How Do I Remove The Movement On A Tissot Seastar Seven...

[ricardopalamino]

Hi all , I just got this Tissot Seastar that was in a drawer for 30+ years and I want to service it . I did a little research and found out that it is a front loader where I have to remove the crystal to remove the movement . I was able to remove the crystal and I read that there is a "C" ring I have to remove to get the movement out....so far , so good . Now I'm kinda stuck as I couldn't find any instruction past this point . 

I read somewhere that there are no dial feet or case screws for the dial ??

Do I remove the hands and try to lift up the dial and then loosen the stem screw to remove the stem and crown ?

Any Help is appreciated...Thanks , Louis

[Geo]

Hi Ricardo, the first watch that I service was a Tissot Seastar. You will have to give the stem a really good pull and it should come out. I thought that it would have been a split stem, but mine has a one piece stem. I now use a set of cannon pinion pullers for the job, the type that you squeeze together to do the job.

[Marc]

Hello Ricardo,

 

I've only done one of these myself and I found the same information as you have on the Ranfft website.

 

Accordingly I removed the hands and gently lifted the dial away from the movement which came away quite easily without the "C" ring to retain it. I was then able to disassemble the keyless works and remove the one piece stem to free the movement from the case.

 

That is how I would proceed with yours, however, I would also caution to keep a very close eye on the dial as you try to lift it and stop if there is any indication that you might be distorting it.

 

If I remember correctly the movement in mine was a 784-1 which was produced in both threaded and blank dial foot screw hole variants, which means that there is at least the potential that yours could have dial foot screws and a split stem (if someone has had to replace the movement at some time in the past for instance). If that is the case and the dial doesn't lift off easily then you will need to proceed as Geo describes and give the stem a good pull.

[Geo]

Hi Marc, I did exactly what you described the first time.

[ricardopalamino]

Thank for the advice and support . The gentleman that I got this watch from bought 2 of them for his 2 sons aged 7 and a younger brother in 1967/8 . The other watch had been serviced once but not this one...he said it was in a drawer for 30+ years . I really don't want to mess up anything on it after waiting 30 years to get into my hands . The gent lives in GB and said he bought them in Rugby....I assume that's a location .

 I'm kinda surprised that I have patience with this watch . My curiosity would usually have me investigate it more and probe it a bit . Having said that , I think I will wait a few days to see if anyone else has any positive input on this puppy .

  Mahalo Guys , Louis

[RicardoG]

Hi Ricardo and Geo and Marc.

Just two advises. It will not solve your case, but prevent any worst situation. First, remove the hands however way you use to open the watch. Any abrupt move can damadge the hands and you will have more problems to fix. Second, try to find out the exact positions of the two poles that fix the dial. If you will need to pull out the dial, it will be better that you use force as close as you can to the poles to reduce the possiblility to bent the dial.

Don't forget to post wich solution you got to remove it. Who knows may I be the next to open anoter Tissot Seast**BLEEP**ven ?

Ricardo

[ricardopalamino]

Hi Ricardo and Geo and Marc.

Just two advises. It will not solve your case, but prevent any worst situation. First, remove the hands however way you use to open the watch. Any abrupt move can damadge the hands and you will have more problems to fix. Second, try to find out the exact positions of the two poles that fix the dial. If you will need to pull out the dial, it will be better that you use force as close as you can to the poles to reduce the possiblility to bent the dial.

Don't forget to post wich solution you got to remove it. Who knows may I be the next to open anoter Tissot Seast**BLEEP**ven ?

Ricardo

 

Good Thinking Grasshopper.....Thank You  . You probably saved me some grief... :pulling-hair-out:   ...That's why we keep you around.......just kidding   :D

[ricardopalamino]

I got some valuable new info from another forum .  I will still wait a couple of days incase any one else has any Input . Like Ricardo , BG  referenced care in locating the dial feet if there are any ......We're making progress thanks to the efforts of forum members .

