Help me breathe life back into PAM 392

[ward1991]

Hello,

A few years back a great member from another forum gave me this 392 for free.

The auto winding function was out of commission though, I fiddled with it once before and didn't get anywhere, tried to replace click spring.

So I left all the winding and deco parts off and packed them away. When I do wear it I just manually wind it and it will run for a few days.

What would you do?

Put an eta7750 or A7750 in her and try to find a closed caseback?

Try to find an existing rep pam movement to swap in?

Go wild and try to fit in a hand wound movement in it?

I love the dial, the size, don't care what's inside just want to get her in working order!

 

[TESLA760]

I'd send it to my watchsmith and let him decide.

 

[Tim4682]

I would send the watch and parts out and see if it can be repaired as is with the existing movement.

If it cant be repaired, my lean would be to do something cool with it like a hand wind…the cost differential to fitting a new 7750 shouldnt be material, and you can keep the open back and have something unique. Obviously will be a fantasy piece, but you paid zero so what does it matter? Theres always demand for cool stuff…fantasy or not.

Fitting a A7750, plus getting a solid case back, seems like too much work and money IMHO vs doing something cool with it if you love the rest of it.

 

[KOT1917]

Hello.

Of course, the idea of sending it to a watchmaker and leaving it up to him is out of competition, but if you decide on your own, then I would put a new 7750. If you are able to sort out this movt., on your own, then probably using ebay and ali, you could find missing or damaged parts and change, but I myself would try to rearrange it entirely, from another, perhaps not of the highest quality, and cheap pam with this movement. There are not many chances to find a caseback for a 42mm model in a 1950 case. It may not be possible to install 6497, due to the smaller diameter of the case. There are possible attempts with ST2555, but only due to availability and low cost, however, in exchange for labor in fixing it inside the case, optimizing, if necessary, the dial, hands, and of course, DW, which, in my opinion, will not be easy.

 

[KidTiger]

I was going to start a similar th read, but thought I'd ask here... I have a HWF 914 and the 6497-2 gets slower and slower the more unwound it is.. It starts out at +/- 4-5 seconds, and after a few hours it's -40 and if I leave it for 24 hours or so it'll be 5 minutes behind.

Is it simple enough to grab a Seagull replica 6497 (or even a used genuine 6497-2) and pop it in there with basic tools? If they both replicate the 6497 they should both fit the same way, right? That's my assumption but looking for more info

 

[ward1991]

I was going to start a similar th read, but thought I'd ask here... I have a HWF 914 and the 6497-2 gets slower and slower the more unwound it is.. It starts out at +/- 4-5 seconds, and after a few hours it's -40 and if I leave it for 24 hours or so it'll be 5 minutes behind.

Is it simple enough to grab a Seagull replica 6497 (or even a used genuine 6497-2) and pop it in there with basic tools? If they both replicate the 6497 they should both fit the same way, right? That's my assumption but looking for more info

Sounds like a rotten mainspring perhaps, or just a dirty movement in need ofba cleaning. Not an expert on pam movements, but with other movements, clones typically share most parts as far as hands, dial feet placement and stems.

Whether you yourself could put the new movement in is something you can answer. Im not sure if you have the needed tools or if you have removed/replaced hands, movements from cases etc... if you don't have any experience in doing so, I would definitely recommend getting into it! But be prepared to trash some movements, some hands, dials etc... youll make mistakes but learn along the way. Maybe start with a cheapo beater first.

 

[KidTiger]

Sounds like a rotten mainspring perhaps, or just a dirty movement in need ofba cleaning. Not an expert on pam movements, but with other movements, clones typically share most parts as far as hands, dial feet placement and stems.

Whether you yourself could put the new movement in is something you can answer. Im not sure if you have the needed tools or if you have removed/replaced hands, movements from cases etc... if you don't have any experience in doing so, I would definitely recommend getting into it! But be prepared to trash some movements, some hands, dials etc... youll make mistakes but learn along the way. Maybe start with a cheapo beater first.

Yeah I don't mind playing around with it and seeing if I can improve it myself, but no way could I justify paying for a watchmaker to fix a $250 replica. I have a few tools and would need more, and I think I'd be capable of swapping a movement including replacing stem, hands, etc, but def not a full service.

My main concern is if I could just plug and play some other 6497.. I think you're right that the feet would be the same, but I think the Seagulls are based on the -1 rather than the -2, so that might be different?
$30 for a movement, wouldn't hurt to give it a try right. If I fuck it up, just buy another replica, which I really enjoy wearing and it keeps "replica quality" time as long as I wind it every day and bump it up a minute lol

 

[Rx4Time]

So for the 6497, there is no reason why you can't pick up an ETA movement and have the decorated bridges moved over from the replica movement. That being said it should be fine after a movement service although I can see the desire for an ETA movement and that's the route I oftentimes select personally.

 

[ward1991]

Yeah I don't mind playing around with it and seeing if I can improve it myself, but no way could I justify paying for a watchmaker to fix a $250 replica. I have a few tools and would need more, and I think I'd be capable of swapping a movement including replacing stem, hands, etc, but def not a full service.

