I have a couple of watches with broken glasses that I'd like to repair.

They are fairly inexpensive watches, and the glasses were flat and
plain.

I'm wondering how to measure the watch for the correct diameter
replacement glass, because inside the bevel on each watch is a plastic
washer that the glass fits into.

I'm guessing that the best way to measure is to fit the washer inside
the bevel, then use calipers tight inside that for my measurement, but
if there's a better way to work it out I'd like to know.

I presume that the washer is there to help accommodate slight mismatches
in size - is that correct?

And finally, what kind of cement is used to hold the glasses in place? I
can't see any trace of cement - it's not just a friction fit, is it?

Daniele

On 14/02/2011 18:25, D.M. Procida wrote:
I have a couple of watches with broken glasses that I'd like to repair.

They are fairly inexpensive watches, and the glasses were flat and
plain.

I'm wondering how to measure the watch for the correct diameter
replacement glass, because inside the bevel on each watch is a plastic
washer that the glass fits into.

I'm guessing that the best way to measure is to fit the washer inside
the bevel, then use calipers tight inside that for my measurement, but
if there's a better way to work it out I'd like to know.

I presume that the washer is there to help accommodate slight mismatches
in size - is that correct?

And finally, what kind of cement is used to hold the glasses in place? I
can't see any trace of cement - it's not just a friction fit, is it?

Daniele

It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses in
their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but with
many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in the
bevel.

Once it was in position you released the clamp and it was fitted...
no adhesive / sealant or anything..

May be different nowadays..?

Adrian

Adrian Brentnall pretended :
It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses in
their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but with many
more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in the
bevel.

I believe the correct name for the lens is a crystal.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:56:10 +0000, Adrian Brentnall
wrote:


It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses in
their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but with
many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in the
bevel.

Once it was in position you released the clamp and it was fitted...
no adhesive / sealant or anything..

Like this:-
http://www.hswalsh.com/Vigor_.aspx?i=HV1&t=12

--
Geo

On 14/02/2011 19:48, Geo wrote:
On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:56:10 +0000, Adrian
wrote:


It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses in
their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but with
many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in the
bevel.

Once it was in position you released the clamp and it was fitted...
no adhesive / sealant or anything..

Like this:-
http://www.hswalsh.com/Vigor_.aspx?i=HV1&t=12


Precisely! They (my parents) even used to deal with HS Walsh -
they retired from the shop about 25 years ago....

Adrian

On 14/02/2011 19:34, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Adrian Brentnall pretended :
It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses
in their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but
with many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in
the bevel.

I believe the correct name for the lens is a crystal.


Believe all you like....... - then convince H.S.Welsh
that they've got it wrong too -
(they have a whole section on their website selling

"Watch Glasses" http://www.hswalsh.com/items.aspx?t=310

and they "have been the leading suppliers of tools and equipment for
jewellers and horologists, jewellery findings, clock and watch materials
to the jewellery and horological trades for more than 60 years and are
the largest in the UK"

Adrian

Adrian Brentnall formulated the question :
On 14/02/2011 19:34, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Adrian Brentnall pretended :
It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses
in their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but
with many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in
the bevel.

I believe the correct name for the lens is a crystal.


Believe all you like....... - then convince H.S.Welsh
that they've got it wrong too -
(they have a whole section on their website selling

"Watch Glasses" http://www.hswalsh.com/items.aspx?t=310

and they "have been the leading suppliers of tools and equipment for
jewellers and horologists, jewellery findings, clock and watch materials to
the jewellery and horological trades for more than 60 years and are the
largest in the UK"

Try typing watch crystals, then watch glasses into Google.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

Adrian Brentnall wrote:

It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses in
their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but with
many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in the
bevel.

Once it was in position you released the clamp and it was fitted...
no adhesive / sealant or anything..

Like this:-
http://www.hswalsh.com/Vigor_.aspx?i=HV1&t=12


Precisely! They (my parents) even used to deal with HS Walsh -
they retired from the shop about 25 years ago....

This (obviously) is for plastic glasses, the ones I'm looking at are
glass.

Daniele

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:36:40 +0000, Adrian Brentnall
wrote:

On 14/02/2011 19:34, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Adrian Brentnall pretended :
It was a few years back when my parents used to fit new watch-glasses
in their shop - but they had a little device like a hub-puller but
with many more 'legs' that gripped the edge of the (plastic) watch-glass,
compressed it slightly, and then allowed you to pop it into place in
the bevel.

I believe the correct name for the lens is a crystal.


Believe all you like....... - then convince H.S.Welsh
that they've got it wrong too -
(they have a whole section on their website selling

"Watch Glasses" http://www.hswalsh.com/items.aspx?t=310

and they "have been the leading suppliers of tools and equipment for
jewellers and horologists, jewellery findings, clock and watch materials
to the jewellery and horological trades for more than 60 years and are
the largest in the UK"

The term "watch glass" has been in use for many decades in chemical
laboratories, where they're used for such as crystallising saturated
solutions.

I suspect that the term "crystal" for a watch glass is from some
Far-eastern (or possibly Far-western!) attempt to glamourise the item,
a bit like a "jewel case" for CDs.

--
Frank Erskine

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:36:40 +0000, Adrian Brentnall
wrote:

On 14/02/2011 19:34, Harry Bloomfield wrote:


I believe the correct name for the lens is a crystal.


Believe all you like....... - then convince H.S.Welsh
that they've got it wrong too -
(they have a whole section on their website selling

"Watch Glasses" http://www.hswalsh.com/items.aspx?t=310

and they "have been the leading suppliers of tools and equipment for
jewellers and horologists, jewellery findings, clock and watch materials
to the jewellery and horological trades for more than 60 years and are
the largest in the UK"

Still doesn't make them 100% correct. I knew a watch maker repairer
who had done the job for many decades and retired in the mid 90's when
his eyesight eventually got too bad, he always called flat faced watch
glasses 'crystals' - correcting me on more than one occasion when I
called it a glass. In hindsight he might possibly have called the
more conventional shaped domed ones watch glasses but I can't be sure.

--