# A Little Help Please As A Absolute Newbee



## merlydog (Oct 7, 2010)

:lookaround:

Hi all,

Hopefully you won't mind me posting a 'please help' topic as my first ever post on your forum. I'm having a little dilemma with a friends watch?!!









A good friend of mine has an extremely sentimental watch that had an issue with stopping at 2130 every evening. My grandfather has always been 'handy' and successful with fixing most niggly little issues with any watches the family have had over the years, as a former engineer & mechanic he has always been a 'fix it' man and very scarcely unsuccessful. However, he's now well into his eighties and my grandmother is not well. Bless him, he was convinced he could fix the watch, but having returned it to me it looks like this!!










It says its a TRESSA incabloc 25 jewel automatic watch?

He said he poured some of his watch oil (that a jeweller gave him around 30 year ago by all accounts) in the watch to 'free off' the workings but it never dried out, i'm pretty sure what you see if the face of the watch lifting off! I know, nightmare!!

Now my friend has no idea, the watch belonged to her grandfather and means a hell of a lot to her as he left it to her when he died 15 years ago!! I know, oppppsss..

I would like to try and fix it, perhaps at least find a replacement face.

Having looked on ebay there are similar ones but nothing that matches this one, there not too expensive either so was hoping I may be able to get it fixed?

Can anyone offer any advice or help with its repairs before I just have to bite the bullet and tell her :hypocrite:


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## kevkojak (May 14, 2009)

I hate to say it, but it looks like you need to get the dial stripped and re-finished. ANy watchmaker will do it. Expect to pay anywhere between Â£100/Â£200.

I stand to be corrected, but this looks like an enamel finished dial. When these dials get warm they warp and crack - usually giving an effect like crazy paving.

If you're lucky, the dial will remain flat and not peel. Too much messing though, and its going to bubble or flake.

I wouldn't advise putting oil in a watch - the separate moving parts need to be removed and oiled individually really.

Looks like a service/re-finish if the watch means that much. The movement may well be available to replace relatively cheaply, but the dial may be extremely difficult to source.

Hope I'm wrong. Not very well up on Tressa watches, but the dial is very similar to one of my Omega watches, so I'm fairly sure on that bit.

Regards, Kev.


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## merlydog (Oct 7, 2010)

Oh bummer, that's not really the news I was after, thank you though. I may well have to just pay it :lookaround: My grandad was gutted he'd done it bless him, past it now I think.. :dontgetit: I shall keep my fingers crossed & hope there's someone out there able to help. :thumbsup:


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

i agree with KevKojak, your not gonna find another dial and Tressa watches are quite rare 1960's - 1970's. The day date aperature seems to be warped or "melted" should'nt be like that..... Some people specialise in dial repairs only, chinese chap i know of uses a paintbrush with one hair, if you can get it done for under Â£200 your doing very well.......


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## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

as already stated, dial refinish and movement strip will far exceed its value , start looking on ebay , oil tipped inside has lifted the paint finish, its not an enamel dial.


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## merlydog (Oct 7, 2010)

I shall keep looking, i've found one in malaysia actually but not too sure about sending the paypal payment for fear of not receiving the goods!! :shocking: Many thanks for taking the time to pass on your advice all.


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## simonsaysbet (Jul 13, 2010)

Wow, don't offer to look after any pets for her,the easiest thing would be to start looking for a new friend,but i think trawling ebay is the best plan,this is similar,

http://tinyurl.com/2v9vpk3

something will come up on the bay!


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