CWC movement change, how hard can it be ...............................arghhhhhhhh!!!

[WORKSIMON]

A couple of weeks ago I landed a beat up CWC for the missus off the SC which needed a new movement (thanks John ).

A little bit of research and hunting located a brand new movement and it arrived a couple of days later, within ten minutes of arrival I could hear it calling me "change me simon, change me you sexy beast, it's easy"

Now I've played about with a few watches in my time on here including changing dials but I did spend a while wondering if I should give it a go, but how hard could it be ? So with any thought of sending it off to someone who knows what they are doing tossed to the back of my mind I got stuck in :

Caseback off - check

Spacer and cover removed - check

Crown and stem out - check

Movement out - check

Clean case inside and out and regrease seals - check

Fit dial cover - check

Remove hands - erm this is where it got difficult. My hand removers work fine on my Doxa's etc but could I get them under the hands of the CWC, could I buggery. Its at this point I should have stopped but instead of admitting defeat I carried on and managed to scratch the outer edges slightly getting them off. I really should have stopped here !

Remove dial - the dial feet retainers were really difficult to release but I managed to get them off with no more damage.

Fit dial to new movement - check

Fit hands to new movement - Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!! Hour hand was slightly bent already so it took me a while to get the minute hand to clear the hour hand ok. The seconds hand was a chuffing nightmare and with my eyesight failing I finally managed to get it in place after half an hour and the extended use of every foul word I know initially under my breath but as time went on it got louder, I'm pretty sure the neighbours were wondering who I was swearing at.

Put all back together - check

Check timekeeping - arghhhhhhhhhh bloody arghhhhhhhh, it was losing time quite badly :(

At this point sense prevailed and I hacked the movement and sent a begging letter to our very own dreamboat10 for some proper help. James was a true gent and the watch was duly despatched to his abode. I had managed to set the seconds hand at an angle and it was fouling, James corrected this and for good measure fitted a new crystal to replace the well scratched and worn one, it arrived home today .....





I think from now on, I'll leave it to the experts. now I have to hand it over to the wife but I told her I'd have to wear it for a couple of days to check the timekeeping

[siggy]

ahhhh... a 1992 issued SBS, what a watch to practice on Simon!

How about trying with a much more common post 2000 version next time :-) , I'd swap you a brand new one if you want!

regards

siggy

[markrlondon]

I think from now on, I'll leave it to the experts. now I have to hand it over to the wife but I told her I'd have to wear it for a couple of days to check the timekeeping

Funny thing is, now you've got that experience you'll probably do much better next time. :-)

[WORKSIMON]

ahhhh... a 1992 issued SBS, what a watch to practice on Simon!

How about trying with a much more common post 2000 version next time :-) , I'd swap you a brand new one if you want!

regards

siggy

you can't beat a bit of wabi though !

[westy]

... Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!! ...

The pause for a breath in the middle made me laugh...

Glad you got it sorted.

Taking in watches for servicing now...?

[hellominky]

Every now and again I have this stupid thought that I should open a watch and try something myself.

I tried it once and it was a complete disaster, which I am wholly capable of repeating if I ever have another moment of madness.

Thanks for confirming again that I should leave this to people born without my spam hands.

Steve

[WORKSIMON]

Taking in watches for servicing now...?

Never in a thousand years I'll stick to bodgering mine and getting James to sort out my mess

Thanks for confirming again that I should leave this to people born without my spam hands.

All ways glad to help the forum and lead the way

[John Wall]

Oh Simon, you do make me laugh !
I'm on duty tonight with the lad who passed it on.
I read him your post and he said rather you than him.
Best wishes to family.
Tell her to wear it well.

[WORKSIMON]

Oh Simon, you do make me laugh !
I'm on duty tonight with the lad who passed it on.
I read him your post and he said rather you than him.
Best wishes to family.
Tell her to wear it well.

Thanks John ;)

I'm afraid I have some bad news concerning the CWC, it is now no longer in my possession :(

I foolishly had a long hot bath tonight and as always I removed the watch from my wrist and placed it on the radiator ( it's at eye level when in the bath so I can admire the watch whilst relaxing)

Luckily for me my wife joined me but refused my offer of a good scrubbing whilst informing me of the events of her day until she stopped mid sentence with a glazed look on her face ..... "Is that my new watch on the radiator ?" she said while in one fluid movement grabbing it and slapping it on her wrist !! ( I have to admit I was slightly proud of her ability to put the NATO on rapidly which made me involuntarily move the flannel without moving my hands)

NO I mean yes but not yet I replied, I then tried to inform her that I needed to carry out more checks on its timekeepng and lume life and bezel action before she wore it to avoid any dissapointment for her. " oh don't worry I'll keep an eye on all that" she replied heading off to bed. I tried shouting after her that I have to adjust he fu fu valve on it to which she replied " I know you are lying now, you keep telling me about the one on my car you have to keep adjusting and testing so it's not going to be on a watch is it !!!" BUGGER !

I'm now sitting on the bathroom floor trying to work out how I can get it off her wrist during the night without waking her, which I know is impossible, it's not going to stop me doing an under the covers lume test with my mag light however, I've just got to work out how to get her wrist in the right position for optimal viewing, I need something for her to grab ........

[John Wall]

Daft as a brush...!

[gingerboy]

Hit her over the head with your meat baton and whilst she is unconscious complete the lume test.... Best make it quick though as I doubt your wee man will inflict too much damage.

Good post though Simon and nice to see you still buggering stuff up :-) at least you are honest about it!

Paul

[WORKSIMON]

I can report this morning that the lume does in fact still work

(just as a side note, doing what I did may result in your wife waking up in the night and asking what you are doing to her wrist with a bright torch, and there may be a few expletives added by her for emphasis, I kissed her goodbye this morning and she said "see you later weirdo". Why most women do not understand WIS is beyond me !)

[Scottishtrunkmonkey]

It's a hetro job for sure

[WORKSIMON]

It's a hetro job for sure

Big D where you been ? Less of your inuendo on my threads :))))