Need help from a Horologist / Watchmaker

[Jimmy Mouse]

Anyone familiar with Tag Heuer watches? My daily watch, which is my absolute favorite watch is a Tag Aquaracer Calibre 5 Automatic and I wear it every day. It has been faithful for the last 6 years. Today at 11:30 it just stopped. When I shake it, it feels like the counter weight is just free spinning. I can hear it when I shake it then hold it to my ear. My other Tag is a new Calibre 7 GMT Automatic that I bought in Disney Springs. I compared it to my broke one and the counter weight doesn't seem to "Free" spin. Anyone run in to this before?

 

[NYCgrrl]

Anyone familiar with Tag Heuer watches? My daily watch, which is my absolute favorite watch is a Tag Aquaracer Calibre 5 Automatic and I wear it every day. It has been faithful for the last 6 years. Today at 11:30 it just stopped. When I shake it, it feels like the counter weight is just free spinning. I can hear it when I shake it then hold it to my ear. My other Tag is a new Calibre 7 GMT Automatic that I bought in Disney Springs. I compared it to my broke one and the counter weight doesn't seem to "Free" spin. Anyone run in to this before?

Don't have a Tag Heuer but purchased an IWC Schauffhausen for the man. It was vintage when acquired and is now a full fledged antique, LOL. When he had issues with it I contacted the Horology/gist Society in NYC and got a reccomendation from them. Can't recall the name of the gentleman chosen but like many others he works in the 40's. Contact the society is the best suggestion I I can give as this is one of the few mechanicals I won't tinker with.

HTH

 

[Sabeking]

My DH is currently asleep but I will ask him tomorrow. He owns several Tag Heuers. Can’t promise anything but you never know. He is a watch guy; he watches you tube videos about watch movements all the time! Could be worse hobbies! Lol!

 

[71 Truck]

First let me say I am not a Horologist/watch repair person. This is just my opinion.

As far as I know the base movement for the Calibre 5 is either the ETA 2824-2 or the Sellita SW200-1. I own watches with the ETA 2824-2 movement and never noticed the type of sound you described while the rotor moves. It is possible with either movement the bearing in the center of the rotor may have gone bad and need to be replaced or if you are lucky the center screw has lossened and needs to be tightened. I have a Seiko Orange Monster with 7s26 movement that made a similar sound you describe and the rotor screw loosened so it was an easy fix. If the bearing has gone bad or the center screw has come loose it may be possible the gears in the automatic works are not making proper contact with each other.
If this happens they might not be winding the main spring.
Have you tried winding it by hand? If so does it stop running shortly after? If so you may have a broken main spring.
Either way it sounds like it may need a service .

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

First let me say I am not a Horologist/watch repair person. This is just my opinion.

As far as I know the base movement for the Calibre 5 is either the ETA 2824-2 or the Sellita SW200-1. I own watches with the ETA 2824-2 movement and never noticed the type of sound you described while the rotor moves. It is possible with either movement the bearing in the center of the rotor may have gone bad and need to be replaced or if you are lucky the center screw has lossened and needs to be tightened. I have a Seiko Orange Monster with 7s26 movement that made a similar sound you describe and the rotor screw loosened so it was an easy fix. If the bearing has gone bad or the center screw has come loose it may be possible the gears in the automatic works are not making proper contact with each other.
If this happens they might not be winding the main spring.
Have you tried winding it by hand? If so does it stop running shortly after? If so you may have a broken main spring.
Either way it sounds like it may need a service .

Tried winding by hand. Nothing will get it going. I am familiar with automatics. I own a Rolex Submariner 16610, an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, my broke Aquaracer and my Newley acquired Aquaracer. I think I may have set the date with the hands in the wrong position. I usually set it to 6:30 to be safe and I don’t remember doing that. Either way, I am taking it to my local Tag dealer Tuesday. Good news is I finally found one I have been wanting. Aquaracer 500m date at 9:00 position. It should arrive Wednesday

 

[71 Truck]

Tried winding by hand. Nothing will get it going. I am familiar with automatics. I own a Rolex Submariner 16610, an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, my broke Aquaracer and my Newley acquired Aquaracer. I think I may have set the date with the hands in the wrong position. I usually set it to 6:30 to be safe and I don’t remember doing that. Either way, I am taking it to my local Tag dealer Tuesday. Good news is I finally found one I have been wanting. Aquaracer 500m date at 9:00 position. It should arrive Wednesday

Sorry to hear you are having problems. My friends Rolex would not stay running when she wound it by hand. I told her it may be a broken main spring. When she sent it out for repair the repair shop confirmed a broken main spring. Thankfully for her the repair was covered by the store she bought it from. Hopefully it turns out to be something easy and not to expensive to fix.
With that said congratulations on finding a new Aquaracer 500m.

 

[Sabeking]

DH has not run into this, he knows the watch. He said you need to send it in and then evaluate what the cost is in comparison to the watch itself. Sorry not much help, you already know all of this! Good luck!

