Something wrong with antique pocket watch stem

[theeagle]

I have received a 60+ year old (I was told) pocket watch as a present. The stem keeps falling out, so I can't wind the watch or adjust the time on the watch. What is wrong with it, and how can I fix it? It's hard to see even in person, but the tiny threads on what I think is also the watch stem seem fine (picture 4).

https://ibb.co/P9DsPgr
https://ibb.co/VLphyDR
https://ibb.co/R9vnsLr
https://ibb.co/bHGFgtH
https://ibb.co/GCTbHZ1

Edited December 26, 2022 by theeagle
BBCode pictures didn't work

[JohnR725]

8 hours ago, theeagle said:

What is wrong with it, and how can I fix it? It's hard to see even in person, but the tiny threads on what I think is also the watch stem seem fine (picture 4).

We have to make certain assumptions based on your pictures. Normally I would've said that these stem is broken and would have to be replaced. But looks like your crown is just really really long and it just unscrewed if you're lucky. Look at the end of your crown and see if there's an opening to thread on to the stem.

So if it's not broken off and it just came unthreaded the stem has to be removed from the watch to put the watch back in the case. Then the credit card has been threaded on the crown with the possibility of a little thread locking compound to keep it from unscrewing again. It all back together and then put the stem back in the watch it would be fine providing it's not broken off. And that's assuming that that crown it really is as long as it appears to be. Normally the crown part that with threat on the stem is really short in the stem would be much much longer than yours

 

[theeagle]

Unfortunately, I don't think this is the issue. The stem just slides on and off the threaded bit. I've checked with the clockwork out of the case as well to see if I could thread it on. The crown just spins and spins (with the whole stem).

[JohnR725]

That means if you cannot attach the stem to the crown you'll need a new stem and probably a new crown. For the stem will have to identify the movement to figure out what stem you need and the crown that's going to be an issue. Although if you're lucky and the crown still has functional threads in its then you just need a stem but it's probably going to be both

[theeagle]

So it sounds like from what your saying the crown is the whole bit that slides out, and the stem is the male part of the connection. Shame it won't all be original anymore, but at least the watch will work. How do I find the parts? I'm not sure what you mean by "identify the movement". Do I need to find the parts to this exact watch?

Thanks.

[theeagle]

I now know what a movement is. Forgive my ignorance. The only identifying features apart from "Quartex" and "Anti-Magnetic", which I see on the large rear gear reading clockwise starting from the top, are either N0(0) or M0(0),  Jewel, A1, CO., China. Of course without the commas and with the dots and parentheses. It is very hard to read the first thing.

[JohnR725]

On 12/26/2022 at 10:38 AM, theeagle said:

Shame it won't all be original anymore,

Unless we can figure out some way to get the crown to thread back on the stem and stay there then you'll have to replace parts if we can find them which is unlikely at least for the movement.

It's hard to tell in the picture is whether the threads at the end of the stem are still good or not? Then yes that should thread into the crown if it doesn't stay in place it's probably the crowd that stripped which is good because getting a new stem for your watch will be impossible because it cannot be identified it's more than likely Chinese and the Chinese typically do not supply spare parts or service manuals or anything helpful because they never expected their watches to be serviced

Then because I really do need to see pictures to remind me and clicking on links isn't helpful I've extracted out all your pictures I'm going to attach them so I can see them for future reference

Because it looks like your stems still has threads we could possibly get a stem extender. This'll be something of threads on the existing of threads which means you might have to trim those threads back farther to get a good thread part and then that threads in 282 which has a thread on the other end so basically just makes your stem much longer.

Then because this case has a lid that opens up with a pushbutton you have to get a crown that has a pushbutton typically they're not as long as your crown. So usually what happens is the crown threads on the stem and there is a tube that goes over the stem that the button pushes on that pushes on the case To open the lid up.

So for an example of crowns we have this link notice a pocket Watch crowns, variety of styles and this isn't all there is way more styles a pocket watch grounds but were looking for a relatively modern crowns style. I think somebody may have perhaps overestimated how old your pocket watches so are looking for more modern crowns style with a pushbutton

https://www.esslinger.com/pocket-watch-crowns/

Then you'll notice in the link above if you click on the left-hand side you will get to this page below which has what I think is probably the crown you're going to need you just need to pick the right diameter and they're all tap 10.

https://www.esslinger.com/watch-parts-refills-pusher-type-pocket-watch-crowns/

You'll notice that the replacement crowns are considerably shorter than yours so you'll need a stem extender to extend your stem to the crown's in the a tap 10 stem extender and we don't know what stem size your watches probably 10 but we don't actually know so we left figure that out. Then because the crown isn't as long it also need a tube that goes over the stem that the crown pushes on to activate your case so that the lid opens up. So you need some tools to do some metalwork. Then yes if we can figure out the Chinese watch and get a replacement stem of the right length you wouldn't need a stem extender and it's probably 10 anyway but that's a Chinese pocket watch that no one's ever going to identify probably and even if we did there is no parts typically for Chinese watches.

 

[theeagle]

Sorry it's been so long. I think the threads at the end of the stem are good. The crown will not screw on, so it must be stripped. As for the crown, which diameter do I need to measure, its inner diameter? For the metal tube I need for the new crown, can I just take it off of the old one? If I can't get a new stem, and I can't identify it regardless, should I just buy a tap 10 stem extender to see if it fits? And what tools do I need?

Thanks.

[JohnR725]

10 hours ago, theeagle said:

For the metal tube I need for the new crown, can I just take it off of the old one?

It be nice to have a better picture of this. In other words can you pull the tube off?

Then we'll have to look into what numbers you need to order your crown.

[theeagle]

I cannot simply remove the tube to my knowledge.

I realized I can wind the watch manually by turning the gear if the stem is pushed in. It will not start ticking, though. Does that mean there is something seriously wrong with the watch? Also, something somewhere rattles when I shake the movement. Maybe that helps somehow.

Edited January 6, 2023 by theeagle
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