Has anyone come across any stem length problems with the 9-douxieme movement? I have had problems with an original stem twice now on getting the watch back from high-end repairers.

For some reason I cant imagine, suddenly the stem seems to be a half millimetre too long! It isn't loose, or I would just find some way of screwing the crown in a bit more. But the first time this happened, pretty soon it did start to loosen and the watch went out of service for 4-5 years while Vacheron wouldnt supply another exceptionally unusual triangular screw.

But more recently the winding wheel started to shed 10-11 teeth,- someone had tried to put an el-cheapo Favre Leuba part in when the original V&C part lost one tooth. And finding a repairer good enough to try to find all those loose teeth jamming the movement was a very difficult affair. Slightly ominously he warned about overwinding when he finished the repair.

I got the watch back 3-4 months ago, wore it a few times and suddenly YESTERDAY noticed that dreaded half millimeter between the crown and the case again! Now I don't dare wear it again.

Can this be anything other than the crown coming loose and needing screwing back on please? (I repeat, it doesn't seem loose and Obviously I wouldnt have posted if I could just screw it back on again). Is there THAT much difference between manually screwing it on and taking the whole stem out, holding it in a vice and then screwing the crown on?

 

I see this flummoxed everyone:

What if I added that have taken it to my repairer who advises that the watch has a worn winding pinion?

Bit difficult to find for any sort of reasonable cost: Does anyone have an opinion as to whether I need ONLY a cal 1003/2003 winding pinion or can I use a LeCoultre Cal 818 one?