Forums Latest Members
  1. jens0125 knows that watches were made to be worn Feb 7, 2016

    Posts
    1,199
    Likes
    9,731
    hi all
    I have a 64 Ed white with 321 movement ... The crown and stem are loose and can't change time... The screw in the movement to tighten down is stripped and and won't tighten any suggestions on how to remove the scre so a new one can get replaced would be appriciated
     
  2. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 7, 2016

    Posts
    26,519
    Likes
    65,781
    Can you please be specific about what screw is "stripped"? Is it a case screw that holds the movement to the enlargement ring, or the setting lever screw?

    Cheers, Al
     
  3. jens0125 knows that watches were made to be worn Feb 7, 2016

    Posts
    1,199
    Likes
    9,731
    Setting lever screw[​IMG]
     
    image.jpg
  4. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 7, 2016

    Posts
    26,519
    Likes
    65,781
    Then it's likely snapped off rather than stripped. So you will need a new setting lever screw and you will need to look at the setting lever to see if the remnants of the broken screw can be removed easily.

    Hands and dial need to come off, so the movement needs to come out of the case. Parts of the chronograph need to be removed to get the old screw head out. In other words this is not something you can do from the back in a couple of minutes...

    Cheers, Al
     
  5. jens0125 knows that watches were made to be worn Feb 7, 2016

    Posts
    1,199
    Likes
    9,731
    Thanks... I think I will let a professional take a look
     
  6. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 8, 2016

    Posts
    26,519
    Likes
    65,781
    With the setting lever screw and the setting lever both being made of steel, it's unlikely it's stripped the threads in either, but instead is broken off. To give you an example I fixed a Cal. 861 with a broken setting lever screw not long ago, so here is what the broken screw looked like in the setting lever:

    [​IMG]

    I used a screw head file to file a slot in the part of the screw that was exposed:

    [​IMG]

    Used a screwdriver to simply turn out the broken portion, then installed a new screw:

    [​IMG]

    Not a difficult job for a watchmaker to fix this, but probably beyond the typical tinkerer at home...

    Cheers, Al
     
  7. ChrisN Feb 8, 2016

    Posts
    2,218
    Likes
    4,758
    Neatly done Al.

    To the OP, is not the most likely that you loosened the screw too much and so the setting lever is now floating as the screw is out? As Al says, it's a dial off job now. With my limited experience, I tighten these and then only back off 1.5 to 2 turns. Always tighten first in case you've already loosened 1.5 and forgotten. The extra 1.5 turns removes the screw from the lever and it's dial off time. Don't ask me how I know...

    Cheers, Chris
     
    rogart likes this.
  8. jens0125 knows that watches were made to be worn Feb 8, 2016

    Posts
    1,199
    Likes
    9,731
    i am the tinkerer at home, thanks for the pics, are there people on the forum that can do this or should go off to omega...which could take months and $$$$
     
  9. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 8, 2016

    Posts
    26,519
    Likes
    65,781
    I would personally not send a Cal. 321 to Omega, as they may change things on the watch that you don't want changed. Find a watchmaker who is well versed in the 321 to do this for you, and make sure you speak with them at length about what you do and don't want done.

    And yes Chris pointed to the most obvious answer - screw was backed out too far...

    Cheers, Al
     
  10. Canuck Feb 8, 2016

    Posts
    13,508
    Likes
    38,162
    A broken detent screw would mean the watch must be dismantled. You should hope it has just come unscrewed.
     
  11. jens0125 knows that watches were made to be worn Feb 9, 2016

    Posts
    1,199
    Likes
    9,731
    back up and running, fatter screw driver and some direct pressure able to do a 1/4 more to tighten, now i have a bit of dust underneath the crystal... thanks for your guys help
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG][/URL][/IMG]