Seiko

I have had a watch laying around my house for about a month. It was a nice Seiko5 with cracked crystal, filthy dirty bracelet and won't-stay-running movement.  I have no BEFORE photo of the wreck. But it had crown at 4, day and date window with black rings.

A friend brought it over - I put it on my timing machine and it barely running. It's his only watch and he wanted to save it, but didn't want to spend too much as he's out of work right now (familiar story).

We talked about alternatives but since it was his only watch and he needed one immediately, I sold him a Seiko5 for $50 that I've had for 10 years. Crown at 3, day and date on white rings.

It was "running fine" for me, but as soon as I sold it to him, it started sulking and ALSO wouldn't stay wound overnight after wearing all day. 

We went over for his 70th birthday dinner Tuesday and he gave it back to me.

• Make my friend start exercising instead of sitting inside all the time (but he's old) & talk him into keeping the Seiko5 with Arabics
• Ignore the broken ones and use all my other watches instead 
• Chuck the two watches out 
• Take movements out, service and rebuild them
• Buy new movements and replace them

The Solution

After 24 hours of contemplation, yesterday I opened his watch, took a look, and decided not to work on the movement.

I got on the phone, called a supplier and ordered 2 movements -- a 7S26C and a 7S36A.  Total cost $150 including tax and shipping. They arrived this morning.

His watch

I boiled some water for a cup of tea, poured the rest into a little bowl with the watch case. After the case was nice and hot, I pressed in a new crystal that I had laying around in my inventory. 

When the case cooled it was snug all around the crystal.

I threw the bracelet in the ultrasonic cleaner for an hour. In that time I pulled the hands, removed the dial, and swapped his black day & date rings for the white one on the new movement. If you don't do this, you might get wonky alignment on the day and date because the replacement movements all assume 3 o'clock crown. I put it back together. 

I cleaned the bracelet with an hour in the ultrasonic cleaner and some toothbrushing. Sparking clean water turned into this soup. 

Installed new spring bars, and viola! Now it's running like a champ AND looking good again.

Now. do I give it to him as a birthday present? Take mine back?

My former watch

This was easier. I pulled the movement out, removed the hands and dial, put the day ring onto the new movement (date ring matched my old one) and put the dial and hands back on. 

Popped it into the case and now its back together again. (Ok, I also cleaned the case, cleaned up the gasket, etc etc)

Cazalea

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