 

[bcla]

These are easy enough for a decent watch repair (i.e. not someone at a mall kiosk) to examine and fix. The movements themselves aren't too expensive (relative to the watch itself) and often a shop will just replace the entire movement.

I looked up the price of the ETA 2824-2 mentioned earlier, and it's about $260 just for the part, although it won't have a name on the rotor if that's important. I suppose a decent watchmaker could transfer over the original rotor if there's no problem with it. This doesn't have a display back does it?

http://www.ofrei.com/page_183.htmlhttp://www.ofrei.com/Sellita-Watch-Movement.html

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

DH has not run into this, he knows the watch. He said you need to send it in and then evaluate what the cost is in comparison to the watch itself. Sorry not much help, you already know all of this! Good luck!

It seems to be a problem only to the Tag model WAN2110 which is this watch. New it cost me $2200. I have seen a few on eBay for $1400+. If it's more than $500 to fix it I will just sell it for parts. I have one I really like on the way so maybe this was meant to be?

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

These are easy enough for a decent watch repair (i.e. not someone at a mall kiosk) to examine and fix. The movements themselves aren't too expensive (relative to the watch itself) and often a shop will just replace the entire movement.

I looked up the price of the ETA 2824-2 mentioned earlier, and it's about $260 just for the part, although it won't have a name on the rotor if that's important. I suppose a decent watchmaker could transfer over the original rotor if there's no problem with it. This doesn't have a display back does it?

http://www.ofrei.com/page_183.htmlhttp://www.ofrei.com/Sellita-Watch-Movement.html

Both movements are good but the ETA is a little bit better. Either way, Tag Heuer has one or the other make movements for them, the problem is you cannot purchase the exact movement from either company. Tag has them built for them so there is subtle differences. Main spring is different, rotor is different, hand stack is different on different models. That helps identify the fakes. But thank you for the information! I may just purchase the Quartz movement for this watch and wear it to Disney. I won't feel so bad if I bang it up on the rides lol.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Sorry to hear you are having problems. My friends Rolex would not stay running when she wound it by hand. I told her it may be a broken main spring. When she sent it out for repair the repair shop confirmed a broken main spring. Thankfully for her the repair was covered by the store she bought it from. Hopefully it turns out to be something easy and not to expensive to fix.
With that said congratulations on finding a new Aquaracer 500m.

I just had my Rolex serviced last year and wore it a handful of times since. I have a friend that has been hounding me to sell it so I will be letting it go soon. I actually like my Tag better. When wearing my Rolex I have been asked if it's a fake. When wearing my Tag or my Omega all I get is "Nice Watch".

 

[bcla]

Both movements are good but the ETA is a little bit better. Either way, Tag Heuer has one or the other make movements for them, the problem is you cannot purchase the exact movement from either company. Tag has them built for them so there is subtle differences. Main spring is different, rotor is different, hand stack is different on different models. That helps identify the fakes. But thank you for the information! I may just purchase the Quartz movement for this watch and wear it to Disney. I won't feel so bad if I bang it up on the rides lol.

I've only owned one automatic in my life. It was a low end Swatch Group (but not a Swatch automatic) and given how much I paid for it (less than $150) I figured it wouldn't be worth servicing. Now the one I really wanted was the classic Omega Seamaster with the blue dial. I had a few dealers will to sell it for $1300 back around 2000, and a few friends said it was a good price. Didn't end up getting it and at this point in my life I'm not sure I would still be using one.

I remember once I borrowed my dad's old Omega. I mean old. It had a glass crystal. However, a coworker who was a watch enthusiast (he had a really nice Rolex although I forgot which model) asked where I got it. I don't think it had been serviced in over 30 years but it would still wind and tick even though it wasn't particularly accurate.

 

[dish rag]

It’s normal to hear and feel the rotor spin on that movement. You probably have a bad hair spring. Any competent watch maker could make the repair. Mayors could send it off to TH, or you could contact TH for shipping instructions and send it yourself. At that age they will want to do a full overhaul. The watch would come back in new condition. Expect to pay $500 for that. Could be more. Tag watches suffer terrible depreciation. That’s more than the value of the watch. You’ll have to decide what to do.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

It’s normal to hear and feel the rotor spin on that movement. You probably have a bad hair spring. Any competent watch maker could make the repair. Mayors could send it off to TH, or you could contact TH for shipping instructions and send it yourself. At that age they will want to do a full overhaul. The watch would come back in new condition. Expect to pay $500 for that. Could be more. Tag watches suffer terrible depreciation. That’s more than the value of the watch. You’ll have to decide what to do.

I do know its normal to hear the rotor spin but you can actually get this one to spin so fast the watch feels like a gyro lol. I can spend $500 if need be but any more I will sell it for parts. This watch still sells for $1200+ used grade 8/10. Mine is at least a 9/10 maybe a little better. It is my work watch but I still take good care of it.

 

[Imzadi]

Try writing or calling Tag Heuer. They have a repair department or know of local watch repairers who are certified with them that they can recommend in your area to take your watch to.