Okay here is the setting lever screw for the 6497/6498:



You will note is has a flange part way up the body of the screw. Here it is installed into the main plate:



Now with the barrel bridge installed:



Here is the setting lever and the setting lever screw assembled together:



The red arrow points to the post that is the one that rides in the notch in the stem, and with the screw fully tightened down, this post will not allow the stem to be pulled from the movement. Here the screw is partially unscrewed:



The flange on the screw shown in the first photo above prevents this screw from moving in or out when the screw is turned. So when you turn the screw CCW to unscrew it, the only thing that can happen is that the setting lever moves away from the screw in the direction of the read arrow. This causes the post that is engaged with the stem to move out of the slot in the stem, and the stem can be removed.

You don't want to unscrew this all the way, but just enough to allow the stem to be removed. If you unscrew it too far, the screw will come completely out of the setting lever and you will have to remove the movement from the case, removed the hands and dial, and whatever else is involved to get down to the lever needed to thread the screw back into the setting lever.

Now if you look at the Cal. 321 setting lever screw on the first page of this thread that I posted, even though it's rusted you will see it has no flange on it like this one does, and this means that when you unscrew this screw, it will back out slightly. This is why on many watches when I give advice how to remove the stem, I suggest unscrewing the screw slightly, then using the screwdriver to press down on the screw, and gently pull on the stem while pressing down. On many watches if you unscrew this screw far enough to remove the stem without pressing on the screw, the screw will come completely out of the setting lever.

Most modern watches I work on (there are some exceptions) don't use a setting lever screw at all. The setting lever looks like this:



There is often some type of spring on the dial side that holds this part in place, rather than using a screw. In this style, you use a tool to press where I have the read arrow in the small indent top push the setting lever away, so the post that secures the stem in place clears the stem.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Al

 

Hey, knock yourself out!

 

I think that is super helpful. Thanks!

 

As you explain this, don't forget to include the fact that 99.9999999999999% of the solid is basically empty space with negligible mass.

 

Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to. Thanks.

 

By the way: I spoke to a number of watch collectors in the interim, and when I asked them how they pulled out their crowns, I was genuinely surprised how many used just one finger.

 

I almost always turn the watch over and use the thumbnail on my left hand from the back of the watch.

 

Can we post this picture every time someone spouts off about how a watch is crap because it doesn’t have the original crown?

 

Hey JW,

Not really sure what you’re driving at here. Clearly, if water gets inside a watch, it’s never good, and a variable amount of corrosion will ensue.

But there’s nothing wrong with collectors looking for original parts on a collector piece, including the crown. But they do have to be aware that, on crowns that have gaskets, they could be worn, and the watch may never have the requisite water-resistance.

 

Well if we are dong that, we should show some of the rest of the damage too...here's the rusted winding pinion:





The sliding pinion:



The rust carried on to the crown wheel:



The ratchet wheel:



The click:



And to the pinion leaves on the center wheel:



And for the parts you see, here is the chronograph hand:



The small seconds hand was rusted as well, along with this stain on the dial:



Fortunately, I was able to remove that stain:



There's a reason these crowns are replaced at every service...

Cheers, Al

 

Interesting that it didn’t affect the lume. Is it Radium or Tritium?

 

Lemme guess, this was shallower than 50m

 

Yes because as I've said countless times, most watches leak because of lack of maintenance, not because they are taken past their depth rating.

 

Aww, is that what you’re selling?

 

Not selling anything mate.

 

Thank God

 

Keep posting like this and you will be at 200 very soon.

 

You mean, only you could post but I shouldn’t?

 

I'll give you credit for being creative. Start a trolling thread about Rolex owners that is sure to get a lot of posts that you can respond to, then post a few lame jokes, and start some arguments to have some back and forth. Much smarter than the average post farmer here...

 

You got me! I give up. Mercy —- Tapping out.
Your sharp intelligence sees right through my motives. It must be because I want to sell something... Genius