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Help with Timex Crystal

Trat73

By Trat73
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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Trat73 New Member

Trat73

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Hello all.

I'm having trouble finding a replacement crystal for a 1976 men's Timex calendar watch. The original is cracked but I can still get a good measurement off of it at 33.2mm diameter and 4.35mm high. I purchased what I thought was the correct one, a PA 472-30 Timex 27914 (which is a 33.4mm, but there was no 33.2 listed in the GS catalog) I broke the first one trying to install it with a crystal lift and the second one isn't faring much better. Should I be looking at crystals that don't even mention Timex? For reference, the watch code is 4655303276. 

Thank you!

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rodabod Distinguished Member

rodabod

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Are you simply try to press in?

If so, and it’s a size larger than usual, then try to flex/compress the crystal smaller before fitting. You would do this with one large cup (on outside of crystal) and one small rubber dome (or another plastic cup if you don’t have one) of around say, 20mm on the inside. Press and you should be able to make the crystal narrow by becoming more concave. 
 

Crystal lifts are more likely to crack a crystal in my experience and are more limited in how far they can compress due to the pressure points. 

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Trat73 New Member

Trat73

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Hi rodabod. Thanks for the tip. I’m using the kind of crystal lift that uses prongs that encircle the crystal and flex it to fit. I broke one crystal after repeatedly trying to install it this way ( I have used this lift to install other crystals with no issues). Maybe I’ll invest in the press style. 
That being said, maybe I bought the wrong crystal?

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JerseyMo Distinguished Member

JerseyMo

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grabbed wrong envelope - here is correct one. you will notice that Timex crystal tend to have a beveled edge.  This fits into the case and created the water resistance seal. This is the main reason finding replacements for Timex can be tricky.

169635709_468350227836097_7163574853332187542_n.jpg

169639626_283477473374271_6532121916969620325_n.jpg

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JerseyMo Distinguished Member

JerseyMo

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The issue is that replacement crystal you purchased is not the correct application.  What you have there is a wrap around crystal. They do not sit inside the case but rather on the outside. Did you notice the small notch?  That fits over the stem. That crystal is made for a much older US Time watch the 1960 Timex Darwin 100.

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