RWG Technical

You should only be able to hear any clicking on a ETA 2836 series when the mainspring is fully wound. The click on the crown gear, and the crown gear to mainspring gear click are quite quiet and normally dont' make any sounds... I wonder why your particular model is making noises...normally I only hear anything once fully wound, not before... RG

Very well done and detailed. I prefer to have a larger surface area for bezel removal, and use a case knife, it's cheap and less risky when trying to pop off the harder ones. Great job, we need more of these How-To posts, thanks for taking the time to do such a throught and detailed post... RWG members at their best, RG

Probably just the chrono pusher arm/spring assembly that popped out of place...should be able to pop it back in place. RG

I wonder how the gears got damaged by you only removing the watch from the case...seems odd... If you can get a replacement this may be your best option, but getting replacement 7750's is not easy. If you want me to look at it, shoot me a PM and we can work something out...worse case you out the postage cost...best case it's an easy fix and that solves your problem... RG

If it's asian movement they all have indirect center seconds drive, stuttering is normal and varies between models, doesn't affect timekeeping and cant' be fixed. It's just the way it is with any indirect drive center seconds movement... RG

A bi-directional rotor should not swing freely, it's trying to wind the mainspring so it has some resistance to overcome. As for your particular model, you did not say the type of movement, I am guessing a 2836 or 2824...if so, that model should only have clicking sounds when the watch is fully wound. THe clicking would be the bridle cable on the mainspring releasing, but anything less than full wind, and there should be NO clicking sound... Other models can click, but not this one... RG

What gears are we talking about??? $130 is a lot of gears, curious as to what he found...and needs replacing... BIG caution, this is not an ETA movement, and many ETA parts will NOT fit on it...if he's ordering ETA, since you can't get Asian parts, I would be very careful that you dont' end up paying for parts you can't use... What exactly is wrong with the movement? RG

Very well done, congrats on DIY... RG

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I would tighten the screw down all the way, then loosen it about 1.5-2 turns, install the stem gently while turning it CCW as you push it in...when it wont' go in any further, tighten the screw and see if it locks in place, you may have to move the stem in and out a bit to find the set lever lock pin on the stem shaft. Unlikely that you would have popped anything out of place, unless you unscrewed the stem release too much... I am guessing you have read through my uncasing a 111 post...it's got a bunch of more details... RG

It's unlikely you damaged anything, the day wheel will pop off if you try and change it when your not supposed to, but the day one should be fine... The clicking you heard in the gears skipping, try moving the time past midnight and see if both work ok, and then set the time and then change the date/day... RG

It sounds like your trying to set the date during the time when you should not be trying to set it... If the day worked good, but the date did not, that indicates to me that the date switchover gear is engaged into the date wheel. The same gear from the stem switches both the day and date, if one is not working, and you hear "Clicking" then all indications are that it's a user issue, not a movement one... Did you read the basics 101 and 102 in my signature, it's got details on what to do with that watch, and how to set it up when you first get it...trying to change the day or date when your not supposed to can damage the movement. From your description, I would say it's not a defect, if you could hear clicking when turning the crown, you may have caused damage and it won't work at all now... RG

I would let it run down... As for long life, running or not is probably not as critical as getting it serviced on a regular basis, the oils and grease deteriorate due to age (read= time) not use... doesn't really matter if the watch is running or not, the oils dry out... RG

Oils and acid from your finger, if left on the watch anywhere, will normally cause damage and rust... I have seen "fingerprints" etched into the movement parts from poor workmanship... If you do touch it, as sometimes it's unavoidable, then clean it up with Rodico... RG

