Hello for Mark in Ohio

[MF60]

Hi everyone, I'm glad to learn some things.  I've owned a watch since perhaps I was in the 2nd grade.  That first one was a Timex and it only lasted a few years.  When I graduated from high school almost 50 years ago, I got a watch and, and I still have it (more on that later.  After that first watch I bought or was gifter a Citizen Quartz 5500 which I really liked.  That was in the ealry 1990's.  One day after maybe 10-15 years of so the watchman I always took it to said it was on its last legs.  I bought another and kept that too.  the in 2017 I bought an Apple watch Model A1758; Series 2 which bit the dust about a year ago and I bought a Series 7 last fall.  All this time I kept the old ones and also had picked up a La Bruyere LOGO watch and a second one from a club I was in.

My Dad died a couple years ago and in settling things I took three old watches to a jeweler and $15 each later they were working.  I only asked for a battery replacement and I guess that's all it took.  My two brothers and I will choose which ones we each will take.

But my attention turned back to all my old non-running analog waches - 5 wristwatches and 1 pocket watch.  Over the last week I'd gotten the two Citizens and the two La Bruyere's working.  They are all sitting here next to me and I am excited.

But my oldest watch the graduation watch is not working.  Its a Benrus Electronic watch and the reason I set is aside in the early 90's was I was thinking either the battery was no longer available or a simple battry change would not get it going.

That's what brings me here, to learn from you all and maybe I can get that watch ticking in time for my 50th reunion.  But I don't want to throw good monry after bad.

Mark

[MrRoundel]

By coincidence, I've just been dealing with a couple of electronic watches over the past couple of days. I know that the Benrus uses movement made by ESA, probably an ESA9154 in yours. That's a 12 ligne version of the transistorized electronic watch. It's the same movement that was used by Wittnauer, Elgin, Waltham, even Hamilton, when electronic movements were the rage. I happen to like them. They are usually very seventies looking, and the movements use a circuit board, coil, and mechanical balance wheel to keep time.

It is true that the proper battery (1.35V) is no longer available, at least in any great numbers. The correct battery to use today would probably be a #344/SR1136SW. While they do have a higher voltage rating (1.55V), they do seem to work. In fact, I just put a 394 (1.55V) in mine by accident, and while it was of a smaller diameter, the thickness was similar and the watch is working fine right now. I'll order a couple of 344's soon.

Even if the battery does get it running, it would probably be a good idea to get it cleaned and oiled. While there's not a lot of torque on the wheels, they do a lot of spinning, and should not be run dry in the jewels for long periods, the way a battery will power a watch. JMHO.

If the battery doesn't get it running, be aware that a common failure on these (Again, taking it for granted that yours is an ESA 9150 series.) is the coil goes open circuit. Anyway, I hope you get it (Benrus Citation?) running soon. Enjoy. 

Benrus Citation with ESA9157

Post with ESA 9154

(The post on the 9154 says he has a 9150, but I believe that it's a 9154, as the 9150 seems to have 4 contact points on the coil rather than the 3 the 9154 has.)

 

[watchweasol]

Hello and welcome to the forum        enjoy

[Nucejoe]

Welcome to WRT forum.

[MF60]

7 hours ago, MrRoundel said:

It is true that the proper battery (1.35V) is no longer available, at least in any great numbers. The correct battery to use today would probably be a #344/SR1136SW. While they do have a higher voltage rating (1.55V), they do seem to work. In fact, I just put a 394 (1.55V) in mine by accident, and while it was of a smaller diameter, the thickness was similar and the watch is working fine right now. I'll order a couple of 344's soon.

Mr. Roundel,

This is very helpful.  I'll post a few pictures in the proper forum of the watch face and back, and the battery.

7 hours ago, MrRoundel said:

Even if the battery does get it running, it would probably be a good idea to get it cleaned and oiled. While there's not a lot of torque on the wheels, they do a lot of spinning, and should not be run dry in the jewels for long periods, the way a battery will power a watch. JMHO.

I like this comment because if the 344 battery gets it running, I'll know to then stop it to look at proper servicing.  This watch seems to be a sort of link between traditional mechanical movements and quartz movements.  The movement and electronics cannot be accessed easily.  I think the watch crystal is removed to do that.  

It will make more sense when I post in the correct forum instead of the new member hello forum.  I remember quite clearly when I wore the watch daily I had to be careful because the case + crystal thickness was fairly thick, about 12 mm.  I will buy a calipers because I want to assemble good tools for doing things properly.  This watch will be more of a challenge.

