How to remove caseback on Vintage Bucherer

[chicane]

I am having trouble getting this caseback off of this vintage Bucherer.

It is clearly a snap on caseback with no indentation I have tried to use a watchmakers knife to pry it off to no avail and I also do not want to score up the case or case.

I have so far tried a a suction tool, friction ball, watchmakers knife and special watch pry tool all no go's.

 

Any ideas?

[HectorLooi]

This is definitely a front loader. The caseback comes off only to allow access to depress the winding lever to release the winding stem. The movement is too large to come out through the small hatch behind.

If you wish to remove the movement, you'll have to remove the bezel and crystal first. Use a thin safety razor to open up a crack wide enough for the case knife to go in, then use a combination of wedging and levering actions to remove the bezel and the caseback. For some stubborn cases, specialized case opening tools are required. Use the search tool to find a previous thread on caseback opening tools.

[chicane]

The top bezel came off fairly easily but as you can see I still need access to the back in order to remove the stem and then the movement.

[HectorLooi]

You need to be very careful, now that you have exposed the hands and dial. Remove the hands and store them away safely. Then temporarily replace the crystal before working on the caseback.

Try wedging a safety razor around the caseback to widen the gap enough to get your caseback knife in. Removing the straps may make the job easier.

[HectorLooi]

Can you actually see a gap around the caseback? I'm not sure if this is a monocoque case.

[Klassiker]

Could it be a split stem? Is the movement at all loose in the case?

[LittleWatchShop]

Looks like a snap back to me. I agree with @HectorLooi pot the bezel back on the use a safety razor blade on the back.

[jdm]

On 3/26/2022 at 5:44 AM, chicane said:

watchmakers knife and special watch pry tool all no go's.

Which 'pry tool'? If these haven't worked is because they were not sharp enough. Invariably they are sold with very dull blades, good for nothing.

Also, I always read about about using 'safety razor blades.'  While these can works when you have nothing better at hand, there are better and safer ways. First, as mentioned before a properly sharpened opening. Second, if you think you absolutely need a thin and very sharp blade (I never fount that necessary), use an X-acto knife or similar, with a big chunky handle, which will allow you to fully control the force as opposed to grabbing on the edge of a shaving blade. And in all cases, place the watch into a good holder, possibly in a vice, and if you cant keep the hand away from it, wear a leather glove.