A gilt Tudor 7928, a nut and a breaker bar.

[interestedwatcher]

I picked up a Tudor 7928 on a gamble in January - the caseback wouldn't budge for the watch maker - so the owner sold it to me for a fair price, and said 'don't come crying if the threads let go when you open it up'.

As far as I could see, it is as it left the factory. Original dial, period correct insert, original hands etc. It is a 32xxx serial, so 1960, dial has an exclamation point on it if you look closely too. I figured the biggest risk was that if it was 'rusted' shut, that the mid case and caseback perish when we attempt opening... But between the hands, and the bezel and insert I figured I would have enough value left over if the worst happened to at least not be too out of pocket.



I took it to a watch maker, who held it for 6 months and did nothing, and it finally came back to me last week... After some previous advice from someone I respect greatly, I decided to give the 'nut trick' a go.

I took a large nut, and glued it to the rear of the case. Prior to gluing it to the case, I scuffed up the nut to ensure it had a good places to contact the rear of the case with. The nut had a flat surface instead of being a nut on both sides if that makes sense - it gave it far greater surface area to bond with the case back.



You can see the nut is basically as large as the flat portion of the caseback.




I tried and tried with a smaller wrench - it just didn't have the leverage, and all that was happening was that I was bending the pins of my case holder (case holder was placed in a vice).



Within one second of applying force (I gradually increased pressure - I didn't firewall it), the case back started to spin and I knew I'd done okay :)

I then used nailpolish removed to get rid of the glue on the case back, and now we are ready for the next steps....

[interestedwatcher]

I have had my RADEX over the dial, and it's not registering any heat, but being 1960 (And the afterglow after exposure to UV) I suspect it may be radium.

Any tips on how to safely stabilise the dial (with a clear coat or something)?

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by interestedwatcher

I have had my RADEX over the dial, and it's not registering any heat, but being 1960 (And the afterglow after exposure to UV) I suspect it may be radium.

Any tips on how to safely stabilise the dial (with a clear coat or something)?

Good snaffle sir.... Nice pcg all looks original incl crown, bezel-L5, soft edged plexi and the rare gilt (big blob s/h) handset.

Id really leave the dial/hands as is, I dont think it will get any worse.

Its a Radium 'gold gilt /exclamation probably (see Ross' comments on serial range its on edge)' as you say...i wouldnt tart it up at all if mine, it has a great overall 'very-lived-in' look.

The Fleurier looks clean too from what I can see.

Sure you saw this from Ross https://www.tudorsub.com/tudorsubmariner7928

[harry in montreal]

Great gamble and excellent execution on the bolt. I’m due for
One of these caseback free outs.

What product did u use to glue the bolt to the back ? I think we all should take note !

[linesiders]

I love it.

Harry, use Superglue, which can be removed with acetone

[baumare]

Congratulation, love the piece and the story, thank you for sharing, learned something new!

[Filipão]

Brilliant engineering mind, you've used a "flanged nut".

As @harry in montreal asks, it would be very useful to know the type of glue, though I imagine you've used an epoxi like Araldite. Please kindly confirm.

[interestedwatcher]

The nut was an 11/16 with flange as Filipao stated. The glue was green 'zap a gap', from a hobby story. Once on, it was like it was welded - very strong bond. I took a heat gun (gas powered) and while holding the nut with a needle nosed plier, I hit just the nut with heat, a few seconds later I could hear the glue making some noise, and hte nut just fell off. I then placed the caseback (after it cooled) into a little dish of nail polish remover, and came and got it out 8 hours later, glue simply peeled off.

No damage to caseback, just a cleaner spot where the glue was.

Interestingly, when first posted in a facebook group many people called it fake - surprises me how little people know about Rolex or Tudor.

[alwayshere]

Great work!

The nut trick has worked for me before when all else has failed!

[BigBlue1]

That was so cool and interesting. Thank you for sharing. I love the “ Patina” Great looking watch.

[harry in montreal]

Thank you. This post should be a Sticky… haha or Gluey!

