, but when I stuck a case knife in in popped right off.  I think it would be that tiny screw closest to the stem?

Also.. on the wider shot there's an empty screw hole showing on the lower right edge of movement.  Should there be a screw in there to hold the movement?

[Nucejoe]

You are right on both counts, a screw in the empty screw hole is just to keep the movement in place, 

As for the winding stem:

1- Tighten the screw all the way down , without stem inserted

2- Unscrew about a turn and half, try inserting the stem in as you are pushing on the screw, turning the stem as you insert may help the stem to fall into place.

3- if the stem didn,t get in, unscrew half turn more, repeat section 2.

4- if needed, next, unscrew fourth of turn more, repeat section 2.

If you keep unscrewing, at some point the set lever on the other side of mainplate may get loose and detach from the screw.  ,,,,,Trouble,,,, 

Any further loosening of the screw, may let the set lever detach, so should unscrew in very small amount, push on the screw as you try inserring the stem into place.

 

[Doninvt]

Thanks for the help!  Since the stem was sliding out freely, there was no need to loosen the screw at all, but good warning for the future when I DO want to take the stem out.