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Please help: watch stopped working

PeterKKB

By PeterKKB
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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PeterKKB New Member

PeterKKB

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Hi,

I'm new here and with mechanical watches. As I mentioned on my introduction I have 2 vintage watches: an Omega Seamaster from the 50s and a Baume & Mercier from the 50s as well (women's bracelet watch for my wife). I really don't know much about watches but have started reading a lot. The only thing I have allowed myself to do was really to snap the back out of the Omega really. Having done that a few times I thought of doing it on the Baume & Mercier as well which was proven a big mistake as the watch is really tiny and I shouldn't have messed with it. I've snapped the back off without using really tiny force and the whole movement came out but when it did it stopped working. I can see that when I wind it the wheels rotate but nothing else really happens and I'm really afraid of what it has happened to it. Any advice or speculation on what it might have happened is more than welcome. I will of course try to take it to a watch expert. Thank you in advance,

Peter  

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jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

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Welcome here. This forum is most about hobbyist and professional repairers giving mutual help. You as an owner will need to give to a reputable local watchmaker, or ship it for a repair estimate, as there is nothing more you can do by yourself at this point. If you were in the UK you could consult BHI online directory, if in the USA consult AWCI. But I see you'ref rom Denmark so you will have to search the Internet.

Edited by jdm
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AndyHull Distinguished Member

AndyHull

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1 hour ago, jdm said:

Welcome here. This forum is most about hobbyist and professional repairers giving mutual help. You as an owner will need to give to a reputable local watchmaker, or ship it for a repair estimate, as there is nothing more you can do by yourself at this point. If you were in the UK you could consult BHI online directory, if in the USA consult AWCI. But I see you'ref rom Denmark so you will have to search the Internet.

Sound advice.

Dropping the watch can damage the balance, or bend the hands. It may cause the balance impulse jewel to end up on the wrong side of the fork. Any speculation as to what may have happened is however speculation. The only way to know for sure is for a professional  to examine it carefully with good light and good magnification.

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WatchMaker Super WRT Addict

WatchMaker

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It sounds like you've been a bit unlucky but, yes, watch movements are delicate pieces of engineering and easy to damage in untrained hands :(

In this case the balance wheel perimeter is really close to the edge of the movement and the pivots could easily have been damaged if you shunted into the wheel when taking the back off. As jdm and Andy say though it would need a professional to look at it to diagnose the issue properly.

As a watch lover I would always advocate someone gets a watch fixed where possible - there are too many nice watches languishing in drawers out there! Unfortunately in a lot of cases this isn't economically viable as repair/servicing outweighs a watch's value. Is this ebay listing the same as your wife's watch?: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-SWISS-MADE-BAUME-MERCIER-GENEVE-LADIES-GOLD-PLATED-WATCH-WORKING/392397560151  If so this gives an indication of perceived value.

Of course if the watch is of importance and sentimental value to your wife then you should get it fixed and cost will be irrelevant. Otherwise if this is something not often worn and with no attachment you might want to instead put the money towards another watch of your wife's choice to get back in her good books. B)

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vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

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4 hours ago, PeterKKB said:

Hi,

I'm new here and with mechanical watches. As I mentioned on my introduction I have 2 vintage watches: an Omega Seamaster from the 50s and a Baume & Mercier from the 50s as well (women's bracelet watch for my wife). I really don't know much about watches but have started reading a lot. The only thing I have allowed myself to do was really to snap the back out of the Omega really. Having done that a few times I thought of doing it on the Baume & Mercier as well which was proven a big mistake as the watch is really tiny and I shouldn't have messed with it. I've snapped the back off without using really tiny force and the whole movement came out but when it did it stopped working. I can see that when I wind it the wheels rotate but nothing else really happens and I'm really afraid of what it has happened to it. Any advice or speculation on what it might have happened is more than welcome. I will of course try to take it to a watch expert. Thank you in advance,

Peter  

    don't blame yourself.    read up on watch repair.  vin

 

3 hours ago, jdm said:

Welcome here. This forum is most about hobbyist and professional repairers giving mutual help. You as an owner will need to give to a reputable local watchmaker, or ship it for a repair estimate, as there is nothing more you can do by yourself at this point. If you were in the UK you could consult BHI online directory, if in the USA consult AWCI. But I see you'ref rom Denmark so you will have to search the Internet.

   there is a watch school in Finnland ?  vin

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PeterKKB New Member

PeterKKB

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On 11/7/2019 at 12:27 AM, WatchMaker said:

It sounds like you've been a bit unlucky but, yes, watch movements are delicate pieces of engineering and easy to damage in untrained hands :(

In this case the balance wheel perimeter is really close to the edge of the movement and the pivots could easily have been damaged if you shunted into the wheel when taking the back off. As jdm and Andy say though it would need a professional to look at it to diagnose the issue properly.

As a watch lover I would always advocate someone gets a watch fixed where possible - there are too many nice watches languishing in drawers out there! Unfortunately in a lot of cases this isn't economically viable as repair/servicing outweighs a watch's value. Is this ebay listing the same as your wife's watch?: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-SWISS-MADE-BAUME-MERCIER-GENEVE-LADIES-GOLD-PLATED-WATCH-WORKING/392397560151  If so this gives an indication of perceived value.

Of course if the watch is of importance and sentimental value to your wife then you should get it fixed and cost will be irrelevant. Otherwise if this is something not often worn and with no attachment you might want to instead put the money towards another watch of your wife's choice to get back in her good books. B)

I'm pretty sure that what happened is what you said: essentially I've used a jeweller's screwdriver to pull the movement out and probably it touched the balance wheel which is exactly on the edge (but didn't know that when I was pulling it out). 

It was a gift and I had paid a lot more than that so I would like to get it fixed! 

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