Case back opening issue

[lofty]

Hi, can any of you please recommend the appropriate case back opening tool for this style of case back? I need to change the battery in my Orient Quartz Watch. My standard 'go to' Blade type Opener for many quartz case backs (shown in the picture) won't open this case and I want to identify the correct tool and purchase same so that i don't cause any further unnecessary scratching of the case back or case. I have attached photos of the watch, the case back and the location (approx.) where the aperture for opening the case back is (see wooden stick pointing at aperture location). What looks like a half circle on the case back in the picture is coincidental.....it happens to be a scratch on the case back where my blade opener slipped while attempting to remove the case back, it's not significant, I will polish it out. I have also attached a photo of a drawing i made which shows the style of aperture, it is very shallow and very low indeed, it's like a graduated half semi circle. There are quite a few case back opening tools now available, I just don't know what the appropriate one is for this style of case. The Watch is an Orient Quartz watch. Can someone please point me in the right direction? Many thanks for your help  

[Neverenoughwatches]

6 hours ago, lofty said:

Hi, can any of you please recommend the appropriate case back opening tool for this style of case back? I need to change the battery in my Orient Quartz Watch. My standard 'go to' Blade type Opener for many quartz case backs (shown in the picture) won't open this case and I want to identify the correct tool and purchase same so that i don't cause any further unnecessary scratching of the case back or case. I have attached photos of the watch, the case back and the location (approx.) where the aperture for opening the case back is (see wooden stick pointing at aperture location). What looks like a half circle on the case back in the picture is coincidental.....it happens to be a scratch on the case back where my blade opener slipped while attempting to remove the case back, it's not significant, I will polish it out. I have also attached a photo of a drawing i made which shows the style of aperture, it is very shallow and very low indeed, it's like a graduated half semi circle. There are quite a few case back opening tools now available, I just don't know what the appropriate one is for this style of case. The Watch is an Orient Quartz watch. Can someone please point me in the right direction? Many thanks for your help  

Eyup Bri, your member name has me thinking about the Eastenders character. Tall ? My lad is 6'5".  Good that you have established that the case back does remove. I think you just have the issue of keeping the knife secure in the case notch while you prise the back up. Is the knife sharp enough to enter the notch to its full depth ? A blunt knife may not give complete access and could be riding out over the edge of the notch. Try sharpening your case knife a little, you may then want to wear a thick tough glove in case you slip or use a watch vice if you have one. Also a thin craft knife to push into the tight gap and then work your way around the sides the same applies. Here are a few items that should get you in. I would still research first that the caseback does remove this way. Surprising what some watch factories do, a fake caseback notch to resemble a basic watch feature ? I once tried to repair a lucerne that had a completely fake screwdown caseback, it had facets for a watch spanner to fit. Half an hour in i gave up, it was never repaired or should i say had become unrepairable . I had only just started to learn, i did learn somethings very relevant that day.  # do not take anything for granted, do not assume someone has done something, do not think what you think is right is in fact right # 

[mikepilk]

Opening case backs, and removing bezels, with a knife can be tricky, and lead to damage. (To the watch, and yourself). 

I bought the tool on the right shown in @Neverenoughwatches pic. (Cousins sell them for about £15). They appear a bit flimsy, but easily do the job with no chance of damage. I use it all the time instead of a knife.

[watchweasol]

Hi This is the one I use  available at Ali express  The Chinese Amazon, works for me .  The ones NEW posted are also good its just a matter of choice.

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, mikepilk said:

Opening case backs, and removing bezels, with a knife can be tricky, and lead to damage. (To the watch, and yourself). 

I bought the tool on the right shown in @Neverenoughwatches pic. (Cousins sell them for about £15). They appear a bit flimsy, but easily do the job with no chance of damage. I use it all the time instead of a knife.

Actually mike it was your picture of it a month or so ago that inspired me to get one, so thanks for that . It works pretty well for the price .

[lofty]

Thanks Neverenough, mikepilk and weasol for your replies and suggestions. In relation to the standard blade type opener i have, it isn't suitable for this type of case back, it is too low/thin on its edges to properly open a case like this, it is more suitable for Quartz Case backs that aren't too deep at the opening location ore ones where there is a lip on the case back, sharpening the blade would make it worse and potentially cause further scratching and could damage the seal in addition to the safety aspect,  I'm going to have a look at the one suggested by mikepilk, the one from Ali express looks great but perhaps somewhat bulky from a storage standpoint, Ali express also tend to have very very long shipping times....weeks and weeks...lol...Regarding battery brands (I don't want to be opening this case again for another while....) I use Renata batteries all the time, I am assuming Renata is still considered to be the preferred brand for many users?  Neverenoughwatches, your lad is 6 foot 5 inches tall, what on earth were you feeding him???..lol...Thanks, Brian

