Help Diagnosing and Solving Slow Movement

[DexterL]

Hopefully, someone out there can help direct me towards a solution with this.

I own a Stauer wristwatch with an "Ocho Reales" (historic Spanish silver coin) face.  I have had it now for about 6-7 years.  About a year ago, it stopped, so I had the battery replaced.  It ran for a while, then stopped again.  I had the battery replaced again, just in case the first replacement just happened to be a lemon.  Same thing happened.  So, rather than stay in the same feedback loop (and rather than have it "repaired" by someone), I decided to do some research to possibly do my own repair.

After a LOT of research, much of which piqued my interest not only in repairs but modifications, I decided to replace the movement myself.  What I had learned up to this point led me to the possibility that the coil in the original movement may have malfunctioned/petered out.  The movement is a Ronda Calibre 762 which seemed like a rather simplistic swap-out.  

I purchased a small watch repair tool set, the new movement, and some new hands (the original hands were blued and a little hard to see against the coin face).  The new hands "taught" me that the original hands had collars that compensated for the thickness of the coin face so a movement with a standard dial seat could be used...the new ones did not have such collars, and I had to purchase a movement with and extended dial seat.  The new hands are also slightly longer than to original hands, so I trimmed them back just enough to ensure there is not contact with the face, case, and crystal.  

After getting everything back together, things worked well for a while.  However, it eventually stopped again, and this time when I was on a work trip away from home.  My wife was with me, so she took the watch somewhere to get the battery replaced again while I was working.  I ran for a day, then quit.  And, the back fell off while I was wearing it.  I noticed that it was running with the back off, so, once I got home several days later, I put the back on again (it wouldn't go on without some tool as it's a very tight fit).  Since then, it still runs, but VERY SLOW!!!

So, this is the point where I'm looking for the next level of potential diagnostic knowledge.  I would much rather learn what the issue is and how to fix the problem myself than to take it in to someone.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

v/r

Dexter

 

[watchweasol]

There is the probability that the movement is pressing frorward and the hands are catching the crystal, Exaserpated when the back is on..  \if you have the old movement measure with a vernier the height of the ond movement and then do the same with the new movement. Within the range there are five height versions.  If you look at Cousins UK watch parts and watch movements, then select the ronda 762 you will see the different height versions......          Attaches is the tech sheet for the 762

562_Ronda751,751E,753,751.24,762,762H,763,763.24NEW0114_Smaller (4).pdf

[DexterL]

Thanks for the quick response, watchweasol.  Fortunately, I do have the original parts so I can check to see if there is a difference in the height between the old and new.  If I do find that there may be just enough difference to cause some drag against the crystal, do you have any recommendations on tool/technique to see if I can compress the new set up just a little more without damaging things?  (While I have it apart, I'm also going to recheck the minute hand to make sure it's not bent just slightly somewhere causing drag.)

[watchweasol]

I think the quickest way to diagnose this problem is to remove the watch from the case and leave running under a glass to keep the dust off and monitor its functionality. If it works ok without the case it confirms the theory.

There is no way to "compress" anything to make it fit the case. What you will have to do is to measure the depth of the case and purchase another movement that will fit into the space available with sufficient clearance for the hands to operate. Check with Cousins UK for the movement sizes and be awareof the fact that some have the Calendar/date  at 3 oclock   and  6 oclock positions as well as the height differences.

[Michael1962]

Welcome to the forum @DexterL

Hope you get it all sorted out.