Jump to content

Two Gasket/O-Rings?

NewToWatches
 Share

Recommended Posts

NewToWatches Watch Enthusiast

NewToWatches

Posted
Posted

I recently bought a Steel Dive automatic watch.  This is a Chinese N35-A based Seiko "homage" watch.  When I shook the watch, the counter-weight felt "muffled." Also the TimeGrapher was kind of all over the place.  So I opened it up and found two silicone gaskets (!?) -- also, a bit of vegetable matter (stem of a dried leaf?) fell out when I had the watch open.

I blew it out, dabbed at the weight with some Rodico to clean things up, and re-lubed the larger of the two gaskets.  It now has a +4s reading on the TimeGrapher with an acceptable amplitude. 

The main concern I have is what I have done to the watch's water resistance (I don't have -- or have access to -- a hydrotester). So I am starting with the obvious:  Anyone have experience with a two-gasket watch?  Maybe I got a Friday-afternoon special (or a lunch time special)?  I won't ask about vegetable matter. ? That falls into the "you get what you pay for" category at some level.  I can't imagine why a watch maker would use two gaskets where one would do . . .

 

-Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NewToWatches Watch Enthusiast

NewToWatches

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just a bit of a thread bump.  Some more poking at the bits has revealed the purpose of the second O-ring.  The first one sits in a channel in the case, kind of where I would expect an O-ring seal to be.  The second seems to want to go around the case back -- that is, attached to the case back before you screw the thing on.  Seems like someone was a bit nervous about the ability of the inner O-ring's ability to keep moisture out.  I re-lubed both, torqued the case back on nice and tight and am going to stop thinking about it.  BTW, the thing has been running well for the past several days, but really torquing the case back down seems to introduce some timing error.   Like +4 s/day with the case back off; +30 s/day with the case back on.  ???  Anyone think that simply  torquing down a case back should change the beat rate?  Am I distorting the case when I do so? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, NewToWatches said:

 Some more poking at the bits has revealed the purpose of the second O-ring. 

I think that if you  had posted some pictures that would have helped others understand the case at hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NewToWatches Watch Enthusiast

NewToWatches

Posted
  • Author
Posted

LOL.  No doubt.  Actually, I didn't discover the second O-ring until I gave the open watch a shake to see why the rotor felt so sluggish.  The second O-ring fell on the floor at my feet, along with a small, dry stem of vegetable matter with a bit of leaf still attached.  No idea where in the watch they were originally, because I wasn't expecting to find either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • ManSkirtBrew
      1972 Bulova President "E" Sea King 11ACACB movement

      By ManSkirtBrew · Posted

      Unfortunately I'm not that lucky. I started on the train side and after I noticed the binding I pulled everything out except the driving wheel to rule everything else out. It still binds. I'm going to double check that the pinion is fully seated on the staff first, then if no joy I'll push the bridge jewel up a fraction of a mm. Fingers crossed!
    • Waggy
      Rado rotor removal

      By Waggy · Posted

      Happy to have helped, great way to start the day with a win! 🥳
    • doober
      Rado rotor removal

      By doober · Posted

      Thank you for the advise!! It worked. The setting screw was a lock/unlock to remove the rotor. 
    • GuyMontag
      1972 Bulova President "E" Sea King 11ACACB movement

      By GuyMontag · Posted

      I have that French tech sheet too, it is a little different than the English one (eg, it doesn't have the auto works diagram). BTW, it looks like you are looking up the case number in the 1979 ABC supplement. The 1974 ABC catalog does have the 3093 case. As you determined it takes the 1222-5 crystal.  When I serviced my President 'A' (which also takes that crystal), I was able to fit a 29.8 crystal from my DPA crystal assortment. Those are, in my opinion, a great deal. The assortment comes with 10 sizes each from 27.8mm to 32.4mm in 0.2 increments. I pretty much use them for any non-armored crystal that takes a high dome crystal. I think they no longer make them but Cousins has still has some in stock but when I bought them they were around $40 for the set and now they are around $100. Still, at 40 cents a crystal it's still a good deal. For the large driving wheel, I remember I once assembled the keyless/motion works first and when I placed the large driving wheel it was interfering with the setting wheel on the dial side as the teeth were not fully meshing and it wouldn't fully seat. If that isn't the issue I got nothing and am looking forward to see how you solve it 🙂
    • Waggy
      Rado rotor removal

      By Waggy · Posted

      Not sure, but just looking at it, it seems like the screw on the right may be a fake? The one on the left may not be a screw in the regular sense at all, rather a 2 position device, I think you need to point the slot towards either of the 2 dots and one will secure and one will open. Like I said this is just my best guess looking at the pictures.
×
×
  • Create New...