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Thread: Citizen monoblock opening embarrassment. "Ray Mears"

  1. #1
    Journeyman
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    Citizen monoblock opening embarrassment. "Ray Mears"

    Hi folks, I really like these line of watches and snatched up a very early pre "Ray Mears" model very cheaply last week. I thought I could open up and clean the dust under the crystal and smear mark quite easily.

    Turns out knowing a little but not enough is very dangerous and I have got myself into a right pickle and mashed up the gasket seal when repressing in the crystal holding chapter ring.
    Now I am on the route of damage limitation, learning from my mistake and making good the best I can and make a cracking absolute beater of a watch.
    Any suggestions? Particularly about crown removal - no release lever seems to appear when fully pulling out the crown.
    New Crystal is on it's way.

  2. #2
    Is there some kind of tab to the right of the dial (near date window) in any of the crown positions?

  3. #3
    Master Man of Kent's Avatar
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    I've done a couple of these when swapping to sapphire crystal. There is a tab on the side of the dial. You have to be sharp-eyed though.
    You will destroy crystal gaskets taking the crystal out, but also putting it back. You will need spares!
    Also, once you've got the guts out you may as well swap the battery. No point in messing about ever again.
    Also, be VERY careful with the chapter ring, the paint is brittle.

  4. #4
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    Still struggling to get the stem out to replace the battery/cell.
    Pulling out the stem and then pressing down at arrow does nothing, tried side to side too.
    What's the secret?


    I do have the gasket out - but where would I find one?
    Or as this project is going to a one way street could I use glue cement?

  5. #5
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wallyuk View Post
    Still struggling to get the stem out to replace the battery/cell.
    Pulling out the stem and then pressing down at arrow does nothing, tried side to side too.
    What's the secret?


    I do have the gasket out - but where would I find one?
    Or as this project is going to a one way street could I use glue cement?
    Send it to someone who knows what he is doing before ruining it completely.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  6. #6
    Master
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    Im sure you push that tab down to release- ive had a couple of tough ones.
    Cousin's did sell the gaskets - make sure the crystal/chapter ring assembly is 'square' before pressing back in -
    Where was that gasket from?? Im sure ive only ever replaced the white nylon one- don't even contemplate glue!!

  7. #7
    Master Man of Kent's Avatar
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    The white gasket is citizen part number 393-B085 and the black crystal gasket is part no 393-7771.

    Try Cousins. Don't use glue or any other bodge.

    The battery would be part no 295-5600 which is a Panasonic MT920 variant I believe.

  8. #8
    Journeyman
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    Thanks Man of Kent, Popped into Cousins (they are round the corner from me) and they do not do over the counter transactions. Thanked the employee, who was very polite and ordered the seals online. These arrived within 24 hours. White case gasket in stock and I got a spare, black crystal gaskets in stock very soon. Thank you for the advice. For a dummy run I have removed a scratch mineral glass from a cheaper watch and replaced with a new domed mineral. Looks ace and importantly for me, I did it. Nice to create something that's got your own touch to it. Thank you again for your advice and tip on Cousins, once I typed in the case number all the info was there for me.

  9. #9
    Craftsman MarkB's Avatar
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    Solar watches all tend to have a flat crystal as a dome could focus the light and damage the dial / solar cells.
    So be carefull with a domed crystal!
    If you can focus light with it better put in a flat crystal.

    A double dome will focus, not sure about single dome.

    Could not find a link but Casio had this experience and uses flat crystals ever since.

    Read it somewhere here:
    http://zonacasio.blogspot.com
    A great way to brush up your Spanish, or use google translate as I do...

    Sent from my Aquaris V with Tapatalk using a small keypad and declining eyesight!

  10. #10
    Master Man of Kent's Avatar
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    Citizen oem crystals can be domed. The PMD56-2951 for instance has a slightly domed sapphire crystal, and I believe the OPs watch originally comes with a domed crystal. I think if they're double domed the focus is not significant on the dial. Interesting point though.

  11. #11
    Journeyman
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    Correct - originally it was slightly single domed - but scratched.
    Still unable to release the stem.

  12. #12
    Craftsman
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    .......an interesting thread for me. I had the offer of one of these but I think the 'battery/solar cell' had died. When I found out that the watch has a mono bloc case (i think that's that correct term?) I felt it was beyond my skill set to repair it and if I factored in a professional repair the watch purchase price would be too much.

    @wallyuk - please post when you have it fixed as I'd be interested to know how you get on. Thanks

  13. #13
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Citizen say the battery should never need replacing.
    Which is just as well apparently......



    “I kid you not, the release point for the stem on a C605 is on the BACK of the movement...a movement put into a monoblock watch that does NOT open from the back and has no stem release anywhere on the front!!



    Don't go near these things. I completely disassembled it after finally snapping the stem clean off. I guarantee you there's no way to remove the stem without completely stripping the movement while it's still in the case, and even then it's next to impossible”

    https://www.thewatchsite.com/threads...emoval.323727/
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  14. #14
    Master Man of Kent's Avatar
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    I can verify most of these do have an accessible stem release. The photo shows my disassembled GMT version, and the back of the movement. From memory the tab is that thing on the right, though it was a few years ago.

  15. #15
    Master
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    They generally have an ‘arm’ that connects with the push button on the back so downward pressure from the front transfers to upward pressure from the back
    It’s not a great system as it’s pretty fragile I prefer the Seiko system
    Well done though

  16. #16
    Journeyman
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    I now have a lovely clock in my motor.
    Gaskets from cousins and a domed Sapphire with AR.
    I learnt that 0.5mm in crystal width makes all the difference and getting the correct gaskets makes the whole job a breeze.
    I really enjoyed sorting out this old CashConverters scratched up crystal find.
    On double sided Velcro and will get a sun charge up regularly.

    Makes me smile when I see it. "Don't me a Muppet, think about it..." it screams back at me.

  17. #17
    Master
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    Any update on how you actually released it- might help a fellow member!

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by wallyuk View Post

    I now have a lovely clock in my motor.
    Gaskets from cousins and a domed Sapphire with AR.
    I learnt that 0.5mm in crystal width makes all the difference and getting the correct gaskets makes the whole job a breeze.
    I really enjoyed sorting out this old CashConverters scratched up crystal find.
    On double sided Velcro and will get a sun charge up regularly.

    Makes me smile when I see it. "Don't me a Muppet, think about it..." it screams back at me.
    It needs language lessons.

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