Jump to content

Cartier Quartz dilemma


Recommended Posts

This is my own watch that I have owned for about 30 years. It stoped a little while back so I replaced the battery. It seemed ok but, I noticed it had stopped again after a short while. I have since tried the battery and it is ok, I also tried it on my quartz tester and there is a pulse. Many years ago it had to have a new movement fitted, as I did not wear it much I hadn’t noticed it had stopped and the battery had leaked. Needless to say I received a rather hefty bill from the goldsmiths because they sent it back to Cartier for the work. Even after that, as I hadn’t began my interest in working on watches and would never dream of opening it up, I still took it to the goldsmiths whenever it needed a battery. I didn’t want a repeat of the new movement scenario! So all in all I have spent a lot of money on the watch over the years, I still love it and try to wear it when I can. My dilemma is, a new movement from Cousins is about £250 +vat. Do I trust myself enough to strip it down and clean it?  Has anyone worked on these or similar? If it was something other than this watch I’d have no qualms about setting about it.

D6C49FB6-DFCA-4C70-8C23-88DB7787C097.thumb.jpeg.e9d64580d074c031cad7bca08332d68d.jpeg8B1993F7-5D71-44A6-B566-7CC0902CF38C.thumb.jpeg.0689f304e9ab3c8945d876301d0af414.jpeg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Caliber 690, classic tank style watch. Its a very nice, timeless design. I would try it, since you've nothing to lose, and it has no complications (date, seconds hand). I haven't done one in a while, but I have done several quartz watches in the past: mostly branded ETA modules, and they're not difficult. The hardest part is aligning the stepping motor in place because they're magnetic and tend to shift. I haven't done one in a while but I overhauled a friend's Movado (he wore it to the beach!) and after complete cleaning and brushing off the rust, I was able to get it working again. I simply used Moebius 9010 for the pivots and keyless works is just standard 9501.

Mark has a video of the ETA 955.412 that shows the fundamental process: quartz overhaul.

 

J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the basis that you can't make it any worse, I would suggest introducing it to a demagnetiser the sort that basically has a magnet on an electric motor that "pulses" a magnetic field and spins the movement at relatively high speed thus clearing (relocating) any debris/sticky oil. This is not really a repair but it can revive an otherwise dormant quartz movement introducing some suitable oil in the right places as well may help. 

Or if you are up to it you could tackle a strip/clean (a proper repair) as above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought the same, got nothing to lose in having a go. I’ve done quite a few quartz anyway. You’re right though, the stepper is totally frustrating, sticking to everything. I have tried spinning it up with my quartz tester, it only ran for a short time and stopped. The movement has been in for over ten years now so I reckon it would be due some attention anyway. I’ve a couple of other things to finish up first, then I’ll have a go.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting, and really handsome. It's probably the nicest quartz watch that I've seen. Dang, it even has nickel plates! That's a first that I can recall. Granted, I haven't been into wristies for more than 2-3 years or so. Pocket watches were my thing.

I'd consider getting some of the special quartz oil for that watch. Moebius makes a number 9000 that is specifically for quartz. It's pricey, but may be worth it. JMHO. Surely others will have different "O"s.

Good luck with your fine watch. Cheers.

 

Edited by MrRoundel
Punctuation change.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like any mechanical watch with gears it needs to be serviced from time to time. These quartz watches are usually pretty simple easy to clean expensive if you break something. Then link with technical information does cross reference to a Ebel Which is handy if you're looking for parts gives you more parts options.  Then personally I do like Moebius quartz oil 9000 as it does work really well.

http://calibercorner.com/cartier-caliber-690/

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • That would be something! Which brings me back to;  
    • you think you're going to sleep tonight you're not, you're going to ponder the question of what makes you think those of the right parts?  
    • Does anyone knows what size case a need for a dial diameter 20.60mm?
    • Sounds like the story with my Rolex. Poor (expensive) job done by an official Rolex dealer with an "in-house" watchmaker, hence I learned watchrepair and did the servicing myself. Same story as I learned with the Omega 861, again poor job by an "in-house" watchmaker by an official Omega dealer. Once your watch goes through that back-door, you have no idea what is going to happening to it 🫣   Quite nice that they sent back the parts which had been replaced !
    • yes that's definitely not right at all. I have a picture one of my friends has a Omega coaxial there was having issues to lose asking me where he should send it. As that's a specialty watch I suggested the service center. When he got it back he sent me a picture so the replace the dial as you can see the hands the mainspring barrel and I think the price was really quite decent considering all the stuff they can replace. So I do know they do change the barrels but the other person I worked at the service center when I would ask questions and unfortunately I can't remember all the answers. I think a lot of the changing a parts is at the discretion of the watchmaker. Plus I don't know enough about the chronographs and whether that would be considered a vintage watch? I take some of the vintage watches may have been sent directly to Switzerland or another service center. Obviously with a watch like the one down below they probably have a infinite supply of parts is its relatively modern vintage stuff becomes more interesting even the watch companies don't have necessarily infinite supply of parts. But no matter what the watch shouldn't disintegrated six months that's definitely an issue.        
×
×
  • Create New...