# How The Hell Do I Open The Case



## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

I recently bought a pre-owned Rapport gold plated pocket watch which is slim and rather nice. However, the battery needs replacing and I just cannot find a way in!! There are two grooves around the circumference of the watch but neither of these seem to denote a way into the watch, and an attempt to use a slim penknife in the rear of these grooves, where one would have thought the caseback was, resulted annoyingly in a bit of minor damage to the metal but no leverage to get the back off. Also, there is no special little notch or raised metal flange on the watch to denote that the watch should be opened from this point. So how do you actually get to the movement in these watches to change the battery?

Please help if you can.


----------



## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Pictures please of the back and side view


----------



## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

It's always best to use a case knife to open the back of a pocket watch - assuming that the case is neither hinged (depress the crown to open) or screw type - rather than a penknife. You can get these knives quite cheaply online and they're safer and better than a penknife..

Some snap-on backs can be hard to get off - the thin edge of the case knife is pushed, rather than twisted - but, as Harry has said above, a pic of the watch, or a reference to an online pic, would make it easier to help.


----------



## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

They can be an absolute pain to open and you have to be careful that the tool doesn't slip into the movement when it does finally decide to allow entry! Many a movement has been destroyed by this method!!! I have seen caseback openers with a series of semi-circular supports and a screw drive blade to give a firm, controlled opening but these are very expensive and generally used by professional watchmakers.

Ebay item 221113205272

is a cheaper copy of the type of tool I mean.

Mike


----------



## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Very true - I'm very reluctant to take the snap-on backs off some wristwatches as well - because I don't have a case press and I'm always afraid of cracking the crystal when pressing a particularly recalcitrant case back on by hand...


----------



## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Thanks guys. I shall take the watch to an experienced jeweller rather than try to tackle it myself. Having made one slip and caused a minor blip in the side of the watch, I am not going to make an other. I already have a case knife and because I collect quartz as swell as mechanical watches, I use it quite frequently. My local watchmaker gave me instructions on how to use it properly, and as Will Fly suggests, it is a pushing movement rather than a stick in and lever upwards motion. I also agree with Will Fly that when a watch back is difficult to remove, it is sometimes wise to leave well alone, or at least leave for someone expert and with the right equipment to take off and put back on a watch caseback. tixntox also makes good points in that buying professional, and I mean really professional, watch repairers' equipment is an expensive business.

To harryblakes7 I can only apologise once again for not mastering the art of posting pictures on the Forum - and its not for lack of trying.


----------



## Timez Own (Oct 19, 2013)

A REALLY FINE chisel and a toffee hammer. Just to open a small gap, enough to get a proper opener into?


----------



## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

Timez Own said:


> A REALLY FINE chisel and a toffee hammer. Just to open a small gap, enough to get a proper opener into?


  :stop:


----------



## antony (Dec 28, 2007)

Have you got a picture for us.


----------



## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

If you email me a pic (you've got my email address), I can post it here for you....


----------



## Rook (Oct 22, 2013)

I use a single blade razor blade the type used to get paint off of glass etc to open case backs with. They're very thin but yet strong enough to not break when using them to pry with. Just make sure you don't try to pry open a screw on back.


----------

