Getting off CW Twelve caseback
I often regulate my own watches, and with this new Twelve running at +11/sec, it’s a bit beyond my standards for a new Sellita. However, I haven’t encountered this particular type of caseback bolt before, and the CW page doesn’t really say anything specific about them. The small Allen wrenches I had on hand didn’t quite fit. Does anyone happen to know what I can use to unscrew these? I’ve asked CW but figured I could tap into the WC hive mind :)
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Felipe
Writer, teacher, menswear aficionado, lover of things vintage, and eternal timepiece appreciator.
New York
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Last active: 2 months ago
Best of luck finding out.
How do you open the 12 sided ones? I really need to find this out.
Some technician screws have a range of hex screws, maybe look for a set?
My guess is 2.5 hex key. Otherwise it’ll be a smaller, custom key assuming they are not cosmetic as noted above.
The marketing copy definitely makes it sound like the screws are functional
If it's under warranty you could return it for regulating rather than void it....
I can never get mine to fit and turn without skating everywhere, scratching stuff. Even with plastic, it just won’t stay gripped in place. Very very shallow back mind you. Two to four millimetres at best. (Dads watch in need of repair)
Is it a chronometer? Is it within spec for the movement?
It's new so inquire about warranty service. If not covered then live with it for a couple years. Seems foolish to void a warranty for a new watch over a couple seconds.
Allen wrenches come in either metric or standard. They do not interchange and some have a tiny post inside to mess with the tinkering crowd. Dremel grind one to fit.
Is it a chronometer? Is it within spec for the movement?
It's new so inquire about warranty service. If not covered then live with it for a couple years. Seems foolish to void a warranty for a new watch over a couple seconds.
The tolerance for this particular variant is +/-20 seconds a day from CW spec sheet for this model. So it is still within specs.
But being a movement that you know can perform much better, a regulation can make it more accurate. True about the warranty though.
The tolerance for this particular variant is +/-20 seconds a day from CW spec sheet for this model. So it is still within specs.
But being a movement that you know can perform much better, a regulation can make it more accurate. True about the warranty though.
Yeah I know that it's within spec and it really isn't running horribly but I'm a bit neurotic about these things. I guess the point about the warranty does make a lot of sense though... it's just going to annoy me to think that I could get it running within COSC if I could just go in and tinker a bit.
How on earth did you get one so quickly!?
How on earth did you get one so quickly!?
You should have seen the guy that got it like two days after it was announced. I just ordered mine and it was with DHL within a couple days and in my hands a day after that 🙂
The marketing copy definitely makes it sound like the screws are functional
Well there’s your answer right there.
I’m pretty sure I have a screwdriver like that in my xiaomi kit for a smartphones/consumer electronics.
Looks like a hexagon, but the size is not standard. It might be this ‘elusive’ screw with a metric dimensions, but I’m from EEU and I’ve never seen one IRL, so it might as well be a myth.
Confirmed. It's a 1.4mm hex key (aka Alan wrench) for the Christopher Ward Twelve. Not a common size, but you can get them on the McMaster-Carr website. I ordered from there, and it fits perfectly. Uncrewed all six hex "bolts" without issue, and lifted off the caseback. Used a 1.0mm flathead screwdriver to carefully make a very small adjustment to the regulator on the Sellita movement, and got mine from -10spd to my target of about +5 spd. I didn't feel like sending it to CW and waiting 8 months to get it back, when it's such a simple adjustment that I've done with many other watches.