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Posted

Lately I have been having some issues when replacing quartz movements. It seems they run fine when they are static, but when they are worn they do not keep time. This has happened with 4 completely different movements Rhonda, ETA and Hattori. I can’t figure it out. My tools are all antimag, clean and replacement measurements are correct to original. The only thing I can come up with is if I omitted the little bushing that is installed on the pivot before the dial is installed. What do you call that part and would that cause the issue I am experiencing?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

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Posted

Thanks for the response. The watches lose time and/or stop completely. I assume those that lose time are doing so because the periodically stop running. Again, these are all new movements from different manufacturers that are having this issue. My work surface is clean and my tools purpose built. Is there a large failure rate on new movements from the factory that I’m unaware of. Other than that, I can’t explain this phenomena. Replacing a quartz movement in a fossil or sheikh is not rocket science so there are only a very few things I can be doing incorrectly to have it be operator error and I can’t see what that would be. 
 

Hoping someone has run into this issue that can shed some light. 
 

Posted
  On 3/3/2022 at 5:47 PM, Horologent said:

The watches lose time and/or stop completely. I assume those that lose time are doing so because the periodically stop running. Again, these are all new movements from different manufacturers that are having this issue.

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Sorry, I didn't read correctly that these are new mov.ts you're talking about. I have no plausible explanation for that, but I would rule out the lack of a dial washers, that not even all makers use. Complete failure is rare on new pieces, the only I've seen was an "hard to start" ETA, but in the end it kept running.

Posted

Something to try is before assembling the watch a little oil on the pivots (quartz oil (9000) and a run on a line release /demagnetiser to spin the rotor a d run the oil in. You may have been un lucky. The problem may be the movements have been stored. there is no way of knowing how long. Cousins rotate stock so there are no movements left on the shelf.  Who was the supplier or were they different or all from the same one?

Posted

Thank you for the time and brainstorming gents, I appreciate it. I am happy to hear I haven’t missed something here on my end.
The movements were ordered from from a company called Esslinger in Minnesota. I will source some lubricant and give the movements a spin in the meantime. I have gone ahead and ordered new movements from a different company, so once they arrive I will be able to disassemble these to see if there anything glaring in the works. 

Posted

From what I know Esslingers are a reputable Material house, may be just an anomaly in supply. Some movements are supplied hermeticaly sealed others are supplied loose, the sealed ones you pay more for and the lubrication applied in the factory remains un contaminated, the loose onrs can dry out. 

Posted
  On 3/3/2022 at 4:10 PM, Horologent said:

but when they are worn they do not keep time.

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Do you want to define what you mean by do not keep time?

Then your experience with quartz watches do you have prior experience that worked fine or is this your only experience these you had problems with?

One of the zip be extremely careful of quartz watches is your working environment. Everything has to be super clean. Quartz watches do not tolerate anything falling into them. And I was dusted a normal watch would laugh that the quartz watch will have an issue.

Also look really careful in your hands how close to they come to each other or even the crystal.

 

 

Posted
  On 3/3/2022 at 4:10 PM, Horologent said:

The only thing I can come up with is if I omitted the little bushing that is installed on the pivot before the dial is installed. What do you call that part and would that cause the issue I am experiencing?

Expand  

I don't understand what this part you are referring to is. Could it be the dial washer? Could you post a photo of this part?

Posted

Another thing you could check is whether the hands are rubbing against anything, like the dial, crystal or each other.

Also, check if the dial is loose or if any of the dial feet have broken off and whether the movement is fully seated against the dial.

Lastly, quartz movements with the same model number, come in different heights. Were the replacements identical?

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