horologist

Thank you Ogladio and Whoopy12!!!!. This forum is a Godsend!!!

Thanks for your reply. Could you please clarify. I am not so sure I understand what you mean? Is it a product or do you use epoxy resin with just a few dots? Thanks!!!

I am going crazy sifting through the archives here to find an article on the best way to place a dial without dial feet on movement so that it is easily removed at service time? I recall reading it here many moons ago, but just cannot find it. Someone mentioned to me that his watchmaker uses epoxy resin but I am worried that it may be too strong and could damage the dial by trying to remove it at service time. Does anyone recall this topic? Many thanks in advance!

Yes!

I still haven't resolved the problem. However, it has been a good education for me to appreciate water resistant timepieces even more. I am looking at long shots for what the likely cause may be. I was looking inside the case back and noticed where the case back meets the seal, there are some scrapes possibly made by a tool or needle for removing the back seal, but the back seal in this case actually sits in the mid case gasket groove. I am wondering if this may be the cause for mositure to slowly creep in, like the analogy of a dripping tap where the seat under the washer needs to be shaved out with the reseating tool????? I now wonder about the analogy of timepieces with pitted sections under case seals, how one overcomes the water resitance issue?????

You might be right!!!! I have re-checked it and bubbles escaping are not as you described!! In one way, I am hoping that it isn't the crystal as I do not have a crystal press and my watchmaker is getting very impatient as he hates working on replicas!!! At first he refused to even service the watch (even though I paid him the same amount as if he were servicing a genuine Tissot etc,), so it doesn't put me in a pretty picture

Thanks again!!! just noticed in the wet pressure tester that some bubbles are coming from the glass. so it must be the crystal gasket. Is there a post or tutorial on this site that I can see how it is done?

Someone had mentioned to me in a private email to look at the case back and check if there are any vertical scrapes/scratches or even pittings that are are close to the foot of the threads. In this event nothing will make it water tight unless the back is replaced. Any thoughts? I will look to see if this may be the situation?

Thank you all for your replies. You have all given me something to look into Much appreciated!!!! The suggestion that it could be the crystal gasket didn't cross my mind. Maybe this could be one of the main problem. If so, is there a tutorial here on how to do it? This is something I have never seen done!!! Thanks fellows ,

HI to all, I don't post much as I usually find most of my answers from the older posts here on this fourm. However, lately I have been having a problem with my replica sub 16610 (eta 2836 from Silx) which continues to fog up, freshly being serviced after four years of wear. Prior to this, I once went swimming with it accidently at the pool which was about 7 feet deep without any problem, but would always try to keep iit away from water when I could. I never expected any replicas of this standard to be water resistant to more than this depth after a standard pressure test. I returned to my watchmaker and he pressure tested it with a dry tester and all he said to keep it away from the drink, but could not locate the cause. He checked the mvt and accuracy mentioning that it has no other problems which of course I wasn't fully satisfied I then replaced the back seal, greased it, a new crown and tube, but still continues to fog up after going for a jog in the morning. Obviously it has a leak which never had and I am trying to get my head around it as to what I could have possiblly done wrong. I wouldn't dare wash the dishes with it either, but fogging up is really annoying as reading the time is not always clear. For anyone with more experience on waterproof testing or remedies - I would really appreciate your feedback with my thanks in advance

so silix are no longer dealers as they as their webpage no longer opens?

I recently read somewhere on this forum that some of the places that make replicas have been raided or blocked from manufacturing ( cannot find the post right now) which obviously has had a negative impact on some of the dealers that also bought and sold from them. I noticed that when I would browse some of the dealers websites, it was nice to see that each of them specialised with different selections available. Recently, I clicked on silix website and somehow they seem to have disappeared. Are they also victims of this latest raid or have they just shut down?

