Toad's Guide - Inside the Franck Muller Crazy Hours Jump Hour Movement

[Toadtorrent]

INTRODUCTION

The Franck Muller Crazy Hours rep in my opinion is one of the best value for entertainment watches around. For around $100, you get a jump hour movement that's...well...crazy, and provides hours of entertainment to children and adults alike.

For a full look at this watch, check out my review pinned here: Toad's Review: Franck Muller Crazy Hours Color Dreams

The major problem with this watch when it arrived, was that the rotor didn't seem to power the watch. Manual winding was fine and that's what we've used on this watch since we obtained it...but with new found bravery and new found knowledge thanks to Ajoesmith and others, I figured what the heck, let's try a movement swap and a moderate dissection of the watch to figure out how this thing works.

NOTE: I am by no stretch of the imagination a watchmaker, nor do I know anything about watches other than what I have read here. Working on this watch in this fashion has guaranteed that The Zigmeister will not work on it, nor is it fair that I should send it to him after this work given that he should not be wasting his time fixing my mistakes.

I know little about best practices other than what he has posted (which is quite a lot, and hopefully some of it has soaked in...thanks The Zigmeister!!). However, given that the Master doesn't work on modded movements, I figured what have I got to lose? Woohoo!!

I ordered some replacement movements (yes...some...given that I was assuming I was going to screw this up royally) for a cost of $45 or so a piece from Peter (Watchstation).

I purchased tools over a period of time from a variety of places (locally where possible from H.W. Perrin in Toronto, Ontario).

The pictures were taken on a Canon G9 using standard fluorescent lights and a Gorilla pod.

Without further delay...are you ready??

MOVEMENT SWAP

Above are the tools I used in the swap. You may use others...but this is what I found worked for me.

First things first...get the strap off using a Bergeon strap tool on a Horotec decasing pad

Open the caseback using a small screwdriver...I don't know what size it is...

This is a view with the caseback off. Note, it looks to be a DG2813 ebauche in a high quality plastic movement holder.

Remove the stem by pressing the stem release button. I use a busted, cheap strap tool for a pusher...it works great. Rotate the stem in the winding direction while pushing the release button gently. If you can't do this...get away from the rest of the work.

Dial and movement mounted in Bergeon movement holder with plastic movement holder beside it.

Get ready to remove hands (you should set the hands to an "hour changeover" position to make resetting easier. It doesn't have to be a 12-o-clock with this kind of movement as there is no date to worry about). I use a dial protector.

Upon closer examination I notice the paint on the hands is flaking off. Crap. Man, that looks cheap!!

Oh well...remove the hands with a hand removal tool. Bergeon makes a nice one...mine is cheap..which makes sliding the feet under the hands tough as the ends are a little too thick. I've read you can file them down...but that takes time and effort.

With the hands off, you can see the flaking paint very clearly.

Remove the dial fastening screws on the sides. There are 2...well that's what I did. DOH! You do not need to remove them, just loosen them enough to loosen the dial posts.

Loosen the other one...do you see something missing??? Did I say "dial postS?"

Note the numeral layout on the movement top plate (or is that the bottom plate??) The dial is off. What the heck is that crap at 10-o-clock??

Aaaah...thin double sided sticky tape. But why??

Shoddy assembly has resulted in a busted dial foot...nothing a little tape can't cure. It seems to work...but I don't have any new stuff handy.

Take new movement and place it on a holder.

Remount the double sided sticky tape on the new movement...or get new stuff. Make sure the tape is mounted flat otherwise the hands jam in certain spots because the dial is not flush...trust me.

Place the dial on the new movement...inserting the dial feet into the slots on the movement (obviously you have to loosen the same 2 screws above on the new movement).

Back on goes the dial protector. Position the hour hand in the spot indicated by the "shipping" hands on the new movement when you pulled it out.

I should use a proper Bergeon hand set tool...but I use the bits from a hand set press...works for me. I don't use the press as I find it's too bulky and the movement holder I use sits too high for the press...but the bits work fine.

Turn the time adjustment until right when the hour jumps...then position the minute hand at "12-o-clock"...I didn't do this part. I just positioned the minute hand at almost 15 minutes past as that's how the movement shipped. Did that work fine? Nope. But it worked fine enough to indicate how many minutes I was off on the setting.

Test the hands to make sure they are lined up properly to your tolerance level on the hour changeover. Reset them as necessary. Ensure the minute hand clears the hour hand, and make sure the hour hand clears the dial. You'll know if something is not straight as the hands will not sweep/jump smoothly - they will either scrape the dial or collide into each other.

NOTE: I scraped the flaking blue paint off the hands. I like the blue better...but I don't like shoddy blue. Maybe I'll paint them again...maybe not. I just used a screwdriver. Is that best practices? Uuuuh...no...screwdrivers scrape metal...and in the case the hands. I should have used a matchstick, pith wood, toothpick, etc...but that would entail I knew better before I did this. Oh well, the scratching isn't noticeable on the small surface area.

