Help with a Gillette Reflex Model 307 red LED watch, please?

[dodger1954]

Hi Gang,

I've got a nice Gillette Model 307 red LED watch, and although it works and keeps excellent time, the 'flick wrist' feature just will NOT work as it should, coming on only VERY sporadically, when you tilt the watch upward. The watch DEFINITELY has a "sweet spot", where, if you tilt it in "just" a certain way, and at one particular angle (raised up on one side about 2 or 3 degrees, from laying perfectly flat), AND, if you tilt it upward at the same time very slowly, it WILL light up, but, it's nothing consistent. I've read that this Gillette module's flick wrist feature is accomplished via a switch, whereby the movement of a tiny steel ball inside the switch is what activates it, and makes the watch light up when you tilt it, and I'm wondering if there's any way to make it (the steel ball) move more consistently? ..In other words, "free-up", that little ball? Or, is it kaput, and the switch needs to be replaced? And, if so, is there anyone who does that sort of thing, and/or, how much would it cost..? It IS a good looking watch, and it works perfectly well, otherwise; the flick wrist just doesn't work too well, at all. Incidentally, I've got another Gillette watch, on which the flick wrist feature on that one works EXTREMELY well, coming on each and every single time the watch is tilted over, but,...not so, with this Model 307...just, whenever it feels like it...LOL. Anyway, if anyone has an idea of how to cure this "sticky" situation, I'd appreciate the help and advice! :)

Thanks,
Charles

[retroleds]

Hi Gang,

I've got a nice Gillette Model 307 red LED watch, and although it works and keeps excellent time, the 'flick wrist' feature just will NOT work as it should, coming on only VERY sporadically, when you tilt the watch upward. The watch DEFINITELY has a "sweet spot", where, if you tilt it in "just" a certain way, and at one particular angle (raised up on one side about 2 or 3 degrees, from laying perfectly flat), AND, if you tilt it upward at the same time very slowly, it WILL light up, but, it's nothing consistent. I've read that this Gillette module's flick wrist feature is accomplished via a switch, whereby the movement of a tiny steel ball inside the switch is what activates it, and makes the watch light up when you tilt it, and I'm wondering if there's any way to make it (the steel ball) move more consistently? ..In other words, "free-up", that little ball? Or, is it kaput, and the switch needs to be replaced? And, if so, is there anyone who does that sort of thing, and/or, how much would it cost..? It IS a good looking watch, and it works perfectly well, otherwise; the flick wrist just doesn't work too well, at all. Incidentally, I've got another Gillette watch, on which the flick wrist feature on that one works EXTREMELY well, coming on each and every single time the watch is tilted over, but,...not so, with this Model 307...just, whenever it feels like it...LOL. Anyway, if anyone has an idea of how to cure this "sticky" situation, I'd appreciate the help and advice! :)

Thanks,
Charles

CHarles - that is exactly how that watch is SUPPOSED to work. IT is not flc=ick, it is tilt to 45 degrees and wait a seconds for display. Some of them are slightly twisted in the hole and the factory spec is not that tight. IT's 50 years old, it might need to be replaced.

[dodger1954]

Hi Ed,

It's very encouraging that you say it might need to be replaced, as I was wondering if there was anyone who COULD replace that switch, for me. Other than working and keeping perfect time, the tilt feature simply will NOT work, unless you do it EXACTLY like this: as the watch is laid out flat, in the prone position, you'd tilt the watch over to the LEFT just a bit, raising the watch case, button-side UP, maybe only 1 or 2 degrees from flat, and THEN, slowly rotate the entire watch upward, to the 45 degrees. Then, and only then, will it come on by itself. But, it's VERY temperamental, and will ony come on, maybe 5% of the time.

I've also got another Gillette whose switch works PERFECTLY, and will come on by itself each and every time that the watch is tilted upward, so, I feel like the module in this 307 MUST be a bit "wonky", perhaps tarnished or corroded inside that switch, making that little ball not move as smoothly as it should. The question is, whom could I get to replace that switch, and at what cost..?

Incidentally, I've got yet ANOTHER Gillette, a third one, a Model 309, which works and keeps perfect time, AND, the tilt feature works perfectly! But, on that one, the bottom-halves of all four of the digits are "lopped off", or missing, which I assume must be a wirebond issue, I reckon..?

Thanks,
Charles