# Bucherer Electronic Chronometer.



## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

HI,

I picked up a nice looking Bucherer Electronic Chronometer at the weekend.

Runs on an ETA 9154 Electro/mechanical movement.

Runs well and keeps great time. I plan to carry out a little light restoration on the case.

One thing it desperately needs is a new crystal, I can polish out the scratches, but this one has an internal crack so it spoils the finish.

I have removed the crystal with a press, it's 30mm od with a yellow internal reflection band.

My question is, can I just use a generic crystal or is it possible to obtain the genuine article?

Watch must be from the early 70's so I'm assuming original parts are out of the question.


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## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

Hi from the sounds of it a generic 'tension ring' or armoured glass will do the job fine.


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## PDXWatchCollector (Nov 15, 2013)

Photos?


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## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

I love the sound of a new crystal popping into place.








http://

The stem on this beauty was a little fiddly.










NOt loving this photo posting method


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

I agree with Thomasr - it looks like a tension ring jobbie similar to what Omega used in the Dynamic models. Just make sure you have the exact od and a claw tool to refit it.


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## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

Yep it was a 'tension ring jobbie'

The picture posted above is of the newly fitted crystal.

I removed the movement and used a crystal press to insert the new movement.

I don't think a claw would work on this model, nothing to grip.

http://

The ETA movement running very nicely

http://


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

i see; this must be the new style flat glass tecknology good show vinn


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## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

vinn said:


> i see; this must be the new style flat glass tecknology good show vinn


??


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## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

Not quite sure either, but whatever.. 

Anyways, lost about 5 mins over the week so battery removed and into the 'to be serviced' pile.

Will have to inquire in the tinkers corner, like to service accutrons, But this spinning disc jobbie is a new one to me.


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## Thomasr (Oct 11, 2011)

This is regulatable like a normal mechanical watch I think on the balance cock the snail wheel can be spun to regulate. There's a small arrows in part of it to show the direction to rotate to advance/retard it


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## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

Spent some time over the weekend 'tinkering' with this thing.

As you mentioned I can regulate it, I have managed to almost get it within a few secs a day. But every now and then it throws a wobbly and stops for a few secs then starts up again.

I'm thinking there may be something restricting the gear train. The electronics seem to be working fine. SO I'm assuming the mechanical side of the watch.

Still thinking I'm got to service, clean and oil. Still can't find a suitable service document.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Magnetchief said:


> Still can't find a suitable service document.


You shouldn't need one if you're used to servicing mechanical movements. The only thing to watch is that you must remove the circuit board before trying to remove the balance...and the circuit board is removed by:


Remove battery contact by unscrewing large headed screw
Loosen the other large headed screw close to where the battery contact was mounted
Remove the two other screws holding the circuit board
Now swing the circuit board out from between the balance being careful not to damage the coil windings
Finally remove the screw that you loosened in 2. and remove the circuit board from the movement

Now you can remove the balance in the normal way. Check for shrapnel on the balance magnets (no not de-magnetise the movement!).


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## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

Lol, many thanks.

Will move it to the top of my to do list.


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

theres some good advice here. the pre tuning fork watches are most interesting to me. the experienced repair man is the key to modern watches. ill work on a balance ( except cylindar escapments ) [and spelling]. a not running electric watch looks good in your collection. vinn


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## stromspeicher (May 28, 2015)

One other trick / thing to note.... there's also a couple of metal fingers that act as friction springs on the seconds wheel - you can look at them in place in the grooves on the (white?) plastic wheel before you remove the train bridge. They don't need to be removed from where they are fixed to the train bridge in order to clean the watch.

When you replace the wheels and train bridge you should cross them over (without damaging them of course...) either side of the 'whats-that-there-for?' pin that is on the train bridge between the two springs. Then when all the wheels and bridge are fitted back securely you can encourage the springs down off the pin and into place on the plastic wheel where they live.

It sounds a bit odd written out like this but I think it will make sense when you see the bits that I'm talking about.


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## stromspeicher (May 28, 2015)

stromspeicher said:


> ... there's also a couple of metal fingers that act as friction springs on the seconds wheel - you can look at them in place in the grooves on the (white?) plastic wheel before you remove the train bridge.


...slight correction on this - there are two white plastic friction wheels, one on the seconds and one on the escapement / click wheel - one of the metal friction spring fingers locates on each of the two plastic wheels... Sorry, I mis-remembered. It happens sometimes :wacko:


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## Magnetchief (Jul 19, 2013)

Many thanks for the tips and advice.

I was surprised to see the plastic discs, but now it makes sence.

Dissasembled, cleaned, inspected and reassembled.

no obvious defects, but there was some sort of chemical under the insulating sheet?

looks like a previous battery leak.

i think I like these movements. More forgiving than my accutrons.

Will see if I can pick some more up.

Thnaks gents.


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

> accutrons -- a rut in the road to repairable electronic watches. (like the seiko 7a28 - 15 jewel movement). other than having a bucket full of them (dead or dieing). have made a couple of them run,not by total dissembly. vinn


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## rickcjmc (Apr 3, 2016)

Hello all, new to this board and I'm not sure if this thread is still alive and kicking. I just picked up one of these Bucherer Electronic Chronometers as well. A fresh battery and it took off running, and runs fine face down, however when it is in the 12 o'clock or nine o'clock up positions it stops, also in the face up back down position? Bad balance? seems to be tight. Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Rick P. in St Paul OR


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