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SkinnyPupp · 03-13-2025, 09:24 PM

This morning I served and installed a new movement in my Panerai. The old one will be my work unit going forward, and I'm interested in seeing how performance of this movement can improve after service, after being used for around a year. I also took the opportunity to switch the strap from leather to rubber, since weather is warming up (once it gets too hot, I'm switching again to NATO)

Tasks:

-Disassemble and clean new movement, polish pivots, oil shock settings (using the new tool you can see in the drawer above; the one in gold)

Have done this a hundred times by now, so it went smoothly. The new tool took some getting used to, but it will certainly by more consistent. The pin on this thing is smaller than an insulin needle, it's pretty impressive (and just as fiddly to install the needle as it is to work on the watch itself lol)

-Remove part of the pivot of the seconds wheel, polish and buff

This is because the 6497.2 (and ST3600 based on it) movements default is to have a seconds hand at 9, while this model doesn't have a seconds hand. If you install the dial over top of it, it will get squished down and prevent the movement from running. ETA makes a version of a wheel without the seconds hand pivot, but this is restricted to their clients. I've seen them around, for like $15. Instead, I cut the pivot shorter. In the past, I have done this while installed in the base plate, but that is unwise as it can crack the jewel or send metal shavings into the movement to cause issues

So I eyeballed where to cut it by comparing a wheel I have that I know works. I then held it in a pin vice (carefully), polished it down on 3000 grit diamond stone (carefully), then buffed it with an EVEFLEX pin. These are rubber buffing pins meant to be used in rotary tools, but you can stick them in a pin vice and buff pivots with them manually

Lesson: I need a higher quality pin vice to allow for more precise control

-Assemble, and after 24 hours, regulate in 3 positions to get the delta and average time as low as possible

Results of that:

Dial High: -1s. 299 amp 0.1 ms
6 High: -3s 269 amp 0.0 ms
9 High: +5s 272 amp 0.2 ms

Delta: 6 seconds, average time: +0.33 seconds per day

-Remove old movement from casing, remove hands, remove case holders, remove dial, hour wheel, canon pinion.

Lesson: I need proper hand removal levers. I had a cheap presto tool that is not precise enough or even thin enough to properly fit under the hands. I scuffed up the hour hand. Can't see it with the naked eye, but there's my next tool to purchase.

-Grease center wheel pivot and install canon pinion, hour wheel, dial, properly align dial screws, clean and re-lube the stem

I didn't have any lubrication when I got this watch, so I took the opportunity to properly lube the parts that were missing it. Used Molykote DX as the grease

Lesson: Don't buy Molykote DX as your grease. It is technically MUCH cheaper because you're getting 50G for $12 instead of 5 ml of Moebius 9504 for $17. But in reality it will take forever to get through 5 ml of either, so really you're only saving $5. And Molykote DX is a bitch to clean as it leaves lithium residue on everything if it isn't cleaned very thoroughly.

-Install hands, place completed movement in case, install case brackets and screws and stem

This was the challenging part. The hands went on fine, but man one of the case clamps really gave me a hard time. The problem is there is only a tiny spot in between two bridges where it can fit, so it's tough to sneak it in there. And then once you do, you have to do the same thing again with a screw, hoping you don't push the clamp out of place. This was something where I felt like when I was done, I leveled up a bit in dexterity lol

-Use silicone grease on new gasket, install case back

Used a rubber ball to get a tight grip on the case back since I don't have a case opening/closing tool yet. Works fine!

And then I buffed the case with a microfiber cloth, installed the crown guard, strap, and that's it! Watch is running smoothly, case is nice and clean and shiny. After this coffee break, I'll time the old movement and see how it improves after a service.

The first picture is actually the old movement. Here is the new one being cased

Can you tell the difference? Both are ST3600, both based on the 6497-2. However the first one is actually based on the Panerai OP XI caliber, which is based on the 6497-2. The new one is based on the stock ETA version. The only real difference is the bridge layout. The Panerai is a bit easier to deal with, since the escape wheel gets its own cock.

