Swapping crowns ?

[Pix]

Hi,

I have a problem with my handwind RG tourbillon.
As the crown is often manipulated, the plating is already falling of
I intend to buy a new SS case, as I now think that gold plating is not compatible with such movements.

In the menatime : I have a cheap Breguet auto.
It's crown is pristine and of course I thought it would nice swapping the crowns...
But different movements, different stems I suppose.

Is there a way just to swap the crown ?

Thx for any hint.

 

[Rocketeer]

Two suggestions for you.
Case:
Having your existing case properly gold plated would still be cheaper than buying a new case in SS and would then last.
Crown:
what you need to hope for is for the crown thread sizes to match, many do.
Remove the crown and stem from both watches, hold the square section of stem 'A' gently with a pair of smooth jawed miniature needle nosed pliers and unscrew the crow from the stem. Repeat for stem 'B'. Test crown 'B' threading onto stem 'A' or whichever way round you need them. DO NOT USE FORCE! If the threads match it will go on easily.

 

[Pix]

Thx Rocketeer, I'll try suggestion 2.
Actually I don't know how I could bring a rep case for replating anywhere here...

 

[sharrkey]

Here's a place in scotland, i've never used but maybe worth an e-mail
http://24ktgoldfinish.co.uk/component/o ... /Itemid,1/

 

[Pix]

Looks good.
I have 3 plated reps, and that problem might occur on the other I guess.
Altough I have the feeling that the 2 others are better (no scuffs and no crown problem)

 

[Pix]

So here are my results.
Not unhappy I could extract and install again crowns and stems. Asian movements are really easy for that

As you see my problem is the shape of the crown base. If I install the shorter crown, my stem will not insert in the mechanism. I'm mising about 1 mm. Pity, as the threads were compatible.

So either have to find a similar crown (as I can't find a longer stem for the tourbillon movement). Or go for plating. Probably only the crown in a jeweler, as for the Scottish company offering their replating service, they have no email, I don't like that so much :?

I would have loved to replate the whole thing (including the case). But that might of course be risky, at least more than just a crown which carries a B, not really the brand name.

I'm somehow disappointed that my dealer (in this case Mark) can't obtain a simple replacement crown (must cost nothing), as the initial cost was more than 500 bucks.

BTW, I read on a gen watch forum that 5 micron plating is really poor, it should be 5 to 10 times more (saw a bracelet @ 80 microns).
So the advertizing "5 micron thick plating" should be read "5 micron thickness plating". That totally change the meaning... :roll:

 

[Pix]

The cheapest solution seem to be to buy a lot of noname crowns on ebay...

I'll take this opportunity to try to find an onion shaped one

 

[timbui]

They should call it 5 micron THIN plating. Why is it that Seiko, Citizen and other watch brands could do gold plating that would last forever and the Chinese Rep couldn't do it?

 

[Pix]

They can...
But as for many other details, the cheapest, the better... :roll:

Why is that gold is fading on a 500 bucks watch ? Because it's a rep, an expensive movement in a 20 dollars case :twisted: