Watch restoration question…
 

A couple of years ago, I had my Seiko Pepsi/Pogue watch fixed up with a new bezel, face, band, hands, etc.

I now realize, I screwed up and the watch was no longer what it was. While it looked new, it didn’t have 49 years of my wear and tear. In addition, none of the new luminescence works!

Yesterday, I reinstalled the old wristband and the bezel. When I installed the bezel, the chrome surround for the day/date popped off.

Now, I’m thinking about how to repair the chrome surround for the date/date and the luminescence issue (although this isn’t a deal breaker).

Is it possible I can pull the watch apart to get to the face and reattach the chrome surround? I have zero tools with this kind of work.

Also, I have the old face and although the luminescence is worn, I was thinking of putting it back on. Pretty much putting the watch back to its 49-year-old appearance.

Thoughts?

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To me there’s only sentimental value in the watch, I got it when I was 15, but looking online, they sell in like new condition for $1000.

Also, I need to find a couple of more links, to size the watch for my wrist. I must’ve removed them years ago, when I fit it to my wrist.

Not a good idea to open a watch without proper tooling. Assuming you can even get it back together, any water resistance will be gone and you’ll undoubtedly notice a fleck of dust under the crystal assuming it does go back together.

I’d aay, find a watch you like and get to work on adding patina over the next 49 years.

I suspect that if you're very careful that it can be done. I don't think these things are exactly rocket science. They have been making them for a very long time.

But, as stated, you'll want to do what you do in a "clean" environment. I don't think I'd be that worried about the water resistance for something that isn't a dive watch. I don't think it's that hard to maintain the the gasket around the case back, and I assume the seal at the stem probably isn't rocket science either. I would be very slow and very careful and research first. I would think that it wouldn't be that big a deal to reattach the bezel. I know there are folks that can relume a watch face and hands as well. It's likely to be superluminova which should work really well.

I think the process would be, remove the case back, remove the stem, remove the movement/face from the case, repair, and then put it back in the opposite order. But I don't know the details about removing/installing the stem on the movement.

There are several Youtube channel showing watch repair and restoration. Wristwatchrevival is a good one. You can watch his videos on what is involved and figure out if you want to give it a try. Since it was recently apart you should not run into and stuck or rusted components. Just removing the back and movement is not a big deal compared to taking the movement apart.
Good luck

It's pretty difficult for a novice. If you really want to try, get some junk watches to practice band removal, case opening, pulling the stem and removing the movement from the case, lifting the hands off the dial without bending them or damaging the dial, etc, etc etc; and then put it back together, and have it still work. Without high quality (and expensive) tools for each step, you have almost no chance of success, esp with a chronograph.

On the other hand, if you want to take the plunge, acquire the tools and spend time learning the craft, repairing watches is very gratifying.

I went down the rabbit hole when a watch repairer refused to repair a sentimental watch because it "wasn't worth his time." I thought how hard could it be? And I dove in. I did succeed but it has been a long journey.

Charles

Pogues are a super cool vintage Seiko. Have owned a few. I've recently been wearing a red-faced Pogue the last few weeks. I honestly had never seen a red-face Pogue before. Only the yellow, silver and blue faces. When I did encounter it, Ilooked at it pretty hard and I bought it. My brother was a bit skeptical it was real, but he gave it a hard look this past weekend and now he's thinking it is real too.

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^^^ I’ve never seen red, very interesting.

I think with me already doing the watchband and bezel (plus the hands and crystal earlier) I will have the watchmaker I used before, reinstall the original face.

My watch guy uses toothpicks to dab a spot of glue to hold things down.