Looking after an old girl - PAM4 service and results

[Qatar-wol]

Thanks for looking.

I've had this Panerai for a while now - I had a long-standing WTB up (something like 6 years?) and while I've never bonded with it as I'd hoped (there may be a sales corner thread for it, some way back last year!) I wear it quite often. But it's a 20-year-old watch, and I shouldn't have been surprised when, in June, I noticed an almost imperceptible clicking as I moved my wrist. That was enough for me to get it checked over, and, if nothing else, resealed and regulated.

Off it went to Brendan, Webwatchmaker.com, and I waited for his diagnosis.

Off comes the back. Basic Unitas of course, but at least it's no Brooklyn Bridge special. (Brendan's photos here.)



And the problem was pretty obvious, I think, and made me feel better about my instincts - the two dial feel had snapped off, and the dial was moving slightly. It couldn't move much, or even rotate, as the pinion for the constant seconds at 9 prevented that. Dial, missing the feet, and the feet still clamped in place on the movement.



But Brendan knows a man, and some new dial feet were laser welded in place.



Everything was screwed up tight, and the watch was back with me.



As far as I know, this is the first time it's been serviced or checked in its 20 year life, so I'm happy to have spent the money. Communication with Breandan was first-rate, and the watch hasn't missed a beat since I received it back, of course! I might not make it go another 20 years before its next service, mind, but when it needs it, I'm sure Brendan can have the job again.

My pic.

[alfat33]

A nice looking watch and a satisfying job.

A long time ago I took an old valueless watch apart and was very surprised by the design of the dial feet. They look reasonably robust but were much thinner where they were attached to the dial. I’ve noticed a lot of dial feet are like that. It’s almost asking for them to shear at that point, especially during servicing. I wonder if any of the forum’s watchmakers can explain why they are designed like that, rather than a solid, single diameter pillar.

[Webwatchmaker]

A nice looking watch and a satisfying job.

A long time ago I took an old valueless watch apart and was very surprised by the design of the dial feet. They look reasonably robust but were much thinner where they were attached to the dial. I’ve noticed a lot of dial feet are like that. It’s almost asking for them to shear at that point, especially during servicing. I wonder if any of the forum’s watchmakers can explain why they are designed like that, rather than a solid, single diameter pillar.

I can only think that the dial feet are thin at their base so that they can be moved slightly in order for the hand pivots to be perfectly centralised. However it really weakens a dial such as this one because the dial weighs about the same as a two pound coin. A sharp shock would therefore easily snap them off.
In this instance the case bar screws were loose which meant that the dial was not securely pressed against the inside case front/bezel, and why the feet could therefore break off.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[alfat33]

Thanks Brendan, that’s helpful.