closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Date change problem - any forum members who can service quartz watch movements?

  1. #1
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Somewhere near Manchester Airport
    Posts
    813

    Date change problem - any forum members who can service quartz watch movements?

    My Bell & Ross Demineur has a small issue in as much as the date doesn't always change over at midnight and sometimes sticks between 2 dates.

    It doesn't always do it - if it does, I just alter it by either rotating the hands around again to midnight and resetting the time or alternatively I just use the quick set date change.

    I'm aware of the don't change dates just before/after midnight.

    Everything else works fine so I don't think its simply a battery issue.

    Any ideas what's likely to be causing this?

    I've used various decent watch repair guys over the years but they don't tend to touch quartz - any forum members out there who would be able to have a look at this and sort for me?

    Cheers,
    Phil

  2. #2
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    sussex uk
    Posts
    633
    Just a random thought but are the hands fouling each other and stopping it?

  3. #3
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Wakefield, West Yorkshire
    Posts
    22,498
    It's highly likely that the movement needs stripping down, cleaning and re-oiling carefully. I`ve fitted new quartz movements that have suffered the same problem, they're probably old stock and the lubrication on the date wheel has either dried up or never been applied.

    I`m concentrating on my own watches for the next few months, otherwise I`d offer to fix it. Quartz movements can be a pain to work on but in most cases there's no reason why they can`t be stripped down like a mechanical watch. This will be a modern ETA movement so it should be straightforward.

  4. #4
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Wakefield, West Yorkshire
    Posts
    22,498
    Quote Originally Posted by lew07 View Post
    Just a random thought but are the hands fouling each other and stopping it?
    Unlikely, why would it suddenly do that? Fouling hands is a problem that manifests itself in the first few hours, it can happen if the clearances are v. tight or the hands have been distorted by the last monkey to work on the watch, but it's not a fault that would crop up after a few years.

  5. #5
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Somewhere near Manchester Airport
    Posts
    813
    Quote Originally Posted by walkerwek1958 View Post
    Unlikely, why would it suddenly do that? Fouling hands is a problem that manifests itself in the first few hours, it can happen if the clearances are v. tight or the hands have been distorted by the last monkey to work on the watch, but it's not a fault that would crop up after a few years.
    The hands aren't sticking as timekeeping is ok so it sounds like the movement needs a bit of TLC.

    I suspect that the B&R was new old stock which could be why it's started doing this.

    Sent from my Moto G (4) using TZ-UK mobile app

  6. #6
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Wakefield, West Yorkshire
    Posts
    22,498
    How old is the watch? Generally, quartz movements will run for over 10 years without issue.

  7. #7
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Somewhere near Manchester Airport
    Posts
    813
    Quote Originally Posted by walkerwek1958 View Post
    How old is the watch? Generally, quartz movements will run for over 10 years without issue.
    Not sure.

    It came to me via the sales forum where its changed hands a few times over the last few years.

    I think that B&R offloaded quite a few of these maybe around 10 years ago when they were no longer part of their current range which probably explains the undated warranty card. It seems to be only recently that the date has started sticking - it doesn't do it all the time though. Not sure if any of the previous owners had issues with this - there's certainly no mention in any of the sales posts.

    I'll keep a note of when it happens just in case its only on particular dates.

    It doesn't bother me too much as it gets worn in rotation with other watches, though I suppose that having to occasionally reset the date does somewhat defeat the "grab & go" object of a quartz watch.

    Let me know if you get to a stage where you fancy a look at it!

  8. #8
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    South East
    Posts
    459
    Assuming it is a common eta movement then it won't be much that could be wrong, if it hasn't been serviced for an unknown time then it might be worth just servicing the whole movement or replacing it. Replacing will make sense depending on which eta it is and the cost vs time to service.

    If you want to go cheap then i'm sure someone will take the dial and hands off and diagnose/sort the problem. It would probably only be one of the following parts (again if common eta quartz movement); date jumper, calendar wheel or calendar driving wheel. None of these are expensive.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information