How do I remove a watch movement from its case? I have some old gold cases that I would like to used quartz movements in. I also have a large number of cheap watches I would like to paint new faces on.

Mary Alice Spires, July 2005

Hey, just found this site by asking the same question and thanks Ken for setting the ball rolling. My wife bought a cheapo watch and then takes a jaccuzi with it on. (Yeh I know). Anyway winder removed (thanks to the advice) and I can now confirm at least with this watch that re-inserting is the exact reverse procedure. i.e. press the little lever or button gently push the winder in and release. For those who want a little more detail, this watch has a hole in the movement case and the metal button has a corresponding hole a little out of line with the other. When you press it the two holes line up and vola!!

Terry N., June 2010

This is a great resource, complete with pictures: http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/WatchSchool/WS%2011%20How%20to%20remove%20and%20replace%20a%20watch%20movement/WS%2011%20How%20to%20remove%20and%20replace%20a%20movt.htm

Jeremy, September 2009

Thanks Kenneth. In my case I was able to re-insert the winder by pressing the release button with the needle and keeping it pressed while re-inserting . Once in I released the needle pressure and the winder was firmly in place. Thanks again!

Hugh, July 2009

I have no idea perhaps you can take it to a watch repair shop run by an old man who has done it alot.

steve segall uaf, April 2009

I would like to thank Kenneth Keen for his valuable description of how to remove the watch winder... a very simple task ... once you know how!

I used this advice on my Rotary watch which has a small silver button on the circuit board below where the winder enters the watch body. Whilst holding a screw driver on the button you simply withdraw the winder from the watch bady.

Thanks Again Kenneth.

Graham M., February 2008

Superb advice. I hit on this website after buying a nice little 9ct gold Avia for 50p, which looked like it had been stored in porridge for years, so much stuff gummed to it.
Thanks to the advice the movement is now out and the case and bracelet are soaking and giving up the goo! Ta Muchly.

Janet and Paul, August 2007

I'm having the same trouble, I've got the winder out but it won't click back. I did find a website which might be useful but is mainly concerned with old wind-up watches, worth a look though if only to find out that the winder is also called the crown, very regal!

http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/WatchSchool

Colesy, April 2007

Thanks Kenneth. I had been struggling to find a way to remove teh winder from an imitation Vacheron Constantin. After reading your words I found a minute little button on the action and when I pressed it with a pin the winder came out. Thanks so much!

Bill Moreton, March 2007

Its about TIME someone answered your question. 20060221160907 MET.
I have just taken my own casio battery watch apart. Using a sharp knife, the back plate can easily be removed, if you are good with your fingers. Then the battery can be removed/changed. My hands had fallen off and so I had to remove the movement from the body. I had seen a street vendor do this in Africa last year and working from plastic bags and with most sophisticated device being the screw-driver I realised that I could do this myself. So, today I have been able to repair another watch left in the washing machine, - back removed, the watch set to dry sowly on a radiator and I have just replaced the battery and it is still going four hours later. Now with the movement, it is necessary to remove the winder. (Being a layman I will use words which occurr to me, the Horological Institute in UK have got a website where I expected to see lots of good tips but there was nothing, from the look of it dead since 1999!). OK, on some watches the winder can just be pulled out and will then release the movement. On my Casio (Ten years old, good in its day battery driver analogue and digital in one) there was a "push" statement somewhere on the "plate" or green circuit board. I saw a metal lever, which on pressing with a very small screwdriver could be moved back and forward. Since the winder did not let itself be removed with a fair amount of force, I realised that perhaps this lever would need to be pressed first. I did so and nothing happened. Then I saw that as the lever moved another part moved too. This other internal part I then pressed with a strong needle and there was a click and I was able to remove the winder. Then the body or movement was able to be removed - a lot of fiddling around with a good lamp and also a small microscope (25x magnification) helped me to be able to see that all three hands could be placed back on their "axels". They are now all in position and I am able to put the movement back in place and unfortunately the winder when inserted does not click lock in position. There is something which any watchmaker will know about how to get the lever to return to its original position so that it can grab the winder and hold it in place.

At least you have now got your watch apart like me now and can sit and wait a year or two until some decent watchmaker turns up and gives us both some more advice. If it was a computer there would be no end of advice and tips but watch-makers have to protect their professions and so will not give any advice ruining the chance of losing trade.
Thus the watch trade died. If they don't give anything out - they don't get anything back - the law of physics/feng shui/karma

20060221162719
That didn't take long.

Kenneth Keen, February 2006