SSTEEL

Welcome aboard

Yes, Swiss with a mix of Asian parts and pubes, with a dash of dirt.

I'm fully booked Mike, but thanks for the recommendation

I decided to to help you out earlier in the thread based on the watch only needing a screw refitted, and all I was going to charge you is the return shipping. When I received the watch today, not only did I put your watch straight on the bench ahead of waiting customers, I discovered the watch was in a very poor state, and was going to take quite some work to put right. After informing you and Toro about this, Toro said to return the watch to him, I still decided to help, I calculated the new parts costs, and labour in getting this watch repaired for you, and emailed you the cost based on parts I have in stock. You replied back, lowballing me, and trying to barter, saying you are a poor student. Against my better judgement, I gave you a massive discount wanting to help you out. Then a friend contacted me, and told me to stop being so big hearted, I listened, and then decided, yeah, I am being a fool here, offering you a serviced ETA movement, and rebuilding your watch for just €100, so I there and then refunded you and decided to take Toro's advice, and return the watch to the address he has in Spain, simple. When Toro receives your watch, he will refund you the cost of the rep, bar the shipping. You are then free to buy a new watch elsewhere.

Toro, thanks for your email mate. I have now just refunded him the heavily discount rebuild price he kept low balling me, and I will ship the watch back to your Spain address, the only thing is, I only have the watch head here, the buyer still has the bracelet. Do you want me to reassemble the watch Toro, or securely package all parts, and ship disassembled?

Don't worry, you will be more than happy once I have finished it, I will transplant a serviced real ETA 2834-2 in there for you, or a ETA 2836-2, need to check which I have serviced already

The buyer has now decided to have the watch rebuilt by myself and I have given him a €100 discount too, so everyone is happy now. Thanks for your emails Toro, appreciated, but in this case, I will sort this out for him.

Factory to blame I think. Toro got back to me, he is going to refund you, and I need to reassemble the watch and ship it to Spain. I'm in over two hours on your watch Q, plus I now need to reassemble it, and ship it to Spain on your behalf.

I have now emailed Toro, and pointed him to this thread, and the owners flickr photo album that I set up here.

Ok, QC photo clearly shows the ratchet wheel retaining screw out of place, and wedged in the rotor cut out. 0325 QC Photos by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr

Ok guys, the owner of this watch has instructed me to email Toro about this, Toro may well be innocent in all this, and the factory may of pulled a fast one. Before I email Toro, I want to see your QC photos my friend.

Well, what looked like a simple case of finding the rogue screw, and refitting it has turned into a more time-consuming repair, so what I would do if I were you is ask Toro for a partial refund, as this for s stated Swiss ETA movement is beyond a joke really. The stamping looks suspect, the balance bridge is Swiss, but has a rusty stud, not to mention the keyless, the winding, and sliding pinion are rusty! New Swiss Main Spring? I don't think so by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr Sliding, and Winding pinion rusty by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr Swiss Balance Bridge with rusty stud. by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr There are areas of the movement showing signs of water ingress, the balance wheel in particular.

Yup, as suspected, the ratchet driving wheel reverse thread has been stripped. I will replace the barrel bridge for you Q. Q, be honest with me please, have you or anyone else been inside this watch since you received it from Toro? Upon removing the barrel bridge, the main spring barrel was open, and looking at the main spring, its certainly looking worse for wear.! Untitled by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr Untitled by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr Can you please show your QC photos from Toro? I find this quite hard to believe that Toro would of shipped this watch in such poor, and terrible condition mechanically.

I now have your watch, and cannot find the ratchet wheel screw, do you have QC photos showing the rear of the display back so I can check to see if the screw was there before shipment? I would rather know this before I start to disassemble movement from the rear. The movement started running as son as I removed the auto wind bridge incidentally. There are some indicators this watch has been opened up to me, of course, it could well of been sent to you like this, but there is an awful amount of dirt, hair, and grease here and there, especially on the seconds wheel. Also the regulator fine adjustment is banked all the way towards the + The movement has now stopped. Dirt and small hairs visible by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr Dirt and hairs on seconds wheel. by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr Well something is not right with this movement, I was releasing the power reserve so I could disassemble safely to gain access to where this missing screw maybe, and the rather wheel toggle gear flew off, this should not of happened, and I fear the barrel bridge screw holes have torn threads, but the chances that the barrel screw is also threaded is confusing, and if so, someone has been playing with this movement. Untitled by Micky Aldridge, on Flickr

Like it, whats the case size of these? Same as blue and red?

Glad it made it

Are you in the U.S also?

I have dealt with Bob on occasion when I was a member next door, he was a good guy, hope things improve for him, and communications are restored with proper owners.

Congrats brother!

Dan, 7 written off.! Thanks for you photos mate, good to see one of just a few survivors. Me, the wife, and father-in-law are heading to the cinema on the 30th to see Spectre.

Some of these bezels are far from easy to remove, depends on the history of the watch, and what version it is. The octagon wire retainer can be a nightmare.

The Ratchet Wheel retaining screw has come out, its more than likely floating around in the case, I will retrieve it, and refit it in the Ratchet Wheel.

PM replied, all you would need to pay is the cost of return tracked shipping/packaging, which is 25 euros.

Reject on that basis, you are well within your rights as a buyer to do so.

Agreed, no better AR coating available, Profsteve is the man, he has his own section over on RG.. Prof's Crystals