Help Replacing Orient Screw Down Crown

[koolburro]

Hi everyone, I am just getting into the world of amateur watchmaking and one of my projects is a Orient Mako XL I picked up for cheap on eBay. What's funny is I've already accomplished the hard part which was getting the movement working again. Now, I need to find a replacement crown as it is completely missing. The winding stem and plunger (not sure the appropriate term other than plunger, it's the piece that slides up and down the end of the stem that attaches to the screw down crown and fits snuggly inside the case tube) are all intact and in good condition. I can attach some photos in a bit...

I've searched high and low on the interwebs to find a supplier of Orient parts and have come up dry. Has anyone had any luck contacting Orient directly to get specific parts? What would be great is if I could find a parts directory for Orient to be able to find the actually part number for ordering.

Otherwise, I'm not dead set on it needing to be an original Orient crown. This being a screw down crown I'm not sure how hard it would be to find a generic screw down crown that would fit.

[bobm12]

Welcome to the forum koolburro, I have also tried to find Orient suppliers but had no luck. Maybe we'll get another member that can steer us in the right direction!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Geo]

Welcome to the forum, I'm sure someone will help you out.

[frenchie]

how about this :

http://orientwatchusa.com/customer-service/spare-parts-request

[koolburro]

Thanks for the replies… Frenchie, I have actually found that form and have submitted a request, just waiting to see what kind of response I get.

 

I have attached a couple of images to help. There is a tube that is attached to the stem that slides in and out of the case opening. I believe the original crown somehow popped off the end of that tube. If you look at the pictures I have the stem with the missing crown sitting next to the same stem but with a fully intact crown. I pulled this one off of another Orient Blue Mako and it seems to be identical to the XL, so it's a good reference. 

I have found that ofrei.com has replacement screwdown crowns (New Screw Down Crown Group 4), but it doesn't seem like it's exactly what i'm looking for. Unless i'm missing something… Has anyone replaced a screwdown crown before who may have some advice?

 

[frenchie]

Welcome BTW !!!!!!!!

 

The crown seems to be broken. The thicker part on your stem should unscrew. You'll be left with the stem (really bent, consider replacing it while you have it out), and the broken crown (in 2 parts : the part you turn between your fingers when winding the watch, and the part that screws on the stem).

There should also be an o-ring somewhere. like on the ofrei link you posted. This goes between the crown and the tube to keep water out. Make sure you place it back.

[Maurice]

Hi Koolburro. When ordering a replacement screw down crown you need to know:

1. If its an internal or external threaded tube(yours is external)

2. The thread diamer.

3. The stem tap size 0.9mm = tap 9 etc

4. The crown diameter.

5. The crown thickness.

 

Or. as orient  are seiko 7 series base movements take a chance on one of these it may fit out of the box!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SEIKO-CROWN-AND-STEM-FOR-MENS-SIZE-DIVERS-SKX007-SKX009-7S26-0020-/201254868659?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2edbb996b3

 

Good Luck!

[koolburro]

Welcome BTW !!!!!!!!

 

The crown seems to be broken. The thicker part on your stem should unscrew. You'll be left with the stem (really bent, consider replacing it while you have it out), and the broken crown (in 2 parts : the part you turn between your fingers when winding the watch, and the part that screws on the stem).

There should also be an o-ring somewhere. like on the ofrei link you posted. This goes between the crown and the tube to keep water out. Make sure you place it back.

Yeah I know it looks bent, but it's actually not. I'm coming to find that Orient has designed their screwdown assembly very differently than most others. The part that looks bent is actually loose on the stem but that is by design to allow the crown to slide in and out of the end of the stem to then come in contact with the threads on the case. At this point I'm thinking that if I remove the tube portion at the end of the stem and just find a new crown that will a) fit the stem tap size and b) fit the threads on the case that the crown screwsdown to.

 

I did actually receive a reply from Orient USA from their contact page but it sounds like they don't have the part in stock. So I guess we'll see if they can order it for me and how long it takes. The rep said he'll get back to me in 5 business days so I'm guessing it'll be a long process...

[bobm12]

Hi koolburro,

 

I believe that if the stem is not bent, you only need to detach the end where it is threaded to what is left of the old crown. Then find a proper crown replacement if it exist for that tube thread.

 

I did something once I DON'T recommend but it was a fix and an experiment for a worthless watch that is still ticking (so it was either the watch ticking or the watch in the garbage/bin): I drilled though the case since the tube was integral and super glued (oh no!) a new screw down tube (those that comes paired with its screw down crown). Then fitted the new stem to the crown to the watch...you get the idea!.

 

In your case, you might want to check if the tube is integral or not to the case. Then you will get a proper crown (generic) with its tube and install the tube to the case by unscrewing it or extracting the old one and doing the reverse with the new one. Normally they are either pressure fit or screwed in. I use thread locker 222 from locktite (not a glue) on threads. Once the tube is fitted, everything else falls in place nicely.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Bob

[koolburro]

Hi koolburro,

 

I believe that if the stem is not bent, you only need to detach the end where it is threaded to what is left of the old crown. Then find a proper crown replacement if it exist for that tube thread.

 

I did something once I DON'T recommend but it was a fix and an experiment for a worthless watch that is still ticking (so it was either the watch ticking or the watch in the garbage/bin): I drilled though the case since the tube was integral and super glued (oh no!) a new screw down tube (those that comes paired with its screw down crown). Then fitted the new stem to the crown to the watch...you get the idea!.

 

In your case, you might want to check if the tube is integral or not to the case. Then you will get a proper crown (generic) with its tube and install the tube to the case by unscrewing it or extracting the old one and doing the reverse with the new one. Normally they are either pressure fit or screwed in. I use thread locker 222 from locktite (not a glue) on threads. Once the tube is fitted, everything else falls in place nicely.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Bob

 

Thanks for that bit of info... Sounds a bit extreme, and hopefully it wont have to come to that. But if it does, no worries because this is essentially a practice watch I picked up for $25 on eBay. That does also clear up some questions I had about the general replacement crowns found on Ofrei. I assumed the tube needed to be inserted into the case somehow but wasn't exactly sure how. I'm not sure if the Orient case has a removable tube or if it's a part of the case itself. 

 

Anyway, this gives me some info to work with... I will post up here again if I eventually hear back from Orient and if I am successful on just ordering the replacement crown assembly from them.

[bobm12]

Excellent, let us know of the final result and if possible how you got there!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob