Crown doesn't screw back in

unkel · 25-08-2015 10:49pm #1

Quondam S.6427 (Davosa Argonaut clone)

with the ETA 2824-2 movement

Working fine, keeping excellent time, but since a few days ago the crown doesn't screw back in. I've tried it many times, it just won't go. So I haven't worn it since as I'd be afraid water would get in.

Where (in the greater Dublin area) would I go to get it fixed (on a budget), what do you think will be done to fix it and how much would you expect this to cost?

Picture stolen from peasant

attachment.php?attachmentid=770662&stc=1&d=1342957468

Mine doesn't have the orange detailing but is identical otherwise

Menas · 26-08-2015 8:38am

Assuming that nothing is broken it should be a 5 minute job. Remove the back, pin in, remove stem, see if stem connects to crown outside of the watch, assuming it does reseat both, check again, replace the back and away you go.

On one of my vintages it is a pain to reassemble as the stem goes in to far to the movement preventing you from screwing the crown back in. So takes lots of fidgeting to get the crown connected to the stem with the stem in far enough to connect with the winder.

Anyway, it should not be too big a job. I dont know who to recommend though. The fella I go to is expensive for the small jobs but better value for a service.

blue5000 · 26-08-2015 10:13am

The threads could be stripped on the stem/case. Might need a stem replaced or threads re-cut on the case. Sorry don't know where to get it done. Where did you buy it?

peasant · 26-08-2015 6:36pm

I've had the same issue on mine unfortunately and so have many others.

The watch was made by Davosa and sold under many different brands. All watches of that batch seem to have this issue sooner or later ...but Davosa washes their hands of it. To get a satisfactory repair you'd need a new crown and a new tubus (the bit with the thread that sits in the case)

My watchmaker (who is a nice guy but as slow as a wet week) has so far unsucessfully tried to get hold of a Davosa crown and tubus and is somewhat reluctant (for aesthetical reasons) to use any other crown that fits and so the watch still lingers with him.

If you can find someone in Dublin who sells Davosa you might have better luck (forget about asking Quondam, they simply won't respond)

unkel · 26-08-2015 8:21pm

peasant wrote: »

My watchmaker (who is a nice guy but as slow as a wet week) has so far unsucessfully tried to get hold of a Davosa crown and tubus and is somewhat reluctant (for aesthetical reasons) to use any other crown that fits and so the watch still lingers with him.

If he (ever) comes back with a satisfactory (and cheap) solution, let me know. I don't mind having to wait. I don't mind all that much about aesthetics either. This watch is a workhorse, not a luxury one

unkel · 25-03-2016 4:08pm

Finally managed to source the parts from an official Davosa agent in the Netherlands: crown + tubus for €43.50 collected from this shop:

Linky

You interested in the parts, Peasant, before I put the order in?

unkel · 27-03-2016 6:32pm

Oops, it's €47.50

unkel · 10-06-2016 1:27am

Update: phone is repaired with new original Davosa crown + new original Davosa tubus. All in €75 incl parts / labour / VAT from a reputable watch maker and official Davosa agent

For him to guarantee waterproofness, he would have to take out the movement, clean the case, replace the gaskets, put it all back together and test it. An additional €45. Which sounded very reasonable for the work, but things are starting to add up and the watch is only a few years old. The watch was waterproof before, so I can't see it not being waterproof now. I go swimming with it and not diving (more than a few meters deep anyway). So I didn't go for this option and will just hope for the best.

Am I a fool for taking this gamble? To put things into perspective, the Quondam is probably the cheapest brand new watch with an ETA 2824-2 movement that has been for sale in many years, we are not even talking Steinhart money here. My watch is my daily and it is far from mint.

saccades · 10-06-2016 7:31pm

Think I would have got the guarantee - only 3 ways for water to get into the watch and the crown is the one that gets the most use (would like to think that it's done properly and works as well as new but way to know until that first time).

Surely he'd do a pressure test though?

Just saw the RRP - yeah, tricky one...

unkel · 20-09-2016 12:30am

Update: a bit over 3 months after the repair. I have showered with the watch on, have been swimming in pools and seas and oceans many times over the summer and the watch is perfectly fine.

Really not bad for a job costing €47.50 in parts and just €27.50 in labour both including VAT

Watch is also keeping excellent time, about minus 3-5 seconds per day. Unbelievably good for a Swiss watch with a Swiss ETA 2824-2 movement that cost me just €210 brand new including shipment (plus this €75 repair of course)

Etc · 17-04-2019 11:53pm

Hi all,

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I have a Ternos with the same issue. I haven't worn the watch in a long time, I've lost interest in it having paid a few hundred euro for it. Per Unkel's post above if I source the parts could anyone recommend somewhere I could get the watch repaired.

If I'm honest I'd prefer to move it on, I don't wear it because the crown issue annoys me, apart from that it's working perfectly but once I loose interest in a watch it doesn't get any wrist time.

If I was to sell it, would looking for €200 be excessive ?

Crown doesn't screw back in

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