question on quartz crystal replacement

[jim88]

I've been collecting and repairing pocket watches for a number of years so I'm familiar with most aspects concerning them but I need some help and questions answered so I can fix a quartz watch. It is a wristwatch Universal Geneve with date.
1. Is the "electric module" and the "quartz crystal" one and the same?
2. The back of the watch has a blue plastic part and a silver part w/battery. Is just the blue part replaced if a new quartz crystal is replaced.
3. The blue part has these markings - ESA - 954 . 111 , Swiss V8, and Universal Geneve 75. Is that the part I order and who supplies them? I usually use SLaRose.
4. I've removed the movement from the case. Do the hands and dial need to be removed? I can do it if necessary.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Jim.

[This message has been edited by jim88 (edited 12-29-2001).]

 

[jim88]

I've been collecting and repairing pocket watches for a number of years so I'm familiar with most aspects concerning them but I need some help and questions answered so I can fix a quartz watch. It is a wristwatch Universal Geneve with date.
1. Is the "electric module" and the "quartz crystal" one and the same?
2. The back of the watch has a blue plastic part and a silver part w/battery. Is just the blue part replaced if a new quartz crystal is replaced.
3. The blue part has these markings - ESA - 954 . 111 , Swiss V8, and Universal Geneve 75. Is that the part I order and who supplies them? I usually use SLaRose.
4. I've removed the movement from the case. Do the hands and dial need to be removed? I can do it if necessary.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Jim.

[This message has been edited by jim88 (edited 12-29-2001).]

 

[Steve Maddox]

Jim,

I don't usually work on quartz watches myself, but I've had to learn a little bit about them in "self defense." In most instances, the quartz crystal oscillator is a component of the electronic circuit. It's usually inside a very small metallic canister, which looks something like a miniature old style capacitor (or condenser). The vibrations of this crystal oscillator are the time base for the mechanism.

Crystals occasionally break or otherwise go bad, but that's not usually what causes failures in quartz watches. Far more common causes are mechanical blockage of the rotor or train, or an "open" magnetic coil. The coil, which is composed of copper wire about 1/10 the diameter of a human hair, is obviously quite fragile, and just a slight touch with a screwdriver or tweezer point will usually wipe it out.

An easy way to check for mechanical blockage of the train is to use an old style "coil type" watchmaker's demagnetizer. Just hold the complete cased watch near the coil opening, and activate the demagnetizer. If all is well, the hands on the watch will begin rotating (in either direction) at a very rapid rate. If nothing happens, it's virtually certain that the train is somehow blocked, and this should be investigated.

If the train is free, the coil should be checked with an ohm meter. Use a relatively high scale (1000+ ohms), and see if a reading is obtained when checking across the terminals of the coil (be careful not to disturb a connection or break a wire). If you get a reading at all, the coil is probably OK. If you get no reading, it's certain that the coil is "open," and should be replaced.

In most "quality" quartz watches, the coil is a separate part from the rest of the electronic circuit, and may be ordered separately. In your case, your movement is an "ESA - 954.111, and this should be all you need to know to order "generic" replacement parts. Of course, you probably could obtain "genuine" UG parts from UG, but why? The only difference is you'll pay a premium for a part that's still made by ESA.

Hope this helps!


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Steve Maddox
President, NAWCC Chapter #62
North Little Rock, Arkansas

 

[fuzzuki]

most of the time it would be advisable to just replace the circuit complete.

But unfortunatly in this case, I don't think that ETA makes them anymore and they have grown scarce.

So if you could get your hands on another circuit that has a bad coil, you could replace the quartz crystal with that one.

Which leads me to another question.

How do you know that the quartz crystal is not functioning?

rob

 

[jim88]

To answer your question, I don't really know if the crystal is bad. But the watch was sent out for repair to "United Factory Authorized Service Center" in Dearborn,MI and they recommended the following;
1. Comp. Maint. service $175
2. Crystal $35
3. Electric Module $75
Well, it's my brother inlaw's watch and knowing I do pocket watches we figured I'd take a shot at fixing it and save a lot of money. One source has told me they don't make the ESA954.111 but the ISA 1198/32 would work. At six bucks what a deal! However I still have to make a successful repair. Do you think I should take a shot at it? Are there any nasty beginners problems I should be aware of? Once again, thanks for the reply and any help would be greatly appreciated. Jim.

[This message has been edited by jim88 (edited 12-31-2001).]

 

[fuzzuki]

If they say that this movement replaces yours, it usually means that the dial and hands will exchange no problem.

The only thing that may cause a problem is the different thickness of the movements.
If they are different sizes that is.

rob

 

[doug sinclair]

Jim88,

I'l bet that someone out there has replaced a 954.111 with the ISA movement and didn't throw the 954.111 away. That movement may even have a good circuit on it! If that person reads this board and could help Jim out, it'd be a good way to start the New Year.

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