PAM 243 Help Needed - Setting the Time

[novacore]

I just received my PAM 243 today and I think theres either something wrong with the watch or I am just not doing something right. I can set the date and wind the watch but I can't figure out how to set the time. I have owned many watches so I am thinking something just isn't right... I must be missing something; just no way they would send something defective..

 

[jeorge345]

I must be missing something; just no way they would send something defective..

:hehehe:

Welcome to the rep game, son. Pull up a chair and sit with us a while!

Sadly, most of our reps come from makers with next to no quality control; and quite often a watch is received with issues or even DOA - I experienced it myself with my first TD purchase of a 111 - But don't be disheartened! You've joined the right forum with a network of fantastic indivuduals, modders, watchmakers and dealers alike!

Forgive my condecending tone if you already know about the intricacies of mechanical watches.

It sounds like there's an issue with what we call the 'keyless works' - A funky assembly of intiguingly shaped pieces of steel, springs, and a couple of gears. Thankfully, Keyless works issues are fairly commonplace and can even happen completely at random. Since you indicated that datesetting and winding function okay, I'd wager that the issue is with a barrel shaped gear called the castle wheel not correctly engaging with the setting wheel - Usually this is because of incorrect assembly or a damaged part/spring.

You have several options here,

*Look for a rep-friendly local watchsmith to undertake the work - this should be fairly cheap
*Send it back to the TD for a swap, possibly at the cost of postage and waiting months for the replacement to be issued
*Undertake the repair yourself if you feel brave enough - (Annoyingly, I can't find the 7750 repair thread anymore, but I have screenshotted it. You're more than welcome to shoot me a PM if you wish to see them )

Also, one very important thing with this watch (or indeed any containing the A7750/Valjoux 7750, rep or gen - DO NOT SET THE DATE BETWEEN 7PM AND 2AM - Else you will damage the date wheel, and this is often a costly repair.

Hope this helps, and I hope the issue's resolved swiftly - the 243 is a beautiful watch which has been fantastically replicated and it'd be a shame to have to keep it from your wrist any longer than is needed.

- Jeorge

 

[novacore]

:hehehe:

Welcome to the rep game, son. Pull up a chair and sit with us a while!

Sadly, most of our reps come from makers with next to no quality control; and quite often a watch is received with issues or even DOA - I experienced it myself with my first TD purchase of a 111 - But don't be disheartened! You've joined the right forum with a network of fantastic indivuduals, modders, watchmakers and dealers alike!

Forgive my condecending tone if you already know about the intricacies of mechanical watches.

It sounds like there's an issue with what we call the 'keyless works' - A funky assembly of intiguingly shaped pieces of steel, springs, and a couple of gears. Thankfully, Keyless works issues are fairly commonplace and can even happen completely at random. Since you indicated that datesetting and winding function okay, I'd wager that the issue is with a barrel shaped gear called the castle wheel not correctly engaging with the setting wheel - Usually this is because of incorrect assembly or a damaged part/spring.

You have several options here,

*Look for a rep-friendly local watchsmith to undertake the work - this should be fairly cheap
*Send it back to the TD for a swap, possibly at the cost of postage and waiting months for the replacement to be issued
*Undertake the repair yourself if you feel brave enough - (Annoyingly, I can't find the 7750 repair thread anymore, but I have screenshotted it. You're more than welcome to shoot me a PM if you wish to see them )

Also, one very important thing with this watch (or indeed any containing the A7750/Valjoux 7750, rep or gen - DO NOT SET THE DATE BETWEEN 7PM AND 2AM - Else you will damage the date wheel, and this is often a costly repair.

Hope this helps, and I hope the issue's resolved swiftly - the 243 is a beautiful watch which has been fantastically replicated and it'd be a shame to have to keep it from your wrist any longer than is needed.

- Jeorge

Wow nice response. Which watch smith could you recommend to to the work?

 

[jeorge345]

We have a few resident Watchsmiths here - all of whom are esteemed very highly for their work. Tonyy is US based and often carries out work on 7750 based movements, so he's probably your man - Just shoot him an e-mail asking about his turnaround, pricing etc.

If you chose another watchsmith bear in mind that some don't work on 7750 based movements since they can be so fickle (mostly in the case of chronos - thankfully the 243 isn't a chronograph, which will save a lot of heartache down the line ).

As for a local watchsmith, It's best to just approach them and outright tell them it's a rep, in a lot of cases most are happy to undertake the work; others not so.

The rep world is a fun one, for sure.

- Jeorge

 

[novacore]

We have a few resident Watchsmiths here - all of whom are esteemed very highly for their work. Tonyy is US based and often carries out work on 7750 based movements, so he's probably your man - Just shoot him an e-mail asking about his turnaround, pricing etc.

If you chose another watchsmith bear in mind that some don't work on 7750 based movements since they can be so fickle (mostly in the case of chronos - thankfully the 243 isn't a chronograph, which will save a lot of heartache down the line ).

As for a local watchsmith, It's best to just approach them and outright tell them it's a rep, in a lot of cases most are happy to undertake the work; others not so.

The rep world is a fun one, for sure.

- Jeorge

I took it to a local watch maker. He fixed it by doing a crown adjustment for $50. I guess it wasn't as complex as you all thought.

 

[mysterio]

I took it to a local watch maker. He fixed it by doing a crown adjustment for $50. I guess it wasn't as complex as you all thought.

It may not have been as complex, but wow, I didn't think it would be that expensive.

 

[SSTEEL]

You are opening the crown guard lever when pulling the crown out?

 

[Grammio]

Sounds similar what happened to mine. The crown was becoming unscrewed from the stem when trying to set the time, I can set the date and time going turning the crown clockwise as that's the way it screws into the stem but as soon as you turn counter clockwise the crown just stars spinning. I didn't want to wait ages to send it back to the TD so I cracked it open and fixed myself with a drop of loctite in the thread of the crown. I must say I would never have tried to fix it were it not for a member over on RWG who diagnosed and explained what it is I should do so to him I say a huge thanks. Sometimes I think, especially with these reps it's a good thing to open them up and try learn about as much as you can, sometimes you might surprise with what it is you can achieve just by "giving it a a go".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[silverclaw]

I have the same problem with the 312. The crown stem was just too long. Easy to fix, also easy to mess up if you've never done it before. The watch smith shouldn't have charged you so much

 

[d4m.test]

The watch smith shouldn't have charged you so much

Find a new watch smith. Use MARLIN! He's in our watch makers section.