I do miss the blue paint though.

Put the steam back in by inserting it back in and turning gently in the winding direction. Do not press the release button for insertion...only do this on a 7750 movement.

Blow off dust on the dial and the movement.

Close it up...and you're ready to go.

HOW DOES THE MOVEMENT WORK??

I have zero expertise in this area...and am just describing what I have deducted from observation and playing around...so feel free to correct and enhance details as you see fit!!

As you can see, the numbers are actually equally spaced around the dial by "4" additional numbers between each consecutive hour indicator. The movement essentially works by preventing the hour hand from "sweeping" to the next conventional hour (visually in this case from, 1 to 6 for example), until a threshold on a spring is reached that allows the hand to quickly jump to the next cog stop...but that movement spacing is such that it jumps 4 conventional 5 conventional hour spots, instead of 1. This quick change is seen as the "jumping".

Another view of the dial side with the top plate that holds everything flat.

Underneath the top plate...we get the view above.

Compare the jump hour movement with a DG2813 pictured above. You should note the following differences:

• The overall movement is indeed based on the DG2813 but uses a slightly different base plate (or whatever that main mounting plate thing is called)
  
• Jump hour movement lacks the datewheel complication in the "SW" quadrant
  
• Jump hour movement lacks the quick dateset mechanism in the "NE" quadrant
  
• The jump hour base plate in general is raised to account for not needing a datewheel to rest on top
  
• There is no second hand drive mechanism resulting in a solid cannon pinion as you don't need a second hand mount
  
  
  
  
  In closer detail, note that "spring #1 is what prevents the jump hour gear/post from moving until enough force is applied to cause it to snap....similar to the the click stopping of a "Wheel of Fortune" wheel. Spring #1 presses underneath the cogged portion of the jump hour gear/post.
  
  The Asymmetrical gear is powered by the turning minute hand gear, and the asymmetrical bit means that there are only teeth on part of the gear (the part that activates the generation of power to operate the jump), and there is a nautilus shaped wheel (not circular) on the underside that causes power to be built up only in the latter stages of the progression of an hour...right before the jump.
  
  
  This is sthe underside of the asymmetrical gear showing the nautilus shaped wheel.
  
  
  The spring in the top-left quadrant pushes the swing arm against the nautilus shaped wheel to keep movement in check and aid in the power build up and snap action.
  
  
  This is the position of things in the middle of an hour. Note the asymmetrical gear is at about a conventional 7-o-clock, and the swing arm pictured in the picture just above, is pushed up, showing the nautilus wheel is building up power.
  
  
  
  In the pic above, you can see the whole nautilus gear piece is actually comprised of 3 parts:
  1. 
     
  2. The nautilus gear it self
     
  3. Minute hand gear
     
  4. And the jump hour hand driving gear
     

  All these pieces are held together by a rivet in the middle that allows the minute hand gear to move freely a little within the limits of the pin moving in the nautilus gear driving slot.

  As the power is built up right before the slot, you can see the swing arm is almost at the highest point as it is being pushed up by the high point of the nautilus gear.

  The whole unit itself is driven around counter-clockwise by the nautilus gear pin being pushed against the now hidden nautilus gear driving slot as the minute hand rotates while connected to the minute hand gear.

  

  This is the position of things just as the swing arm is coming down (you'll have to excuse the perspective shift from the Photoshop work...and the fact that the nautilus gear is not quite in a "fixed" position relative to the 5 teeth on the asymmetrical cog on the bottom...bad photo-editing work). As you can see, the swing arms starts to come down as it gets past the crest of the nautilus gear.

  Because the swing arm is curved, the peak of the nautilus gear essentially rides this curve as the spring of the swing arm comes down. The force of the swing arm coming down causes the asymmetrical 5-toothed cog to engage the hour hand and rotate quickly to "jump" into position.

  The nautilus gear driving slot allows enough free rotation for the pin which connects the the asymmetrical 5-toothed cog and the nautilus gear to move in, allowing the whole hour hand driving assembly to "jump" while not affecting the minute hands regular progression, which is connected to the minute hand gear.

  

  Right after the jump, the swing arm is in the low position, the minute hand gear will have to rotate counter-clockwise enough for the right hand side of the nautilus gear driving slot to rest against the nautilus gear drive pin, thereby causing the whole assembly to rotate again...build power again...and obviously prep for the next jump.

  

  This is the position of things right after an hour jump. Note the swing arm is now down...showing no build up of power yet.

  

  I put things back in their proper place...and put the top plate on using Rodico to place the screws. Yeah I know...I need a new piece...that one is dirty...but I'm cheap!!

