3777 - 3, KLD - 0

[KLD]

Excuse the rant, but I need to vent. My 3777 is cursed. I love the watch and it is (was?) my favorite of my collection but I have had pretty much zero luck with it

 

First, I wanted a bracelet to replace the weak rep strap. Picked one up M2M but the micro adjust slipped (fully disclosed). Get it put on, looks great. Decide to try and see if I can fix the micro-adjust with some shims because it has too much play in the grooves so the teeth won't engage, when I see that after a only a short time on the watch, one of the clasp release buttons has fallen off.

 

OK I will just pick up a nicer strap (timepiecerepublic), and maybe a rep deployant (M2M). Get both in the mail the same day, all good so far. Figure I should do the button pusher fix while the strap is off. Takes longer than expected, because the tiny O-rings keep popping out. Get it back together, seems to be working OK, chrono works, resets. Case the movement, caseback is a [censored] to get on. Put the strap on with the deployant and the clasp won't stay snapped shut. The clasp is just too loose, can't do anything about it. Sigh, strike two. Back tang clasp

 

Final straw, after about 45minutes, look at the time, and it's stopped running. WTF, it was wound properly. Take the [censored] of a caseback off, check the stem, can set the time, date, but no chrono, not running. Gently tap the balance wheel, not moving. Looks like the hack lever is jammed. Strike three

 

Damn, the one watch I didn't want to screw up ends up being screwed by trying to prevent the damn chrono pusher from coming off.

[SSTEEL]

Time to get it to your local trusted watchmaker my friend.

[dutchguy2]

Sorry to hear this. But all can be fixed, don't give up! It is part of the rep game and sometimes all the fun.

[markiemark]

Time to get it to your local trusted watchmaker my friend.

That's what I did

Well, not local but still...

I F'ed my 3777 when I tried to tighten tge pushers. But now it is in good hands

[SSTEEL]

[frost]

Just out of curiosity, where did you buy the rep from, and are all chrono pushers vulnerable to failure, regardless of the source? I'm considering picking up this rep, but obviously don't want it to turn it into a money pit.

[peterpl]

Happens to the best of us. Live and learn. I've f**ked up enough 7750s keyless to finally be confident now of removing the stem every time.

 

I reckon i stuffed up around 5 before I got used to it. LOL

[higginsd]

and are all chrono pushers vulnerable to failure, regardless of the source?

 

Yes. You have to do the mod and fix the pusher stems from inside with thread lock like Loctite. Otherwise sooner or later one or both of the pushers are gone. Even if you are lucky and find the fallen pusher again - the spring will be lost to 99,99% because it is very hard to see and find.

Edited April 5, 2014 by higginsd

[frost]

Yes. You have to do the mod and fix the pusher stems from inside with thread lock like Loctite. Otherwise sooner or later one or both of the pushers are gone. Even if you are lucky and find the fallen pusher again - the spring will be lost to 99,99% because it is very hard to see and find.

 

I appreciate the info. It sounds like this is something easy to mess up if you're not familiar with the procedure. Is this something I can ask the dealer/factory to do for me during assembly, or would I be better off paying someone here in the US to do? I'm all for doing things myself the majority of the time, but I'm also well aware of my limitations, so I'd want to make sure I got it right the first time around. Is there a "HOW TO" sitting around somewhere that someone took the time to make? (I'm assuming not, as something like that would be a sticky on most boards)

 

Again, I really appreciate the insight...

Edited April 6, 2014 by frost