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A fossil working on a Fossil:

KarlvonKoln
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KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

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What the Sam Hill is an anachronistic dinosaur like me doing working on a quartz watch???  Set an 1892 Elgin in front of me and I'll know my way around. But, fellas, peering under the bonnet of a modern quartz is like looking at an alien landscape for me.  I cannot, however, say no to a polite request (which can be a fault at times).

But I did manage to get it sorted!  Woohoo!

My buddy, the vintage watch dealer, said it belonged to a friend of his who really liked it and just wanted to see it working again.  So I'm a softy for that approach. The thing had fresh batteries, and would still simply sit there twitching the second hand around the 32-second mark.  My buddy serviced it as well as he knew how, trying everything he could think of, but it always behaved the same way.  

I checked the batteries, stem position, cleaned contacts, you name it. I was even researching the stepper motor. Then, on a whim, I put the stem in while the movement was out of the case...and it RAN!  Without stopping.  So the case was preventing something.  I looked for some spot where it might be shorting on the case metal, and that's when I noticed them: tiny near-invisible scuffs in the inside of the crystal about where the 32-second mark would be.  Turns out the second hand was bent upward and rubbed on the crystal there.  I bent the hand down a tad and put it back on.  Runs like new now. Has been for hours.

That was it???  Thank heavens, of course, but now I have a slight case of "imposter syndrome".  I don't feel like I really did anything. 

20210322_065526.jpg

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