Tag Heuer Aquaracer Date WAF1010 : Crown Broken? Not sure what has happened!

[Ferretktf]

Hello. First time poster and to be honest, probably NOT looking to do this repait myself, but instead looking for advice as to what has happened here?

My Tag Heuer Aquaracer Date WAF1010, was working up until yesterday when it stopped. The previous day everything was working, i had changed the date and the time using the crown - all was well.

Seeing it stopped I unscrewed the crown to adjust mode and nothing happened - i pulled ever so slightly harder and it came completely out. Additionally, it you look at the close up of the face, there is a tiny piece of "something" appeared by the hands ... has this come off the crown mechanism itself or is it somethng else? Someone else I asked for advice thought it may be a rubber seal from around the date - which looking at its shape it may be - but that has also appeared since Yesterday! (n.b. I have been wearing the watch so it has not had any trauma!)

The crown goes back in smoothly with no friction and can tighten again to the bezel - but there is just no purchase when pulling partially out and twisting.   What provides the grip (for want of a better word) when turning the crown so that the hours or the date change  

So on to the "help" ... is this something i will need to send away to TAG for a service? Or is it quite a common issue that can be repaired quite simply (albeit probably not by myself).   To be fair it has not been to TAG for a service since I received it, and the most recent battery changes - while carried out by a jeweller - did not include re-gassing as I never take it in the water. So maybe a full service is overdue?   If that is the case  then I would rather do that myself as taking to a jeweller would just result in them sending it off and adding their margin.

However, if this is a common issue  with a standard process to repair, then would i be better of taking to a high street watch repairer?

Any help, pointers or advice gratefully received.

[Ferretktf]

ok a so a bit more googling suggests that the stem retainer may have failed which allowed the stem to come right out?

I am away on holiday right now (with a non working watch!!) but on my return i can open the back and see if i can see anything - on the assumption that i can manually "tweak" the  stem retainer?

Obv. if the advice here is that I should not be doing that myself then i will hold off!

[tomh207]

I don’t think it will be a “retainer “, it would normally be held in by the setting lever. This may have become dislodged. To check you would need to remove the complete movement from the case, then remove the hands and dial to access the area. You would need to have some knowledge and basic experience along with tools to investigate. If it was a cheap 10 quid watch from the local market I would say give it a go, but this watch is not. Any independent watchmaker could have a look at it and quote for repair, otherwise I would suggest enquiring about the TAG repair.

 

Tom

[Ferretktf]

14 minutes ago, tomh207 said:

I don’t think it will be a “retainer “, it would normally be held in by the setting lever. This may have become dislodged. To check you would need to remove the complete movement from the case, then remove the hands and dial to access the area. You would need to have some knowledge and basic experience along with tools to investigate. If it was a cheap 10 quid watch from the local market I would say give it a go, but this watch is not. Any independent watchmaker could have a look at it and quote for repair, otherwise I would suggest enquiring about the TAG repair.

 

Tom

thanks- great insights.  Given i have had it 15 years without a full TAG service, it is probably overdue ... they can also remove that rogue residue that has somehow got into the face by the hands as well!

[AndyGSi]

What's on the hands is the surround from the 'Tag Heuer'

I expect the problem is with the Stem Maintaining Plate which would probably be just a simple movement swap for an independent watchmaker.

[Ferretktf]

thats briiliant thanks. Excellent insights. Much appreciated

 

[CYCLOPS]

you better replace the crown gasket too.....while its out