03-13-2025, 09:24 PM	#63
SkinnyPupp Hacked RS to become a mod Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sunny Hong Kong Posts: 55,069 Thanked 25,874 Times in 9,093 Posts Failed 1,573 Times in 719 Posts Member's Picture Albums	This morning I served and installed a new movement in my Panerai. The old one will be my work unit going forward, and I'm interested in seeing how performance of this movement can improve after service, after being used for around a year. I also took the opportunity to switch the strap from leather to rubber, since weather is warming up (once it gets too hot, I'm switching again to NATO) Tasks: -Disassemble and clean new movement, polish pivots, oil shock settings (using the new tool you can see in the drawer above; the one in gold) Have done this a hundred times by now, so it went smoothly. The new tool took some getting used to, but it will certainly by more consistent. The pin on this thing is smaller than an insulin needle, it's pretty impressive (and just as fiddly to install the needle as it is to work on the watch itself lol) -Remove part of the pivot of the seconds wheel, polish and buff This is because the 6497.2 (and ST3600 based on it) movements default is to have a seconds hand at 9, while this model doesn't have a seconds hand. If you install the dial over top of it, it will get squished down and prevent the movement from running. ETA makes a version of a wheel without the seconds hand pivot, but this is restricted to their clients. I've seen them around, for like $15. Instead, I cut the pivot shorter. In the past, I have done this while installed in the base plate, but that is unwise as it can crack the jewel or send metal shavings into the movement to cause issues So I eyeballed where to cut it by comparing a wheel I have that I know works. I then held it in a pin vice (carefully), polished it down on 3000 grit diamond stone (carefully), then buffed it with an EVEFLEX pin. These are rubber buffing pins meant to be used in rotary tools, but you can stick them in a pin vice and buff pivots with them manually Lesson: I need a higher quality pin vice to allow for more precise control -Assemble, and after 24 hours, regulate in 3 positions to get the delta and average time as low as possible Results of that: Dial High: -1s. 299 amp 0.1 ms 6 High: -3s 269 amp 0.0 ms 9 High: +5s 272 amp 0.2 ms Delta: 6 seconds, average time: +0.33 seconds per day -Remove old movement from casing, remove hands, remove case holders, remove dial, hour wheel, canon pinion. Lesson: I need proper hand removal levers. I had a cheap presto tool that is not precise enough or even thin enough to properly fit under the hands. I scuffed up the hour hand. Can't see it with the naked eye, but there's my next tool to purchase. -Grease center wheel pivot and install canon pinion, hour wheel, dial, properly align dial screws, clean and re-lube the stem I didn't have any lubrication when I got this watch, so I took the opportunity to properly lube the parts that were missing it. Used Molykote DX as the grease Lesson: Don't buy Molykote DX as your grease. It is technically MUCH cheaper because you're getting 50G for $12 instead of 5 ml of Moebius 9504 for $17. But in reality it will take forever to get through 5 ml of either, so really you're only saving $5. And Molykote DX is a bitch to clean as it leaves lithium residue on everything if it isn't cleaned very thoroughly. -Install hands, place completed movement in case, install case brackets and screws and stem This was the challenging part. The hands went on fine, but man one of the case clamps really gave me a hard time. The problem is there is only a tiny spot in between two bridges where it can fit, so it's tough to sneak it in there. And then once you do, you have to do the same thing again with a screw, hoping you don't push the clamp out of place. This was something where I felt like when I was done, I leveled up a bit in dexterity lol -Use silicone grease on new gasket, install case back Used a rubber ball to get a tight grip on the case back since I don't have a case opening/closing tool yet. Works fine! And then I buffed the case with a microfiber cloth, installed the crown guard, strap, and that's it! Watch is running smoothly, case is nice and clean and shiny. After this coffee break, I'll time the old movement and see how it improves after a service. The first picture is actually the old movement. Here is the new one being cased Can you tell the difference? Both are ST3600, both based on the 6497-2. However the first one is actually based on the Panerai OP XI caliber, which is based on the 6497-2. The new one is based on the stock ETA version. The only real difference is the bridge layout. The Panerai is a bit easier to deal with, since the escape wheel gets its own cock.