I just got a nice looking Seamaster chronometer 564 in a 168022 which the owner told me works for a few hours and then stops.

The movement looks nice and clean but is completely jammed. But when I opened it up, I find a mysterious screw jamming the rotor somewhere near the fourth wheel. I'll bet that isn't doing the time keeping any good,

Is this an easy extraction process? I would imagine the head is buried deep in there preventing it from being simply pulled out. How should I try it or Is there just too much dismantling involved? Is this a job only a professional should try?


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Not sure if these white specks will clean off

 

I get the sense that this is not a project you should undertake yourself! I would suggest the watch needs a total service. There might be a way to get that screw out of there without a total service, but if I need to describe to you how to do it, it is a process that is beyond you!

 

yes, i fear you are right, but thanks

 

Yeah.. if thats an issue, there are probably other issues that warrant a service anyway.

 

Don't take risks, if you are not a experienced watchmaker, The best is look for one. And that's could be a hard job to.

 

That would be why I was hoping I might tease it out by just taking the rotor and a bridge off.

 

It came from somewhere. May not be a case of just removing it, but also of putting it back where it came from.

 

It is usually the dial feet screw.

 

Yes, absolutely correct. Though the movement does look quite clean and in reasonable condition. Not as if anyone has significantly played around with it. I was hoping that the location might become reasonably self evident?

 

Case clamp screw...but where's the clamp?

 

Totally a pro job and I would opt for the full service as well.

Tom

 

If you're comfortable working on this and have the right tools, go ahead and pull the rotor and see if that will give you enough access to enable freeing the screw. Then buy a case clamp on eBay. Worst that could happen: you have to take the watch to a watchmaker for repair. I don't think he'll charge you double because you tried to fix it yourself. Best that could happen: you fix it, save some money, and gain a great sense of accomplishment.

 

Thats an easy initial fix. The screw is stuck in the winding mechanism, so once the winding mechanism is removed the screw should be easily accessible. The wheel that you see the screw in is part of the winding mechanism and once you remove that the screw will come with it. The winding mechanism is held in place by 2 screws, one at each end. The problem is you would need to remove the rotor first as it wont turn far enough to give access to the screw at one end.
Removing the rotor is straight forward enough, you remove the small screw next the center, lift up the small metal piece and then the rotor.
Its fiddly work so if you dont have the necessary tools then best left to a watch maker and should not take them long.

 

It is probably under the rotor and is what is jamming the rotor in place? The rotor will not move even as far as the screw.

I wonder whether that gap under the rotor across from the missing part is the (missing?) other clamp?

 

I just wonder how this worked itself loose. I assume it’s possible if it wasn’t tightened down enough, it could have come loose from sonic vibration if it saw air travel (in transit). I have had view camera lens shutters come apart from sonic vibration in transit- that will make you cringe when you open the case.

 

Correct, not caught in the fourth wheel, but in one of the wheels for the automatic winding - the gear that drives the ratchet wheel.

For reference the fourth wheel is under the jewel that is immediately left of the "564" stamped on the wheel train bridge...

The OP will have to make sure the case clamp isn't floating around inside the watch.

Typically if a screw comes loose like this, it's because it wasn't properly tightened in the first place. Not an unusual thing to see.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks for that wsfarrell and pascs and for your input archer. It wasn't such a difficult repair, though it was rendered a bit more difficult by so many parts jamming everything. And fortunately I have one of the more comprehensive Snap- On sets.

The whole thing came apart (and together again) exactly as described, although when I got to the screw itself, it was so jammed into the wheel that it wouldn't come easily out. And the clamp was, of course, under the rotor, doing its own jamming.

When assembled the whole thing sprang to life, but i'll wait for my final verdict.

Unfortunately the screw was so jammed into the wheel that continuously trying to run the rotor bent the wheel!! The bridge wouldn't come apart all that easily so I had to try to straighten it in place. Not a pretty sight, and in reality I'm not all that great at straightening fountain pen nibs, never mind 564 wheels! Probably better trying to find another wheel?

So I'm not expecting much.

 

You are going to need this - 72205501437.

Cheers, Al

 

Is that the bent wheel or (it seems to be) the driving gear ratchet that it connects to?

 

That is the driving gear for ratchet wheel, which is the wheel that's bent in your photo. There are four gears (wheel) in the automatic, and this is the only one with spokes in it that could be bent like this.