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Help needed with a watch

KelSolaar
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KelSolaar Member

KelSolaar

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Hi folks.

So I acquired an old non-working watch to practice what I have been learning, ie clean, diagnose and service/replace parts, re-assemble. It appears to have a non pop-off back, an assumption I briefly came to based on the fact there is no 'lip' under which to insert a tool and I remember Mark did a video/lesson segment covering this scenario.

Please would someone be kind enough to help me confirm my suspicions are correct (if this is possible by just looking at the photos)?

The watch is a 'Services' brand watch, the crystal appears to be plastic, heavily scratched, so I'm presuming this may be a 60's watch... feel free to shed any light on background too, guys. So enough blab, here are some photos, hopefully you can see the watch back and how it joins the case, it is exactly the same all the way around the circumference. 

 

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frenchie Distinguished Member

frenchie

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Posted

Are you sure there is no lip? Often, front-loaders have a smooth back, not something like you have, where there seems to be an edge of some sort... I could be wrong. Zooming in on the pictures, even the case material seems different, which would again point to a regular case back that opens with a case knife. If it seems overly tight, a razor blade is your best bet to get started (Once the blade is in, a sharp case knife will do the trick).

KelSolaar Member

KelSolaar

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Thankyou. Given what you say (and the fact it cost 10 pounds and is never going to set the world alight with it's beauty) I may try and prize it off.

ricardopalamino Distinguished Member

ricardopalamino

Posted
Posted

It does seem to be a pry off case back and frenchie's advice about using a razor blade should work . I use an inexpensive utility knife for this for safety in handling the razor . Also I have seen case backs that gave no clue to removing them so I use a hand removing tool to see if the watch has a split stem .  If it does have a split stem then of course you have to remove any bezel and the crystal to gain access to the movement .

Good Luck .

KelSolaar Member

KelSolaar

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Well, I used my watch back remover tool, a little black machine with a slider and it came off. Definitely no lip btw.

The watch didn't appear to have any charge in the main spring because I wound it and then tried to release the clutch on the wheel, can't remember it's name, and it didn't move. Hey presto, stripped watch and found a snapped mainspring:

 

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KelSolaar Member

KelSolaar

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Oh, and I've dated the watch to 1961. I was correct in my estimate of age plus that makes this thing 'properold' so I'm quite happy on both counts. 

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