How to Get a Cleaved Stem Out of a Watch

4 ways to extract a broken stem from a movement

The unfortunate accident: the stem broke off and the broken bit is still in the movement

The unfortunate accident: the stem broke off and the cleaved bit is even so in the movement

Sometimes, you drop the sentinel, or you curve the crown the wrong way, and the crown stalk gets snapped off midway — the much dreaded cleaved stem. Depending on how much of the broken stem is left in the motility, this can exist an easy set or a hard repair. Hither are a few ways you lot can try to excerpt a cleaved stem from a movement.

The tweezer method

If the cleaved stem is visible or somehow all the same accessible, you can endeavour this method. For this method, you desire to identify the movement face down, and have something to support the movement and preclude the second hand postal service from receiving any pressure level. This tin exist, for our dive watch, the chapter ring (also facing down), put underneath the movement so that the chapter band supports the movement; alternatively, if you accept a bare movement, an ordinary motion holder volition practice.

The crown removal button is circled in red.

The crown removal button is circled in red.

Then you demand to do two things: press downwards on the crown stem release spot (see attached epitome), and while keeping it depressed, try to employ a pair of tweezers to grab the cleaved part of stem (tweezers should get into the motility through the hole where the stalk goes into the move), and pull it out. You might have to work bit past scrap to extract the stalk completely.

The tap information technology method

If the cleaved stem seems to be out of reach, then you lot might accept to try this method. You should agree the movement in one hand, movement perpendicular to the working surface, and the hole where the stem goes in pointing downwardly (see second image for reference); use the other hand to apply tools to keep pressing downward on the crown stalk release spot. Now you might demand someone else to assistance you with this, gently tap on tiptop of the movement in guild to dislodge the stalk. If the stem is loose, it should fall out by gravity. But be careful not to tap likewise hard, or else the shock might damage the movement.

The magnet method

If the stem is even so quite stuck after trying the previous ii methods, you can endeavour this. This method is made possible because the stalk is made of steel, and then it is magnetizable, and you tin employ a slice of magnet to pull it out. But it'll crave you to have a demagnetizer on hand, equally the movement needs to be demagnetized for it to function again.

Keep the stalk release button depressed, and employ a piece of stiff magnet to attract the stalk and then pull information technology out. Almost importantly, y'all must demagnetize the motility immediately, and then check on a timegrapher to meet if it's nonetheless magnetized. For guide on demagnetization, you can refer to this article.

The solve it all method

If all else fails, it'll require a motility disassembly to call back the broken stem. Depending on the movement, y'all may but need to detach the keyless work, or disaasemble about of the motility to access the broken stem. If you don't know how to do information technology, it is a proficient idea to leave the piece of work to a professional watchmaker.

Lesson learned

As you tin encounter, a cleaved stem is nothing to worry about, but information technology tin can even so be quite an inconvenience during watch associates. Therefore, it is good practice to avoid any pressure on the stalk either by bending it or inserting into the case and movement at an odd bending. Moreover, even after the watch is assembled, when the crown is pulled out, the stem is more suspectible for breakage since information technology receives less support from the instance. Therefore, call up to push the crown back in every fourth dimension you finish setting time.

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