MoT's WDF

Got one of those smokin’ Eterna Tangaroa Chronos a couple of weeks ago.





In taking off the bracelet to put on a strap i put a sliiiiight ding on one of the lugs. “I have green scotchbrite and fine grit sandpaper,” I thought to myself. “I’ll just brush that ding out.”

Uh, no.





Now, fortunately, it’s actually not that noticeable at the usual angles, and I have watches with much worse scuffs. But the fact that I made something that was tiny much worse in the process of trying to fix it, well...it’s like that facial feature that you think is all anyone else can think abut when talking to you, but which they actually aren’t. And it can easily and affordably be fixed by someone actually qualified when the time comes.

Anyway, figured I’m not the only one who has or will ever do this, so figured we could use a thread to share our stories and commiserate.

I've never done anything like that on a watch that expensive (full disclosure, I've never owned a watch that expensive, period), but there have been a couple of times where I've gotten in over my head.

For example, I picked up a new-with-defect VSA Night Vision for a really good price (under $100). The defect was some dust under the crystal.

"No problem!" I thought.

Big problem. I got it all apart, cleaned out and when I went to put it back together I somehow managed to break the cable that connects the lights to the circuit board.

Had it less than 24 hours.

Sympathies to the 2 who have posted and to others who will follow with their horror stories.

Not that I feel superior: I'm an all-thumbs person and I know that I will royally FU what I attempt to fix.* So I don't attempt to do anything any more to "improve" things.

*Example: I once had to drive around with 3 shock absorbers (until I could get to someone who knew what they were doing), after trying to install Koni shocks on my Austin-Healey Sprite.

Sometimes being a WIS’er has its cost. I took this watch off to take a photo for the WRUW thread....and dropped it onto the concrete during the process.

Looks good here:
But the side of the case has been deeply scarred:

Ahhh! I hate this thread, but I can't look away!

Stretch44 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:50 am Ahhh! I hate this thread, but I can't look away!

It's like a car wreck, you know you shouldn't but you just can't help yourself.

I had an old citizen Eagle 7 that was running, but would do a strange skip when fully wound. I popped out the movement and couldn’t find the click. Instead of waiting, I took off the bridge plate and now the rotor just spins like made when I try to wind it. Fortunately the watch was only $5, but I would rather not turn something into spare parts if I can avoid it.

Kitty can’t even look at it anymore...

Dropped one of the base watches I used for the MoT watch and put a big scratch in it. Also tried to take the hands off while the battery was in one of those and killed the movement.

Had a bicompax pilot watch with a Poljot 3133 movement. Sent it to a guy who was doing really fine dial relume work. He asked me whether the crown should be in or out when he releases the stem.

I had a 50/50 chance. Sold it for parts.

Brand new Planet Ocean Chrono.

Angular door handle.

Yup, you guessed it. Whacked it so hard as I swung my arm I dented a pusher, jarred the movement and dinged the case.

That was an expensive lesson.

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Trying to take off some somewhat light scratches off the case of a Citizen Sig., taking longer than I thought. Got tired of rubbing, got careless and took some of the paint off the bezel. A lot of work to make things worse.

Changed batt on Invicta, a screw from the battery latch went flying off into space, luckily the other remaining screw saved the job. Almost botched another batt change, those small screws and other minute related parts have a habit of flying off. Luck of the draw if they can be found. Have spent 20-30 min searching, sometimes successfully sometimes in vain.

Lost some of those tiny pin tubes some Orient and others use, had to cannibalize tubes from another watch.




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baldrick wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:06 am Brand new Planet Ocean Chrono.

Angular door handle.

Yup, you guessed it. Whacked it so hard as I swung my arm I dented a pusher, jarred the movement and dinged the case.

That was an expensive lesson.

Ouch

baldrick wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:06 am Brand new Planet Ocean Chrono.

Angular door handle.

Yup, you guessed it. Whacked it so hard as I swung my arm I dented a pusher, jarred the movement and dinged the case.

That was an expensive lesson.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

I'd probably cry. Or throw up. Or both.

baldrick wrote:Brand new Planet Ocean Chrono.

Angular door handle.

Yup, you guessed it. Whacked it so hard as I swung my arm I dented a pusher, jarred the movement and dinged the case.

That was an expensive lesson.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

This and [mention]watchpalooza [/mention]’s Dreyfuss have been the 2 stories so far that have made me cringe.