Tag Heuer (transitional) 2000Quartz Chronograph 273.006 movement trouble... sort of...

[Tudor]

Been away for a long bit... Hope everyone is well!

Working on my first "good" watch today, the above-mentioned Heuer. Before I fixed watches it was in for service almost weekly as I was knocking one or more hands off each week when I went skiing. I don't ski any longer, but I fix watches. 

I purchased at least one donor watch (maybe two) over the last ten years or so trying to get mine running right again. The last failure was the bracelet fell apart and it hit the concrete. Hard. Turns out one of the pinions came out of its pivot on the Dubois Depraz 2000 chronograph module that rides on the ESA quartz "tractor".

Fast forward to today. With a transplanted movement not working, yet mechanically sound, I resorted to replacing the quartz module. Pretty easy- four screws and a bit of luck not losing them, and you're done. Did lose (and find) two screws (one twice) and got 'er all buttoned up with a new cell and... IT'S ALIVE!!!!! But there's a catch, (there's always a catch) which prompted me to write today.

It seems there is more than one quartz module for this movement. I have an NOS ETA 555.112 / 555.115 module installed and it's running but the original watch is geared to "tick" twice a second (120BPM) but this module is running at 60BPM, or "half-time" for the watch gear train.

So, does anyone know the correct module so I can swap it (again), or perhaps even HAVE one in their parts stash I could purchase (or swap something for)? It's not the most valuable watch in the world, but it's my first good watch and I'll never part with it (working or not), I just rather it be working so I can enjoy it now and again.

Thank you all for the attention! I eagerly await your replies along with the pointing and laughing!

[rjenkinsgb]

Could it be the 955.112 module?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166811379351

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404275431316

That's mentioned for a TAG watch in this post:

https://yu-john.hatenablog.jp/entry/2022/09/26/221931

 

 

[Tudor]

I figured out it’s the quartz module. 
 

The chip needs to be marked M379 (like the one I removed) to be 120bpm apparently.
 

The other/normal 60bpm chip is marked B202. 
 

Looks like I have to buy a complete tractor movement to get the module… so I may swap the entire tractor in. I’ll decide at some point but this info may be useful for others in the future. Or perhaps you want to make a 24-hour dial watch (delete the date) with a custom dial or something. 

Edited June 21, 2024 by Tudor

[AndyGSi]

Are you sure it's a 555 as it's very unusual to have 2 circuits for the same movement?

Edit

After a little digging is yours a Heuer 185 which should have the 555.232 which is a 2Hz movement?

Further Edit

After further digging the circuit with the M379 chip is from the 555.232 and Borels may have them.

http://cgi.julesborel.com/cgi-bin/matcgi2?ref=|[[H[KZ

Edited June 21, 2024 by AndyGSi

[rjenkinsgb]

According to this, you could possibly swap the quartz movement for an ETA 2892-2 mechanical automatic, with the chrono module added back?

https://watchguy.co.uk/prototype-omega-speedmaster-reduced-quartz-eta-205-111-with-dubois-depraz-chronograph-module/#comment-1014365

You would need to check the movement heights match and are suitable for that case, though.

[AndyGSi]

Just had a thought if you'd tried any testing on the existing faulty module?

[Tudor]

I ordered an NOS tractor with the correct module in it. This way, if there is another problem I can address that too. But I suspect the module will have it running correctly again. 

Re the 2892 conversion: I am aware of that but stem height is probably different, and also my dial says “quartz “ on it. 
 

Further I don’t know if the 2892 is compatible (timing wise) with the quartz Depraz module. Might be a different Depras for auto v quartz. 

On 6/21/2024 at 4:02 PM, AndyGSi said:

Just had a thought if you'd tried any testing on the existing faulty module?

Existing module with new battery is non-responsive. 

Edited June 23, 2024 by Tudor

[AndyGSi]

So if you've not done any testing on the faulty module then it could just be the
crystal or coil that could be transferred from a number of other different circuits.

[Tudor]

I suppose that could be true but why risk damaging the small parts overheating with a soldering iron? If no modules existed I suppose that would be an option but they are available. 

[AndyGSi]

It's a lot cheaper option than a new circuit and if it's already damaged and not working then there's no risk of damaging it any further.

Can I also ask why you call it a tractor?

[Tudor]

The ESA/ETA quartz movement is the “engine” or tractor that drives the Dubois Depraz 2000 chronograph module that is piled on top of the movement. This provides the chronograph functions, holds a magnifier for the date below and the hour and minute hand pass through for normal time keeping. (Running seconds are diverted to the 12 o’clock sub dial). 
 

it was always referred to as a tractor to me so that’s what I’ve always used. Possibly not technically correct. 

[Tudor]

Late update:

I stalled the module from the donor movement and it’s running fine. 
 

Close to 20 years inoperable, several donors and finally it’s alive again.