Step away from the WD-40

I appreciate the enthusiasm. I have no intention of swapping out the original bezel insert unless I find the correct one. I can live with a little wabi-sabi (this is more than a little) but would prefer a clean bezel. These watches were branded by several companies so I’m sure I will eventually find another bezel or insert...eventually. I swapped out the trashed DNN on my Speedy with a modern service bezel (DNN in storage) and it made all the difference in my mind.

Whenever I open a watch and smell that smell, it's like "Oh F*ck!"

So bad news, the other watch I have is a 7730 and not a 7733, and they are not swappable.
Apparently the oil soaked movement is also missing the reset lever and screw- and it will need a balance...ugh. May need to source another movement.

A normal 7733

My 7733

I ran into a compatibility issue a few years ago on a 7730 based watch. Balance was really screwed, and finding one that was compatible with the regulating pins was impossible. The pins on this movement were farther out from the center of the balance that all the balances I tried. There are many versions of these out there with small mods made by different brands that used them. In the end I had to swap both the balance and the balance cock to get the watch running again, and that was the only way out of the issue.

Your spring doesn't look too bad - I don't have it in front of me to say for sure, but I really do think it could be saved. Often they look really bad but one bend will bring them right back...unlike this one that I had to deal with - there was no saving this one:

If I told you, he could get drummed out of the watch handy guy guild for revealing his magic tricks. I will say that there about 5 main chemicals in an art an conservators kit, each has their application depending on the media surface, the contaminant on the surface, and the level of bake (how long it’s been on there, under heat, humidity etc).
Enzymatic solution #1 (spit) is the most benign and actually works for cleaning most surfaces.
Water is a great cleaner but is highly corrosive. Add a drop of Dawn dish soap and it becomes a mild detergent.
Ammonia (windex) is another good mild one for grease and oil
Denatured alcohol (camp stove fuel) is another and fast evaporating when working in tight spaces or things that can’t be saturated (but not friendly to all plastics)
Naptha (lighter fluid) another for sticky or dried out oils that are like tar and grimy funk- leaves no rasidue and won’t hurt delicate finishes like paint.

Obviously each one needs to be tested depending on the surface (matte surface, gloss, print in lacquer or under lacquer), to verify it won’t damage. Q-tips and soft disposable lint free pads work best (like the flannel swatches you use for gun cleaning). It takes guts and skill- and knowledge that you don’t get another shot- practice on junk dials many times before you have at one you care about and know how each chemical behaves with each kind or surface.

So just closing the loop on this, watch handy friend cleaned up oil mess on the dial beautifully, there was actually a nice matte dial under all that oil- lume luckily dried out and no damage done. Movement was sent off to watchmaker (I had to isolate it in a movement holder and ziplock as it was still dripping WD40) with the missing parts donated from another member here (I love this place).

Finally on the wrist and keeping perfect time,



Would love a better bezel but would rather live with the correct battered one than something mismatched. If anyone has a better bezel for one of these (probably the same as the dozen other random brands that used this case), let me know.

And like all labors of love- I have far more into this watch now than it is worth- but we don’t take on these projects blindly…we know the sunk costs, either cut bait or double down.