What am I missing can’t open Wittnauer

[Cbretonlaw]

Hey guys. I finally located my late grandfather’s watch and band and he has swapped in a Wittnauer that I’m not familiar with. It needs a new battery and service but I can’t seem to open the case. What am I missing? It has an arrow next to the “base metal” engraving And it seems that passed watchmakers have taken their case knife to that spot and to another spot on the side to try to open it but there doesn’t seem to be a gap there to open it with. I tried my case knife and it won’t grab. And I’ve tried to get it to unscrew but it won’t budge. Before I do some damage what am I missing here?

 

 

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[Ishima]

I think you just need a fine edge and a steady hand, there are plenty of cases out there you simply can't open with a conventional case knife.

[Gpsluvr]

Some of those are just very hard to get a start on, without a good gap to get in to. I’ve used a single edge razor blade on a few. You could be required to tap the protected edge of the razor with a wood dowel as well. Then suddenly it will pop off. Afterward it will most certainly require a back press to press it back on. Not pretty or very professional, but without more expensive equipment and experience, necessary.


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[Cbretonlaw]

Thanks. I removed the front bezel and can’t remove it that way. A few of my watches open that way. But not this one. So with the back I have now tried a knife and a straight razor with a plastic mallet with no success. So I guess I’m gonna have to take it over to a pro before I cause damage. Strangely I have never had a problem with a case before out of my 50+ timepieces. But thanks for the help.


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[MrRoundel]

That's an interesting watch. The case looks like a remake of a sixties model that needed special wrenches, 1175, 1200, 1260, that were marked with that instruction. I just worked on my nephew's from the early era, and had to take it out through the front. I used a syringe at the case-tube and blew off the crystal. I then used a crystal vise to replace the crystal. Looking at the back, that would have been my first guess. But his had not bezel, just a back and a crystal.

I like your case. The bezel reminds me of one of the nicest looking Wengers I'd seen. The dial is quite nice, and it's fairly obvious that it's a later manufacture than the 1960's. Are you looking at the back under good magnification? 4X or better would be good to verify that the back pops off where you suspect it might. One thing we know is that it comes through the front or the back. In other words, the movement wasn't assembled like a ship in a bottle, through the case-tube.

[clockboy]

I have encountered this style of case a few times & they can be bloody tight.You will need a good snap back case back opener.

Unfortunately my laptop is broken & I have not yet found  way to save a pic with this mini iPad.!,,,,

 

However here is a vid of the opener I use for the tight ones.