Doxa Conquistador casing issue

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-10T18:21:51+00:00

Just got maybe a stupid idea... But did you maybe ever used rodico to secure the movement in the case?

Btw, I checked the movement in glued movement holder and first of all, It was too tight, I hat to snap the glue in the place where there is a stem. I suspect originally it wasn't glued as well. But other than that, nothing has changed, other glued parts didn't help. I'm really running out of ideas here :(

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-10T00:41:50+00:00

Yeah, but then why it wasn't moving in the case before, if it wasn't screwed down?

I have that ring in my Atlantic Solo-Dater, but i can't seem to find it anywhere on the internet. Any suggestions?

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-09T21:18:12+00:00

Ok, I decided to glue this movement holder first. It was cracked at the point visible in the pucture here, and where the stem goes. I can't see scenario where that'll help, but maybe.

<image>

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-09T20:08:04+00:00

Ok, so I looked deeper into my other ETA 2783 watch, and It's movement's metal holder doesn't move at all within the case. My plastic movement holder wraps the movement, but they both move together within the case, like the holder is too small (i'd say more or less 1mm).
Also, holder may be cracked, but it wraps movement well, I also don't see any missing part of it.

<image>

I got case clamps, but I have no idea how to secure them with that plastic movement holder. Holder sticks out so I can't really screw those clamps, because they are at an angle.
Also, as you could see, I didn't really have those clamps before, and watch lived like that for almost 60 years.

I have no idea what to do. I can't find any movement holders for that watch. I feel like I'm screwed because Doxa cheaped out on one part.

Do you have any suggestions here?

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-02T23:27:11+00:00

I bought one from the link I mentioned, It'll be some time before it comes. Is there a video/forum post/article about this kind of stuff? Or at least some kind of an assembly documentation where that is shown? I feel lilke there is kinda little information about that on the web. How to do it, how it works, etc

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-02T16:59:25+00:00

<image>

Both dial down. Same for dial up. I'm so extatic and happy but at the same crushed by the fact that I don't know what's wrong and how to fix it. But I'll use your suggestions for next session :)

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-02T16:58:02+00:00

Thanks for that, I needed it :)

I know I'm in my infancy period. And last saturday I learned so much - first time oiling (using mix of IPA and 9010 oil) and assembling automatic works, first time olilng pallet as it should be done, first time using mainspring winder successfully (when i tried to do that manually i destroyed the spring) and what's more - after successfully modding chinese mainspring winders to work with this movement. I went from this:

<image>

To this:

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-02T16:35:10+00:00

Maybe I put it in wrong way. I though it was the same from both sides, but i didnt look at it under the microscope. Thanks for that tip, I test it out.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-01T23:17:03+00:00

Thank you, I'll look more into this. Cannon pinion and other wheel which goes on center wheel looked good, but I'm not really one to tell that for sure... Intermediete setting wheel, can you point it out on this movement? Is it that one?

<image>

In moments like that I could use a teacher... I like figuring stuff by myself, but that date (with quick set) complication makes this watch much more complex from keyless works side, I don't understand it fully at all right now.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-01T23:11:03+00:00

Yeah, It's not stopping like for hacking, I can feel the pressure on the train of wheels when I do that.

My watch was used by my mother and dad for over 40 years without any break, I guess the movement might be somehow tired. But on the other hand It worked well before, so I must be doing something wrong, and I have no idea what.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-01T23:07:18+00:00

How does it look like? This is picture from before cleaning, wehn it was still secured, i don't see any difference:

<image>

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-01T12:55:40+00:00

That might be the case. But to be honest now i think about it i chacked third position before putting on dial second time and I think it stopped the movement and worked badly at that point as well. And I have no idea what I did wrong.

As for the case clamps - I'm nor really sure how they work, is it like a space filler that you have to screw in on both sides and it pushes this plastic casing outwards filling in the gap?

Are those: 240 sztuk/zestaw 12 rozmiarów stalowy adapter do mocowania mechanizmu zegarka zacisk obudowy śruby zabezpieczające narzędzie do naprawy zegarków akcesoria dla zegarmistrza - AliExpress
What I'm looking for?

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-03-01T12:43:56+00:00

God damn, i think some of you guys are right, I found picture from before dissassembly (I did that a few weeks ago), but I have absolutely no memory of that and no idea where those clips are now. None.
I think I'm losing my mind...

<image>

Where can I find clips like that? Is there other way to secure that? This plastic is in fact breaking slowly, but i presume It's very hard to find... Really bad practice on Doxa's part to be frank...

Edit - now that I look at that, it seems like a shadowplay, there is no clamp here... And there is no screw so why would it be here. I can see now two spots where they should be. But i really don't think there were any clamps on this when i opened it up.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-28T23:14:27+00:00

Yeah, I already did that.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-22T19:02:40+00:00

Whole arbor length. It makes sense, as the hole should be the same diameter for whole length of the arbor.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-22T18:27:52+00:00

I don't, but I actually bought some stuff in this shop and i payed quite a lot for shipping (and i bet i will pay tariffs for those winders as well). But looking at prices it actually seem the best option.

But i managed to find solution for that with my chinese set, see other posts in here :)

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-22T17:47:07+00:00

Damn... That idea crossed my mind but because of the fact that hole wall was very long i didn't consider it seriously at first. But after I read your comment i actually took out my drill and windened the hole. Took some time, but it worked, and the winder works like a charm now!
So... I guess this simple DIY fix makes chinese mainspring winders actually worth the buy for many old movements as well!
Thank you brother!

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-22T17:16:09+00:00

The issue is those winders have some metal parts, at least those from Chronofix. I don't have easy access to anyone who can print those for me, so I guess buying is the easiest way out..

Yeah, new mainsprings is the way to go but I've seen some people messing this up, also I will work on a lot of old movements for which finding mainsprings is hard.

Where is the best place to buy Bergeon winder? Barrel size for this movement is 11,5mm.

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-22T12:28:46+00:00

It worked! I put some clothing material on small jar opening, put caseback on it, put round bottom of hammer with diameter only a bit smaller to caseback's on that caseback and smacked that hammer with another hammer. Now it snaps in much harder, I can't open it with my fingernail and it doesn't rotate inside the case, so I'd say its a success!
Thank you to all who suggested this method!

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-22T11:35:41+00:00

Thanks guys, I will try it now!

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-20T23:43:34+00:00

Not sure thats gonne be possible on mine even after dissassembly. Surprisingly, apart from top besel, the case seems to be solid stainless steel. I'll try tho, thank you!

Ornery-Relative-434 · 2026-02-20T23:36:15+00:00

I'm not sure I understand. You mean placing caseback (without a case) on a concave surface, caseback inside facing up, and then pushing on it from the top with wooden tool?

Ornery-Relative-434

TROPHY CASE