Post #10 Opening casebacks

A nice movement deserves a glass back.

This is the type of opening caseback I prefer...

Thanks for showing the movement don't often see one

Thanks for the comment. Rolex are robust watches made to be opened and repaired by watchmakers. So, even I can open them with ease. For example, I wouldn’t dare to open my JLC Master Grand Reveile, but opening a Rolex or an Omega is almost no risk. The tools are not expensive, so especially those into vintage watches might enjoy the “opening” too.

What about checking the water resistance after

I don’t do bubble tests because (1) most of my caseback openings are for vintage/old watches, and (2) for my dive watches I do periodic changes of the gaskets by myself and have them O/Hed by a watchmaker. I’ve been NDL scuba diving since 1980 and have 812 tanks logged. I’ve been doing the same with my regulator (O-ring exchange and O/H from time to time). And I don’t wear my old diver watches for daily use and the most wet situation would be walking dogs on a rainy day.

Interesting,thanks

I use the rubber ball whenever I can, as it both avoids scratches and over-torquing the watch. (I don't have any expensive watches to worry about.) Oddly enough, a lot of pitfalls exist with many quartz watches, when people try to open the case with the wrong tools. (Also, many clasps that hold the battery are deceptively fragile, and the screws that hold them can be tiny.)

Other than that, the benefit of checking the gasket, cleaning, applying silicon grease, or replacing the gasket altogether outweighs most of my concerns about opening the watch case.

Yes, the rubber ball is ingenious. Even when I use the “machines” to open screwbacks, I use the ball in the initial refitting process. And if you have any press-fitted casebacks, the SEIKO caseback opener will usually “pop” it off efficiently.

I remember watching a YouTube video about TAG Heuer. They were showing their production facilities, and I could see their employees using the rubber ball in the background. Yes, if it is a press-fitted case, many can be opened with the Seiko case opener. Others, like Tissot watches I've seen, have a gap between the case and the case back, which can be removed with a tool that looks like a miniature crowbar.

Just a quick question.

Can the rubber ball be used to screw the back as well or just unscrew?

Do you need any additional tool to screw it again? (Asking to use on my Seiko :) )

You can use the rubber ball both ways. But, you will most probably need to use this to apply extra torque in the beginning if you are the first owner and if the watch has never been serviced.

And, if you want it to be properly tight you should use it again after you have it screwed back with the rubber ball.

Forgot to mention these tools. Not so recommendable.