Beltek problems

[jagmad]

Hi all
I purchased what I was informed was a Beltek white gold plated watch. (Bottom one)
When I investigated the workings I was suspicious that the module and
back were not original.
My suspicions were (I think) confirmed when I purchased a crapped up none worker, (Top)
For extra links as the band was a little short. (That cleaned up a treat with my sonicair,)
It was in a load of others, with a Beltek marked back, with the battery link welded to the back
for North south mounted batteries, not east west like in the worker.
The donor watch had the wrong (none working) module in as well, it has a weird looking flat
component with a clear face in the compartment for the crystal? I'll pop a pic of it up later.
The working module is marked Exonix Corps USA.
Does anyone know
1/ what module this would of had in it originally? (what functions would it of had)

2/ is it white gold plated? I can see nothing saying it is!

3/ what would the Exonix most likely have been harvested from?

4/ anything else interesting worth noting?

Pic below guys sorry about the glare.
I really have to stop taking pics with my Note, at night, when I'n half cut.
Ha I'm gonna blame the white gold plating.
Guys in advance.

beltekx2.jpg

Ps. apologies for my poor terminology.

[Ole Joe]

"The donor watch had the wrong (none working) module in as well, it has a weird looking flat
component with a clear face in the compartment for the crystal? I'll pop a pic of it up later."

Most likely the part in the crystal compartment is a Statek tuning fork quartz. The clear face enabled laser trimming of the frequency for tuning to 32.768KHz. Laser trimming eliminated the need for a "trimmer capacitor" and a human being to tune the quartz. This was supposed to save money, but the laser itself was very expensive in those days. Statek crystals worked great once matched with the correct load capacitance, but very small changes in capacitance played havoc with the frequency when they were used in a conventional manner with a trimmer cap.

Joe

[jagmad]

Thanks Joe another one for the list of "I didn't know that"
Pic below, best I could do sorry again.

clear crystal.jpg

[richard_uk]

I had a watch which looked identical to that, I can't remember what name was on it but it took a mid size Hughes module.

[richard_uk]

Oh and the one I had was goldtone.

[jagmad]

I had a watch which looked identical to that, I can't remember what name was on it but it took a mid size Hughes module.

Hi Rich thanks for that, I guess it would have to be one that didn't need the 8 0'clock pusher?
With everything working from the 2 0'clock..

[richard_uk]

I'm pretty sure all the functions were on the one pusher yeah, can't remember though if the setting pusher was at 4 or 7.

[jagmad]

I'm pretty sure all the functions were on the one pusher yeah, can't remember though if the setting pusher was at 4 or 7.

This ones at three.

[bucko170]

A variation of the Hughes 29mm module can be found with the set button at the 3 o'clock position and the command button at the 2 o'clock position (matching the button configuration of the watch in the photo) will all functions operated from the single command button.

The Hughes 25mm module has the command button at the 2 o'clock position and the set button at the 7 o'clock position, NSC modules buttons are located at 2 and 4 respectively.

The single command Hughes modules are quite useful as they can be converted (very easily) to work in the Bulova 'Big Block'.

Are the Statek crystals vacuum sealed? I seem to recall reading that they were?

[Ole Joe]

Statek crystals were vacuum sealed.

Joe

[bucko170]

Statek crystals were vacuum sealed.
Joe

Thanks for confirming that Joe, once they have lost their vacuum or otherwise become faulty can they be replaced with an ordinary quartz crystal?

[Ole Joe]

Statek crystals were vacuum sealed.
Joe

Thanks for confirming that Joe, once they have lost their vacuum or otherwise become faulty can they be replaced with an ordinary quartz crystal?

My best guess is that a Statek quartz could be replaced with a standard quartz crystal. The only problem I see is that if the module with the Statek quartz was originally laser tuned to bring the frequency to 32.768KHz, then the module most likely wouldn't have a trimmer capacitor, therefore no easy way of tuning with the new standard quartz crystal. I ran a whole bunch of tests with the Statek crystals in Frontier modules and found that they were very finicky and demanding to have the optimum load capacitance to operate on frequency. We decided it best to stick with something we knew worked.

Joe

[jagmad]

Hi
Well guess I'm gonna have to find one of them there Hugh's modules.
I think I remember having one in another watch somewhere. Time for a dig maybe.
In the mean time I suppose I could wear it as it came till one turns up.
Thanks for all this very useful info it's all good stuff, don't you think?
This is what it's all about...........Me thinks??
Keep it coming,
by the way, what's the theory on the White gold plating??
It looks quite nice on the wrist. Well a lot better than I expected it to look anyway.
Don't normally go for anything as dressy as this. But I like it quite a lot...
Thanks again guys........