I've been around here since 2015 as a guest, and August of 2016 as a member. I appreciate your collective knowledge. Despite my best intentions, careful cultivation, watering, fertilizing, weeding and the like, I have thus far only "farmed" 160+ posts. As such, I can't post in the WTB forum. That leaves me a couple choices,

1) Defy the rule, act like a noob, and post in the general forum: Not gonna do it. (Again, to much respect for the forum members, and I'd deserve the flaming I would get)

2) Post 38 "garbage posts" to get to 200: Again, not gonna do it. I don't know anything compared to you guys, but what I know I've largely learned from you, so I want my posts to either be meaningful or entertaining.

3) Not post what I am looking for but simply ask if anyone knows a reputable source for parts to a Croton Chronomaster/Aviator/Sea Diver, at least until I hit my distant (based on my pace so far) 200 mark and can post more specifically here. That way, I might be able to find what I am looking for while also still respecting a very reasonable rule that helps safeguard the community.

So, I chose #3. Mods, please feel free to delete if this is deemed as crossing the line rather than simply approaching it. Thank you, OF.

 

Which parts are you looking for? Vintage Croton movements appear to be mostly finished examples of existing movements, like my father's Aquamatic has an ETA of some type.

Case parts, good luck.

Tom

 

Hands, I am afraid. Thanks for the well wishes, I feel I may need them.

 

As far as I have seen many of the Croton’s were as @VetPsychWars confirmed- eta’s for the most part. I believe the minute and hour hands on eta movements were/are interchangeable as long as the length is correct, there was a change in the second hand mount at some point in history-I’m sure a resident expert can illuminate exactly when the change was. Watches like the Croton’s used off the shelf parts for the most part so you may find the hands labeled under different brands- but they would be eta hands provided it is indeed an eta movement.

 

Post pics of the watch and if it currently has hands, pics of those and a movement shot if you can get the back off. That could help steer this thread in a direction of “advise” as opposed to ask.

 

Croton...that's a name I haven't heard in a while. I think this is the only one I've ever serviced:



This one had a Sellita SW220-1 inside, so a copy of an ETA 2836-2. Note that the Croton "customized rotor" was simply a sticker that was applied to the rotor - found that out the hard way when the adhesive dissolved in the cleaning machine...



It wasn't very old, but came with some interesting features, like a ball of fuzz wrapped around the escape wheel, which obviously didn't help it run very well:



Are you after parts for a modern watch, or something vintage? Not sure who even owns the brand and where parts could be obtained from to be honest, so you may have to figure out what the movement is and find hands that fit from there.

Good luck with your search.

Cheers, Al

 

@Archer

He is talking about a CASD, as discussed in this thread: https://omegaforums.net/threads/niv...ronomaster-aviator-sea-diver-only-book.82319/

Croton/Nivada-Grenchen used several movements in their CASD watches, including Venus 210, Valjoux 23, Val92, and later the Val7733, I believe. Depending on the era, there were models with broad-arrow hands or a couple of varieties of stick hands. More information is needed from the OP if he wants help.

 

Thanks, all. I appreciate you each weighing in, although you were hindered by my lack of a photo. I don’t have the tool to take off the back, (I will try to get it to a watchmaker soon to remove the back and find out what movement it has), and that may be a prerequisite to any suggestions, but here is a pic of the watch, with current functioning, but mismatched hands:

 

@Ritzwatch

Those hands may be correct. Why do you say they are wrong? They are one of the correct CASD styles, they are matching, and they are the right length. Probably just re-lumed. Please look at the thread that I referenced in my previous post.

 

Well, interesting. The mismatched lume is, indeed, what made me think they were not right. If they are indeed correct, I would be just as happy to have them re-lumed again, with a little “aging” to have them match the rest of the watch.

Thanks for the feedback, it is much appreciated!

 

Yes, you should just have them re-lumed by someone who knows how to tint the compound to color-match the dial. That's why we ask for photos. It's common that people asking questions simply don't know what they don't know. ;-)

 

Yes, I just didn’t want to have people think I was trying to circumvent the WTB rules, but your point is a lesson well learned; thanks again, Dan.

(And, after this thread, I’m up to around 170 posts after 3 years, HA! )

 

You have a nice CASD there, and I like the choice of strap as well. The red stitching brings out the red accent on the dial.

 

I would wear that as is-wouldn’t touch it. Agree with Dan, those hands look correct, just relumed as the old lume was probably falling apart at some point. If the hand color really bothers you, then agreed again- correct tint would take care of that. Awesome watch!

 

That lower pusher however looks a little concerning.

 

eBay is your friend: Valjoux 23

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/312721026358

 

Maybe that's some new kind of shock protection.

 

It could have been a suggestion for a complimentary strap color...

 

The hands looks fine to me. Actually I like yours early (1963-1970) large arrow hands better than my 70’s “stick” hands.

 

Hello,
Same as you with no same accuracy ... If you have found a good guy to replace original unsigned peaces matching the originales, i will be pleased to heard about your advices .
Regards
Fred