Help: Opening a Rolex

[pugwash]

For those who aren't keepign score, my GMT's second hand fell off.

I've decided that if I don't hear back from the dealers that sold me my GMT-Master, I'll name and shame (although I've mentioned where I got it several times in other posts) them.

If this is the case, I have decided that I'll open up the case myself and have a poke around. It'll give me the opportunity to see an ETA and :idea: do some movement pics for a future tutorial maybe.

So, to cut a long story short, I need to open a Rolex (no hologram on back) without a rolex case tool. I've heard it can be done with rubber gloves or something similar.

Does anyone have any advice at all? I expect Joe does.

Oh, by the way, I decided to ask here instead of the other two forums I frequent because I kinda like it here ...

 

[Bigshooter]

I have a rubber glove with little grippy nobbies on it........ its opened the last 2 I tried.

There is a post somewhere about using a .99 cent rubber ball, as odd as it sounds,
many swear by it.

Jam the rubber ball against the back off the case, push hard and twist.


Found it....... by Narikaa

 

[Bigshooter]

Originally posted by Narikaa


an ingeneous tool for large screw down case back removal!!!!
I was quite bemused when I saw one utilised by a repairer in Bangkok, but having tried one they're easier than any other tool!!

The natural adhesion of the underinflated plastic just grabs the whole case back and quick as you like the things turning!

 

[Kerbus]

Take this observation with extreme caution, but once before I had a case opener hand tool, I was successfully able to open the back of a rep with some Vise Grips. If memory serves, I anchored it onto the back and locked in place. This took a lot of patience and turning the case back loose required even more but voila, it did open. Even more trecherous, is attempting to use a screwdriver's blade. If you're lucky, you can notch it good into one of the groves on the back and twist it until you turn it loose. Back in days when reps were more or less only found in flea markets, I spied a dealer doing it this way. I tried it with one my demolished reps, and yes, with patience, it worked but the risk of cutting you or the case is pretty high.

Good luck with which ever way gets it open for you.

 

[Bigshooter]

Take this observation with extreme caution, but once before I had a case opener hand tool, I was successfully able to open the back of a rep with some Vise Grips. If memory serves, I anchored it onto the back and locked in place. This took a lot of patience and turning the case back loose required even more but voila, it did open. Even more trecherous, is attempting to use a screwdriver's blade. If you're lucky, you can notch it good into one of the groves on the back and twist it until you turn it loose. Back in days when reps were more or less only found in flea markets, I spied a dealer doing it this way. I tried it with one my demolished reps, and yes, with patience, it worked but the risk of cutting you or the case is pretty high.

Good luck with which ever way gets it open for you.

Risky to be sure....... easy to damage yourself and/or your watch.

 

[pugwash]

Take this observation with extreme caution ...

I decided to use a rubber stamp. It worked. Camera on tripod, pics coming.

Now ... how do I get the movement out?

 

[Kerbus]

Now ... how do I get the movement out?

RBJ has an awesome write up here: http://replica-watch.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=192

 

[rbj69]

most of the watches u get from the dealers r put on hand tight , so usually u could for the do it yourselfers ball up a piece of that grey wide tape or even reagular tape , do it where the sticky side is outside the ball u just made and pressit and turn the caseback counter clockwise, now knowing u took it off this way , u can only tightening about as good this way, now a question for u How water resistant do u really think it is ? lol that is why i recommend most people to either have the watch waterproofed by me or someone , that way u dont have to worry about rain, showers, or falling in pools or other water by accident and then your watch drowns lol hope this helped

 

[pugwash]

hope this helped

Nope, not a bit.

However, your article on servicing movements showed me where to prod to get the stem out, and for that I'm grateful.

Anyway, what would a Pugwash post be without pictures? Without any further ado ...

Back off, inside

Monarch Polfy's finest, from Gelena, Shitinerand. The grey blob it's sat on is the rubber stamp I used to open the case.

See? It's an ETA 2836-2!!

Off with the stem. Thanks, rbj69.

After loosening the case pegs, flip it.

Now I'm scared. What have I let myself in for?

Phew, what a relief. Time to grab a fresh lens cloth (Thanks to Sony for putting them in their PSP boxes and thanks to Ttk for shipping his Subs with a cloth) and clean out the insides.

Wrist shot ... and to finish, a more Pugwash shot.

For those of you at home, I did not use the cheap camera on this. Out with the Lumix and the tripod, I'm afraid. I had higher priorities than worrying how to achieve excellent shots with crappy kit.

(edit for spelling)

 

[Kerbus]

Thanks for the pictorial. In effort to be prepared either for a dismantle or a fix like this, I recently purchased these tools:

http://i2.ebayimg.com/01/i/03/92/aa/b8_1_b.JPG

The one on the right is used to fix the hands back in place. I'm no watchmaker and so regarding this tool,I assume I would use it to press it against the hands, making sure they are on securely. I hope RBJ or someone else who does this stuff routinely can confirm this. Thanks.

 

[Kerbus]

The tips are wood on both ends. Hmm.. sounds like rubber might be a lot softer, unless wood would be needed to firmly press the hands on.

 

[Kerbus]

I'll wait on my dealer to reply, but looks like I'm going to have another opportunity to open my new lemon DD

 

[rbsims]

How is the stem removed?

hope this helped

Nope, not a bit.

However, your article on servicing movements showed me where to prod to get the stem out, and for that I'm grateful.

Anyway, what would a Pugwash post be without pictures? Without any further ado ...

Back off, inside

Monarch Polfy's finest, from Gelena, Shitinerand. The grey blob it's sat on is the rubber stamp I used to open the case.

See? It's an ETA 2836-2!!

Off with the stem. Thanks, rbj69.

After loosening the case pegs, flip it.

Now I'm scared. What have I let myself in for?

Phew, what a relief. Time to grab a fresh lens cloth (Thanks to Sony for putting them in their PSP boxes and thanks to Ttk for shipping his Subs with a cloth) and clean out the insides.

Wrist shot ... and to finish, a more Pugwash shot.

For those of you at home, I did not use the cheap camera on this. Out with the Lumix and the tripod, I'm afraid. I had higher priorities than worrying how to achieve excellent shots with crappy kit.

(edit for spelling)

 

[Hockeydad1]

Fantastic thread here Pugwash. Appreciate all the input rbj. Have some hand problems here myself so I can use this nice little tutorial and put it to use.

 

[pugwash]

Removing the stem is described in Edge's "How to dismantle a Sub" article. It's the thing I did wrong in this post.