Heuer and Tag Heuer 1000 Restoration Parts and Service

[RockBurner]

Just a quick question if I may....
I recently (2 weeks ago) had my 844/5 serviced by an independent repair workshop in south london, including a new glass (not sure if it was proper sapphire crystal), and a general clean up, but this morning I found moisture on the inner surface of the glass.

Would this be simple condensation? I haven't opened the crown since I picked up the watch 2 weeks ago and it wasn't 'that' cold this morning. (Condensation might be moisture held in the air within the watch body condensing onto the glass if the glass was cold).

I wear the watch almost permanently and although I haven't been for a swim yet, I do washing up, wash my hands etc without removing the watch.
I've never (that I can remember) seen moisture inside the glass before (owned the watch from new).

I opened the crown and left the watch sitting on a warm radiator for a couple of hours this morning to hopefully expunge the moisture and let it out, but there's still some marks on the glass I can't polish off, which appear to be on the inner surface. Bit annoying given that it's new glass!!

I'm currently thinking to take the watch back to the repair shop and question whether or not he replaced the seal correctly - is that worth it?

I was hoping that the watch would be returned to me in better condition than it was in before - but if it's now not waterproof then, frankly, I will be EXTREMELY unhappy. I DO use the watch as a timepiece when swimming and snorkelling, and certainly in all weathers.

 

[Jim Dollares]

I would definately take it back to the watchmaker about this at least to first hear what he says about it.

 

[SteveP]

Hi, yes it could well be condensation.

2 things-
1-absolutely take it back to the service centre and have them sort it out
2 was it pressure tested as part of the service? You may want to check that before exposing it to water 'properly'.

Good luck!
Steve

 

[RockBurner]

Jim Dollares

I would definately take it back to the watchmaker about this at least to first hear what he says about it.

SteveP

Hi, yes it could well be condensation.

2 things-
1-absolutely take it back to the service centre and have them sort it out
2 was it pressure tested as part of the service? You may want to check that before exposing it to water 'properly'.

Good luck!
Steve

I doubt very much it was pressure tested. (how is that done? I assume the watch is NOT dunked in a 50ft deep well....)
Hoping to be able to take it back this weekend.

 

[RockBurner]

hmm - it's back again.

 

[Gambba]

RockBurner

hmm - it's back again.

Yeah that’s no good. Take it back.

Pressure testing is simple to do and most decent workshops it’s an automated bench top device which confirms the seals on the watch to the specified rating.

 

[RockBurner]

Just an update if anyone is genuinely interested: the watch did go back, it turns out the button wasn't replaced and we suspect the button seal is worn out. So he's currently awaiting a new button of the correct sort, after which he'll fully clean the interior of the case again, reassemble and then pressure test and confirm it's sealed.
If it's still not right, then I'm probably going to ask for at least some of my money back, and either send it to Switzerland again (it's been back twice before over the years), or post it off to another specialist.

In that case I'm also VERY tempted to invest in another old-ish Tag as a 'spare' Possibly a black bodied 1000 if I can stomach the auction prices!

 

[Pitfitter446]

Thanks for the update, might help someone in the future.

 

[SteveP]

RockBurner

Just an update if anyone is genuinely interested: the watch did go back, it turns out the button wasn't replaced and we suspect the button seal is worn out. So he's currently awaiting a new button of the correct sort, after which he'll fully clean the interior of the case again, reassemble and then pressure test and confirm it's sealed.
If it's still not right, then I'm probably going to ask for at least some of my money back, and either send it to Switzerland again (it's been back twice before over the years), or post it off to another specialist.

In that case I'm also VERY tempted to invest in another old-ish Tag as a 'spare' Possibly a black bodied 1000 if I can stomach the auction prices!

Fingers crossed then! If you do decide to send somewhere else there are a number of people in the UK I would suggest-some have reasonable waiting lists but saves sending to Switzerland and all the shenanigans that go with it!

ps maybe it's the photo but I'm not sure that is the correct crown on it anyway.....

