Lucien Piccard battery change

[ibewbro]

Hello to all! Im new here and I'd First like to say, Thanks for having such a informative website! Without sites like this many people would be lost! Thanks again..

I have a Lucien Piccard 14k gold watch with the model 22478...I would like to change the battery Im having a hard time...I did a little research and what I found is that its what I believe to be a front loader...I was able to pull out the crown but how in the world to I get the glass off? Im looking forward to getting this bad boy running and adding it to my collection..Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[HectorLooi]

Welcome to WRT.

Some photos would be helpful, or else we'll be just shooting in the dark.

[ibewbro]

6 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

Welcome to WRT.

Some photos would be helpful, or else we'll be just shooting in the dark.

Here you go

[HectorLooi]

Could you get a close up side view of the watch to check whether this watch has a bezel?

[ibewbro]

Here you  go..Hope this helps! Let me know if you need more pics..Thanks! 

[HectorLooi]

It looks like your watch has a bezel ring. Use a sharp, thin bladed knife like a craft knife, and slowly but carefully try to wedge the blade into the crack between the bezel and watch case. You need to work your way all around the bezel. Wear a glove or protect your hand with a piece of cloth. Once you manage to widen the crack then use a thicker blade and open up the crack further. 

It can be difficult with some really tight bezels. Sometimes a bezel opener is required. 

To close it up, you will need a case/crystal press too. I don't know if you have these tools. 

[watchweasol]

Hmmm    I find it strange that to fit a new battery you have to dismantle and remove the movement from the case.  Was the stem a spit stem, if so that is a clue that it may well be a front loader, If so Hectors advise will get you in.

[jdm]

20 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hmmm    I find it strange that to fit a new battery you have to dismantle and remove the movement from the case.

Agree. It seems a regular snap back to me, using a small module by the distance from date window to dial edge. 

20 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

  Was the stem a spit stem

OP said he pulled out the crown, what that means we can't know since he didn't post pictures of that. I'm afraid that force pulling a regular stem may have damaged the keyless works. 

Then sometime opening a watch without the proper tools may be relatively easy (disregarding any scratch added), then the issue is closing it not having a press, more improvisation, more risk and adventure. 

[ibewbro]

Thanks for all the input guys! Its definitely not a snap on back..There is absolutely nowhere the back opens...Im just going to leave it alone before I do damage to it and maybe bring it to a jeweler.

Thanks! Bill

[Flubber]

Perhaps you could post a photograph of what the stem looks like when removed from the movement ? If you're supposed to remove the stem it should have a notch in it to snap on the stem part still in the movement. If you're unlucky and you need to remove the movement by removing the glass you may need a special crystal lift tool to minimize the risk of damaging anything, especially when putting the whole thing together again.

 

https://blog.esslinger.com/how-to-replace-a-watch-crystal-using-a-crystal-lift/

Edited February 14, 2021 by Flubber
Spelling ...

[jdm]

 

1 hour ago, Flubber said:

 you need to remove the movement by removing the glass you may need a special crystal lift tool to minimize the risk of damaging anything, especially when putting the whole thing together again.

Not always. On many contemporary "front-loaders" the flat crystal cannot be grabbed in any way, and there is no bezel either. So one has to uses a syringe type tool, or the like, to pop it out. However on these normally have  a caseback and a regular stem removal method.

[JohnR725]

Looking online is not entirely helpful. Your case model number is actually found on quite a few types of cases at least as far as dials go or whether it's yellow gold or white gold. Then somebody selling one of these watches claimed that they couldn't get into the movement because it's a frontloading case.

As it appears to be your crystal has to come how it I found a almost worthless video. Hopefully your stamina crown does not look like there's. The only thing of interest is how to remove the crystal. Which does show the tool you may need. I can't tell from the side view of your crystal whether it's plastic or something else? It does sort of look like plastic and this tool would work otherwise it's air pressure to pop the crystal. Just be careful not to get really enthusiastic with the air pressure as undesirable things can occur.

https://youtu.be/FAjDGOoheeQ