Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerSo this is the newest watch on my bench...
Got a call from a friend who is a goldsmith/jeweller. Known him for 25+ years, and he sometimes calls me with watches that his customers need help with. This one the husband tried to change the battery in his wife's watch at home, and let's just say it went all wrong.
I agreed to take a look, so they came by and dropped the watch off. I was handed the case, bracelet, and case back, and then an envelope...

Between the two post it notes were the "small pieces" he recovered...

Husband told me that when he tried to change the battery, he pried the battery out of the movement (hint!) and then when he turned the watch over, the hands had "fallen" off. So most likely he pried on the movement hard enough to separate it from the dial, and the dial stripped off the hands.
He then said he was trying to refit the stem, and it all suddenly went "sproing" and bits flew everywhere...not sure all the parts are there yet, so I might just get a new movement and get this done. If in doubt, take it to someone who does this for a living. 😉
Got a call from a friend who is a goldsmith/jeweller. Known him for 25+ years, and he sometimes calls me with watches that his customers need help with. This one the husband tried to change the battery in his wife's watch at home, and let's just say it went all wrong.
I agreed to take a look, so they came by and dropped the watch off. I was handed the case, bracelet, and case back, and then an envelope...

Between the two post it notes were the "small pieces" he recovered...

Husband told me that when he tried to change the battery, he pried the battery out of the movement (hint!) and then when he turned the watch over, the hands had "fallen" off. So most likely he pried on the movement hard enough to separate it from the dial, and the dial stripped off the hands.
He then said he was trying to refit the stem, and it all suddenly went "sproing" and bits flew everywhere...not sure all the parts are there yet, so I might just get a new movement and get this done. If in doubt, take it to someone who does this for a living. 😉