I recently purchased an omega seamaster 354, but unfortunately my nephew got a hold of it and somehow managed to undo the back when I found it there was a metal gasket type thing bent next to it. I screwed the back back in but now it needs a lot of movement to get it started seems louder and loses about 15minutes of time per day! Please help
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it was damaged in the incident. Time to send it in for a repair.
Yeh I guessed that was hoping someone could enlighten me on what the metal gasket was and if it could be just a case of buying a replacement? What kind of figures am I talking for repair??
I would imagine that the problem is more related to what he might have done with his fingers, after removing the back. Please say your nephew is 5 years old and not 15. If he is 15, a slap might be in order. If he is 5, get his name down for watchmakers school. The metal gasket is probably a spring washer.
In the bumper movements, there is no metal "gasket", or spring washer for that matter underneath a screw caseback. And you should never be able to undo the back with your fingers alone . . . What you should see on a 354 Seamaster is this - And nothing else, once the back is off.
That's the inside of mine. I don't have a pic of what came out but I'm sure it was a very thin ring maybe a seal
Well, the movement looks OK, with nothing obviously wrong. There should indeed be a gasket, which is usually a rubber o-ring. It is possible that the rotor bearings on your watch are worn, and the rotor was touching the inside of the caseback. So an unscrupulous seller may have shimmed out the back using a metal washer to get a bit more clearance. This would explain a few things . . .
That sounds like it could be the problem, so whats my next step? Repair rotor bearings replace metal washer to shim out the back again?
Well, you don't know for certain that is the problem. I am only guessing from a distance. You need a competent watchmaker to examine the movement and diagnose any faults. If there is no rubber o-ring then that needs to be attended to as well, of course. You also said that the watch is running 15 mins a day slow, did I read that correctly? That is a massive amount, and I can't see how the two problems can be related. So you have two issues to deal with.
Ok I see, I need to find a decent watchmaker then. I don't suppose you know how quickly the bumper should work after movement I find that I have to move it around a lot for 5-10 minutes to keep it going if not it stops quickly but once it's going it's fine for the rest of the day with normal wear. Thank you
The metal gasket is the gasket that comes with NOS cases and should be replaced with a rubber one when you first use the case. At least, I found it on my NOS 2627.
NOS, New Old Stock. Cases, dials or any other original part, that hasn't been used, and has been stocked all this years
You can find it on cousinsuk, ofrei or just asking your watchmaker for it when you give him your watch for repair or service