Hi I am sorry to read the anguish you have just experienced as we have all had some dissapointment in this field one way or another . I cannot answer your question directly, but I would be more worried about what has caused the problem in the first place?. Replacing the movement and risking the same event happening again is not the answer. Prior to being a replica owner, I once owned a genuine 16600 Seadweller which had a leak in the helium escape valve which could not be resolved, simply because the case hole where the valve sat in was pitted. On the outside it looked mint but the pressure test said a different story. Believe it or not Stainless steel pitting is worse than rust on ordinary iron, because once it starts you cannot stop it unless you grind it out. Replacing the case was very expensive, so I ended up scrapping it for spares - getting my money back. One of the many reasons I would never again invest big$$$$$$ into a genuine Rolex as the stainless steel regardless of 904L or 316L will pit with time. I would recommend having the case checked out for any pits as if the pit is too big or in the wrong place, I would never put it into a bucket of water - let alone swim with it. If your watch has no pits , then it would be the seals and crown. Change them!!!! Now I would consider replacing it with a 3135 which you can buy on ebay as you mentioned for approx 2 grand or you can buy it from a donor 34 mm DATE (Someone with more experience can fill us in with more information on this possiblity) and ask a watchmaker to do the swap which I believe should not cost the earth. Rolex philosophy seems to imply that if you cannot replace to buy new then you should not afford to maintain second hand either!!!!. I hope that this has in some way given you some direction as to which direction to take. Good Luck!!

Is it possible to make a bezel rechet spring for the submariner replica.. I was replacing the glass when I removed the bezel and lost the small piece that sits into the hole of the case that makes the rachet go in one direction. I vaguely saw how it looked like but I was wondering if anyone has ever been in this situation and what was a suitable solution? I am just so annoyed!!!!. It is not an expensive replica but was the last of the eta mvts purchased from gomart as it was known at the time. Any helpful comments are much appreciated with many thanks in advance

Regarding lubrication, the following article relating to galling of stainless steel strongly suggests lubrication as one of the preventative options at 2. http://www.estainles...fstainless.html However, for this very reason, I will not invest into a genuine stainless steel high end timepiece as it can also happen with a new one where the antiseizing lubricant could have easily been missed at the production line and then try to prove who is to blame.

Did the case back screw back on or was it more difficult to close after this with threads that seemed pitted or gnarled?

Yes, it seems like what you have just described is also galling. You were lucky to get it open, I guess that you meant that the threads were smooth prior to closing the case back?. It is very common with stainless steel and titanium but not with gold. I have been informed that to prevent this from happening you must lubricate the threads with silicone grease or fomblin ( which is an expensive alternative). This is one of the many reasons I would never invest in a brand new genuine stainless steel Submariner/ Daytona etc. as this overlooked phenomena can also happen even to these most expensive timepieces where the greasing of threads can be easily overlooked on the production line. I have also spoken to some of the most artisan watchmakers who seem pleasantly informed and surprised when I ask about what grease they use the case threads.

I was informed by a watchmaker that on two occasions he had 2 watches that the case back had galled onto the case. He said that it is very rare but when it happens is when the tips of the case threads cold weld onto the case and in many situations the watch case had to be destroyed as it could not be opened. It is NOT cross threading. It can also happen to a new watch that has not had the threads lubricated. Has anyone ever experienced this with a watch case and if so did it happen half way when removing the case back or when putting it back on? Thanks for your replies

I know that there are a lot of highly skilled watchmakers but have never ever come across a quality case maker. If you know let us know or if it is against the foruum rules to post them here, you can PM me as I would be highly interested as I am not sure which direction to go. Assuming that this 1803 case that I have is genuine as one never knows with vintage watches especially with what I have learnt on this thread

Do you have an image of the one cut in 1/2? How thick was the S/S core?

Great post!! However, I did not see any aftermarket Rolex Presidentials listed.

They probably use a process known as gold forming which is what the old record companies used as a die to stamp LPs

Thanks!! I wonder if they are die struck and if everything from a genuine will fit in exactly without any further modifications?

Yes, I meant die struck and not die cast. I was in a rush to post and was ahead of myself when tying Are they die struck? I don't think they exist anymore as I did do a web search on them with no luck would this take a 1556 or a 3055 mvt? What a genius idea. I got all excited and tried it and this time the case back was screwing on much better than what it was doing but my buzz died when at the last tightening it started to go in circles. Too BAD!!! Yes, I weighed it without the acrylic cystal and it was approximately 31.02 + 0.01g And MANY THANKS!!!! to an eloquent and educational reply for me to have absorbed so much information. I find that people here are absolutely spectacular

I have a 1556 genuine day date movement that comes from a cross threaded/stripped threads original gold case ( which I might use to get melted to have a couple of pendents made) so I am seeking a good quality aftermarket die cast gold case. I have seen a lot of great aftermarket stainless steel cases made, but unfortunately all the gold ones I have seen to date seem to have rough threads and look very rough and unappealing as they are probably cast. Does anyone know where I could search to find a quality die cast gold case so that I can bring this great 1556 movement back to life? Any feedback would be most appreciated with lots of thanks in advance