Loose Stem

[Bregan]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm very new to watch repair and also this forum. So hi! It's lovely to be here.

 

Just picked this up as a hobby because I love watches and want to get to know them better but also rescue broken watches that would otherwise be thrown away--even though sometimes they are expensive to repair.

 

Anyway, I recently purchased an old vintage Enicar and it seems great in most aspects. It runs fine, can be set properly and everything. I'm having a small problem with a jiggly stem though and I don't know what is wrong or how to solve it (i.e. is there a way to tighten it, do I have to buy a replacement etc)

 

Basically, the crown sits fine and is decently tight, meaning to say that it takes a decent amount of effort to get it to come out and click into the setting position. However, once pulled out, it is very loose and can be jiggled from side to side and up and down a considerable amount. When I push it back in, it goes in with extreme ease and I can't feel an affirmative click, but it appears to go back into the firm default position I described earlier.

 

What could be causing this and how would I go about fixing this issue. It works fine as it is, but it's a little annoyance that it jiggles and is not normal. I also have the fear that it might eventually get worse and turn into a bigger problem.

 

Help guys, and thanks in advance

 

Bryan

[BeyondWorld]

Sounds to me like the setting lever plate lever is broken.

[bobm12]

Welcome Bryan and hope this problem will go away with the forum's help. I recommend that if you are attached to this watch and have never tinker with one before to send it to a watchmaker for repair/maintenance. This might be an easy fix: two part stem, etc.

 

On the other hand, you can post some pictures so we know what it is all about and start getting your feet wet...we'll try to help as much as we can. In the meantime, enjoy our site!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Geo]

Sounds to me like the setting lever plate lever is broken.

I'm with you on this one. :)

[BeyondWorld]

It's an easy fix if you've repaired this problem a couple of times, but for the first time doing it, it can be a bit daunting, and you can make some big mistakes if not careful.

 

First you'll need to get a correct replacement part.

 

Then you'll have to remove the movement from the case.

 

After that you'll have to take the hands and dial off. (Daunting bit if you've not done this before, you don't want to scratch the dial or bend the hands)

 

Then you'll need to remove the damaged setting lever plate. (big mistake could happen here, which would be losing those screws, they are very very tiny, compared to the rest of the screws on the watch)

 

And then replace the plate with the new one, make sure it's all set correctly, if you aren't sure use a photo of the movement. (Again don't lose those screws, your tweezers have a high possibility of making them jump up into the void, and they may be slightly tricky, without practice, to screw back in)

 

And basically just put everything back together again.

 

There is good news though, the replacement part is normally quite cheap and easy to get, probably under £10.

Edited February 23, 2016 by BeyondWorld

[Bregan]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the very warm welcome and extremely speedy replies. I am overwhelmed. Haha

 

Yes, I wanted to include pictures but I didn't have any. I shall get some for you soon if and when possible.

 

I do want to try this on my own because I am trying to break free from a reliance on professional watch makers (not that I have anything against them or want to deny them my business, but just as an independence thing).

 

Thanks @BeyondWorld, especially. That step by step is extremely helpful. I have removed a movement and separated it from it's dial and hands and reassembled them before. Taking out a piece of the movement... not so much...--I shall endeavour to be careful as ever.

 

Would you happen to have any information about where the best place to start looking for the part is?

 

Also, I promise to update you on how it goes, you wonderful bunch.

 

Thanks loads,

 

Bryan

[Geo]

I have borrowed this photo from the net. The part what is possible broken is labelled "B" on the photo. Yours may well be different in detail, but check the part that looks similar in your watch.

[BeyondWorld]

 

Would you happen to have any information about where the best place to start looking for the part is?

 

My first stop is cousinsuk, but it's a british site, so may not be for you if you're not living in the uk. There are american, australian, etc alternatives, sure someone else could help recommend one.

 

If cousins don't have it I then go to ebay.

 

And if ebay doesn't have it, I'll google it and see what comes up.

 

You'll be basically searching for "Setting lever plate" with the calibre of your watch. 

 

If that fails, you should be able to source a complete movement on ebay, which sometimes works out cheaper than buying the actual part.

 

Also sometimes a watch movement will share parts of other calibres, which can be handy if the calibre you are looking for doesn't turn up. You'll need to do research on your own for that.

[Bregan]

Hi again,
 
Sorry for the slow response. Got caught up with midterm exams and didn't have the time to check back.
 
Anyway, here are the photos that I have of the watch (for your appreciation) and movement (for your appreciation and help, haha).

 

 

 

 

Oddly enough, when inspecting it, I noticed that although, the dial indicates it has 17 jewels, an engraving on the movement itself says "25 TWENTY-FIVE JEWELS". I am just wondering if anyone knows if this mismatch is normal or if I have gotten a frankenstein watch. I would also like to ask for help identifying the movement so that I can read up on it before I attempt to take it apart. I have only worked with ETA 2824-2's before and I can't even find the means to remove the stem (is quick release button on the ETA is not common practice?).

 
Finally, with regard to taking the watch apart, I am fairly confident I will be able to do so without destroying the watch. And although I recognise that the watch is great and doesn't deserve destroying (and I would very much like to preserve it too), I managed to get it for something like 32usd, and so won't really feel the pinch. Moreover, I believe in paying for education, haha.
 
Awaiting more of your help.
 
Bryan

 

PS I'm sorry my iPhone camera sucks for taking movement photos - will invest in a mini macro lens soon if possible

[BeyondWorld]

Educated guess, I'd say that the dials been restored a long long time ago, and they printed the wrong jewel amount.

 

No swiss at the bottom and a bit blobby font leads me to this speculation.

[Bregan]

Thanks BeyondWorld for the #1 reply again. Haha much appreciated.

 

Thoughts on the movement? Sorry for the blur photo can't do much bette with my equipment.

 

Anyway, haven't been able to find much on the web with regard to specific calibre numbers or service guides, could use some help.

 

Oh, I don't think you can see it in the photo cos the back is pretty scratched up but there's a caseback number that might be of some use 100/184 aCS if I'm not reading it incorrectly.

[BeyondWorld]

I think some other people here could chime in on the movement. 

 

My opinion.

 

Enicar as a brand is fairly good quality. 

 

The movement is a bit tired though and has had bit of a life. Could be good practice if you want to service it yourself though.

[ricardopalamino]

I could possibly be an Enicar Star Jewel 200 ...The small screw in the location of the stem may be to remove the stem . Make sure it is turned fully clockwise . Then pull the stem to the setting position and turn the screw 1 turn counter-clockwise and try to pull the stem out . if it does not come out , use increments of 1/4 turn until the stem can be removed . Your watch seems not to have the 2 screws that would connect the movement to the case ring , so after removing the stem the movement should come out after you remove the movement ring with the tabs over the movement .  Normally I would screw the small setting lever screw back in at this time to make sure that it doesn't unscrew from the setting lever , but you are going to inspect the setting lever spring anyway so you don't have to worry about turning in the small screw at this time . 

  bobm 12 mentioned a two part stem as the possible culprit for the loose stem problem , but I have only encountered a two-part stem in a front loading movement , where you have to remove the crystal to remove the movement . So you would have to pull on the crown to separate the stem [male/female ], halves . I could be wrong on this point and open to correction .

 

attachments of an Enicar Star Jewel 200 from the internet showing the movement number 1010 under the balance wheel :