Timex crystal replacement

[Boogi11]

Hi all, very very new to this is go gentle. I am starting to get into watches and have just purchased my first omega speedmaster. As my interest has grown I have got a bit of a bug for watch  repairs and am currently scouring eBay for some budget watches to practice on. However rummaging through my wardrobe I came across the timex below. I appreciate it's worth about a fiver, but it was my grandads watch and I want to give it to my dad for Christmas .

however a few issues...

the crystal is scratched and I am struggling to find one on eBay any ideas where I can source one

It won't wind, I can set the date, time, and spin the hands, but as soon as I try to wind it locks up solid, I am presuming as people say these are hard to repair it would be easier and cheaper to change the whole movement , I have seen some on eBay ( glass cracked) that will do but I have heard the hands can be hard to remove, is this true, any tips. 

Any other thoughts on this or starter watches

 

thanks

 

 

 

 

[Chopin]

The glass is, I'm assuming, acrylic crystal which is basically a thick transparent plastic. If it has no cracks and the scratches aren't very deep you can actually polish it yourself.

You can use Polywatch which is a substance made specially for this (costs 5-6$) or you can use toothpaste which apparently acts the same thing. Never used toothpaste so far.

You simply put some polywatch on the crystal and then with a small piece of rag or a tissue you have to do circular and even motions (in both directions). One thing you have to be careful is that you'll have to put some tape on the face of the watch so as not to polish the case as that might make the finish uneven.

For your second issue. Is your watch mechanical ? If yes then you can simply take it to a watchmaker and get it serviced. I think it most likely just needs a cleaning of the inner components and re-lubricating.

[Boogi11]

2 minutes ago, Chopin said:

The glass is, I'm assuming, acrylic crystal which is basically a thick transparent plastic. If it has no cracks and the scratches aren't very deep you can actually polish it yourself.

You can use Polywatch which is a substance made specially for this (costs 5-6$) or you can use toothpaste which apparently acts the same thing. Never used toothpaste so far.

You simply put some polywatch on the crystal and then with a small piece of rag or a tissue you have to do circular and even motions (in both directions). One thing you have to be careful is that you'll have to put some tape on the face of the watch so as not to polish the case as that might make the finish uneven.

For your second issue. Is your watch mechanical ? If yes then you can simply take it to a watchmaker and get it serviced. I think it most likely just needs a cleaning of the inner components and re-lubricating.

Cheers Chopin,  never though of polishing it, I will give it a go.

 

with regards to the movement It is mechanical however it's very very basic, it's held together with tabs, I think a watch maker would laugh at me, I am comfortable with replacing the movement I can pick a watch up for five pounds, if I have a spare I will try and get this one working with no risk if I can't repair it .

[Chopin]

You can look up the movement it has and buy an identical one and have it replaced if you're keen on originality.

You can't replace it with any kind of movement. It's not just the dimensions but also the hands which won't fit any movement.

[Boogi11]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear, it is a timex with the same movement.

[Chopin]

Got it.

[transporter]

Mate the timex movements are pretty easy to work on, the hardest part is putting the plates together, unlike other movements that have bridges, one for the barreL one for the train a cock for the balance and a tiny bridge for the fork, on these timex movements you have two plates and you have to line up the train the barrel the balance and the fork all at once.

The way to do it is to start with the furthest wheel away from you and with seriously light pressure to hold the plates together between your finger and thumb use an oiler to manipulate each wheel in turn into their respective jewels.

When you get to the hairspring you will have unpinned it during the strip down,  now you will have to re pin the hairspring, beware you will ping the small brass taper pin into another universe to begin with until you get the hang of it.

As for the hands, all watch hands can be a bit of a pain until you have done a few, but with the correct tools it's pretty easy ok.

Also the tabs you mention are I believe dial tabs, theses are holding the dial on, the movement is held together by 4 screws, which screw into 4 pillars that hold the plates the correct width apart.

Your symptoms are to me that the watch needs to be let down and a service given, basically the mainspring  is fully wound but something is stopping the power from the mainspring to be transmitted through the train to the balance, so a little detective work into required to find out what!

I know you can get another movementer for a few quid but then the watch won't be original when you give it to your father, its one of the things I like to try and do is keep original movements and cases together. Your crystal as has been said before is acrylic and can if not cracked be polished to near as dam it new condition.

A watchsmith probably won't work on it or if they do the cost to you might make you baulk, I have no idea just how much one would charge but wether one would work on it I don't know. These timex movements were designed to be throw away, or at the very most the whole movement complete would be stuck in a cleaning machine then rinsed and dried and then oiled and put back in the case, the mainsprings have a coating on them that doesn't need lubing and can be cleaned in situ.

There are tech sheets for Timex movements on the Web as there is a timex forum, which has the whole lot ready for download, they are very handy.

I have are soft spot for the old timex movements as it was the first ever movement that I fully stripped and serviced when I took up this hobby.

Have fun what ever you decide to do and don't be afraid to aressk questions that's what we are here for ok

[JerseyMo]

I have  a soft spot for Timex as well.  If you need any parts I may have one or two here somewhere

 

 

[transporter]

JerseyMo, wow that's a spares collection you have there mate, atleast you seem to have concentrated on one make, ive got bits and bobs from so many, drivers the wife mad

[JerseyMo]

The ref book is from 1973 but should be okay - 

 

 

[JerseyMo]

you can save the one you have!

- use very fine sand paper and rub against the scratches until they fad

- use wet extra fine  sand paper  and rub in circles until you see a milky slur

- wipe off and use a dremel felt wheel charged with Crystal bright.  <<< find this on EBay 

use the dremel on low speed and go again in cirlcles.  be sure to keep the felt charged with poilsh as to not burn the plastic.

It will come out great.  I've done hundreds this way.

Poly watch?  use it as the final polish to bring out the gloss.  That is about all it is good for.

Toothpaste?  - well it is good for your teeth 

[JerseyMo]

as an alternative I have worked with Greg Ward from Woodland Tech - He is located in Lincolnshire.

does great restores on all type of time pieces.

[JerseyMo]

Here is the process in pictures -   This one comes from a 1964 Viscount (Auto Timex)

 

 

[JerseyMo]

and here is the watch after the restore -

movement service - case cleaned and polished - case-back seal replaced - new band.

ready for the next 53 years and will be sold under by EBay seller id of pack43

they really do keep on ticking!

[Flipper66]

I have a Vintage Timex Watch 47870 Movement 3272 from 1972. While I appreciated these Timex movements and watches where mostly seen as disposable items and a lot of the weight is leaning towards people views to scrapping these movements rather than servicing or repairing them, I would like to try have it serviced in the UK but struggling to find a bona-fide service centre willing to take it on. Any suggestions would be appreciated. P.S. you might recognise this watch as the Timex model Burt Reynolds wore on a Navojo watch strap in the movie "Smokey & the Bandit".