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by interestedwatcher

The nut was an 11/16 with flange as Filipao stated. The glue was green 'zap a gap', from a hobby story. Once on, it was like it was welded - very strong bond. I took a heat gun (gas powered) and while holding the nut with a needle nosed plier, I hit just the nut with heat, a few seconds later I could hear the glue making some noise, and hte nut just fell off. I then placed the caseback (after it cooled) into a little dish of nail polish remover, and came and got it out 8 hours later, glue simply peeled off.

You are a far braver man than I.

Looking forward to photos of what you found inside.

[KY..]

Very creative plan of attack as my first thought probably would have been trying a penetrating oil.
Thanks for sharing…

[interestedwatcher]

Originally Posted by KY..

Very creative plan of attack as my first thought probably would have been trying a penetrating oil.
Thanks for sharing…

Great point - all these things and more had been tried. The only one I didn’t pursue was aggressive heat or cold - that was plan B.

[lupus66]

Exclam might already be tritium

[interestedwatcher]

Originally Posted by lupus66

Exclam might already be tritium

For sure - if tritium it has the zinc sulfide (I think it is - same as my tritium gilt 5513 dial) that means it holds a charge for 10 seconds or so after blue light. As opposed to later tritium where you excite some specs just while UV is on it. Serial is 325xxx

[Dom9]

What a great find and idea with the flanged nut!

[harry in montreal]

I really miss that 1961 Tudor sub I owned. I sold it for a good price at the time and bought two snowflakes with the money. I should have bought a device to see if it leached any radiation. It was a mistake. Don’t be a Harold. Keep and enjoy it

[Filipão]

Thank you so much, I'll look up the green zap a gap.

Nut could even get "torquier"

[winst]

Well played Sir!

[linesiders]

Originally Posted by harry in montreal

I really miss that 1961 Tudor sub I owned. I sold it for a good price at the time and bought two snowflakes with the money. I should have bought a device to see if it leached any radiation. It was a mistake. Don’t be a Harold. Keep and enjoy it

That had a killer dial and a pretty nice case!

Originally Posted by Filipão

Thank you so much, I'll look up the green zap a gap.

Nut could even get "torquier"

Ironically, you want more surface area so smooth with a flange gives you better contact for the adhesive.

[Filipão]

Originally Posted by linesiders

Ironically, you want more surface area so smooth with a flange gives you better contact for the adhesive.

Hi John, that's what the serrated flange will give you!

[interestedwatcher]

I feel like the glue as long as it expands will be able to grip the serrated flange well - basically sharing any force from the breaker bar equally among the glue 'waves' that fill the serrated areas. On a smaller scale that's why I sanded the base of the nut, little channels for the glue to expand into and take the strain!

[alwayshere]

FYI, I just used a hexa nut and then a spanner to open the caseback.

The annoying part is getting ride of the superglue but I guess soaking it in acetone worked.

Nice watch btw! heavy tropical patina!

[interestedwatcher]

Originally Posted by alwayshere

FYI, I just used a hexa nut and then a spanner to open the caseback.

The annoying part is getting ride of the superglue but I guess soaking it in acetone worked.

Nice watch btw! heavy tropical patina!

Nice - when I used a 12mm hex nut it would just turn off the case back - hence extreme measures. The watch was owned by a Thai Navy officer who must have used it for a decent period of his career - so very tropical!

[Dan S]

Well done and nice find. I don't know why a longer lever arm on the wrench would solve the problem with the case-holder pins, since the torque required to open the back was apparently more than the pins could tolerate, but I'm happy that it worked. I would generally clamp the case using posts that fit in the spaces between the lugs. Heat is a good idea, and there are some other tricks that can help if all else fails.

[Dr.Smellody]

Excellent job! Can't wait to hear and see the next steps.

[interestedwatcher]

Originally Posted by Dan S

Well done and nice find. I don't know why a longer lever arm on the wrench would solve the problem with the case-holder pins, since the torque required to open the back was apparently more than the pins could tolerate, but I'm happy that it worked. I would generally clamp the case using posts that fit in the spaces between the lugs. Heat is a good idea, and there are some other tricks that can help if all else fails.

Longer bar allowed smoother and more even application of force. I suspect when the pins were bending, that was a result of me having to really muscle the small wrench and it didn’t stay on the flat - so all the pressure would go to one or two of the pins.

Good tips for the really tight ones!