Seawolf serviced - now case marks!

[seventeenjewel]

Some 10 years ago my dad gave me his 1960s Seawolf he bought new at the base PX when he was in the Marines. I did not wear watches at the time but was glad to have it as he had owned it for probably as long as I have been alive!

Last year I finally took more interest in the watch and was amazed that it started running soon after picking it up as it has literally sat for most of the time I owned it. It would no longer keep time and would stop even after winding so I knew a service would be needed.

Found a reputable jewelery shop and owner claimed his watch maker had like 39 yrs experience.

Anyway here it is:


I put on a band from another watch to see how leather would look. Since then I have ordered a new leather band. He had a flex band on it when he gave it to me.

The watch now keeps excellent time but when changing the band I noticed these marks at the base of each band arm:


As I had polished the case back before specifically looking for marks I am certain they were not there before. Removing a case back should be the most routine task for any watch maker. Did not expect this!

The cystal now appears to be of a higher profile. I will ask if it was replaced.

So , at least my dad will now see me wearing his old Seawolf but I'll never take my watch to be serviced at that Jewelers ever again.

[jon p]

         i  want to welcome you to our forum and tell you i understand what you say! we all probably have been through this situation at least once! i did with my zodiac GMT. we have a watchmaker we all use, look under the repair heading. i have used him many times with outstanding results. he IS a zodiac expert and before i sent him my GMT he told me what was wrong by email! zodiacs have some weird little twists and my local watchmaker didnt know them, i ended up spending a lot of money and it still wouldnt tell time. our zodiac guy is the only one who will ever work on my watches,zodiac AND all other brands. his caring  work and attention to detail is un heard of today. you should never see opening sratches on the back, that is froom someone who is not sure what they are doing!!

[seventeenjewel]

i  want to welcome you to our forum and tell you i understand what you say! we all probably have been through this situation at least once! i did with my zodiac GMT. we have a watchmaker we all use, look under the repair heading.

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I wish now that I would have contacted your watch maker.

[Nateb123]

Let me know if I'm looking in the wrong place but I can't see any marks besides the ones on the back of the lugs.  Those would be from taking bands on and off, not opening the caseback.  The spring bar has a lip that scratches the high polish on the lugs if it's not put into place carefully.

[seventeenjewel]

Let me know if I'm looking in the wrong place but I can't see any marks besides the ones on the back of the lugs.   

The marks are actually indents on the case near the base of each band lug and right off the case back. I finally talked to the jeweler and he even says they are indents into the stainless steel case but is adamant there is no way his watch man could have done it. He says he'll ask him about the crystal but says he does not think it was replaced. As I have polished the crystal and case back before I know the height of the crystal is not the same nor were the marks there before.

I had initially contacted a jewelers in Ft. Wayne , IN that has a Certified Master Watchmaker and wish I had taken it there or used the Zodiac expert that has performed work for the others here.   

[seventeenjewel]

Now I also notice when I very lightly "shake" the watch I hear and feel a rattle. I know the rotor moves but I never noticed this before. It feels more like there is something loose. Anyone else comment if this is suppose to be a normal condition.   

[jon p]

    NO NO NO!!! after a service especially, there should be no "rattle", it sounds like the rotor is loose and hitting the case back. i had another brand self winding watch that did this,and i unscrewed the back and tightened the rotor retaining screw. i am not sure how the zodiac rotor is attached. this is common even in a rolex if they forget to tighten the rotor when servicing it. i would trot right back to the guy who serviced it, i am SURE you paid good money and it should be right. from now on please use our watchmaker.

[seventeenjewel]

Thank you jon , yes indeed I will be paying a visit to the jewelers over in Muncie. And I now wish I had spent time here before I had my watch serviced , would have saved me from much grief.