  CONCLUSION

  That's all I have to say. Hopefully you found this interesting, useful, and informative. It certainly was for me.

  If you're interested in the differences between the Crazy Hours movement and the Totally Crazy Hours (with Crazy Date)...check out Nakortheblue's Post HERE.

  Thanks to The Zigmeister for all his tech posts and words of advice and encouragement. Thanks to Ajoesmith who really started all this thought in my mind that I could actually do something like this. And thanks to the many others before me who have contributed their experiences and made RWG the place to be.

  I look forward to your questions and comments...and more importantly, your corrections with improved descriptions!!

[KB]

Toady you have done it again.

A credit to our community

Ken

[chrgod]

Impressive!

I have always been fascinated by the jump hour watches, have not yet bought one, though. Cool to have a look under the skin.

Thanks for the time and effort!

[cableguy]

I'd love to get one of these jumping hour watches, but not this particular one. haha. i dont care for straps.

[cornerstone]

Great post!

This is one of the few watches that gets a flicker of interest from non-WIS types.

Now all I need is a pictorial on how to remove a Vegas movement

[Toadtorrent]

I'd love to get one of these jumping hour watches, but not this particular one. haha. i dont care for straps.

It comes with a bracelet option I thin...but the Muller bracelet for this caseline I wasn't too much of a fan for.

[RWG Technical]

Wonderful post, I have not had the pleasure of seeing the inside of this particular movement. Looks quite complex and probably hard to figure out without sitting down and playing with it.

Great post, again...thanks for this.

RG

[Toadtorrent]

Wonderful post, I have not had the pleasure of seeing the inside of this particular movement. Looks quite complex and probably hard to figure out without sitting down and playing with it.

Great post, again...thanks for this.

Thanks!! More like playing with it and watching things fly in the air on the jump!! "Oh...that's why they have that top plate screwed down". Good thing I took photos along the way.

[Rxus]

Thank you sir for that great pictorial, i always wanted to know how these things worked with a simple to understand non-watchmaker terminology.

[vintagerolex]

Great post thanks, very interesting.

[chronoluvvv]

Post of the Month, maybe even the Quarter !!!

BRILLIANT work

[specialvat]

Bravo, thank you for posting.

[Toadtorrent]

Updated to show more description of how the jumping occurs.

[dluddy]

I always wondered how they did that ....

Thanks for a brilliant write-up Toad

[spooky driver]

toad fantastic guide....the way you photographed the movement it looks massive like 6 inches by 4! pure quality

[Toadtorrent]

Updated to provide link to Nakortheblue's post on the Totally Crazy Hours movement (with Crazy Date).

[mrmarke]

As an owner of a dead Crazy Hours this great post is a godsend! I'm in the UK; can anyone recommend who to get a movement from? And a good watch tool kit? Noob on a budget but keen to fix it (my first rep!) as a learning exercise :-)

If not would it possible to stick in a normal 'non-crazy' movement? I love the look of the watch, and obviously the movement, but I'd sacrifice the latter to have the thing working!

[chubbchubb]

A lot of work went into that post, thanks Toad.

[gran]

Me like

[Toadtorrent]

Me like

Thanks Gran. You're a posting machine these last few days!!

[gran]

Yes Toad! Getting tired of planting crops on FarmVille (game on Facebook) so might bas well enjoy good ole RWG

[Toadtorrent]

Hah hah. I have yet to journey down the path of Facebook. apparently I have many friends there or so they tell me...just haven't bothered logging on.

[hpy540]

Way Cool, I have one of these adn it is always a pleasre to see what's inside incase i have to do a swap.

[Jammydavid]

Toad, I think your breakdown of the crazy hour movement is excellent. I have 2 of them; a white face on black rubber and multi colour dial on leather. I bought them a few years ago and now the multi colour dial version is starting to skip hours. Instead of jumping from 3 to 4 it seems to jump to either 9 or 11 in an adhoc manner. Therefore I'm going to explore the inner workings like yourself and try and find the problem.

As a backup, can you recommend anywhere I could buy a couple of new replacement movements incase it all goes horribly wrong? I saw you bought a couple back in 2008.

[GenTLe]

Great post! And great necro bump!

I have a little crazy too, and I also was curious about the movement structure

 

Thanks!

Toad, I think your breakdown of the crazy hour movement is excellent. I have 2 of them; a white face on black rubber and multi colour dial on leather. I bought them a few years ago and now the multi colour dial version is starting to skip hours. Instead of jumping from 3 to 4 it seems to jump to either 9 or 11 in an adhoc manner. Therefore I'm going to explore the inner workings like yourself and try and find the problem.

As a backup, can you recommend anywhere I could buy a couple of new replacement movements incase it all goes horribly wrong? I saw you bought a couple back in 2008.

 

 

He is not around here since "Last Active Nov 05 2014 12:19 PM", try writing him a PM