Jump to content

Replacing crown gasket


Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

I couldn't find anything on the forum regarding this topic, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips on replacing non Rolex crowns gaskets, as I have an old Hamilton crown with a melted gasket that's otherwise in great aesthetic condition. I removed the melted gasket by letting the crown soak in ammonia overnight and cleaning the residue with pegwood. Now I'm not sure how to go about inserting a new gasket or if it's even possible? Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

IMG_9487.JPG

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, watchfellow said:

Hi everyone,

I couldn't find anything on the forum regarding this topic, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips on replacing non Rolex crowns gaskets, as I have an old Hamilton crown with a melted gasket that's otherwise in great aesthetic condition. I removed the melted gasket by letting the crown soak in ammonia overnight and cleaning the residue with pegwood. Now I'm not sure how to go about inserting a new gasket or if it's even possible? Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

IMG_9487.JPG

If you can't locate a new replacement crown (what is so special about it?), you have three options:

- leave as-is

- lubricate the O-ring and try to squeeze it inside the crown through the gap, going around .. Could be fun (not)

- disassemble the crown (that "washer" can be pulled out), insert O-ring, and then try to secure that plate / washer (good luck)

I would go with new replacement.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the response Poljot. Nothing really special about the crown I guess, probably just me being lazy to look for a new one (and this one looks aesthetically great). I will try option 2 before I start the search, although to be honest I have in the past tried to do just that and been unsuccessful. I've also tried option 3 in the past and never had any luck with it. I always end up mangling the washer and am not happy with the result.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, watchfellow said:

Thank you for the response Poljot. Nothing really special about the crown I guess, probably just me being lazy to look for a new one (and this one looks aesthetically great). I will try option 2 before I start the search, although to be honest I have in the past tried to do just that and been unsuccessful. I've also tried option 3 in the past and never had any luck with it. I always end up mangling the washer and am not happy with the result.

Option 2 is tricky, but doable using silicone grease and a small flat screwdriver with dull tip & tweezers. You may even use some electric tape between o-ring and the blade while pushing the o-ring to prevent damaging it.

You may also search here for a new waterproof crown:

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/waterproof-watch-crowns

I wish you luck and hope you will work something out. I am going to spend less time on this forum as I need to concentrate on some interesting and time-consuming current projects with vintage watches (jewels replacement, new balance staffs, etc). TIME for a break :-).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 1/24/2021 at 5:36 PM, KOwatch said:

I had a similar situation, but it ended up being easier ordering a new crown than finding the correct o-ring and reassembling. Still have the old crown though, might get around to it ? 

It actually wasn't so bad! The silicon grease trick that Poljot suggested worked a charm. I pressure tested the case and surprisingly it came out waterproof as well.

On 1/24/2021 at 6:18 PM, Poljot said:

Option 2 is tricky, but doable using silicone grease and a small flat screwdriver with dull tip & tweezers. You may even use some electric tape between o-ring and the blade while pushing the o-ring to prevent damaging it.

You may also search here for a new waterproof crown:

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/waterproof-watch-crowns

I wish you luck and hope you will work something out. I am going to spend less time on this forum as I need to concentrate on some interesting and time-consuming current projects with vintage watches (jewels replacement, new balance staffs, etc). TIME for a break :-).

Thank you for the silicone grease tip, it worked really well. And the case even passed a waterproof test!

The irony of working on watches... there is just never enough time for every project.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I've remained silent on this thread, and at the risk of upsetting everyone, the thing that worries me the most the the apparent absence of Mark. The moderators do a great job and the members also pitch in, and the site seems to run itself, but it is a concern for the future of this forum when the owner is absent for all intents and purposes. Like many of the comments above I would hate to log in one day and things be closed down as I rely on this site for ideas and knowledge and also cheer me up. maybe the Moderators could reach out to him, assuming he does not read this thread, and express our concerns and let us know the plans going forward? some kind of WRT ark
    • That was the exact reason for me starting this thread watchie. Still we haven't worked out how the regulars are going to hook up if it goes tits up. I honestly think something should be arranged to stay in contact, we all help each other so much. 
    • Yeah ive watched that a few times before,  i couldnt find my old school dividers to scribe it up 😅 Yep thats the guy i bought a roll from . Thanks Nicklesilver that answers that perfectly and more or less what i thought an experiment over time would prove . The jumper arm is quite thick along its length, i left it that way intentionally, i thought the original was probably very thin, i didnt see that it was already missing. Setting isn't particularly stiff as such just positive, i still need to take it out and polish where it mates with the stem release. 
    • Yes, "Sold out" is difficult to understand. There doesn't seem to be a lot going on. It's been nine months since any new video was published on the Watch Repair Channel. The Level 4 course on watchfix.com has been in progress for what feels like forever (several years!?). Maybe Mark's enterprises aren't doing well or perhaps already so profitable there's nothing much to motivate him for more material. Or, perhaps these days he's more into crochet. The real reason is probably something entirely different but it would be nice/interesting to know. I don't mean to sound gloomy or pessimistic, but I wouldn't be surprised to be met by an HTTP 404. Every day feels like a gift. Speaking of watchfix.com I've been postponing the "Level 5: Servicing Chronograph Watches" course for a very, very long time. Anyway, I just enrolled on it so it's going to be very interesting to see the videos. I must say, IMO there's nothing really that can compete with Mark's courses when it comes to presentation and video quality. It's simply world-class and makes me associate with some really expensive BBC productions.
    • Steel has some funny properties, or at least counterintuitive. The modulus of elasticity is effectively (not exactly, but close enough) the same for steel that is annealed and hardened. What changes is the point of plastic deformation* . If the movement of your spring doesn't pass that, it should work fine. It looks a little thick, I would thin it a bit maybe from the main body out about halfway, maybe 10-20% thinner (not in thickness, along its form). But if it works it works!   *So- if you have two bars of the same steel, one annealed, one at 600 Vickers (general hardness watch arbors might be), clamp them to a table so the same length is hanging out, and put a weight on the ends, they will bend the same amount. But if you continue to add weight, then remove it, at a point the annealed bar won't return to its original straightness. That's the point of plastic deformation. But up to that point, as springs, they are the same. However- their wear characteristics will be very very different. And getting the hardened bar past its point of plastic deformation takes a lot more effort.
×
×
  • Create New...