Thanks for the welcome and additional info!  

Mark

[oldhippy]

Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum.

We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. 

[MrRoundel]

I apologize for my missing that the OP's post was in the "Introduction" section. I just saw it in the recent posts at the right of the page. Let me add my "welcome" to the rest. They really are a helpful bunch, assembled from around the world, that frequent the site.  Enjoy your new foray into the world of watches. Again, best of luck with the Benrus.  Cheers.

 

 

[JerseyMo]

something like one of these?

[MF60]

8 hours ago, JerseyMo said:

something like one of these?

The case is similar to the two gold onces, but the face is different.  The origial watchband was like the watch that has a day of "FRI" and date of "10".  But my BENRUS has caledar date not a day of week function.

I don't think I was supposed to post the pictures in this forum but I've done so.  Once I learn may way around I'll post in the proper forum.

I love the watch face on this watch and the gold case, but the movement is enclosed in stainless steel.  May years ago the gold started wearing away and it looks as though the case is a molded plastic that was gold finished.  If the movement is working (assuming I can get a battery) then I would be very grateful to learn if the case and band can be replaced by relocating the stainless steel casing, movement and crystal, perhaps the stem also, to preserve those parts of the watch.

I worked in foundries since Dec 1976 and it's possible the case was exposed to something.  The stainless steel and watch crystal were un affected but the case that rested against my outside wrist was worn. I'm not saying that caused it but it seems peculiar.  The watch was working until the late eaighties or early 1990's and I gave up looking for a battery.  

The last battery that was in the watch is the 3rd photo.

Everyone is so helpful in this forum and one this website!  I am thankful.

Mark

 

[MrRoundel]

Some people have a  high acid content in their perspiration that will basically eat away a thinner plating. My dad was like that. He couldn't wear the same gold-filled watch for very long before it would have the plating looking like that, and worse. The fact that the top of the case isn't discolored leads me to believe that you might have a higher acid content in your sweat. And in a foundry you may well have been sweating a lot, depending on what your job was. Just a thought.

Have you worn other gold-filled watches for a long time where the plating hasn't been damaged like that? If so, then it may well be some sort of external, rather than internal influence.

I think more than 1/2 of the ESA electronics of the time, especially the 9154's, had the battery hatch like yours, where you can change the battery without removing the back. I once wondered why so many parts movements were missing the battery clamp part. I thought people were breaking them during install. I now realize it's because they never had one. You can't tell by looking at the movement, as there are threaded posts in place whether the design uses the slotted hatch or not.

It's certainly worth getting a #344/SR1136SW and trying it out. If the battery didn't leak in the movement then you'll probably be OK. If it did, well, you'll have to pull the back and take a look at what was damaged. Good luck.

 

 

[JerseyMo]

I have a cheap ag10 in this one and its is working fine.

[grsnovi]

Thanks for the intro @MF60 welcome to the WRT forum! I'm also relatively new and I'm in the middle of my first service of an Elgin Grade 313 movement which has been stalled for a while as I was waiting for oil and a mainspring winder. Well, my oil arrived today and luckily I picked up an identical 2nd movement so as I disassemble that one it will help me remember how to re-assemble the first one! I've posted some shots of my watches here.

[Michael1962]

Welcome to the forum @MF60 Hope it all goes well for you.

On 4/20/2022 at 12:14 PM, MrRoundel said:

Some people have a  high acid content in their perspiration that will basically eat away a thinner plating. My dad was like that. He couldn't wear the same gold-filled watch for very long before it would have the plating looking like that, and worse. The fact that the top of the case isn't discolored leads me to believe that you might have a higher acid content in your sweat. And in a foundry you may well have been sweating a lot, depending on what your job was. Just a thought.

My dad was one of those. Ruined quite a few watches by his sweat just eating through the case until some even scratched him, they had got that bad on the back.

He then ended up only buying stainless steel watches where the case and the back were both stainless. He could still make a mess of those over time.

[MF60]

I took the watch to a watch repairer in Cincinnati and he evaluated it.  He put I on a device than could put he proper voltage to it and it was drawing high mA and not moving.  He tightened the contact, but observed advanced corrosion on the inside.  His estimate was a repair cost of $250 or more which I declined.

i really don’t like tossing things into the trash to fill up landfills.

If the movement could be found, or I could find a case, movement of another watch and could swap it with the face and hands on my watch I’d do that for a reasonable price.for now I’m setting it aside.