Help! I took the antimagnetic cover off my seamaster 1120 and pieces fell out!

jwk1 · May 6, 2023

I removed the antimagnetic cover bc I was going to try to regulate it slightly. I removed the antimagnetic cover and tilted the watch slightly to get it to fall out of the watch. Right then two tiny metal pieces fell out as well as a tiny screw. I have no idea where these came from or how they were just loose waiting to fall out.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

jwk1 · May 6, 2023

jwk1
I removed the antimagnetic cover bc I was going to try to regulate it slightly. I removed the antimagnetic cover and tilted the watch slightly to get it to fall out of the watch. Right then two tiny metal pieces fell out as well as a tiny screw. I have no idea where these came from or how they were just loose waiting to fall out.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

EDIT* there are two tiny screws not one.

Scarecrow Boat · May 6, 2023

Good thing you have both screws.

Canuck · May 6, 2023

You have two loose case clamps, and two screws, one of each which holds one case clamp. @Scarecrow Boat beat me to it. His picture shows the location and orientation of the one case clamp, and 180°across from it is the location of the other clamp and screw.

jwk1 · May 6, 2023

Wow thanks so much!!

how did they come loose? I just bought the watch and all I did was remove the case back and magnetic cover? How did they not fall into the watch before I opened it!?

Scarecrow Boat · May 6, 2023

jwk1
I have no idea where these came from or how they were just loose waiting to fall out.

jwk1
What is the function of those pieces?

jwk1
I was going to try to regulate it slightly.

Out of sincere curiousity, are you sure you want to try to regulate this on your own?

Canuck · May 6, 2023

jwk1
Wow thank you so much! What is the function of those pieces?

The tip of each clamp, protrudes out, and under a lip machined in the circumference of the case. The tip of the clamp should be placed under the lip, and the screw fitted, to hold the clamp. The two of them hold the movement tight.

jwk1 · May 7, 2023

Scarecrow Boat
Out of sincere curiousity, are you sure you want to try to regulate this on your own?

i know, not to sound too confident but I’ve done it a few times successfully and I have already finished this one as well and just got the clamps back on. The clamps were more of a pain in the ass! The watch went from losing a second an hour to being pretty spot on over the last four hours.

jwk1 · May 7, 2023

I’m actually glad I decided to do this because I’m pretty sure those screws and clamps were gonna be rattling around inside the movement causing problems.

watchyouwant · May 7, 2023

jwk1
I removed the antimagnetic cover bc I was going to try to regulate it slightly. I removed the antimagnetic cover and tilted the watch slightly to get it to fall out of the watch. Right then two tiny metal pieces fell out as well as a tiny screw. I have no idea where these came from or how they were just loose waiting to fall out.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

So, you don't know what case clamps are, but you are confident in regulating your movement ? ?

jwk1 · May 7, 2023

watchyouwant
So, you don't know what case clamps are, but you are confident in regulating your movement ? ?

Lol yea. I’ve not taken apart a watch so not all familiar with how the movement was held down but I do have experience regulating. I also was a bit shocked as these pieces literally fell out when I took the case back off. I did see the obvious place they go after some inspection. I don’t find regulating to be hard, especially if you make a few very small adjustments over time. I think most people just don’t realize how significant a tiny movement can be of the regulator or aren’t able to adjust things by less than a mm. Also, I almost always attempt this when I’m already set on having it serviced anyway.

Dan S · May 7, 2023

It's possible that the screws didn't have the clearance to fall out with the dust cover in place.

Donn Chambers · May 7, 2023

jwk1
i know, not to sound too confident but I’ve done it a few times successfully and I have already finished this one as well and just got the clamps back on. The clamps were more of a pain in the ass! The watch went from losing a second an hour to being pretty spot on over the last four hours.

If the watch was losing 24 sec/day, regulating it is only a short-term fix. It very likely needs a service. Don’t be surprised if you continue to have problems with it.

jwk1 · May 7, 2023

Donn Chambers
If the watch was losing 24 sec/day, regulating it is only a short-term fix. It very likely needs a service. Don’t be surprised if you continue to have problems with it.

Yes of course. I almost always do regulating on a watch I plan on having serviced just in case… although I just checked it again and after about 11 hours it’s only 2 sec slower. The watch is from 2006 with unknown service history.

jwk1 · May 7, 2023

Also, I won’t even open up a watch that’s worth more than 1,500 or a rare vintage. But I always feel a greater appreciation and admiration for a watch after putting some work into it (no matter how little).

jwk1 · May 8, 2023

Just an update- After about 18 hours the watch was losing about 8 seconds but after a small turn on the screw it hasn’t lost or gained anything (at least not a whole second) in the past 8 hours, 50% sitting dial up and 50% worn.

I was scared to try regulating at first bc people warned me against it but I don’t think people should be afraid to do this, especially if it is before a service. I’ve got super steady hands, a nice magnifier and tiny tools but I always thought regulating a watch was a doable exercise if you have patience and go super slowly. I am going to buy a timegrapher to speed up the process in the future.

Annapolis · May 9, 2023

Admire your DIY spirit, but as a public service announcement, I’d want to remind folks that the default position with an expensive watch you care about should probably be to leave all case-opening work to a professional. These are complex and delicate machines with tiny parts and extremely small tolerances; with vintage pieces, replacement parts may be extremely hard to find if you lose or damage something. And even if you manage to accomplish your goal with the movement, there’s still the matter of resealing the case and getting the gaskets just right for water resistance. Professionals have training and specialized equipment for such things.

Obviously, it’s your watch and your business what you do with it. But I wouldn’t buy a watch that had been opened by a non-professional unless it had subsequently received a pro service. (It’s why I always ask before considering a purchase that includes movement pics. Appreciate seeing them, but want to know when and how they were taken.)

jwk1 · May 9, 2023

Annapolis
Admire your DIY spirit, but as a public service announcement, I’d want to remind folks that the default position with an expensive watch you care about should probably be to leave all case-opening work to a professional. These are complex and delicate machines with tiny parts and extremely small tolerances; with vintage pieces, replacement parts may be extremely hard to find if you lose or damage something. And even if you manage to accomplish your goal with the movement, there’s still the matter of resealing the case and getting the gaskets just right for water resistance. Professionals have training and specialized equipment for such things.

Obviously, it’s your watch and your business what you do with it. But I wouldn’t buy a watch that had been opened by a non-professional unless it had subsequently received a pro service. (It’s why I always ask before considering a purchase that includes movement pics. Appreciate seeing them, but want to know when and how they were taken.)

Agree 100%. Don’t mess with expensive or rare pieces. I have some I definitely wouldn’t touch. If you are going to swim or dive with the watch- same thing, it’s too much of a headache to diy and not worth the risk. Mine was a seamaster 120, that was $600. I never wear my watches in water, don’t scuba. It was running 24 sec slow per day and now it’s running +2s per day. Temporarily at least, it made the watch usable rather than unwearable imo. Still getting a service soon. Never thought about the movement pics before, I’ll make sure to ask and also save them for future use if reselling.

ExpiredWatchdog · May 10, 2023

So, did you get them back in right-side-up?

Yes, there is an up and a down, and if not put in correctly, they don't hold the watch snug against the case.

Your chances of getting it right blindly are only 25%. Not good.

Now about that DIY spirit....?

jwk1 · May 10, 2023

ExpiredWatchdog
So, did you get them back in right-side-up?

Your chances of getting it right blindly are only 25%. Not good.

Now about that DIY spirit....?

I looked up how to reinstall them. Also, I could tell they didn’t fit right if they were upside down.

its