Bellmatic project

2860 Views 24 Replies 9 Participants Last post by lactardjosh, Jul 20, 2014

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · Jun 5, 2014

I haven't posted much (at all) here, but I'm a big fan of vintage Seikos.

Picked up a Bellmatic cheap and I've decided to make it a project watch. Got the movement out and was very happy with the state of the dial and hands.

I'll be looking for a NOS crystal and I need to give it a good cleaning, but I'm hoping this will be a fun project.

I'll post a photo once I get above 5 posts. Better get on it!

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

JohnWN

· #2 · Jun 5, 2014

Sounds good!

A solid movement and "clean" dial and hands are important elements. Looking forward to hearing how your project progresses.
:welcome: to SCWF!

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 5, 2014

Thank you!

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 5, 2014

Dial photo:

The day wheel needs some help...

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thickman808

· #5 · Jun 5, 2014

Welcome!
That should be a great project, it looks like you've got a nice one

Have lots of fun with that and keep the pics coming!

JohnWN

· #6 · Jun 5, 2014

thickman808 said:
Welcome!
That should be a great project, it looks like you've got a nice one
Have lots of fun with that and keep the pics coming!

:iagree:

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 6, 2014

thickman808 said:
Welcome!
That should be a great project, it looks like you've got a nice one
Have lots of fun with that and keep the pics coming!

JohnWN said:
:iagree:

Thanks guys!

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 6, 2014

So here's a silly question...

How wavy is the washer that goes over the day wheel supposed to be? I was able to get the day wheel back in it's proper position, but when I went to put the hands back on the dial, the day wheel doesn't change properly. It'll start to change, show the white space between the days and then it'll jump back down to the day it was on before.
I'm not really sure what the problem is, but I was thinking it was the wavy washer not being wavy enough.

Or something.

JohnWN

· #9 · Jun 6, 2014

It still looks good!

lactardjosh said:
Dial photo:
.........

The day wheel needs some help...

:great:

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 6, 2014

Actually, I'm wondering if this is the problem...

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jringo8769

· #11 · Jun 8, 2014

well looks like a great watch...that last pic might give you a few problems...welcome to the forums..John

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jun 8, 2014

jringo8769 said:
well looks like a great watch...that last pic might give you a few problems...welcome to the forums..John

Thanks!

Luckily, I was able to source a NOS day disc wheel from Stefan, so I'm waiting on that now. Hopefully, that'll resolve any issue with the day wheel.

EduBr

· #13 · Jun 22, 2014

You are doing a great job, congratulations!

Reactions: 1

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jun 26, 2014

Well, a replacement day disc wheel arrived today, thanks to seikochrono. As usual, the watch community comes through in a time of need.

I'm hoping to have this project wrapped up in a few days.

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ClockBloke

· #15 · Jun 26, 2014

Stefan to the rescue once again. You know he wears his underware over his trousers I am told and has a lamp in his back garden that shines a giant S into the sky when he gets a order arrive by email.

Reactions: 1

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jun 27, 2014

...Aaaand unfortunately, I think I'm in over my head. I was able to place the new day disc wheel, but when testing it out, I noticed that the day wheel wouldn't move at all after a date change. So looked a little closer and found that the day and date driving wheel is missing the little bit that sticks up. I don't even know how the date was changing, to be honest. When I investigated further, the date jumper is missing, but the date jumper spring is present. It doesn't make any sense at all.

How was the date even changing?

I think I'm throwing in the towel and starting the hunt for a donor movement.

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lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 27, 2014 (Edited)

Well, the date change question has been answered and then some good news and bad news...

I decided to reassemble the watch and wear it without the day and date working. I went picked up the date wheel and, surprise!, the date jumper was stuck to the bottom. Huzzah! Maybe I could get the date wheel working, if not the day! And then in my inexperience putting the date jumper back in place, I launched the date jumper spring. Sad trombone...

So I continued along my new plan of reassembling the watch as it is. Fitted the new crystal and finished reassembling. The alarm rings, the watch ticks...all is kind of okay. Hard to say if it's keeping time, but I'll see tomorrow.

The hands are terribly difficult to set for some reason. I'll need to figure that out, if I decide to go on with this movement. As I was cleaning up the screwdrivers, I found the bit that stands up to push the day driving wheel. Incredible! I don't know how that fits, so that is a challenge for another day. And I need a new date jumper spring.

But it looks nice. I guess that's small consolation for what I'm considering a partial failure.

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2

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jun 27, 2014 (Edited)

Ok, I can get the date jumper spring of the bay.
EDIT: I guess that's not the date finger. Whatever the part I found is called, maybe I can get that back in place.

This might yet be salvageable.

lactardjosh

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jun 28, 2014

This has not been the best few days of watch tinkering for me, but I did find this went I went to put another movement into the holder.

What are the chances of that?

Quite by accident, I've now found both parts that I had seemingly lost from this project.

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miclee

· #20 · Jul 2, 2014

So much work...keep it up

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

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