Repacement Crystal for an Empire Watch Co. chrono?

[ScottMcAfee]

I just purchased this off the goodwill auction for the fun and challenge of repairing and restoring for personal use.  I've done all the research I can find on Empire Watch Company and the Venus 170 cal. but have no knowledge of watch repair other than crystal replacement, stem removal, and battery replacement.  I do have a rinkydink repair kit and crystal  press, and always happy to build out my tool collection.   Good thing Christmas is coming up.

This watch clearly needs a crystal.  I'd normally buy one based on a measurement, but I'm wondering if one of the numbers on the inside watch back might be an indicator.  It's stamped with 104065.  Hand engraved are two numbers: X7010D, and X6683D (as best as I can read).   I removed the crystal in a few pieces with tweezers, and it appears to be plastic (acrylic?) with a band running around the circumference (brass?).  The dome is somewhere between 2 and 2.5mm high.  The diameter at the case is 28.9, and the crystal would appear to rest on a shelf of diameter 28.35mm.  Empire seems to be a relatively unknown brand, and perhaps a label of Etna?  Figure a 1920s-40s watch?  What's the best crystal replacement, and do I glue or press?

Obviously I'll have a lot to do before I get to the crystal replacement, but I would like to order it.

Thanks in advance for any help, and please set me straight if I make any forum noob mistakes.  I'm really excited and looking forward to this new hobby.  I'll try to document my progress on the appropriate board (repair and servicing walkthroughs?) if anyone is interested.  Certain to be rich with things not to do...

[RyMoeller]

Hello Scott,

I'm having a bit of deja vu as I was seriously considering bidding on a watch just like that from the goodwill about a week or two back!  I passed seeing as I already have a Venus chronograph project on my desk.

I'm pretty sure the crystal is a standard non-waterproof acrylic crystal- they are easy to remove and replace with a crystal lift tool.  You can pick up a replacement from Cousins, Esslinger, Otto, etc. once you have the measurements.  I usually go with the Sternkreuz high dome crystals but sometimes a medium dome will work also.  Esslinger has some useful videos on YouTube for properly measuring watch crystals.

The numbers inscribed on the caseback are probably markings from previous services.  Sometimes you'll find a date of service scratched in there but often the markings can only be understood by the person who scratched them in there.  I do like to find them in there though because it means the original owner took some care of the watch.

There's a couple entries for Empire in Mikrolisk although I'm not sure which pertains to your timepiece- Etna looks like the right one. Back in the day, Venus 170 chronographs were sold under a variety of names.  I think you may be correct dating yours to the 1940's though.

Good luck with your project.  I hope you continue to post images from different points throughout the journey!  

 

[ScottMcAfee]

Ry:

Yep, I'm sure it's the same timepiece.  Thanks for not bidding against me <grin>.  Once I joined this community (and I joined because of this watch), I wondered if I'd run into any of my competition.  Note that I did not bid on the pre-moon Omega Speedmaster if you were going for that one on ShopGoodwill.  Hahaha.   I did fall in love with it though.  I really know next to nothing about vintage watches, but I think I'm getting the bug.

Thanks so much for the info on crystals and the case-back etchings.  I will follow your advice. 

I just started a thread in the walkthroughs area if you're interested in the watch or my progress with it.

[WileyDave]

1 hour ago, ScottMcAfee said:

Note that I did not bid on the pre-moon Omega Speedmaster if you were going for that one on ShopGoodwill. 

 

I saw that Omega too and wondered, who would pay that much? I have found a few bargains on goodwill, but seems like lower cost alternatives, (same watch) are avail on the bay. Welcome and good luck with your project!

 

[RyMoeller]

14 hours ago, ScottMcAfee said:

Ry:

Yep, I'm sure it's the same timepiece.  Thanks for not bidding against me <grin>.  Once I joined this community (and I joined because of this watch), I wondered if I'd run into any of my competition.  Note that I did not bid on the pre-moon Omega Speedmaster if you were going for that one on ShopGoodwill.  Hahaha.   I did fall in love with it though.  I really know next to nothing about vintage watches, but I think I'm getting the bug.

Thanks so much for the info on crystals and the case-back etchings.  I will follow your advice. 

I just started a thread in the walkthroughs area if you're interested in the watch or my progress with it.

Ha Ha!  No, I just watched from the sidelines on that Speedmaster!

Saw your thread on the walkthrough.  I'll be following along.