Wenger Compass Watch 72030 crown and repair.

[ChristopherS]

Just after 4am, one night many nights ago, I accidentally banged my watch on the kitchen stove. I believe I need a new crown(at a minimum). Any thoughts on finding parts or the right watch repair person? IWSC in Utah said it was not repairable. It's been a wonderful watch for me for many years.

 

[Nucejoe]

 With quartz movements , usually a new replacement is your best bet.  As some of these quartz movement have plastic mainplate/ parts. 

 

[AndyGSi]

So is it just the end of the crown that's broken off and do you still have it?

Do you have any callipers to measure the crown and any tools to possibly remove the case back?

[ChristopherS]

18 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

So is it just the end of the crown that's broken off and do you still have it?

Do you have any callipers to measure the crown and any tools to possibly remove the case back?

I don't have the end, and I'm not sure if it is just the crown that is broken. I'm really just a regular person without any watch repair tools or repair ability, just hoping for some direction to go in.

[AndyGSi]

Does the crown still move the stem in and out and can you set the time and date?

[ChristopherS]

3 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

Does the crown still move the stem in and out and can you set the time and date?

No, there is no movement in and out of the crown.

[AndyGSi]

So my first thoughts are that the stem is bent which should be a simple replacement.

Is there no other watch repairer in your area that you can take it too?

[ChristopherS]

10 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

So my first thoughts are that the stem is bent which should be a simple replacement.

Is there no other watch repairer in your area that you can take it too?

There is a good watch repair person just a few blocks from me, but the last watch I gave him took over a year to fix. I'm afraid to give it to him because of that issue. I'm also afraid he will not be able to get the parts. What do you think?

[AndyGSi]

7 hours ago, ChristopherS said:

the last watch I gave him took over a year to fix

That's normally the case with a good watch repairer.

I can't see any harm in letting him have a look to give you a price and timescale.

[Nucejoe]

 So far as I know, the movement in your watch is a quartz ETA,  the problem you may have is finding a brand new  movement of right calib and some NOS movement need cleaning .

 Plenty of movement that can be fitted in your watch, the problem is;  date window and date disk must match. 

Most parts of quartz movement is plastic, a shock that breaks off the crown is unlikely to have left the plastic movement  undamaged .

This explains what your repairer said, he must have seen that the  movement is ruined. 

A quartz movement is cheap and not worth repairing anyway.  

Us hobbiest like practicing on quartz movement as well, but that's not the route you want to go.

Rgds

 

[ChristopherS]

8 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

 So far as I know, the movement in your watch is a quartz ETA,  the problem you may have is finding a brand new  movement of right calib and some NOS movement need cleaning .

 Plenty of movement that can be fitted in your watch, the problem is;  date window and date disk must match. 

Most parts of quartz movement is plastic, a shock that breaks off the crown is unlikely to have left the plastic movement  undamaged .

This explains what your repairer said, he must have seen that the  movement is ruined. 

A quartz movement is cheap and not worth repairing anyway.  

Us hobbiest like practicing on quartz movement as well, but that's not the route you want to go.

Rgds

 

Do you think there will be a problem finding a new movement, stem and crown to fit this case like it is original(besides the matching of the date window)?

[ChristopherS]

11 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

That's normally the case with a good watch repairer.

I can't see any harm in letting him have a look to give you a price and timescale.

Neither of those options are available. Instead, from him I get "my prices are reasonable" and there are many watch repairs ahead of you, but sit tight- you're moving up on the list; I'll try to have it by Christmas; come back in two months; it will be done in two weeks(said with a horrifying-look-that-it's-not-done-yet in his eyes); I'm closed tomorrow, so, give me tomorrow and I'll see what I can do. Then a month later and after 13 months in total, I got a call telling me the watch is repaired.

[AndyGSi]

8 minutes ago, ChristopherS said:

Do you think there will be a problem finding a new movement, stem and crown to fit this case like it is original(besides the matching of the date window)?

I can't see it being a problem finding an original replacement unless it's a really rare ETA movement.

The crown maybe a different thing but I'm sure something could be done to repair the original.

[rehajm]

The watch guy will likely cost more than the watch. I’d recommend total cat replacement…

Edited August 18, 2024 by rehajm

[AndyGSi]

2 minutes ago, rehajm said:

The watch guy will likely cost more than the watch. I’d recommend total cat replacement…

Do you know how much this watch is worth?

[rehajm]

21 minutes ago, AndyGSi said:

Do you know how much this watch is worth?

…the superior question is do you know how much one can be acquired for?: …as I write- $195us. I also see $295us (plus 3.99us delivery) OR less- make offer, act now!… and $1,500us but that one is  ‘the last brand new one in the world!’…and has a box and is on us EBay…

…and I don’t know how much his reasonably priced, keep it a year and maybe get it back Utah watch repair costs but I suspect it’s more in $$$ and hassle than Mercari…

…I also see some other less expense Wenger models where there may be an opportunity to salvage the movement in a like for like swap for a WRT wk thru for the non-repairer OP…

Edited August 18, 2024 by rehajm

[ChristopherS]

3 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

Do you know how much this watch is worth?

I have no idea about its value. I bought it off of Sears, new, for about $40 dollars from their discounted watche display. It was so unique I felt like I struck gold with owning it. I still feel that way and would pay more then its value to bring it back.

[Nucejoe]

8 hours ago, ChristopherS said:

Do you think there will be a problem finding a new movement, stem and crown to fit this case like it is original(besides the matching of the date window)?

 This caliber ( the whole movement)  might still be readily available at  material houses or ebay, even if its production ended years ago. 

Rgds

 

 

 

6 hours ago, ChristopherS said:

I have no idea about its value. 

bought  $40

would pay more then its value to bring it back.

Check prices on Ebay, gives you an idea. 

Always a chance to find NOS movements on Ebay

 

[rehajm]

If you know how to get the case back off people here may be able to identify the movement and/or suggest possible remedies…

…there’s also this video with a Wenger that sounds like your problem?

 

Edited August 19, 2024 by rehajm