Spinning rotor syndrome on my FLE: Cured?

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:01 pm

When my FLE first arrived, everything was functioning perfectly. After about 2 weeks of wear, it suddenly came down with spinning rotor syndrome. I didn’t keep this one on a winder, and when I’d pick it up to start it and give it a few winds, the rotor was clearly spinning like a top, no matter how I would wind it.

That was a few weeks ago. I’ve been putting off sending back to CW because I just don’t really want to part with it, and it’s working just fine otherwise.

Yesterday morning I thought, “I’m already having to send it in for service, why not give it a really hard crank and see what happens?”

I grabbed the crown and gave it a HARD/FAST turn. There was a bit of a snap. Then I wound it, and the rotor didn’t spin. A bit of a panic set in at the snap. I set the time and set it down.

I picked it back up this morning and it had lost 4 seconds in 24 hours. I wound it a bit, all felt normal with no spinning rotor no matter how slow or fast I wound it or from what position.

This is NOT an instruction manual and I do not recommend doing it. It could have seriously damaged the watch.

I’m just really surprised that now everything seems fine with it? And really happy I no longer have to send it for service (for now

)

Happy weekend CWF!

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:11 pm

Congratulations…

You are (probably) now the proud owner of an FLE, complete with sheared teeth from the no longer stuck reverser wheels. Little metal teeth now free and finding their way to anywhere that takes their fancy, somewhere!

Neil

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:18 pm

^^^ Not unlikely

I’ll update the thread if/when an issue presents itself. Unless everything runs fine for 5-10 years before needing service, and I forget about this thread!

Bident · Post by **Bident** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:19 pm

Alex, my Oris Aquis had the spinning rotor/reverser gears problem when I first bought it back in 2019. It went away by itself in a month or less and I've never had an issue since. I did not hear a snap sound though, and I never gave the crown a hard fast wind as you described. Neil's comments about sheared teeth floating around inside notwithstanding, I wouldn't be surprised if your watch ran just fine for a long time.

tikkathree · Post by **tikkathree** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:37 pm

Bident wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:19 pm Alex, my Oris Aquis had the spinning rotor/reverser gears problem when I first bought it back in 2019. It went away by itself in a month or less and I've never had an issue since. I did not hear a snap sound though, and I never gave the crown a hard fast wind as you described. Neil's comments about sheared teeth floating around inside notwithstanding, I wouldn't be surprised if your watch ran just fine for a long time.

Maybe someone should design a watch with a trap in the dial so that any loose teeth fall forward into the dial & hand space thus serving two if not three purposes:
1. The wearer is made aware of them,
2. They are removed from the works space where they could create mayhem and optionally
3. They provide an additional conversation point.

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:17 pm

ajax87 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:18 pm ^^^ Not unlikely

I’ll update the thread if/when an issue presents itself. Unless everything runs fine for 5-10 years before needing service, and I forget about this thread!

I found a thread about sticking reverser wheels…
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php? ... ight=Sw200
Whilst lots of stuff from random people on the internet is bollocxs, I know the OP and have spent enough time over the past few years talking to him about watches and other random bollocxs, to know (that as a watchmaker is his spare time) he knows what he is talking about.

Neil

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:15 am

Bident wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:19 pm I wouldn't be surprised if your watch ran just fine for a long time.

Let it be so!

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:23 am

nbg wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:17 pm
ajax87 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:18 pm ^^^ Not unlikely

I’ll update the thread if/when an issue presents itself. Unless everything runs fine for 5-10 years before needing service, and I forget about this thread!
I found a thread about sticking reverser wheels…
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php? ... ight=Sw200

This was an excellent read suggestion, Neil. Thanks!

I’ve been tinkering on and off over the last 15 years, but nothing serious, nothing on this guy’s level. This was informative and maybe helped me believe everything is Ok…

I popped the caseback off and was able to inspect all the pertinent wheels/teeth. Nothing sheared, all teeth appear present and toothy. Turning the rotor helped me get eyes on all teeth of both reverser wheels, and turning the crown let me inspect the others all the way around. Tilting the watch this way and that didn’t reveal any tiny jangling of loose parts, and nothing loose was visible or fell out.

Still, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the next 5 years or so! And yes, I’m aware of the warranty implications of what I’ve done.

I’m hoping for an all’s well that ends well type situation.

Post by **rkovars** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:38 pm

@ajax87 If you are feeling daring the real test would be to remove the rotor by removing the center screw and inspecting the reverser wheels themselves (they are attached to the underside of the rotor). Everything will come off as one piece and it is super easy to get seated again. I took one off recently to get at the regulation pin on one of mine. The adjustment I had to make was more than the fine adjustment screw could provide and often the rotor is in the way of the regulation pin.

RichM · Post by **RichM** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:59 pm

In have a Victorinox with exactly this situation! I tend to wear it until it's running and then set the time.

How much is a fix likely to be d'you think? (On the assumption it's straightforward and hasn't wrecked the rest of the movement).

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 4:55 pm

@rkovars you can’t fully see it in the photo I took, but when I move the rotor I can see 2 interlocking wheels that spin when I turn the rotor. Aren’t those the reverser wheels?

: You can see one just peeking out here, but the other is there and visible when I move the rotor

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 5:29 pm

RichM wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:59 pm In have a Victorinox with exactly this situation! I tend to wear it until it's running and then set the time.

How much is a fix likely to be d'you think? (On the assumption it's straightforward and hasn't wrecked the rest of the movement).

I can’t be sure, the only other time this happened to me it was fixed by CW under warranty (a C60 a couple years ago). As I understand it is a fairly easy fix and hopefully would be priced fairly!

maclink · Post by **maclink** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:18 pm

Couldn’t wrap my head around this spinning rota problem until I read an earlier thread that explains it. My C63 Sealander 36mm has the problem. I noted it and thought the sensation odd but since the watch worked didn’t think much of it. I thought I was imagining it in that my movements while winding were causing the rota to move.

Post by **rkovars** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:02 pm

ajax87 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 4:55 pm @rkovars you can’t fully see it in the photo I took, but when I move the rotor I can see 2 interlocking wheels that spin when I turn the rotor. Aren’t those the reverser wheels?

IMG_7725.jpeg

Some of them (I think). Here is a good photo of the underside of the SW200 rotor and plate.

EDIT: It has been a long time since I did this. To do it right, you have to remove two screws from the rotor plate and then the whole thing comes up as one part.

Here is a video of disassembly that shows what I mean. He did take the rotor off first but when I did it, I left the rotor in place and removed the whole thing because I wasn't completely disassembling the movement.

Macdaz · Post by **Macdaz** » Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:25 pm

ajax87 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:01 pm
Yesterday morning I thought, “I’m already having to send it in for service, why not give it a really hard crank and see what happens?”

I grabbed the crown and gave it a HARD/FAST turn. There was a bit of a snap. Then I wound it, and the rotor didn’t spin. A bit of a panic set in at the snap. I set the time and set it down.

IMG_7715.jpeg

I did exactly this about three years ago on a C60 Bronze. I wear it a lot and no issues since. (I don't recall the 'bit of a snap' though. I gave it a hard turn and it just wound and hasn't stuck since. (What is the betting next time I get it out of the box it spins?!)

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Spinning rotor syndrome on my FLE: Cured?

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