[Neverenoughwatches]

10 hours ago, lofty said:

Thanks Neverenough, mikepilk and weasol for your replies and suggestions. In relation to the standard blade type opener i have, it isn't suitable for this type of case back, it is too low/thin on its edges to properly open a case like this, it is more suitable for Quartz Case backs that aren't too deep at the opening location ore ones where there is a lip on the case back, sharpening the blade would make it worse and potentially cause further scratching and could damage the seal in addition to the safety aspect,  I'm going to have a look at the one suggested by mikepilk, the one from Ali express looks great but perhaps somewhat bulky from a storage standpoint, Ali express also tend to have very very long shipping times....weeks and weeks...lol...Regarding battery brands (I don't want to be opening this case again for another while....) I use Renata batteries all the time, I am assuming Renata is still considered to be the preferred brand for many users?  Neverenoughwatches, your lad is 6 foot 5 inches tall, what on earth were you feeding him???..lol...Thanks, Brian

Mike's tool suggestion is a good one, I've found i can enter a case quite easily with it . And i did sharpen the blade so i could get a start when there is no notch as well. It comes with an extra blade. You could try manufacturing something to suit the entry point while you are waiting. Any tricky case backs i will use a scope as well to to get a good clear visual as to exactly what is going on. The lad yes hes huge in every way, he even makes the Terminator look small. He eats anything and everything. Strange as I'm only 5 '9" . I seem to  remember years ago we had a tall milkman

Edited November 11, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[watchweasol]

Hi   Indeed the tool from Ali express is quite universal as it can also remove bracelet pins, whether thats an advantage or not I dont know. The shipping times are a pain I agree. As far as size goes  Its approx  3 1/2 to 4 " long and about 2" wide so its not really that big and I keep it on a shelf not to clutter the bench as I try to keep it tidy when working although just now its got 3 clocks and a couple of watches scattered about, must tidy that up today. I see no problems with the one Mike reccomends as it does the job. A question of choice I am afraid.

By the Way  In Yorkshire they consume oodles of Yorkshire pud and Roast beef and when the kids are big enough they put them on grow bags to bring them on a bit. As an exile Yorkie/Scotsman have first hand knowledge, plenty of black pudding helps.

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, watchweasol said:

Hi   Indeed the tool from Ali express is quite universal as it can also remove bracelet pins, whether thats an advantage or not I dont know. The shipping times are a pain I agree. As far as size goes  Its approx  3 1/2 to 4 " long and about 2" wide so its not really that big and I keep it on a shelf not to clutter the bench as I try to keep it tidy when working although just now its got 3 clocks and a couple of watches scattered about, must tidy that up today. I see no problems with the one Mike reccomends as it does the job. A question of choice I am afraid.

By the Way  In Yorkshire they consume oodles of Yorkshire pud and Roast beef and when the kids are big enough they put them on grow bags to bring them on a bit. As an exile Yorkie/Scotsman have first hand knowledge, plenty of black pudding helps.

That looks a useful tool. I've never bought from Ali Express  - is it safe and dependable ?

PS I too am an exiled Yorkshireman. I grew up on roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, good ale etc, but they forgot the grow-bag stage, as I'm only 5'8"

[Neverenoughwatches]

33 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

That looks a useful tool. I've never bought from Ali Express  - is it safe and dependable ?

PS I too am an exiled Yorkshireman. I grew up on roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, good ale etc, but they forgot the grow-bag stage, as I'm only 5'8"

Exiled from Yorkshire ? That would take some doing Mike, generally we let anyone  live here, you must have been a complete rogue when you were younger .  Thumbs up on the black pudding ww, its always on the list of the full English. 

[watchweasol]

Hi  The one I have has opened a few tight ones and still lives, although a real tight one took a chip out of the loose piece, ground out ok and is still in use. 

Missed out on the grow bag my self Son and Daughter are both bigger than me and the misses, my lad is about 5 10 and a cricketer. al least I taught him something useful.

[Neverenoughwatches]

On 11/11/2022 at 12:55 PM, mikepilk said:

I've never bought from Ali Express  - is it safe and dependable ?

I have bought a couple of things Mike, one being their clone horia jewelling tool. It works ok and was half the price of exactly the same one bought in the UK. It was about 3 weeks arriving. Their items are tracked and emails are sent fairly regularly to let you know where parcels are . The jewelling tool from them saved me 130 quid.