 

[RockBurner]

SteveP

Fingers crossed then! If you do decide to send somewhere else there are a number of people in the UK I would suggest-some have reasonable waiting lists but saves sending to Switzerland and all the shenanigans that go with it!

ps maybe it's the photo but I'm not sure that is the correct crown on it anyway.....

It may not be exactly correct, but i'm pretty sure it's genuine. The watch has been worked on before, but only via TAG franchises. Last time it was sent off to Switzerland by the franchisee in Selfridges, Oxford Street. (I was working just off Bond Street at the time). It went off with the second hand having fallen off, it was rattling around the face; and the crystal very badly scratched: came back like new.

 

[RockBurner]

Update.
Getting little tired of this.
The jeweller is still waiting on a crown from 'Cousins' (https://cousinsuk.com). According to him they keep changing the availability date of their stock and he hasn't been able to order the exact crown.
Stainless steel 5.25mm diamater, 4.0mm depth:
https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/tag-heuer-crowns-by-size

Edited: Dec 20, 2019

 

[SteveP]

Cousins is the right place to be fair. Is yours a 844/3 or 844/5 out of interest?

 

[RockBurner]

SteveP

Cousins is the right place to be fair. Is yours a 844/3 or 844/5 out of interest?

844/5 If I remember correctly.

 

[RockBurner]

Just an update for everyone (if anyone is interested).

We failed to fit the new crown to the watch - because my watch has the 3mm external diameter 'tube' fitted. Apparantly all the current TAG crowns are for a 2.5mm diameter tube.
We also discovered that the internal thread of the 3mm tube is partially worn out (about half of the thread is gone).
The jeweller refitted the original(?) crown with a tiny dab of silicon grease to at least make the watch weatherproof for the time being, and I'm now considering the options:
Fit a replacement 2.5mm TAG tube and crown?
Fit a replacement 3mm (probably non-TAG) tube and crown?

I can only assume that the 3mm tube is the original one because the watch was repaired at least twice by TAG Heuer over the years (each time I was assured it was sent to Switzerland for the work), so I don't know if the tube and crown were replaced on either of those occasions.

Oh - and irritatingly it's now losing about a minute a day....

Any suggestions?

Edited: Apr 27, 2020

 

[KM1978]

Justin has just completed a full service on my 980.006 after I grabbed the details from this thread. I'm based in the U.K and used UPS to get it there and back. What a great guy and the watch looks incredible. Very happy to recommend Tag1000Diver

Thanks again

Edited: Jun 10, 2020

 

[0-60]

Got my NOS 844 a green bezel insert done from Justin in March while in the States on leave. excellent work and service. Definitely recommend them.

 

[Calibre11]

K KM1978

Justin has just completed a full service on my 980.006 after I grabbed the details from this thread. I'm based in the U.K and used UPS to get it there and back. What a great guy and the watch looks incredible. Very happy to recommend Tag1000Diver

Thanks again

 

[janice&fred]

Hi all we have a question about Tag Heuer repair. We have an older Tag model 2000 automatic chronograph and are looking for a repairer in the USA that could do a tube and/or crown replacement as the crown barely tightens down now. We were hoping to send it to Justin but he notified us that his watch maker is currently unavailable. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would prefer using someone recommended here rather than the local shoemakers posing as watch makers here in Connecticut.

 

[RockBurner]

K KM1978

Justin has just completed a full service on my 980.006 after I grabbed the details from this thread. I'm based in the U.K and used UPS to get it there and back. What a great guy and the watch looks incredible. Very happy to recommend Tag1000Diver

Thanks again

If you don't mind my asking - what was the postage cost?

 

[Calibre11]

janice&fred

Hi all we have a question about Tag Heuer repair. We have an older Tag model 2000 automatic chronograph and are looking for a repairer in the USA that could do a tube and/or crown replacement as the crown barely tightens down now. We were hoping to send it to Justin but he notified us that his watch maker is currently unavailable. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would prefer using someone recommended here rather than the local shoemakers posing as watch makers here in Connecticut.

Hi. I’ve known some people who have used http://www.watchrepairct.com/ I haven’t personally, but they might be worth checking out.

Good luck!