Watch Stem Sizes

[keflin2612]

Hi folks,
Hope you are all well,
This may be a stupid question but does a watch stem have a part number on it and if not how do I measure up the stem for a replacement.
I see "Cousins UK sell Box Sets" but which one do you go if you don't the size beforehand.
Cheers,

Kev

 

[watchweasol]

Hi Individual packets of three are supplied quoting the make and caliber of the movement , assortments are just that a lucky dip and you have to measure the stem or compare it with the broken bit.  The site "windingstems.com"  are useful for finding stems and sizes. well worth a look, There is also the Ronda winding stem catalogue, again a handy reference.  Buying assortments is ok but you must gave access to a Vernier gauge and reference chart/book.

[mikepilk]

I bought a selection of stems. It's a massive pain trying to find one that fits - you have to make several measurements on lots of stems to find something that works. There are several dimensions which have to be correct - I don't think I've ever managed to find one to do the job.

So I always try to buy a new stem if I can get one (Cousins, ebay). If not, it's working through the pile.

Look up the movement parts on Cousins, it will list the stem if available.

 

 

[Nucejoe]

Go by caliber No and its complications.

I have at least a thousand stems and often no joy finding the right one.

Even when you make one fit, it still isn't polished which causes wear in the mainplate.

Do you have the old stem?

Regs

 

[LittleWatchShop]

I have taken a stem with the correct tap and correct key and turned it on a lathe to resolve the other dimensions 

[JohnR725]

5 hours ago, keflin2612 said:

This may be a stupid question but does a watch stem have a part number on it and if not how do I measure up the

usually when looking for a stem you have watch in mind to put it in then you'd have a model number the watch you can look up the stem.

5 hours ago, watchweasol said:

The site "windingstems.com"  are useful for finding stems and sizes. well worth a look,

the winding stem website is nice the other place to look would be the bestfit book.

one of the things you can do if you cannot identify a watch and you have the stem dimensions you look on the website of the book and see if he can figure out what it is. Yes I really had to do that on one occasion and then you find out there still variations you have to look up several watches you find hoping to find the right one.

36 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

I have taken a stem with the correct tap and correct key and turned it on a lathe to resolve the other dimensions 

this was one of the things I was taught when I was in school that rather than making a whole new either staff for stem find one that's close and modify it.

1 hour ago, Nucejoe said:

Even when you make one fit, it still isn't polished which causes wear in the mainplate.

part of the modifying process is once it fits your supposed to polish it otherwise it's kind of an unfinished job and as you noticed an unfinished rough stem is a waste of time.

5 hours ago, keflin2612 said:

I see "Cousins UK sell Box Sets" but which one do you go if you don't the size beforehand.

one of the problems if you new to watch repair is understanding how to ask the right question to get the right answer.

5 hours ago, watchweasol said:

assortments are just that a lucky dip and you have to measure the stem or compare it with the broken bit.

going to the cousins website I swiped some imagery as you can see simplistically they have two types of assortments some of them are in boxes one is in a bag.

As stated above by all of us the miscellaneous bag of stems looks exciting and fun and cheap plot is a nightmare to find whatever you need. Noticing that comes from India I bet you they use a lot of stems for their watches is no guarantee that it's going to fit anyone's watch at all. Somewhere in some group someone was complaining about the picture of what they were supposed to get versus what they got was different. In other words it's an assortment and that's all they're going to tell you.

Assortment in boxes is entirely different. These are actually very very useful if you're servicing usually quartz watches were going through a lot of stems changing them. A notice even have a Rolex assortment.

But this does go back to your original question in order to get a stem you have to have a watch. then with a watch we identify which watch it is hopefully then you can order the stem for that watch.

 

 

 

 

[keflin2612]

Thanks guys for all your advice, I will take a look at the model number and caliber No and try and take it from there.

Cheers
Kev