Novus advice

[james_stan]

Hi all

I just got one of these..

http://www.ledwatches.net/photo-pages/novus2.htm

and it works !

The case and red crystal are a bit battered however so I would like to dismantle it and polish the parts separately.
I read the advise about heating up with a hot-gun but does this still apply to plastic crystals ? Don't want to melt anything ..

.. any ideas ?

Cheers

James

[digibloke]

Hi. That particular watch has a slightly unusual crystal. It's kind of "lipped" and continues inside of the case so has to be pushed out from the front inwards. I wouldn't bother heating it up - just get the back off, remove the module then gently push the crystal from the front. If it doesn't pop out then put it in warm (not boiling) water for a minute and try again. Don't press the buttons whilst it's wet and dry the case immediately afterwards with a hairdryer. Make sure it's completely dry before putting the module in. Nice watch by the way

[james_stan]

Digibloke

Thanks for the advice will give it a go and let you know how I get on.

It was a lucky ebay 'untested' buy just a few USD plus shipping, but that was cheap too as I had a colleague willing to handle it for me. It eventually got here via The Netherlands !

Took about a month to get here but patience is a virtue - apparently..

The bracelet is not original unfortunately - a spiedel type but I quite like it. If I dare I might even try a before and after photo..

Cheers

James

[retroleds]

I've a substantially different answer on the crystal removal. That crystal cannot be physically pushed out, it is sitting on a lip in the front surface of the case, sandwiched between the case and the decorative front bezel. The only proper thing to do it is to take a case knife and put it under one of the front corners of the bezel and pop it off - it is fitted to the case just like a press on back. At that point the crystal will virtually fall out into your hand. Brush the bezel, polish the case and crystal, reassemble and it's a charmer.

[james_stan]

Hi Ed

Aha, I think I see what you're getting at. Not sure however I have an
appropriate tool to get under that corner. A stanley blade would
undoubtedly shatter or cut my finger tips off before I could prise it off.

My own 'case knife' is a specially sharpened screwdriver that is not
strong or sharp enough I think..

..Hmm

James

[retroleds]

It is actually a fairly wimpy press fit, since they couldn't make the contact area very substantial due to the space limitations...buttons coming through the side and all that. In fact, many of them show bubbling where the button holes are almost breaking into the notch the crystal lays in. Any decent pocket-knife or straight edged kitchen paring knife will do.

My two favorite "case knifes" are: a paring knife I found at my Dad's when he passed, that he had ground the blade down so it was only 1.5"(4 ish cm long). And a thick bladed steak knife that had a smooth blade, which I cut down like the one Dad had made, but I flattened the tip like a screwdriver 0- that's for removing screw-in battery hatches. The old man used his for peeling his oranges and apples - his hands were unsteady so he wanted a short blade he could control better.

[LEDluvr]

And a thick bladed steak knife that had a smooth blade, which I cut down like the one Dad had made, but I flattened the tip like a screwdriver 0- that's for removing screw-in battery hatches

Just to put in my two cents, I use pennys to take off the battery hatches. They work great, and are very affordable.

[james_stan]

Thanks chaps

I'll post a pic if/when I get it apart.

Cheers

James

[digibloke]

Oops - sorry about that. I've never had to disasemble mine but I remembered that there was a lot more red plastic visible on the inside than on the outside and thought it was a just a back loaded crystal.

Learn something new every day.

[retroleds]

It is very deceiving from the inside, looks like a round crystal dropped in, when really it extends about 2 mm on each side beyond the inside case diameter.. I wonder how many have been broken over the years....

[james_stan]

It is actually a fairly wimpy press fit,

Hmm, or not so wimpy in my case. Tried a few implements so far
but no budge.

I might try dropping it in some hot water to see if that helps expand the joints. Would boiling point be too much for the crystal you think ?

Cheers

James

[james_stan]

Hi All

Well got it apart yesterday - using my best kitchen knife after dropping it in a mug of very hot water.

I then set about some polishing in front of theTV. Here's a 'before' picture:-



Here's an after :-



Trouble is I cant press it back together now

If I shim out the case with some wood to protect the crystal could I try and snap i on in a small vice. ?

Cheers

James

PS Any idea where I could find a decent matching band for this one ?

[retroleds]

The vise is fine. My $0.02 - drop the crystal into the bezel face first(so you know it is actually laying in that cutout face correctly), then put the case against it. Then flip over and line up nicely and press top and bottom, it should at least hang on a little. Then proceed with the vise, gently.

The original band that came with those was stainless with a gold link down the center, the gold link being ground so it looked like two links down the center. They came with the normal butterfly clasp and in another version with the center of the band having about 3" of flexy/expansion band. I've alway liked that model.

[james_stan]

Thanks Ed

I ended up make a loop of insulated copper flex to make a protective ring around the crystal then into the vice and 'Bob's your uncle.'

So, now back together and working but in the process I seem to have cosnstructed a unique variant of this model - see if you can spot it..

[LEDluvr]

Upside down?

[james_stan]

You got it..

.. what a chump I am.

[LEDluvr]

At least now you know what to do to get it open again. If you want to go through all that rigarmole again.

[azimuth_pl]

just in case somebody wants to see the details, here is my old Lumicron by Novus with bezel removed:
http://www.ledwatches.net/photo-pages/lumicron.htm