My main concern is if I could just plug and play some other 6497.. I think you're right that the feet would be the same, but I think the Seagulls are based on the -1 rather than the -2, so that might be different?
$30 for a movement, wouldn't hurt to give it a try right. If I fuck it up, just buy another replica, which I really enjoy wearing and it keeps "replica quality" time as long as I wind it every day and bump it up a minute lol

Hi, After some research the 6497 is a direct swap with any other 6497
The -1 is just low beat. Not something that would bother me.

More info here: https://rwg.cc/topic/144479-6497-movement-swap/

Even found you a tutorial for the swap on repgeek https://www.repgeek.com/panerai/152...-post-week-award.html?highlight=6497+tutorial

 

[Rx4Time]

Here's the source I would probably use to purchase the ETA movement from

ETA Movement, -- ETA 6497-1/BS: Star Time Supply

Mechanical Watch Movement

www.startimesupply.com

It's fully decorated, the only thing it's missing is the Panerai engraving. That movement barring anything unforseen should last a lifetime

 

[KidTiger]

Thanks again everyone! I'll check out some tutorials and see about maybe starting with a $30 Seagull first. This watch has a solid caseback, so I don't even need to worry about decoration

 

[KidTiger]

Here's the source I would probably use to purchase the ETA movement from

ETA Movement, -- ETA 6497-1/BS: Star Time Supply

Mechanical Watch Movement

www.startimesupply.com

It's fully decorated, the only thing it's missing is the Panerai engraving. That movement barring anything unforseen should last a lifetime

If you have an account there, what's the price on that?

 

[Rx4Time]

If you have an account there, what's the price on that?

299 plus tax and shipping. Even the other undecorated movements I saw listed elsewhere were in the same price range, most were actually a bit higher. Definitely more expensive than having the existing movement serviced but it's an option if you consider this watch a long-term keeper and want it reliable for the duration.

 

[ward1991]

Hello.

Of course, the idea of sending it to a watchmaker and leaving it up to him is out of competition, but if you decide on your own, then I would put a new 7750. If you are able to sort out this movt., on your own, then probably using ebay and ali, you could find missing or damaged parts and change, but I myself would try to rearrange it entirely, from another, perhaps not of the highest quality, and cheap pam with this movement. There are not many chances to find a caseback for a 42mm model in a 1950 case. It may not be possible to install 6497, due to the smaller diameter of the case. There are possible attempts with ST2555, but only due to availability and low cost, however, in exchange for labor in fixing it inside the case, optimizing, if necessary, the dial, hands, and of course, DW, which, in my opinion, will not be easy.

Any suggestions of a readily available PAM model that I could use to donate its movement to the 392? Maybe a 42mm ugly due model. I am out of the loop on PAM reps these days. I really have only worked with ETA 2836/2824 clones and vintage rolex builds.

 

[KOT1917]

Any suggestions of a readily available PAM model that I could use to donate its movement to the 392? Maybe a 42mm ugly due model. I am out of the loop on PAM reps these days. I really have only worked with ETA 2836/2824 clones and vintage rolex builds.

For example PAM1312 TTF, like any of their 7750 models with a decorative plate.

 

[KidTiger]

Sounds like a rotten mainspring perhaps, or just a dirty movement in need ofba cleaning. Not an expert on pam movements, but with other movements, clones typically share most parts as far as hands, dial feet placement and stems.

Whether you yourself could put the new movement in is something you can answer. Im not sure if you have the needed tools or if you have removed/replaced hands, movements from cases etc... if you don't have any experience in doing so, I would definitely recommend getting into it! But be prepared to trash some movements, some hands, dials etc... youll make mistakes but learn along the way. Maybe start with a cheapo beater first.

So yeah, my HWF 914 stopped running today, I gave it a light whack and it started up again but looks like this



I just ordered a Seagull for now and some tools.. If it goes smoothly and I think I can do a decent job, maybe I'll get a legit ETA for it

Really seems like a crappy movement not worth servicing. It started out fine, but it's only a few months old. Even for $200ish it's pretty bad to die that quickly. But I don't mind swapping movements, because the hobby interests me at that level. Not to the level of a complete service, but swapping hands and movement sounds kind of fun.

Thanks again for all your help. BTW that person posted the same tutorial here as well

 

[ward1991]

So yeah, my HWF 914 stopped running today, I gave it a light whack and it started up again but looks like this



I just ordered a Seagull for now and some tools.. If it goes smoothly and I think I can do a decent job, maybe I'll get a legit ETA for it

Really seems like a crappy movement not worth servicing. It started out fine, but it's only a few months old. Even for $200ish it's pretty bad to die that quickly. But I don't mind swapping movements, because the hobby interests me at that level. Not to the level of a complete service, but swapping hands and movement sounds kind of fun.

Thanks again for all your help. BTW that person posted the same tutorial here as well

Just bad luck really, the overwhelming majority of movements you get in these reps will tick away for years and years without issue. Happy modding!

 

[KidTiger]

Just bad luck really, the overwhelming majority of movements you get in these reps will tick away for years and years without issue. Happy modding!

And this was after the vendor RL the first one himself, due to high beat error! Bad luck, I hope my shitty Seagull works longer lol

 

[KidTiger]

Was able to regulate it from this



To this



But I don't expect it to stay this way. It still has the weird thing where it slows down the more unwound it gets.

Seagull could take a while to get here, so this is fine for now

 

[EM9]

Cost wise a7750. I've found swapping some to swiss lately I'm having to move rep parts over and crimp hands on occasion.