What Am I Doing Wrong? Removing Stem

[mikaeel]

I am a complete newbie, so forgive me if this question is dumb. But i have a serious problem. I have bought two cheap mechanical watches and a cheap chinese movement. Every time i take a stem out, part of the setting/winding mechanism falls out. If I manage to get it back in the movement no longer winds properly. My question is why am I unable to remove the stem with out the piece seen next to the stem falling out?

 

This has happened on all three movements when I have removed the stem. The piece had either fallen in the case or with the chinese movement it just fell on to my work area when I disengaged the stem.

 

Any help with this will be greatly appreciated.

 

Mikaeel

[CKelly]

Hi,

   Some watches need to be in certain positions in regards to winding or setting position of the crown before removing stem. It appears from what happened that your watches should have been in the winding position. That can be a little tricky because you are pulling the stem out which can cause it to slip into setting position if you aren't careful. If your watches had stayed in the winding position the winding wheel you had fall out would have been held in place by tension.

Charles K

[WillFly]

Is it not a fact that on some watches the winding/setting clutch mechanism is actually held together and in place by the winding stem? By removing the stem, if the watch is a certain side up, these parts will indeed fall out.

[PhilB]

The small cog is the winding pinion (if I'm right) and it needs to be replaced facing the correct way to engage the clutch.

 

This video helped me

 

[mikaeel]

Thanks for the speedy replies. It'll be a week or so  before I can get my hands a couple of new movements. When I get them I will give it a shot with the advice I was given here. I just find it ironic that I've been able to remove and reinstall the balance and escape wheel in working order on two of the movements, but cant take out and reinstall a stem.

 

And WillFly are you saying that I should turn the watch face up when removing the stem, since the piece always falls out when the watch or movement is face down?

[PhilB]

My first watch had a cover over the cogs, allowing me to remove the stem without anything falling out.

 

 

My second had no such cover and they fell out as soon as I pulled the stem out.

[WillFly]

Yes - as far as I know, the clutch/winding pieces will usually stay in if the watch is on one position, but fall out if the watch is in the opposite orientation. They have to come out, of course, otherwise they couldn't be serviced, replaced or cleaned.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[CKelly]

Hi all,

   Will is right in saying the winding stem holds this winding gear in place. However depending upon the movement they can fall out either way watch is facing when stem is removed. Sometime it can be found under the dial and sometimes just drop lower in movement so that stem can't be replaced until winding pinion is repositioned. Normally if you remove the stem while the watch is in the winding position the pressure from the spring pushing the sliding gear against the winding pinion is enough to hold things in place long enough to get stem out. However after I say that I must say that after movement is removed from case the stem should be replaced because after stem is removed those two parts are just being held in place by friction and they will jump out, run away and play hide and go seek when you aren't looking. Also I may have misunderstood your question a bit. I thought you were talking about removing the stem so watch could be removed from the case. After that stem should be replaced into movement until you are ready to remove the keyless works as you showed in the picture you posted. Hope I didn't totally confuse everyone.

Charles K

[mikaeel]

Thanks to all. The comments have all been helpful.