While Replacing Winding Stem On Gruen Curvex ...

[sabnsad]

Hello!  I am an absolute watch repairing novice.  While attempting to replace the winding stem of my Gruen Curvex from the 40s (I suspect), as I was loosening the bolt screw, I believe I may have unscrewed too much and released the 'bolt piece' from underneath.  If someone could please provide me with further information on how to remedy this situation, I would be very very appreciative!  Thanks so much.

The watch I am working on is a Gruen Curvex 17 Jewel Precision, printed on the inside of the case is the following:

G466293
440 498

[Lee]

you will need to remove the hands & dial & put back in place anything out of the ordinary in the keyless works! good luck!

[anilv]

Lee is right....Sounds difficult doesn't it?

 

But on your watch its really quite simple and quite gratifying. With all the help available here you should be fine tackling this.

 

The only tricky bit is the yoke spring...if you're not familiar with them they can fly off and dissappear. To avoid unnecessary hours on your knees, get a biggish ziploc bag and do the work with the stuf inside the bag (your hand and tweezers, screwdrivers stay outside!).

 

If you're willing to try i'll start you off with the first step (others step as and when required as I don't check back here as much as I'd like to!).

 

Phase one.. remove the hands (I'm assuming you're new to this watch thing.)

 

Prying them off with a screwdriver usually works but this damages the dial and there's a good chance that the hand will fly off. There are hand-pullers of various types but if you don't have one then you can use screwdrivers (carefully).

 

to avoid hands flying off, get out the ziploc bag and stuff the watch in there... set the hand to 12o'clock. use something to raise the level next to the hands slightly.. two credit cards with the hands in the middle should work. (remember watch is in the bag.. everything else outside). Using two screwdrivers together and using the edge of the cards as a pivot, gently pry off the minute hand.. once done, do the same for the hour hand.. here you have to be careful not to scratch the dial. the plastic bag will help avoid this.. remember gentle pressure equally on both sides.

 

This watch looks like it has a sub-seconds, (smaller dial just for seconds). This hand is quite fragile and the pinion (shaft it sticks to) is more so. Again.. gentle pressure balanced on both side. It is also quite close to the dial and you may have trouble getting the screwdriver under it, be patient and it will come off. Another method to get this hand off is to remove the dial and as you do this the dial will force the seconds hand off but I think its easier to break something if you're not used to handling watches.

 

End of phase 1. next.. removing the dial........................................

 

Anil

[sabnsad]

Anil, holy smokes, your help and support is exceptional! I actually anticipated as much of what y'all said and ordered an inexpensive hand remover from ebay lastnight so as to facilitate the process. I expect that this is a hobby of sorts that I will pursue with more

attention than normal, so any accoutrement to help I don't mind picking up on the cheap. Hopefully I'll be able to identify the location for the misplaced bolt piece once I have the movement removed from the dial.

Another question, as I have another Gruen Curvex I'm working on, need to replace the hour hand as the crystal fell out off and was lost and before my noticing, the hour hand snagged and was snapped off at the base. How can I place it in the 12:00 spot in order to replace if I have no point of reference for its position? Any info would be appreciated!!

[bobm12]

Do the watch has a dial? You only posted the back but I'm assuming it is a 3 hands movement with a dial...in any case, check out Mark's videos: 3rd icon from the right in the menu bar. You mignt need a hands tool to set the hands propperly.

 

(So now you have the hands removal tool and the hands setting tool so far... your tool box will be growing pretty fast from now on).

[anilv]

As with any watch part... examine it before fitting..

 

-Is the hand bent? not only looking at it from the top, but also from the side... place it upside down on a flat surface and see. They can be bent back into place but gently.. Try placing it on a flat surface with some 'give' (piece of cloth will do) and press on it to persuade it to the shape you want.

 

-is the lume ok? you may want to re-do it if its crumbly and has holes. warning- old watches may have radioactive material- caution advise! Lume can be bought online.. if you're cheap nail polish in green and white can be mixed to get an appropriate shade (you'll get funny looks if you buy it tho', this is where you need wife/daughter/mother,,etc).
 

-Is the finish ok? black hands can be refinshed by spray paint. Chrome can be polished to a certain extent with autosol but too much and you will wear thru the chrome to the brass. Diamantine gives a good result but not easily available.

 

-Is the post / hand-hole ok? Too loose and you'll be wasting you time to get it to sit right. It will also come off or move if the watch is jarred. Fixable but a bit more work involving staking tools etc.

 

 

 

If the watch has no date then just fit the hour hand to point at 12, 3 , 6 whatever. If the stem is in place, just fit it any old how and align with the hour marker with the crown. Note the hour hand has to be flat/parallel to the dial and also be able to clear the sub-seconds hand (if fitted). Is there is a date function you have to find midnight by turning the crown until the date changes.. Fit the hour hand loosely so you know you're turning in the right direction (most watches don't change the date when set backwards). Once you find midnight, where the date is about to change, wind it slowly until the date 'clicks' into place. Set the hour but not the minute hand. set it forward another 23 and a half hours. the last 30 mins from 11:30pm to midnight is wound slowly to see if the hour hand is at 12 when the date changes. You may need to redo the hour hand setting. check again. Once your satisfied with the hour placement then you can set the minute hand.

 

Once you've got the hour hand in and aligned correctly, then fit the minute hand..making sure it points to 12 exactly. This also has to fit level and clear the hour hand. Check by looking at it from the side as you set the hands through the full range of movement. Check also that it clears the sub seconds hand. For a watch with centre seconds, the needle not only needs to clear the hour hand but also needs to be flat enough that it doesn't touch the crystal (the glass covering the dial in watch parlance).

 

Gruens are good to practice on, good quality movements with nice finish and you can get a spare movement off the net cheaply if you need parts. They also have nice styling but tend to be a bit on the small side for bigger wrists..

 

Hope this helps

 

Anil

[anilv]

ohh... and good luck finding the crystal, If its one of the square ones they are available but need some hunting down!

 

Anil

[Lawson]

I've only been working on watch movement for a couple of months, and am really enjoying it.  Here's what I recommend to you do and have before you start.

 

1. Watch LOTS of Marks videos on youtube and get familiar with the Keyless work system BEFORE you start.

2. If you don't have a Loupe for you eye (3x or 3.5x )... buy one, they are cheap and needed.  Also make sure you have good lighting.

3. Take LOTS of photos with a digital camera ... and I mean LOTS.  Every step you do removing parts, document it with photos from it least 2 angles ... use the "Marco" setting on your camera if it has it.

4. Proceed slowly, carefully and gently.

5. Be confident, and enjoy the adventure :)