What he said... I use a piece of Rodico to move the rotor... RG

Sorry, I thought the links explained it better. It's there, but not self explainatory. Here's the quick version: If the rotor has to wind the mainspring while it turns, it is facing resistance as it turns. On a bi-directional winding watch there is resistance in both directions and the rotor feels "stiff" all the time... On a uni-directional winding watch, the rotor only has resistance in one direction, and is quite free to turn in the other direction as there is no resistance. I have no seen any Asian models stamped Swiss made, I have seen various copies of ETA models, but normally they are unmarked... If it's a uni-directional winding rotor, it's Asian... Any pics to show it off?? RG

It depends on the model of movement, bi directional or uni directional winding... See my basic 101 and 102 for what types have what type of winding mechanism. RG

Check the links in my signature, basics 101 and 102 provides answers... RG

As with any tool, it should be harder than the part being worked on... My Rolex caseback dies are hardened tool steel, you can't even file them. Aluminum would strip, it's softer than the stainless of the caseback. RG

I guess that is the way they get their jollies... I think we need to change the lingo as they did with PC's. At first any non IBM computer was considered a "Fake" computer, then someone dreamed up the term "Clone". We need to take the same approach...I am wearing my "Clone" MBW LV right now. RG

The Breitling had an old Asian 7750, swap was straight forward... The link lists the 7750 post and cooresponding hand sizes, the only one that will work with a ETA 7750 is the old verison...all the rest require extensive re-work of hands, or new hands, parts are not interchangeable between Asian and Swiss. RG

Replacing a dial is straight forward, I can do it in about 15 - 30 minutes… But your asking if you can replace the dial, unfortunately only you can answer that question, because without any answers to these questions, it’s hard to answer on your behalf. So in order to know if you can indeed do this task, I would need to know the following: What experience do you have working on watches? What training or reference books on watchmaking do you have? Do you have the required tools: loupe, tweezers, watchmaker screwdrivers, case back removal tool, hand removal tool, hand installation tool, lint free watch-paper, dust blower, rodico, silicone grease PML grease? Do you know how to open the watch? Do you know how to remove the stem and uncase the movement? Do you know how to hold the movement so as to not damage it or remove the oil from the pivots? Do you know how to remove the hands, and remove the dial without damaging them? Do you know what to check for before installing the dial on the movement? Do you know the steps in installing the hands and how to seat them correctly on the posts? Do you have a timing machine to verify that the beat and rate did not change due to the handling of the movement? Do you know how to case the movement? Do you know how to lubricate the seals and re-install the stem and caseback? Replacing a dial on any watch involves the same steps, the type of watch does not matter. Your asking if you can do it, without any answers to the above, I am in no position to tell you if you can - or can’t - replace the dial. While it looks simple, as with anything in watchmaking, it’s simple if you have the tools, skill, training, experience etc… Whenever I see questions that ask “…do you think I can do this XXX watchmaking task…” I have to know the answers to the above questions, if I can give an intelligent answer. Without knowing your skills and capabilities, I can be of no assistance.... RG

Swapping a 7750 depends on the Asian model in the watch. The old Asian 7750 is the only model that has the same hand size as the ETA 7750. All others are different... See this post for hand sizes. 7750 Hand sizes RG

Case back wrenches for Rolex should be metal, the reason that the caseback has teeth is to allow it to mesh with the teeth on the wrench, nylon just wont' do the same. If your using a correct case opening tool, the watch is held down, the caseback tool is screwed down and held tight against the case back, mating with the teeth, and there is no risk of slippage. Since the nylon cant' mesh with the teeth, your left to generate the required friction by pressing harder on the nylon tool, and risking damage to the bezel or crystal from this pressure... LG Openall is a cheap (price $$) but very effective and safe tool for opening all Rolex casebacks... RG RG

I dont understand the "7-17" part... There is no "normal" power reserve on any automatic watch when your wearing it...because the power reserve is dependent on the state of wind. If while wearing the watch, you dont' move your wrist a lot, it won't wind, and therefore won't have a long power reserve, if you move a lot, the watch will be near full wind all the time and it will have a long power reserve... A normal automatic watch, should have about 36-42 hours of power reserve from a FULL wind... RG