clicking sound when you wind a 2824?

[chris5264]

This is really strange,,,I have a 2824 based watch and when you pull the crown out to wind it,,,about every 8th turn it will sound just like the date wheel is advancing, that sort of sliding then clicking sound, but it isn't. At first, I had some trouble with the quick set date, couldn't really get it to engage well and turn the days without lots of effort, it would make a different sort of clicking sounds and every so often advance the date but this morning the click is still there but quickset date is working find. Here's a picture,,,,not that it will help much but I took it anyway.

[RWG Technical]

Caution, if you continue to hand wind the watch, you will damage the click wheels and it will need to be repaired. Handwinding this model is not good or recommended. Handwinding enough to fully wind the watch, is even worse, especially if it's done often, or fast, and by fast I mean just above a snail's pace while turning the crown. Keep in mind the autowinder is a gear reduction system from the rotor to the mainspring, when you handwind, your going the other way, a gear increase, 1/4 of a crown turn, is a gazillion turns of the click wheels (ok, I made up the gazillion, but you get the point).

The noise you hear is the clutch release in the mainspring barrel, the mainspring is fully wound, and it's ratcheting on the clutch.

Depending on the vintage of the movement and the specific type of datewheel change gear, I suspect that the difficulty you had with the datewheel advancing is normal, you were forcing the datewheel against the tab on the quickset date change arm. You probably didn't damage anything, but anytime you feel resistance while doing something, it's best to stop otherwise it's very easy to damage the movement.

RG

[chris5264]

As always,,,thanks for the fast advice The Zigmeister,,,,so, perhaps this is why after overnight, I could go back and the date wheel worked again? Does this make sense as far as testing this? What if I let it go for two days without movement or winding? If I then slowly handwind it, it shouldn't make that sound anymore, right? Trust me,,,give me the 6497/8 any day, I've had more problems with rotors and winding gears,,,,

[RWG Technical]

The tab on the date change gear is only engaged into the datewheel from around midnight to about 4-6 am. If you do a quick date change after this time, there won't be any resisitance, since the tab is not in the way...

Your best to not handwind these models, except for just enough to get the watch going if it's stopped. 99% of rotor and click wheel problems, are owner caused...I have had watches in with the gear teeth stripped off the gears completely...from handwinding.

RG

[dluddy]

For what it's worth, I never handwind my ETA's - Ziggy taught me well A simple shake is usualluy enough to get the going

[chris5264]

I should know better! But old habits are hard to break...now the question if this is a gen Swiss ETA,,it did have the stamp, but with all the decoration,,,wouldn't a swiss ETA 2824 with this level of decoration alone cost around 200 or more? This is from the SFSO with the ETA movement.

[RWG Technical]

...now the question if this is a gen Swiss ETA,,it did have the stamp, but with all the decoration,,,wouldn't a swiss ETA 2824 with this level of decoration alone cost around 200 or more? This is from the SFSO with the ETA movement.

It is hard to tell from that picture if it's a genuine ETA, chances are it is...I have seen many with this decorative finish.

Remember, as with all the reps with ETA movements in them, all the movements that are bought, ALL of them - even the ones sold at Ofrei etc, they are all surplus movements. It isn't unusual to see movements with high finish, or markings on the rotor from various genuine watches, after all, being surplus, they get what they can buy on the open market.

You have a nice model, now put mittens on when you pick up the watch, to prevent handwinding

RG

[woody]

Hi Rob,

if I remember correctly, did one of your papers that come with the shipment say that we should wind an automatic watch for maybe 20-30 times prior to wearing, and if it's chrono, to wind even more? did I remember that completely wrong? I've been winding all of my ETAs prior to wearing, God forbid the damage I am doing to all these babies, and that mystery 2824 that ended up being in my 1680 that you relumed, may just have that similar sound that Chris was talking about. I am going to stop winding immediately. And are there difference between let's say a 2836, versus a 2824? cause my 1665 which I think has the 2836, manually winds just fine. Any additional information on this is greatly appreciated again.

[RWG Technical]

Bill

Your correct on the 25-50 turns before wearing, that is in my information for people who have never had mechanical watches. It can be found here in my watch basics, here is part of that info:

Bi-directional models

ETAs and most Swiss models, 2824-2, 2836-2, 2892-2, etc

[chris5264]

The noise you hear is the clutch release in the mainspring barrel, the mainspring is fully wound, and it's ratcheting on the clutch.

Here is an update. I let the watch go till it stopped, actually everything is working perfectly as far as the quickset date and keeping time goes. Then I SLOWLY went about handwinding it. After only two slow turns I head the click sound again, so could the clutch release be set too loose? I guess this turned into one of those mysteries I needed to figure out, the watch is working perfectly so I guess it is best left alone but just one of those things that bugs me. thanks again for your help....

[RWG Technical]

No idea what is going on, maybe your mainspring is broken...

RG

[FxrAndy]

Here is an update. I let the watch go till it stopped, actually everything is working perfectly as far as the quickset date and keeping time goes. Then I SLOWLY went about handwinding it. After only two slow turns I head the click sound again, so could the clutch release be set too loose? I guess this turned into one of those mysteries I needed to figure out, the watch is working perfectly so I guess it is best left alone but just one of those things that bugs me. thanks again for your help....

How long did the watch run for before it eventualy stopped?

[chris5264]

Seems like it will run at least 24 hours, and after being on the winder still going strong. However, the dealer will do a return, so I think I'll trade the mystery for a new one. However, I admit, I'm have tempted to just open this up and see what is going on. I swear the sound is exactly like the date changing.

[FxrAndy]

Pr should be 42? hours on this but you never really know if it was fully wound when you take it off, if the collector will swap it fine, I keep my autos that i wear regularly on a winder so i dont have to worry about low PR when i first put them on so i am also never tempted to wind them by hand.

[chris5264]

No idea what is going on, maybe your mainspring is broken...

RG

oh well,,,,,thanks for your time. If I can't remember the mittens , I wounder if I could just remove the whole autowinding bridge from all my autos and turn them into mechanicals?