goog Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Years and years ago I bought a super cheap (it was about $50) Oyster Perpetual in China (in person). It's a great little watch, and I've enjoyed it over the years. However, it now doesn't pick-up enough movement during the day to get through the night. This bugs me and I want to have a go at fixing it. I figure oiling the pivot of the winding weight is the most likely thing to oil - but that is just my best guess IMHO. I'm really not that bothered about destroying the watch. So the question is, how would you go about oiling this thing without buying any specialist tools? The reason for this is that spending $30 on a case back opener, and then another $30 on some specialist oil just does not make any sense for me. And if I don't fix this, the reality is I just won't use this watch any more. So far, I've seen a video of getting a rolex opened with a pair of scissors and a thumb tack for the release pin. Any better suggestions our there given above constraints? And as for the lube, I have both WD40 and Silicone. Which would you use? Or is there anything I can pick up at a hardware store for $10 or so which you would recommend instead? My current plan is to get it opened with the scissors and thumb tack, spray my chosen lubricant in a container and attempt to drop a tiny drop on the weight axle using a toothpick. What would you do differently? And finally, do you think there is more than a 30% chance of success? Thank you all for your help and advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirotenshi Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I doubt oiling the rotor would help in anyway. If the watch cannot charge up enough power, the problem lies most likely in the spring barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtguk Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 +1 on shiro's advice, if you want to open the back though and don't have the tool try a rolled up rubber glove first sounds weird but it works! Just roll it up and put the rubbery side on the case back push hard and twist...easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Forget about oiling, you have a 0% chance at succeeding with that plan. You need to completely disassemble the watch in order to oil it, and the oil has to be the proper type and the proper amount. When you look at a watch movement you will see a bunch of pink jewels. The oil generally goes underneath the jewel, so each jewel needs to be removed, cleaned, then oiled and replaced. Too much oil will stop the movement. Too thick oil will stop the movement. Not enough oil wil stop the movement. You get the idea right? What I would do is to hand wind the watch with about 30 slow turns of the crown. Set the watch face up and note what the power reserve is when it stops. If you get a sufficient power reserve, then you can look the rotor being obstructed and not being able to turn fully. Or you could just continue to manually wind as described above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goog Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Thanks guys - much appreciated. Powermax - if I wind it daily it runs just fine and v. accurate. So there's enough reserve. I don't plan to oil the whole thing - I realise that would be impossible. I just thought that given the watch runs fine, and the rotor doesn't sound like it moves a lot inside (from just listening to it) that oiling the rotor which is most easily accessible bit may have a chance of success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drury Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 i read about a special solution once, that you could submerge the whole movement in and have the equivalent of a light service. (it would clean the movement i suppose) It was not recommended by specialists if I recall, but it could be cheap and sufficiant for what you need. Unfortunately I don't know any more about it, nor can I remember where I read about it. Cheers, Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 That is called a Swish & Dip and is not very effective. Also, using SIlicone based lubricants like WD40, etc had been proven to do more harm than good. Andrew gives good advice above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hmmmmmmmm. Manually wound, it works fine? I wonder if the bearing that holds the rotor is dead? No movement there means no winding, and that rotor/bearing is the piece that gets the most pain (torques, impact impulses, etc). Okay I'll play devil's advocate. And I'm the guy here that runs over old watches just to hear them scream so I get a "get out of jail free" card. If you're not going to wear it anymore if the repair fails, how is that different than boogering it up with the wrong lube? I say open the back with a wadded up rubber glove or a wad of duct tape, then see if you can get a drop in the rotor pivot. See if that frees it up. If it does, there's your problem. If it doesn't, then it's still dead / no change. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Id take it a step at a time. Open it up and see if the rotor spins freely without the caseback on. Next step depends on the result. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goog Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Nanuq - my thoughts precisely! Will post once I have a chance to try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 You need to disassemble the auto-wind module, thoroughly clean the components, oil & reassemble. Common problem to which that is the solution. And, for the umpteenth time (there are pinned articles about this in the watchmaking forums that should be read ) - the movements in most rep watches are used/unserviced. If this is a watch you plan to keep & rely on, you would do well to have it properly overhauled (fully disassembled, ultrasonically cleaned, oiled, reassembled & timed) by a professional watchmaker. That way, like all mechanicals, it should keep good time & run reliably for the next 5-7 years (the recommended time span between overhauls). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Problem he will likely face on a $30 rep is that the rotor is not screwed on. They are sometimes press fit on and almost impossible to get off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Another good idea, Andrew ... maybe the caseback has been deformed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDG Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I did skip most of the topic, but get a sticky ball as a case opener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goog Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 All, many thanks for your advice on this micro project. I wrapped some duck tape around an old tennis ball and got the watch opened no problem. The rotor is sticky. But if you move it around by hand it does wind the watch (in either direction), though there is no way that winding is happening when the watch is closed. And it also tends to kick back when you wind it, so for sure something is not right with it. Here's a short clip showing this: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xrpml8_sticky-rotor_webcam But on the oiling part I got stuck on. It seems silicone oil is way too thin - I sprayed some inside a milk top, but there is just no way to get a small drop of it to coalesce on anything I can drop into the watch. Now I'm thinking of buying some 3-in-1. If anyone has a better idea, much appreciated - just remember this is a 6 year old $50 rep - serviced it ain't gonna be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDG Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Go to watch bitz web shop here on RWG, they have all the tools and oil for a very good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tode1640 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 I am seriously no expert here, but I did think that both WD40 and 3 in 1 were both the kiss of death for watches. I remember reading that the teflon lubricants that are sold in bike shops for lubricating gears and cables could be used for watches. Hopefully someone who knows what they are talking about will confirm or deny this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 23, 2012 Report Share Posted June 23, 2012 Boeing makes a very good lube for mountain bikes, called Boelube T-9 or something like that and it has a long needle tip. One drop might do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDG Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 For general watch and clock making you can use moebius 8000 http://watchbitz.com.au/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=286 Register for special RWG discount. His RWG name is offshore and he is a true gentlemen to deal with. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 For general watch and clock making you can use moebius 8000 http://watchbitz.com.au/shop/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=286 Register for special RWG discount. His RWG name is offshore and he is a true gentlemen to deal with. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk +1. Try the right stuff once. Worst case you have it for future attempts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Your video really doesn't show much. If you tilt the watch does the rotor always drop to the lowest point or does it not move? There is a slight bit of resistance in the rotor, but shouldn't be enough to stop it from defying gravity. Also, is the rotor rubbing against anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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