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Removing Chronograph Hands

ro63rto

By ro63rto
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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ro63rto Distinguished Member

ro63rto

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi all.

A while back I bought a job lot of watches. (Roamer, Swiss Emperor and a few others)

The main reason I got it was for the Breil One chronograph. My brother always liked mine so I kept my eye out for one to give him. Paid £27 for the lot.

20141116_12151301.jpg

After around a year later, it stopped working. Had a look and saw that the cheap maplin cell had leaked. [emoji35] Cleaned all the corrosion but no luck. I can do a hands reset but it refuses to tell time.

I now am about to buy a replacement Miyota OS20 movement.

Q1. How do I know which version it is? I've seen "high hand" description and some sellers (in greece) claim there are a "date @ 6" and "date @ 3-4". Of course date is easy if there are indeed two versions....

Q2. I have never swapped a chronograph movement. Only 3 hand movements. I only have standard Presto hand pullers. What should I buy for the tiny chronograph hands?

Thanks in advance for any answers to the above ramblings or other tips given. [emoji106]

Edited by ro63rto
Davey57 WRT Addict

Davey57

Posted
Posted

I changed my first chronograph movement last week and was unsure how to remove the hands. The hand pullers are just too clumsy and my hand levers were even too big. So, I followed the recommendation of someone who had done many. First I removed the large hands using my levers, then very very carefully inserted a scalpel just under the dial being careful not to get underneath the date wheel or anything else and then gently edged my way around the dial working my way in towards each of the hands. With a tiny twist of the blade I could tell when each hand had released and then I moved on to the next one. To stop the hands flying away when they popped off I trapped them under a small piece of Rodico. Not sure how the dial feet are attached to yours just be careful not to damage or bend them.

I imagine the correct sized levers are available but this worked for me. Sorry I have no answers to your other questions.

  • Like 1
Ishima Super WRT Addict

Ishima

Posted
Posted (edited)

My advice is ideally get yourself some hand setting levers, not the press type removers. You can get the expensive ones, or you can get these cheaper, Indian/Chinese made ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Watch-Hands-Remover-Slim-2-x-Levers-Lifter-Tool-Repair-Fingers-Pocketwatch-Wrist-/281214869349?hash=item4179b65f65:g:u0AAAMXQUmFSk6Sg

These are what I have, but as they come they are not appropriate for use straight away (at least this was true for the pair I recieved), when I got mine i spent some time filing and working over with abrasives and polishes to the get the shape and the edge to something precise enough to use. ( as well as the bottom section made mirror smooth to avoid dial marks, though I always use a cut up piece of a clear plastic bag over the dial and hands when removing, to protect from that. )

Alternatively as Davey suggest, once you have the center hands removed it is okay to simply force the movement from the dial, pay close attention to where and how you're levering the force so you don't damage the dial feet, i used to do this with the dial and movement held at level/just below the opening of a small tupperware container to catch the hands. 
 

Edited by Ishima
  • Like 2
bobm12 Distinguished Member

bobm12

Posted
Posted

Hi ro63rto,

 

Yes, the levers are better but as Ishima said, you need to dress them properly...the smoother the better. I would not recommend to lift the dial to "unhook" the smaller hands. Use the lever! Just make sure you are well under them and almost "sliding" on the pivot so to speak. Once under the hands, it is an up to down movement of the hands pivoting on their curved side.

 

Also, those citizen movements have very fragile pivots and it is easy to break them either when removing or when inserting the hands back. You have to be careful and exert the proper pressure in a vertical way if you are using the hand tool for setting them in.. 

 

The dial feet go in the plastic edge of the movement in their respective holes. They, in my opinion, should be -- although fragile -- more hardy than the pivots. Use a screwdriver to pry the dial from the movement. There are built in slots to do that. If the original 0S20 is 7mm high from the bottom to the top of the pinion you have a standard height movement...they come with the date @4ish.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

 

PS. Here is the data:

 

Outside Diameter: 13 1/2 Ligne or 30.4 mm

  • Movement 4.06 mm thick
  • The height from the bottom of the watch movement to the top of the sweep second pinion is 7.00 mm
  • Dial feet at 2:30 and 9:30
  • Has a date display at 4:30
  • Requires watch cell: 395
  • Requires watch hands: hour 1.20, minute .70, and sweep second .25 mm
  • Has three small second hands
  • Requires small second hand: .25 mm
  • Has NO jewels
  • Stem: 065-441, Tap 10
  • Includes watch stem
  • Miyota/Citizen LTD quartz movement
  • Japanese assembled

I think the sweep second hand (the big one) is not .25 but .17. There might be an error in the page I got that from (esslinger)...at least the 0S10 is that way. Also the small seconds might be actually .26 but don't go by my word...I've worked a lot with both movements and also with the Seiko chronometer V657 et al, so I'm a little mixed up on those measurements at the moment.

ro63rto Distinguished Member

ro63rto

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks bob. [emoji106] Didn't know about their weakness on the pivots.

Now to buy movement from a trustworthy seller.

Somehow that Greek seller that has them for £12 where others are selling for £25 doesnt inspire much confidence.

bobm12 Distinguished Member

bobm12

Posted
Posted

 

Or do as Donald de Carl advises in his books, use the dial to lift of the sub dial hands

Not trying to disagree with both (Donald and you :)  ) but as I mentioned, the pivots are too delicate and one false move there goes US$40!! Or hard to find hand will need replaced! Hands tend to separate from the center.

Ishima Super WRT Addict

Ishima

Posted
Posted (edited)

Not trying to disagree with both (Donald and you :)  ) but as I mentioned, the pivots are too delicate and one false move there goes US$40!! Or hard to find hand will need replaced! Hands tend to separate from the center.

He's disagreeing with De Carl! Get 'im!  :crazysmile: 

(but, no really, you make a good point.)

Edited by Ishima
  • Like 1
ro63rto Distinguished Member

ro63rto

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just found a Miyota pdf showing ALL versions.

[emoji47] There are 12 versions of the OS20 movement. Some are obvious differences but some are very subtle.

Time for some studying before I order.

Thanks everyone. [emoji106]

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