Another Cal. 5 bites the dust

[Shane paradis]

Hey everyone! I’ve been distracted with vintage Rado for a little while so I’ve been neglecting my beloved TAG Heuer collection.
I’m pretty vocal about how I believe the majority of the issues people have with the calibre 5 are Sellita specific… Also claiming that my ETA powered 2000 has made it twenty years without issues.

Yesterday I went to go and give it a little wind before I wore it, and was greeted by the hardest winding I have ever experienced in my life. Welp… I can feel the rotor about to lift off and fly away when I put pressure on the crown, which tells me that the reverser wheels are worn/catching.

I have been waiting for this day, as I have a brand spanking new 2824-2 of the same grade ready to go. My plan is to pull the “cal.5”, swap the rotor to the new movement (rotor bearing is trashed in the calibre 5 anyway) and service the old movement and save it for a rainy day… when the new one fails. I swear… TAG must have a deal with ETA/Sellita to get the WORST batch of movements.

 

[Aquagraph]

Well, we told you about hand winding didn't we...?

 

[bpsmith]

I believe you said it was down to the user… @Shane paradis

Disappointed for you nonetheless.

 

[Aquagraph]

Least you can fix it yourself, so you're one up on us!

 

[BillC3]

Well, that sucks. Nice that you already have a replacement movement. Care to develop and post a how-to when you do the swap?

 

[dtf]

Try giving it a good twist. Mine was like that after I hadn’t worn it for a bit, but then it kinda released and now winds again.

I’m tempted to fit a breitling movement…or quartz

 

[Shane paradis]

Aquagraph

Well, we told you about hand winding didn't we...?

I’ve known about this issue for years but have never had an issue with ETA. The crazy thing is that I rarely wear it lol

 

[Shane paradis]

bpsmith

I believe you said it was down to the user… @Shane paradis

Disappointed for you nonetheless.

I knew this day was coming soon but I thought it was going to be the rotor bearing. I guess the wheels of death said “me first!”

 

[Shane paradis]

BillC3

Well, that sucks. Nice that you already have a replacement movement. Care to develop and post a how-to when you do the swap?

I will definitely try! I have a hard enough time with fitting hands, but I can at least take some photos. Im hoping I don’t scratch the pristine dial

 

[Shane paradis]

dtf

Try giving it a good twist. Mine was like that after I hadn’t worn it for a bit, but then it kinda released and now winds again.

I’m tempted to fit a breitling movement…or quartz

Ah yes, the “sharp and short” winding method. It usually works, but this one is extraordinary hard to wind. It’s so stiff that I’m afraid for the stem’s safety haha

 

[bpsmith]

The exact symptoms that mine had which has been done under warranty and not wound since.

 

[Aquagraph]

Shane paradis

I will definitely try! I have a hard enough time with fitting hands, but I can at least take some photos. Im hoping I don’t scratch the pristine dial

I've not done it myself, but don't you generally put a piece of plastic bag over the dial to protect it?

 

[Shane paradis]

Aquagraph

I've not done it myself, but don't you generally put a piece of plastic bag over the dial to protect it?

Always! I’ve yet to have an issue, but I’m alway concerned when working on something so clean that I could make it worse. After all I am a total amateur! I certainly wouldn’t be offering to work on any of your watches haha. I’m a nervous wreck. I hear from my watchmaker friends that it takes about ten years to get to a point where you can handle everything with confidence.

 

[Shane paradis]

I was really impatient, so here’s what I did.
I disassembled, cleaned , and oiled the autowind system, but the reverser wheels were still locked solid. I have a donor ETA that I could have swapped, but it was much easier to steal the autowind system from that and keep the TH rotor, and just use that. I’ll order some death wheels and slap them in the donor 2824, and keep that on hand.

 

[HoltzPlatz]

Oh my, already on to the death wheel stage now.

 

[Shane paradis]

HoltzPlatz

Oh my, already on to the death wheel stage now.

I hear watchmakers say that they clean them with success usually, but ETA “recommends” replacement at every service. I’ve had no such luck with these ones. A good cleaning and correct oiling in the two points that they require oiling in the reversers but they were still locked completely solid when I reassembled and tested the autowind system. Unfortunately these ones have failed miserably. They work when the rotor is winding the watch, but the rotor will spin like a top when I try and hand wind it. I even cleaned the wheels three times in one-dip.

 

[BillC3]

Shane paradis

I hear watchmakers say that they clean them with success usually, but ETA “recommends” replacement at every service. I’ve had no such luck with these ones. A good cleaning and correct oiling in the two points that they require oiling in the reversers but they were still locked completely solid when I reassembled and tested the autowind system. Unfortunately these ones have failed miserably. They work when the rotor is winding the watch, but the rotor will spin like a top when I try and hand wind it. I even cleaned the wheels three times in one-dip.

Sounds like it's time for a dead death-wheel autopsy!

BTW, how did they get the name "death wheel"? Is it because they tend to die and take out the movement?

 

[Shane paradis]

BillC3

Sounds like it's time for a dead death-wheel autopsy!

BTW, how did they get the name "death wheel"? Is it because they tend to die and take out the movement?

Oh no I’m just being dramatic lol. They can usually be cleaned and serviced, but in my case they were just too far gone.

 

[Aquagraph]

Shane paradis

Oh no I’m just being dramatic

Surely not!

 

[Shane paradis]

Aquagraph

Surely not!

It’s actually a very easy fix, and the autowind system can be serviced separately from the movement, so I didn’t have to do a full disassembly since it was serviced two years ago. I inspected the jewels and everything looked clean and oiled (maybe a tad too much)