 

 

 

 Today, 09:05 AM   #2 (permalink)

BenchGuy

Senior Member

 

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: Central Texas, USA

Posts: 523

Points: 11 (+)

 

Usually one-piece case designs (including OceanStar) offer a stem release accessible from the dial side. However, they may also be "keyed" two piece stems (the movement will drop out when the crown/stem is turned to a position allowing the male key to slide dialward out of the female key). Then there are two-piece stems that "snap" together...these require that you pull with considerable force on the crown to "unsnap" the outer (usually female) stem from the inner (usually male stem)...the first time you do this on a Patek Calatrava it can be a real heartburn moment.

The Tissot 781 and 783 movements use a friction grommet to retain the dial foot. So assuming you have the 783, once the hands are removed, the dial should lift off. The dial feet should be very close to "4" and "10"...so alternately lifting gently at both should easily free the dial.

Note that Jules Borel list these stems for the 783:
-STEM, 200/1538FDiscontinued - Use 401/470 
-STEM, (DRESS) 1106/OME 1480 6.40 
-STEM, TAPERED SHLD (SEA STAR) 401/1/TIS 782 14.60 
-STEM, TW0-PIECE (BOTH) 360/459Discontinued

So you might want to try turning the crown first and see if you find a position where the movement will drop out. Alternatively, remove the hands/dial as above then lift the set lever to release the stem (assuming it is one-piece).

Regards, BG

[Andyclient]

I can't remember where i found it apart from the Net when i attempted one of these, I have mentioned it before on this forum but couldn't find the article to back it up .

But the procedure that i had read , was that you remove the crystal , that is what the tool no refers to on the case , but a crystal lift will do the job as you know.

remove the hands , then the dial , the dial feet are not held in with retaining screws as is the norm and are friction fit as mentioned already.

On the one i did and the one that was in the walk through that i can no longer seem to find you had to remove the calender works then the keyless works to then remove the stem and then the movement can be removed from the case

 

You don't have a calender complication so it will just be a case of remove the keyless works to remove the stem and the movement will come out

[ricardopalamino]

Thank You for posting this Andyclient... I am feeing more confident with the information my fellow forum members have provided . I have actually used two forums to gather information and as you know , this information can be passed along to other interested parties...    Having said that , I am ready to party on this puppy.. :beerhat:

[ricardopalamino]

 Got 'er Done....

 

 

Thanks to member Marc I had a clue on how to proceed to get the movement out of the case . As a matter of fact he was spot on. After removing the crystal and "C" retaining ring I gently levered the dial off . The dial feet were at the 4 and 10 position and are a friction fit held by 2 plastic or nylon grommets located in the base . I disassembled the setting mechanism to remove the stem and crown and the movement was ready to come out. The dial ring gave the movement a comfortable fit in the case...similar to a movement ring on some watches . When I refit the stem and crown ,I refit the movement and just pushed and turned the stem/crown in after a service lube on the stem . It went in smooth as butter and engaged the setting lever .

I discovered that the movement is a 781-1 caliber and the serial # dated it as a 1969 model...both numbers were stamped on the movement .

 

 

[Marc]

Excellent result Ricardo.

 

That's quite a transformation. I really like SeaStar's and reckon that they are somewhat under rated. The build quality is spot on and the movement design and performance are on a par with several of the more popular brands from that era.

 

Nice one  :thumbsu:

[Geo]

Well done Ricardo, I too like the Seastar.

I hope you remembered to do all the regulating before you cased it! :)

[ricardopalamino]

Well done Ricardo, I too like the Seastar.

I hope you remembered to do all the regulating before you cased it! :)

 

Yes Sir I did . I've made that mistake before on a front loader .

I did find a generic replacement crystal with a tension ring on the bay , but I tried sanding and polishing the original first , with satisfactory results .  I used 2000 grit  sand paper with a dab of automotive rubbing compound sprinkled with water to remove any scratches, ...I find that a figure 8 pattern works best , ...like polishing fiber optic glass . Then I used diamond paste W/oil for the polishing with my dremel .

 

[Geo]

Good man Ricardo. :)

Like you I only replace acrylic crystals if they are broken or show age related cracking, as I like to keep the original profile where possible.