# How to remove crown from watch stem?



## doctorb (Oct 9, 2008)

Hi guys,

I have a screw down crown which I would like to reuse on another winding stem. How do you remove the crown from the stem? I'm asking specifically for a screw down crown, but am also interested in how to remove the crown from the stem in pull-out systems (assuming it's different).

Thanks


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## Genway (Feb 12, 2009)

In general, all stem is screw in to crown, does not matter what type of crown, and including screw down crown. When movement was manufactured and shipped with demo stem with dommy crown (Plastic or solid brass) plus additional threaded stem, it can go to all kind of case and design, so almost all cowns are screw type.
But few manufacture they made their own movements and do not need to fit into different type of case design, so it would come solid crown with friction-fit stem (no thread), like some Seiko, Timex, Tissot....
Normally crown are screw in very tight to stem, if there isn't any thread mark, you will not know it is screw-tight, all new modern watch applied special glue to the stem-crown, so some time it is very hard to remove, chances to break the stem is high if you never did it before.


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

Genway said:


> Normally crown are screw in very tight to stem, if there isn't any thread mark, you will not know it is screw-tight, all new modern watch applied special glue to the stem-crown, so some time it is very hard to remove, chances to break the stem is high if you never did it before.


Even if you have done it before chances to break the stem are still high. A little heat can help here.

-s-


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## TicTocTach (Nov 18, 2008)

Would it be better to heat the stem or the crown if the crown is a screw-down (seals to the case) type? I used some heat to remove a fixed (threaded but not screw-down) crown for a 6497 project, and the crown blued or otherwise discolored before the stem would unscrew. My guess here is that heating the stem would keep the heat in/near the threads and be less damaging to the crown itself, but I woudln't want to have any negative metalurgical effects... Maybe that's not a big deal if all that's being used is the crown.

Clair


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

It sounds like you are using too much heat... if the metal is discoloring, it's enough heat to damage the o-ring in the crown, as you suspect. You can replace that gasket, or remove it before applying heat, but I suggest using a lot less heat. My experience has been that a hair dryer on high is enough heat to soften most glues, but usually not enough to damage a hard rubber gasket. It just takes some time with the hair dryer to heat the whole assembly. Stubborn glues are going to be stubborn no matter what the heat (as you found), so try not to discolor the parts. Some rubber can be damaged at that low heat setting but those usually aren't used for crown gaskets.

I never used to use the glue when attaching crowns, but I've started too after realizing that slightly too-short stems left over in my parts box could be used with this method.

-s-


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## TicTocTach (Nov 18, 2008)

Wow, I don't think a hair drier would have made this crown budge, but it's good to know that it works some of the time. This was on a service stem that had a large "gold" plated crown on it, and I had been warming it up slowly by running it through a candle with quick passes. Test, pass again, test, pass again, pass a few more times, test, etc. It was hot to the touch and still not letting go and I was worried I'd torque the stem off any minute, so I finally got tired and cooked it pretty well. The "gold" plating didn't really recover from the experience, but it kind of has a cool look to it now...;-) In any event, I wouldn't try that with a screw-down crown due to the gasket issues, as I don't have the staking set or other special tools to replace the gaskets yet.

I'll be sure to try the hair drier trick next time. My wife's got a fancy Swiss one that I can set on "stun" and see how it works.

Clair


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## skoochy (Jan 6, 2009)

TicTocTach said:


> In any event, I wouldn't try that with a screw-down crown due to the gasket issues, as I don't have the staking set or other special tools to replace the gaskets yet.


Even modern non-screw down crowns (old ones are labeled "dustproof" or "waterproof") have gaskets!

Yeah, give it a try. I've still broken a stem or two.

-s-


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## BullDawg (May 18, 2008)

I play around mostly with 2824, 2836 and 2892 and I have plenty of new crown stems, crown stem extenders but would like to know where I can get "additional threaded stem". The stem extenders are not what I really need much of the time.

Cheers,

Bulldawg


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