Watchlords

This is my tale of self-inflicted woe. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I can shed some light. Apologies if this is the wrong place to post this. Pointing me in the right direction welcomed.

Timex Waterbury Chronograph. Worked well enough and didn't send me to the poorhouse.


Had to replace the battery, and not being any sort of watchmaker or repairman, I did not realize the pitfalls of re-seating the interference-fit back piece by tapping rather than with a press. Oops. So, one of the hands fell off into the crystal.

To access the watch face and replace that hand, I needed to remove the works from the case (something I had never done) which also led to prying off the front part that holds the crystal as well. In the process of doing that, all other hands but the hour hand also fell off, despite trying to use a light touch and not be ham-fisted.

Removing the stem was also necessary. Accomplished without trauma.

I have now managed to carefully press the hands back on and would like to re-assemble, but for one thing - there is a tiny spring of unknown origin. It is in the picture below, just to the right of the 3. Can anyone tell me where it might belong? It doesn't slide over the stem, and I haven't spotted any obvious place for it.


The spring does not appear to belong in any of the pusher buttons, as they function normally.

Thanks very much for any guidance!

Dang. You really cocked that up.

conjurer wrote: ↑

May 14th 2025, 8:12am

Dang. You really cocked that up.

I did!

Toss it like a disposal Bic lighter & purchase another throw away watch.

Shud have purchased an Armitron


You can thank me later.

codguy wrote: ↑

May 14th 2025, 9:08am

Toss it like a disposal Bic lighter & purchase another throw away watch.

Shud have purchased an Armitron

You can thank me later.

Nah, man. I like the damn thing, especially the indiglo feature.

Its a quartz so that spring might fit in a small hole in the movement and contact the caseback. Possibly for grounding (?) or circuit continuity. I have a Citizen that is made that way and the spring looks the same. Mine works with or without the spring.

MAX wrote: ↑

May 15th 2025, 4:09am

Its a quartz so that spring might fit in a small hole in the movement and contact the caseback. Possibly for grounding (?) or circuit continuity. I have a Citizen that is made that way and the spring looks the same. Mine works with or without the spring.

Wow! Thanks very much for that thought! I hope to have some time later today or tomorrow to look at it again and will see if I can find a spot like that where the spring might go.

Is that the only one - or the only one that is loose? I wonder if it could be for one of the chrono pushers?

Nuvolari wrote: ↑

May 15th 2025, 7:57am

Is that the only one - or the only one that is loose? I wonder if it could be for one of the chrono pushers?

I haven't had a chance to get back to the watch yet, but the pushers both seemed to function normally, so I think they might have some kind of captured internal spring. I will look at that, though, so thanks for the thought.